Bryan Farley Photography Educator

Last month I photographed English musician Lucy Spraggan.

Lucy performed at San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill; Tawnee Kendall and Amina Shareef Ali were also on the September 26, 2018 lineup.

Here are my photos of Lucy from the evening.

Lisa is much more popular in England than she is in the United States. After Lucy played San Francisco, she returned home to larger venues. Those of us who saw her perform on the west coast were fortunate to watch her in an intimate setting. Last month in San Francisco, the small venue was not full.

This week, Spraggan sold out much larger venues during her UK tour.

In an earlier decade, San Francisco might have welcomed Spraggan enthusiastically. I still don’t know the reasons that her Bay Area concert was not better attended. Has San Francisco changed or has the world changed? Spraggan visited during Dreamforce, an annual Salesforce conference.… Read the rest

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So this is where it ends, the road we took together (together, together)
Turn another page, however and forever (forever, forever)

We Came As Romans, from “Memories”

Last week, We Came As Roman’s lead singer Kyle Pavone died from what has been called an accidental drug overdose. Today, the band released a statement about the cause of death. The band also announced that the Kyle Pavone Foundation has been established to “serve and advocate for the musician community in their time of greatest need….”

When I photographed the Michigan band during the 2013 Vans Warped Tour, I noticed the Detroit Tigers lettering. When I edited my old files today, I realized that America was honoring the Queen of Soul in Detroit. I love Aretha Franklin, but I also enjoyed We Came As Romans and I know that there are many people grieving this loss too.

If you are an older person like me, you might assume that a loud energetic band would have a destructive message… and you would be wrong.… Read the rest

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If you live in North America, you may have missed the total lunar eclipse last weekend. The eclipse was visible throughout the rest of the world and it was also the longest total eclipse of the century.

Six months ago, my children and I viewed a total lunar eclipse near our Bay Area home. We spent the night on the deck of the USS Hornet. The USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum hosted a “Blue Moon, Super Moon and Lunar Eclipse” viewing party on January 30-31.

A “Blue Moon” and “Super Moon” might sound exciting, but the total lunar eclipse happened at night. It might not have been the longest eclipse of the century, but we still spent the entire night on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in the San Francisco Bay. We were wet and cold and tired.

Most people slept underneath the deck or arrived in the middle of the night.… Read the rest

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In 2009, the first two classes of Melrose Leadership Academy dual immersion kindergarten students started school. Last month, the first two classes of 8th grade MLA dual immersion students finished middle school. I photographed the June 7, 2018 promotion ceremony and a celebration dinner the day earlier.

When we started at the school, we could only imagine the first 8th graduation class. Now, these students are part of the school’s legacy. I have included photos from the first kindergarten graduation as well as photo galleries from the Promotion Ceremony and 8th Grade Party.

I have collected nearly 100 photography galleries in my MLA Photography Collection. I started photographing some of the graduating Melrose Leadership Academy students when they were still in pre-school. My daughter was part of the first kindergarten class; my son started two years later. My children did not finish at MLA, but they are also part of the legacy.… Read the rest

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The argument of the broken window pane is the most valuable argument in modern politics. – Emmiline (Goulden) Pankhurst 1858-1928

Arizona vs Minnesota Gallery

Depending on the source, Emmeline Pankhurst was born 160 years ago today (or the 15th.). Emmeline and her husband were active British suffragists.

Arizona v Atlanta Gallery

During this year’s Golden Bowl in Oakland, California, I recalled Pankhurst’s famous quote while photographing the roller derby bouts at the Bay Area Derby warehouse. Many of my pictures have broken windows in the background. Other pictures have the Golden Rules poster in the background.

I first noticed the broken window panes two years earlier during the 2015 “United Nations of Derby,” when I took some of my favorite roller derby pictures in front of broken window panes. I like the pictures even more, because I photographed Eva Menace one of my favorite players. Whether we realize it, the roller derby community are descendents of the suffragettes.… Read the rest

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This is the first school year that one of my children have not attended Melrose Leadership Academy since the school began it’s dual immersion program in 2009. I have been taking pictures of the school before my kids started attending.

During the first year of the dual immersion program, my daughter was a kindergarten student. I began photographing all the kindergarteners. When my son started at MLA, I continued photographing the kindergarten class.

When the school moved to the new site, I kept taking pictures. After my kids left the school, I did not know what to do. Eventually, I decided that I would continue. My kids may have left the school, but I will always feel connected.

This year, Harold Lowe helped me when I photographed the kindergarten class. Harold has three children at MLA. Harold and I have become friends; our children are friends too. To view the gallery from this year, click the link.… Read the rest

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