The 2010 Bay Area Documentary Association's photography exhibit (opening night) was a success. Friends and families of BADA members came out to support our work and met the artists on Friday, June 18th. In the long, narrow gallery people were crowding over each photograph to examine the images and to listen to the photographers discuss their work.

The 2-hour event started off with a steady stream of visitors that eventually became an influx of crowds as groups of people came in together to view the exhibit. Some BADA members also sold zines and handed out contact information during the event. The exhibit seemed popular enough that I heard that Rayko Gallery was extending the length of the exhibit to July 20th. This amount of exposure in a well-known gallery and photography center, such as Rayko, is quite a welcome opportunity for us and markets our work to a great number of people who use Rayko's facilities and services.

Of the 5 images I submitted, two were chosen by our curator, Darcy Padilla, a professional documentary photographer from San Francisco. The image of Ed Kashi, a renowned photojournalist, was taken at a presentation he made at the Academy of Art University in October 2009. In the photograph he was in the middle of discussing one of his projects about Christians in Muslim countries. In the other photo, Sun and Shade, I captured the scene from the rooftop garden at the SFMOMA. I liked the fleeting moment when the woman is looking back at the man, who is oblivious to her momentary fixation. The lighting also intrigued me as did the angles of her legs as it connected to the garden box on the ground.