Category: Cypress Park

Final Assignment at GCC

12/14/2025

To see a full roundup of the photo assignments I submitted for my recent time at Glendale Community College, visit the Nica Goes [Back] to College tag! Start at the bottom of the series to see my progress in the order they happened. 🥹

For our final assignment, we were given 2 choices: either create a magazine spread with a front-center-back cover spread, or 3 images for an Instagram takeover for a photo account you follow. I decided to go with the magazine spread.

At the beginning of the semester, we were asked to share a magazine we liked that uses lighting in the photography, but wasn't specifically a photo magazine. I submitted Never Too Small's magazine for my entry. I am obsessed with their documentary series! I LOVE architecture & interior design, & it's so relaxing for me to watch.

For the final, we were asked to create a spread as if we were submitting photography for the fav magazine we submitted at the beginning of the semester (or another magazine). Instead of making a pseudo-photo submission for Never Too Small, I decided to make up my own pretend magazine called SMALL SPACE STILLS. Hell, I night even make this into an actual series one day?!

Featured in my photographs are my artist neighbors, Clare & Andres of Cypress Park's Arvia Projects (plus their soon-to-be little one). The focus on my pretend magazine was to photograph working class artists within their homes, particularly small, modest homes. Unlike the Never too Small series, I didn't want to focus on homes that were overly curated by interior designers & architects for people who have money to blow on those types of services. I wanted to focus on home spaces by artists that were decorated & designed by them. I didn't want "aesthetic" homes or the perception of wealth — just regular creatives in their spaces.

Here was my submission for the front cover, center spread & back cover. All photos were created with my Nikon ZF & 24-70mm lens. All photos used Paul C. Buff strobes.

Click any image below to enlarge. View from a computer for the full experience.

Front cover, center spread, back cover composite:

Cover Photo with & without Text + BTS (for Fun):

For this photo I used 1 Paul C. Buff strobe with a softbox attachment, another strobe for foreground fill with a 20 grid attached, & 1 white fill card camera right (which I just bought from the $1 Tree!).

Center Spread Collaged with back cover detail:

Similar lighting technique with the cover photo: 1 strobe with a softbox attachment + another strobe for foreground fill with a 20 grid attached.

Center spread main photo by itself + full back cover photo:

Back cover photo used 1 strobe with a softbox attachment. This one was particularly hard to light because not only was I trying to light a window so the ambient light wasn't blown out, using the strobe only for fill, but the room was small & I was limited on where I could place the strobe. The limitation in space also made it harder for me to control the light. Even with the strobe set at the lowest power, the light was just bouncing off every surface. Even though I didn't get any particular feedback on this during our critique, I personally feel that the photo is over lit, but I did my best with what I had. I'm still learning, after all. Architectural & interior design photographers truly make it look so effortless & easy! I hope I get to that point someday.

In the end, I got great feedback on my final, aside from some minor lighting adjustments in the center spread, that I was advised to just edit out in Lightroom this time, but definitely be more mindful of in the future. Of course we can fix anything in post these days, but the idea is that we are learning to practice these lighting exercises & create the best images possible on-camera. I guess I just get a little nervous when I'm working with models because I'm still so slow & I feel bad taking up all their time. 😅

Overall, I can't believe this is the end of my advanced lighting class at GCC! I also found out my instructor was retiring from teaching & I feel fortunate for the timing for me to be able to take this class. He was a photographer I got to work with during our time working together at Metro Art. Back then he told me he taught lighting at GCC, but with full time work on my hands at the time, I wasn't able to take it. Currently being underemployed gave me the flexibility to pursue more of my creative growth this year, & while it has been so difficult to regain stability again, I am so happy for everything I've learnt & accomplished this year with my photography. I've truly never felt more motivated & accomplished in a very long time.

And with everything I've learnt in this lighting class over just 1 semester, I'm pissed at the thousands of dollars I wasted on a photo degree at art school, where I learnt fuck all in 4 years. (To be fair, I was too immature to attend college at the time & I was not ready at all. I wished waiting until I was older were an option.) Aside from simple studio lighting techniques we learnt at art school, we did not learn anything I learnt in just these 16 weeks alone at community college. Art school was the biggest scam of the 2010s & sometimes I wish I didn't go to college, but that's a rant for another day...

If you made it this far, thank you for checking out my blog! I don't know if anyone actually reads this or cares, but it's nice to have a space of my own & thank you for sharing it with me. Please feel free to share your thoughts or any questions in the comments.

Make sure to keep checking this space, follow me on Instagram, or subscribe to my YouTube channel for updates on my blog posts.

0 Comments

Neighborhood Pride

4/1/2024

0 Comments

On Saturday, March 16, 2024, I had the opportunity to join Clockshop for their walking tour of Cypress Park — the neighborhood my partner & I have lived in for nearly a decade. Clockshop's neighborhood walking series was led by Maryam Hosseinzadeh & is part of their Take Me to Your River project. We walked along Cypress Avenue & visited local legacy businesses, street murals, & more.

Having explored Cypress Park on foot for so many years, it was remarkable to meet the artists behind the murals I've seen in the neighborhood for the last decade, & also learn about murals I'd never seen before! It was also lovely to learn about the historic buildings and architecture that preceded our time here, such as the original Cypress Park Library, La Morenita (a former bakery), & the old firehouse.

