Magdalena, Southern California, 2019

Last year I was lucky enough to spend 3 months in California, and took advantage of every weekend possible. Each week one of my incredible friends allowed themselves to be driven two hours out of Los Angeles, and gave their entire afternoon/evening to the sessions. These three are from two different sessions with Magdalena, one of the most sincere people in my life. 

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Printing Magdalena, Lucerne Valley, Los Angeles County, California, September 15, 2012

Now and then twelve exposures on a single roll of film are equally beautiful. This is the case with a roll of film exposed on September 15th of this year in collaboration with Magdalena. This was my fourth session with her, and over fifty rolls of film have been exposed so far in documenting her incredible spirit.

Without exaggeration she never gives me the same look twice, and has a seemingly infinite imagination regarding wardrobe. Without much time she changes from one into another, leaving me to think that she has a deliberate plan in mind. It all seems so effortless and continuous. She never objects to being asked for another presentation, and moves from the car to the 'stage' seamlessly.

This was that much more impressive during our last session in that she was feeling less than well. On our way to Lucerne Valley she slept the entire ride, apologizing ahead of time for doing so. She woke up thirty minutes or so before arriving to have a small salad, hoping to feel a little bit better.

In my opinion she performed flawlessly in spite of her physical distress. The wind was blowing as we were on the side of the road, and the sun was quite strong. Clouds were absent from the skies, unlike the city of Los Angeles just beyond the mountains. The areas just outside of the city have become my photographic playground because the sun seems to shine more often than in the city, where we are at the whim of the ocean and variations of cloud formations.

We worked for perhaps two hours, resting now and then from the sun and heat. In just this amount of time Magdalena gave us perhaps five presentations, and various minor changes in between. These slight variations become much less minor when printing a portfolio. It is these small changes that attract me so, leaving the variables such as the background and sun more fixed.

This week the last four negatives will be printed from this session, and Magdalena's roll of film will be the only one printed in its entirety from my portfolio for my book. By the time this entry is finished the prints will have washed for half of the necessary time. I look forward to seeing the dry prints tomorrow morning, even more so to Wednesday when another day in the darkroom is possible.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Magdalena, Dry Lake Bed, Lucerne Valley, Los Angeles, California, September 15, 2012

Two years ago I met Magdalena through a website for models and photographers, and since then we have collaborated four times. She has the uncanny ability to transform from session to session and most amazingly during a session.

My preference for darker clothing happens to be her preference, and she tries to present variety always. When asked to be photographed she never denies the request, and in her own way accepts most willingly. Two years ago we worked three times together over a span of a week. This year I photographed her in September during my Los Angeles trip and hope to document her moving spirit in less than two weeks during my upcoming trip to Santa Barbara.

While my schedule will be busy, I will make time to photograph Magdalena. Her place in my work is understood, and she has already accepted my invitation.

Our collaboration in September was most difficult for her, for she was feeling a bit under the weather leading up to the day of the photography. We arrived at her home in a suburb of Los Angeles, and parked on the street. While waiting we walked over to one of her neighbors to look over some clothing, since she was having a yard sale.

Bailey looked at some dresses and then walked over to check a pile of shoes in a box. I checked out a few shirts but found nothing. All the while the resident of the house walked in and out to check on her sauce, the sweet scent of which teased our hungry senses while we waited.

Magdalena walked towards us quickly and apologized for the wait, a sure sign of her respect for both us and our work. She has always been this way, quite sincere and genuine. We gathered ourselves and headed out to the dry lake bed almost two and a half hours away in Los Angeles traffic.

We could tell she was feeling a little ill and asked her about it. She told us that she would be fine and then asked our permission to fall asleep in the car. We drove to the area while she slept, waking up when we arrived at a local fast food restaurant in order to get some much needed food into her stomach. She was more than appreciative, ate the salad and felt much better as we drove the remaining half an hour to the site.

In contrast to El Mirage, the dry lake bed at Lucerne Valley was quite accessible, and split down the middle by a nicely paved road. We drove up and down this road for a little bit in order to find the perfect spot, with few houses in the background. We did so, got out and set up the cameras. A few minutes later Magdalena was ready with her first outfit, and so the photography began.

We worked for the next ninety minutes, now and then fetching a piece of our equipment as it flew over the road to the other side. The wind was wonderful and we managed to expose a dozen rolls before calling it quits for the day. Considering how this young woman was feeling, the session was more than a success. In the middle of the desert, under the sun and with the heat, she gave us what few could have.

I am honored to know Magdalena and look forward to a collaboration in two weeks.

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography

Magdalena, Side of Grocery Store, Near Los Angeles, California, Fall, 2010

In my short time with Magdalena, she provided me with a lifetime of images. We collaborated on three occasions during my time in California, twice on one day due mainly to her willingness to be a part of something greater than the both of us.

For this session we found a light-colored wall on the side of a grocery store. The parking lot adjacent was empty, while the grocery store itself was pretty busy. Magdalena was accompanied by her close friend, and with an extensive wardrobe made up mostly of various objects and materials. It is this creativity and willingness to shed norms that allowed us such freedom regarding our collaboration.

Rather than posing, Magdalena would dance. Instead of choosing one emotion, she would move from one to another and tell a story through a series of still images. The images above are such an example, three images from one roll of film consisting of twelve images in total. These are the three chosen to be printed in the darkroom, while others were certainly worthy of printing as well.

The sun was high by this time, yet her features enabled us to continue with our photography. After this session we decided to move to another location and continue with our photography in the afternoon. We drove almost two hours to another location, met with another model, and collaborated on top of a small mountain. The wind was almost unforgiving yet she danced once again.

For more of my work, please visit the newly designed website below, courtesy of Patrick Luu.

Halim Ina Photography

Magdalena, Model, Sister, Mormon Rocks, Outside of Los Angeles, California, Fall of 2010

Over the past few weeks her images have been printed in the darkroom. Few other individuals are represented as much in my portfolio as Magdalena. The image above was made late last year in an area called  Mormon Rocks just outside of Los Angeles.

The location served us well, since Los Angeles for most of my stay was cloudy and unusually wet. Magdalena and her dear good friend met us early on this glorious day and followed us to the rocks. The fact that they drove through two hours of traffic to make it to our location as the sun appeared made a deep impression on me. They impressed me even more so by bringing with them an endless array of clothing, all of it dark and timeless as requested.

On our way to the location she shared with Bailey a worry: perhaps her new hairstyle would be an issue for me. The night before she and her friend had cut each other's hair and she shaved the sides of her head. Bailey assured her in my absence that the new style would be a hit. As I entered the car Bailey shared this with me in Magdalena's presence, all to my delight. We would be documenting her like nobody else, and as she will never be again. Nothing could have pleased me more.

We found a spot on top of a formation for us to work. The wind was incredibly strong yet Magdalena adapted beautifully, never complained. With the wonderful support of my dear friend Bailey, we were able to switch between outfits and work for perhaps two hours before the sun disappeared beyond the clouds. 

Magdalena likes to move while being photographed. Unlike those with preferences for static poses, her dance is a way to express her thoughts at any given time in a most fluid manner. We danced on this day, and she was sensitive enough to listen for the shutter release... almost anticipating the movement within the camera itself. As the mirror lifted out of the way and the curtains opened, the shutter clicked and Magdalena continued with her movements.

The image above is but one snapshot in the series, a series I will continue to print. 

halim.ina@gmail.com
Halim Ina Photography