B-girl Stellz (Stella Fernandez) - January 29, 2012

It's been two and a half years since I last worked on my personal project. I started photographing b-boys (breakdancers) in Southern Calif. while I was freelancing out here. Stress had put my project on hold, often worrying more about my freelance gigs and hoping that I had enough work that would pay my bills every month.  Even after I became full time at the Los Angeles Times Community News,  I was too comfortable and I had lost that motivation to work on any personal projects.

I was always intrigued by hip hop and its culture. I always seemed to publish stories at my internships that related to hip hop. I published a story on graffiti at Minneapolis' Star Tribune, I documented the b-boy scene out in Cleveland while interning at Plain Dealer, and I produced, edited and published a four-part video series on South Fla. b-boys at the Miami Herald.  I've always been interested in the culture and I know that I want to continue documenting those who are a part of the scene.

So this past weekend I had the opportunity to photograph Stella Fernandez (B-girl Stellz), originally raised in South Fla. and moved to Southern Calif. a year ago. My project will only focus on the b-girls out here in the area. I hope to eventually photograph prominent b-girls throughout the states and eventually photograph other females who are DJ turntablists, graffiti writers and emcees.

Thank you Ariel Zambelich (my close friend and San Francisco State colleague) for encouraging me and pushing me to update my website and to work on my personal project again.

Here are my takes from last Sunday's photo shoot: