Deadend Republic

New Deadend Magazine Tee will be out at Primer Nationals this coming weekend.. To say we're proud of this one is an understatement... Dig it!

-Juan

Stealing Your Soul

Believe that a photograph can steal a soul?

Here are some of soul stealing photographs...

My brother was shooting this really nice Chevy in Ventura, Ca with our digital camera so I brought out the old film camera and snapped a few shots.. you gotta love 'real' black & white.

Took a couple shots of my buddy Beto as he welded on the 'Corvette Truck'

This is an outtake from a family portrait I was shooting. Ruby walked right in front of the camera as I snapped.. Don't know why but I dig the feel of this shot, just wished I would've cropped it better.

Double exposure? Nope.. Shot into a side window of a 57 Chevy wagon and saw that in the reflection was the police.

Another photo from the shoot my brother and I did for Confused Clothing.

Took this shot in East Salinas... cheap China wheels that make people feel like ballers.

Mi sobrino, "Man"... watch out he bites too!

Lust or love?

A shot from my second shoot with Ms. D.Castro

Love the paint job & engraving.

A shot from my shoot with Killa V.

Stevie Aldape's 64 Impala... I've been trying to shoot this car for a while, finally got my chance.

Gangsta!

Keep a look out for the new Deadend Shirts preview on the Deadend Blog..

Al Rato..
-Juan

Pack Rat

So At the end of the month my family and I are moving from the East Side of Salinas to the North Side of Salinas. Better house, better area (we think.) I'm a little excited and sad at the same time. I have lived in East Salinas my whole life, and in the same house since 1992 (except for when I was off to college) This old house has a lot of good memories and a few bad ones. Time for a new chapter in the Espinoza's life.

So I've dreaded having to pack and started this past weekend (yeah I know a little late, that's what I do.. procrastinate) Started with boxing up my old cameras and random stuff I have on the walls & shelves of my room.


I've always been intrigued by old cameras, and I've been lucky to collect a few over the years (many thanks to my buddy Flat Top Bob who sent me a few from Texas!)



Everybody should have at least one brownie, right?

This little camera actually still has film in it... develop?

I love the typography on the camera and the package design for the bulbs.

This little camera also still has 8mm film in it.

After packing my cameras (some of which I didn't photograph) I started to take down crap that I have all over my room, This is my "random box" that as you can see has very random stuff in it...

Yeah...

Little stuff I had on my shelf... random?

I found this nice little note thumb-tacked on a board Laurent, of french magazine Powerglide, sent us..

Looks like I have a lot to do before we move...

-Juan

Van Nuys on a Wednesday Afternoon

Since the Van Nuys Cruising Association brought back cruising to Van Nuys Blvd a couple months ago I've been wanting to go. Since it takes place on Wednesdays it was a little difficult for me to take a couple days off to drive down there just to enjoy the cruising for a couple of hours, but we finally did it!

We took off from Salinas to Ventura to pick up Beto & his son to go check out the cruising this Wednesday, and it was well worth the 5 hour drive!

Beto drove us from Ventura to Van Nuys

The exit in busy LA traffic

After checking out some cars at Rydell & Ralphs we were hungry and ate at this restaurant... nice name.


Lil Beto enjoyed his teething cookie while we grubbed some burgers

Palm trees galore on the boulevard.


Our smallest supporter!


Some of the cruising (you'll see more pics on Deadend)

We stayed out on the boulevard until about 11pm then headed back to Ventura to spend the night. Then we headed back home to Salinas. I got home tried to nap for a little (snuck in about 20 minutes of Z's) before going to Baja Cantina & downtown Monterey to check out what The Concours had brought into town.

I've always liked this tunnel

-Juan

Rock The Bells 2009

This year I got to attend Rock The Bells in LA (San Bernardino) and SF (Mountain View) thanks to Aissa for hooking up the tickets!

To say I had a good time, is an understatement.

My favorite acts were:

The Roots - One of the better live performers I've ever seen... The Guitarst ripped it!
Tech N9ne - Along Krizz Kaliko & Cut Calhune tear it up on stage... They don't just rap they actually put on a performance for the crowd!
Psycho Realm - Killed it!
Nas - never been a big fan, I have a lot more respect for him now after watching him live.
Damian Marley - Lived up to the hype!
Ice Cube - You tell he's been doing it for years!

On our way down to LA.. Representing for Tribal everywhere we go!

VIP status (thanks Aissa!)

This one is for you!

Tribal Gear!

Viva Mexico, shhaaaooow!

Murs 3:16

Fa Shon from Fresno got down with a quick freestyle alongside Dialated Peoples.

Nice back pack dude.

Distant Relatives.. Nas & Damian Marley

On to Rock The Bells Bay Area Edition
Groupie VIP status

Psycho Realm also reppin Tribal Gear

The Roots

Big Pete, Lil Watcha & my carnal enjoying the show!

Good Times!
-Juan

Go Diego Go

I have a nephew (well really a cousin) that is a big part of my life. We raised him until he was about four. Then he moved to his grandma's house a few hours away. He visits every chance he gets. I love him. He brightens my day.

When he comes to visit it's not rare for him to tag-along with me to a car show or two. He is a very curious and imaginative kid. He will walk and admire the cars for only a few minutes before his mind starts wandering. He'll ask a ton of questions (which I dig) and he always wants to take or be in pictures. When I let him shoot a few flicks for the first time it surpised me that he tried to take pictures like I did. I could tell he had watched me. It was cool to see him drop to a knee and point at a chrome piece of the car and then turn at me and say, "Tight!"

He's such a little character. A couple of Christmases ago I wanted to buy him a digitial camera, but I decided against it, cause I was sure that either his little brother would get to it or no one at home would help him load the pics or print them for him. So instead I got him a couple throw-away film cameras and told him to shoot whatever he wanted.

Today I found a cd that had a few of the pictures he took.


This is your photographer... Diego must have handed the camera to someone to snap a flick of him

Told you he is a character.

That's Moi... I was sad when they cut his little curls off.

He pointed the camara at me

He's artsier than me.

He took a shot of the bike my brother got him for Christmas.

Self Portriat.

It was cool to see these images after forgetting about them for a couple years. Just like he does, his images brightened my day.

I think I'll buy him a digital camera this year.. he's ready for it.

-Juan