Fort Worth, Texas Trinity River Photography

If you do an image search on the Internet for "Chicano" you will get back photographs of lowriders, gang members and tattoos. Essentially stereotypes. I see the Chicano experience much more broadly than that. I have captured images that range from portraits, events, infrastructure and landscapes. My reality and my home.

This duotone photograph of Fort Worth, Texas' Trinity River was taken last year. Originally in color, I transformed the image into various subtle black and white and sepia tones. Fort Worth has many rivers. This section of the Trinity River near downtown I find especially beautiful.

The original image is 24x36 inches. I have downsized the image and made it available for download as a letter size poster. The Adobe PDF can be printed via your home, office or commercial printer (Office Depot, Costco, Target, etc.). 

Click on the image below to download and feel free to share. Please send me your comments or questions.

Copyright 2015 Jesús Manuel Mena Garza. All rights reserved.

(682) 365-8702

EMAIL

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Jesús Manuel Mena Garza Selfies

Jesús Manuel Mena Garza

Color and Black and White selfies (in the mirror)
December 17, 2015 5PM

Click to enlarge

I flipped the photo below ... horizonally. Sepia toned it too.

Copyright 2014 Jesús Manuel Mena Garza. All rights reserved.

Some Photos I Haven't Exhibited

Some recent scans ... feel free to comment. Some were shot at San Jose High when I was a student. That was way back in the late 60s. Others were captured in 1974 at San Jose's Centro Cultural de la Gente. The one seascape is from around 1982. Quite the mix. Click to enlarge.

Yes ...  that is me back in 1969.

Copyright 2014 Jesus Manuel Mena Garza. All rights reserved.

Bill Maher: On the NFL

Comedian, Bil Maher comments of the NFL and Socialism?

New Rule: With the Super Bowl only a week away, Americans must realize what makes NFL football so great: socialism.

That's right, for all the F-15 flyovers and flag waving, football is our most successful sport because the NFL takes money from the rich teams and gives it to the poor teams... just like President Obama wants to do with his secret army of ACORN volunteers. Green Bay, Wisconsin has a population of 100,000. Yet this sleepy little town on the banks of the Fuck-if-I-know River has just as much of a chance of making it to the Super Bowl as the New York Jets - who next year need to just shut the hell up and play.

Now, me personally, I haven't watched a Super Bowl since 2004, when Janet Jackson's nipple popped out during half time, and that split-second glimpse of an unrestrained black titty burned my eyes and offended me as a Christian. But I get it - who doesn't love the spectacle of juiced-up millionaires giving each other brain damage on a giant flat-screen TV with a picture so realistic it feels like Ben Roethlisberger is in your living room, grabbing your sister?

It's no surprise that some 100 million Americans will watch the Super Bowl next week - that's 40 million more than go to church on Christmas - suck on that, Jesus! It's also 85 million more than watched the last game of the World Series, and in that is an economic lesson for America. Because football is built on an economic model of fairness and opportunity, and baseball is built on a model where the rich almost always win and the poor usually have no chance. The World Series is like Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. You have to be a rich bitch just to play. The Super Bowl is like Tila Tequila. Anyone can get in.

Or to put it another way, football is more like the Democratic philosophy. Democrats don't want to eliminate capitalism or competition, but they'd like it if some kids didn't have to go to a crummy school in a rotten neighborhood while others get to go to a great school and their Dad gets them into Harvard. Because when that happens "achieving the American dream" is easy for some, and just a fantasy for others.

That's why the NFL runs itself in a way that would fit nicely on Glenn Beck's chalkboard - they literally share the wealth, through salary caps and revenue sharing - TV is their biggest source of revenue, and they put all of it in a big commie pot and split it 32 ways. Because they don't want anyone to fall too far behind. That's why the team that wins the Super Bowl picks last in the next draft. Or what the Republicans would call "punishing success."

Baseball, on the other hand, is exactly like the Republicans, and I don't just mean it's incredibly boring. I mean their economic theory is every man for himself. The small market Pittsburgh Steelers go to the Super Bowl more than anybody - but the Pittsburgh Pirates? Levi Johnston has sperm that will not grow up and live long enough to see the Pirates in a World Series. Their payroll is about $40 million, and the Yankees is $206 million. They have about as much chance at getting in the playoffs as a poor black teenager from Newark has of becoming the CEO of Halliburton. That's why people stop going to Pirate games in May, because if you're not in the game, you become indifferent to the fate of the game, and maybe even get bitter - that's what's happening to the middle class in America. It's also how Marie Antoinette lost her head.

