Bryan Farley Photography Educator

What do we remember when we say that we will “never forget?”

I spent the 15 year anniversary of the September 11th attacks at the Oakland Pride Parade. I found my church (and then lost them) and then joined the denomination that baptized me as a baby (the Methodists). I did not want to be alone this 9/11.

While many Americans will never forget 9/11, most Americans did not know someone who died on 9/11. I knew Mark Bingham, one of the passengers on Flight 93. Mark was an incredible man who has become an American icon and symbol for the LGBT community.

I met Mark shortly after I moved to the Bay Area. Mark organized a weekly football game at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Five years ago, I wrote more about how we knew each other.  He was one of the best athletes and one of the best leaders I have known. He was many things, and if you met him, you would not forget him.… Read the rest

Continue Reading

This feels more like an obituary than an anniversary… an acknowledgement that a language has died, or as John Lennon sang, “Everybody’s talking and no one says a word.”

Before photography portfolio presentation at the 2012 JEA Minneapolis National Convention

13 years ago today, I began working at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara. At the time, Brooks was a visual art college respected throughout the world. If you believe the press reports and Facebook postings, Brooks closed last month. I don’t believe everything I see about Brooks. While working for Brooks, I learned how imagery can be manipulated. I also learned to question the parent company that owned Brooks during the nearly five years that I worked for the school.

Santa Barbara Harbor, Winter

I was going to start the post with the phrase, “Life is a paradox,” and so it was with Brooks. Many of us who worked for Brooks were loyal to the college, but not the company.… Read the rest

Continue Reading

I photographed Nina Diaz one week ago in San Francisco at the DNA Lounge. It was the third time I have photographed Nina. The first time I photographed Nina, she was with her band Girl in a Coma.  Last year, I photographed her when she performed as a solo artist.

This time she was touring ahead of her new solo album, The Beat is Dead. The album will be available October 28. A new single, titled “January 9th” is available now. “January 9th” was inspired by the loss of her grandmother fifteen years earlier. At the time of this post, the single can be heard on Nina’s site.

In the other two posts, I have written enthusiastically about Nina. My opinion has not changed. She is talented and charismatic.

She has been performing since she was 13. Most of that time was with her old band. With her new band, she does not need to play guitar (though she still does).… Read the rest

Continue Reading

“If the Good Lord had intended us to walk, he wouldn’t have invented roller skates.” (from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory)

On Saturday, two teams skated in circles and one team would be able to hold a trophy at the end of the bout.

Last year the Berkeley Resistance won. This year they won again.

Rocket Dog Rescue also attended the Bay Area Derby Championships. Rocket Dog Rescue attended two years ago. This leads other related questions. If God had wanted us to be alone, would he or she have created dogs? (Or if God had wanted dogs to be alone, would humans have been created?)

So, walk this way and view the two galleries from #BADchamps2016. I recommend that you play a Gene Wilder movie in the background.

Berkeley v Oakland Final

Richmond v San Francisco 3rd Place

Since the Bay Area Derby championships, Gene Wilder died. The opening quote is from Willy Wonka, one of the first movies that I loved.… Read the rest

Continue Reading

Last week my children started school again. My son attends a Spanish dual immersion school in Oakland, California. (My daughter attended Melrose Leadership Academy the first six years of MLA’s bilingual program. Now she attends 7th grade in a neighboring district middle school.) MLA is not for everyone, but I believe in the school.

When my daughter was in the first class of bilingual students at MLA, I was concerned, but confident. I know what it means to be the first at something. I have also known people who were the first. I have known trailblazers, and this experience has given me comfort. I have probably taken these experiences for granted.

This last year, my son started playing baseball. He loves playing catcher. I attended a high school that is known for producing Major League pitchers and catchers. Fresno High School also produced the first Mexican American MLB manager. When I was a kid, my grandfather had married into his family.… Read the rest

Continue Reading

Twilight, lost my way
Twilight, can’t find my way

In the shadows, boy meets man (from U2’s Twilight)

Last week I photographed Inventing Our Future 2016 at Chabot Space and Science Museum in Oakland, California. The three day event was the Fifth Annual Integrated Learning Summer Institute sponsored by Alameda County Office of Education and other regional partners. The conference emphasizes how art can improve education across the curriculum. I have attended the last four summer workshops.

As the photographer, I visit all 33 workshops. I also meet the morning plenary speakers. I follow each day’s theme as I follow the schedule. On day one, we explored “compassion for self and others.” Several of the workshops focused on trauma. How do we help ourselves? How can we help our students?

Each year, I listen to music while driving to the workshop. This year I listened to U2’s first album Boy.… Read the rest

Continue Reading