I didn't get pics of it all, because I also wanted to learn & take it all in myself, but here's a few snaps of the event through my eyes. Funny thing is, some people thought I was there working. One of the artists thought I was a reporter & some other folks thought I was working doing photography for the event. Sometimes Capricorns do stuff for fun, too, not just for business... 🤣

Click on any image below to enlarge. Best viewed from a computer for the full experience.

Details of Vistas de Harmony (1997) mural by Leo Limon. Located behind Metro bus division 3, by the Cypress Park Rec Center.

Speaking is Joe Ibarra, who shared his memories of assisting Leo Limon with the mural (alongside other artist assistants), as he also worked as a library clerk at the original Cypress Park Library at the time.

Program host Maryam Hosseinzadeh speaking by Leo Limon's Vistas de Harmony mural.

Peter Quezada shared about the barrier put up in the 1990s due to gangs using it as a cut through by the Cypress Park Rec Center.

Growing up in Pico-Union for many years, I was surrounded by MS13 gang activity. I'm no stranger to streets with barriers, since the street I grew up on myself had one & so did 3 other nearby streets going along Pico.

Rodolfo Kardona and his daughter Ximena Kardona shared how he works with local businesses, selects colors and themes for each business, and his regular inclusion of the Virgen de Guadalupe. He's painted multiple murals at Cypress Park establishments such as Lupita's Mexican Restaurant & Divine Savior church, & also St. Ann's just across the river in Frogtown.

Here we were opposite Lupita's Restaurant by the Metro bus division. Unfortunately, I didn't cross the street to get a pic of his Virgen mural, but I encourage you to check it out in-person & get a meal at Lupita's Restaurant any time on Idell & Avenue 28 (90065)!

These detailed pencil drawings were drawn by Manny (pictured in the red shirt), who would like to start creating murals in the community. He shared his artwork with us after finding us along the tour route.

Northeast Los Angeles and Neighborhood Pride (2012) murals by Peter Quezada.

Peter talked about his process of painting in alleys close to neighbors and kids, his use of Olde English, cartoon characters and experimenting with other lettering. I appreciate that he also shared why he chose to paint "Northeast Los Angeles" instead of "Cypress Park". "Cypress Park" is the name of our local gang, & he mentioned the mural would have been scratched out instantly. Painting "Northeast Los Angeles" instead was inclusive of all the neighborhoods that make up NELA.

These murals were new to me — I'd never seen them before this tour! Sadly, I can't remember where exactly they were at, just that they were close to the Divine Savior church. If you happen to know their location, feel free to leave a comment & let us know.

Details of murals by Rodolfo Kardona at Lupita's Market. Located on Cypress & Merced.

Rodolfo spoke about the Aztec warrior he painted on Lupita's Market in 2018, his own repair process, use of high quality house paint that doesn't fade, & the wood carved signs inside & 3D artwork, including this image of Juan Diego with the Virgen de Guadalupe on his cloak.

I love Lupita's Market! For years I always wondered if Lupita's the market & Lupita's the restaurant were related or if they beefed it over the name. 😂

Flintstones (1997) by Peter Quezada.

This mural was painted by Peter with kids from the neighborhood, whose names are included on the scroll. It is a neighborhood artwork. I got to connect with Peter while we were visiting this mural, & he told me Pebbles & Bamm-bamm were references to his kids, & Fred Flintstone is holding the Land Before Time book because of the movie series that was out at the time.

I have probably walked by this Flintstones mural at least 100x & have always wondered about it. It was so cool to meet the person who painted it!

Murals & signage painted by Rodolfo Kardona at El Quetzal Bird Shop.

For many years, we ate at the original Tierra Caliente restaurant formerly located across the alley adjacent to the bird shop. I never knew multiple neighborhood murals were painted by one man. I'm personally scared of birds, but I still think this is a fun amenity to have in our neighborhood. 😅

Andres of Arvia LA (left) & the owners of Cypress Liquor (right).

This family is local to the neighborhood & has been serving the community for years. Whether you're looking for beer, liquor, wine, a lighter or a snack, stop by & support Cypress Liquor, the last oldschool business standing on the 1200 block of Cypress & Alice.

LAST STOP: Arvia LA with Andres, Clare & Richard (the cat).

Andres shared how his detailed multimedia mosaics not only changed the alley visually, but also recorded the passing of time for him. The further he created down the alley marked a certain time period or memory. Whenever I have friends visiting, I love taking them to check out what's new or ongoing at the Arvia LA alley. It's always fun to look for easter eggs & see what hidden features are around.

You can access the Arvia LA murals through the alley entrance on either Cypress or Isabel, between Arvia & Granada. Keep your eyes peeled for Andres' mosaics around the neighborhood, too!

If you made it this far, THANKS!

Keep in touch. Follow me on Instagram @nica_aquino or subscribe to my newsletter for occasional updates on my projects, programs & events.

Click "READ MORE" below if you're interested in hiring me for photo work!

0 Comments

Final Assignment at GCC

Front cover, center spread, back cover composite:

Cover Photo with & without Text + BTS (for Fun):

Center Spread Collaged with back cover detail:

Center spread main photo by itself + full back cover photo:

Neighborhood Pride

NICA AQUINO

Archives

Categories