So, you kind of have to laugh - the same angry white males who hate Obama because he's "redistributing wealth" just love football, a sport that succeeds economically because it does exactly that. To them, the NFL is as American as hot dogs, Chevrolet, apple pie, and a second, giant helping of apple pie. But then again, they think they're macho because their sport is football, when honestly - is there anything gayer than wearing another man's shirt?

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The Chicana “Flower of Aztlan”

By Ernestina Garcia

The Chicana is indeed the flower of Aztlan because she is the most beautiful woman. She has an expansion of universal benevolence which comes from her soul. She is like a star which fills the hearts of our Raza movement. She can make the future of La Raza so astonishingly strong with her own strength.

Many Chicanos seem uncomfortable with the prospect of seeing Chicanas actively involved. Both our married and single Chicanas spend valuable time and energy trying to resolve the conflict they see between just being involved for their own personal satisfaction and the idea that they are involved to show the male that they too can be involved.

With the Chicana lies tremendous potential for commitment to serious struggle. With her participation, if we eliminate all the obstacles our movement will take speed and strengthen to a fantastic degree.

The Chicana recognizes that it is very important for our movement that men, women and children work together with mutual respect in all efforts related to our movement. Our Children are precious not just because they are our but because they are an expression of our people and valuable to the struggle for social justice in the United States.

The Chicana feels that without the recognition of all La Raza our movement will greatly suffer. It is important that she be considered in decision making, with due respect when offers opinions. Chicanas must be and will be fairly represented on planning committees, in workshops discussion groups as leaders and as spokeswomen for La Raza.

Most Chicanas want to have equal access to higher education in whatever field of endeavor that interests them. This means that if Chicanas want to become engineers or neurosurgeons they should be encouraged in every way. While being good wives and mothers in the tradition of our people, Chicanas also want to use their intelligence skillfully to strengthen and benefit all La Raza.

The Chicana is not saying she wants to be part of the White Woman’s Liberation. The White Woman’s Liberation does not attract most Chicanas because they realize the nature of the struggle for all Raza people and choose to struggle alongside their men.

Dated: September 10, 1976

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Fine Art, Digital and Documentary Photography Classes and Workshops

Jesús Manuel Mena Garza is available for instruction, lectures, panels and lunch!

Fine Art Darkroom Techniques
The Digital Darkroom
Photojournalism and Documentary Photography
Digital Photography

Fine Art Darkroom Techniques

* The Zone System
* Modified Developers
* Archival Washing - Making Your Print Last A Lifetime
* Toning - Extend the Range and Life of Your Prints
* Selecting Papers and Chemistry
* Dodging and Burning
* Selecting and Using Enlargers, Lenses and Other Equipment
* Preparing Your Prints For Exhibition

The Digital Darkroom

* Photoshop Basics - Image Editing and Manipulation
* Photoshop Advanced - Layers, Monitor and Printer Calibration, etc.
* Negative, Transparency and Print Scanning
* Color and Black and White Printing
* Large-Format Printing
* Selecting Papers and Inks

Photojournalism and Documentary Photography

* Story Boarding
* Previsualization
* The Narrative - Your Unique Vision
* Photography Equipment - Cameras, Lenses and Lighting
* Composition
* Archiving
* Travel Photography

Digital Photography

* Learn how to use your digital camera (one-on-one instruction is now available - 2 hours minimum plus travel charges)
* Current Digital Technologies - Selecting The Right Equipment
* The Digital Work Space
* Making Your Computer Work For You
* Photoshop Basics - Image Editing and Manipulation
* Memory and Storage Systems
* Portrait Photography - Cameras, Studio Lighting, Backgrounds and Composition
* Location Photography

Garza was an instructor at San Francisco's prestigious Academy of Art University. The photographer has more than 30 years of professional experience. Along with exhibiting his photographs, Garza's images have been published in books, catalogs, magazines, posters and on the Internet. Please feel free to contact him should you have any questions about classes or photography.

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