ON THE ROAD: BIG SUR, CA.

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Last month, Aloha Beach Club put on their second annual Big Sur Field Trip at Fernwood Resort. Friends from all over California came together for three days of fun in the redwoods. The weekend consisted of camping, surfing, and wrapped up with a night of music featuring DJ duo, Sunburnt Reynolds, Oakland based band, Half Stack, and San Diego trio, The Lulls. 

35mm Photographs // Fuji Superia 400. 

DISPATCH: "ACCLIMATE" ~ A SHORT FILM.

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Acclimate is a short film that showcases surfer, Kahana Kalama, test-riding a handful of Bing Surfboards earlier this year in California & Hawai'i. I had a great time filming and editing this piece with Kahana and I can't wait for our next project together. 

Boards: Bing Surfboards ~ 5'9" Sunfish, 5'8" Dart, & 6'4" Sunfish.

Acclimate was supported by: Bing Surfboards (bingsurf.com), Richer Poorer (richer-poorer.com), Banks (banksjournal.com), Slowtide (slowtide.co), & Aloha Beach Club (alohabeachclub.com).

Music by: Sunburnt Reynolds & BADBADNOTGOOD ft. Kaytranada.

Film & Edit: Evan Schell. 

ON THE ROAD: BAJA, MEXICO.

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For the last couple of years the end of summer has been celebrated during quick trips to Mexico. As swells pop-up on the forecast and friends come to town looking for waves, we pack into the van for a day. Sometimes being so close to Mexico takes away from its mystique and allure, but in all reality it's the ideal place to go for a quick surf trip.

Empty waves, morning Tecate Lights, and crisper water welcomed us during our recent jaunt south of the border. It was a special summer and as the "seasons" begin to change in Southern California, more trips to Mexico will be on the horizon. 

DISPATCH: WHAT YOUTH ISSUE 15 - RELEASE PARTY.

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Last month I headed out to Palm Desert with Aloha Beach Club to celebrate the release of What Youth: Issue Fifteen. As we pulled into the familiar ACE Hotel parking lot, the warm, desert air welcomed us with a tight squeeze and immediately led us to the glistening pool for an evening dip. 

After trekking all day through the Arizona desert, our good friends, Matt Bruening and Brennen Cunningham, met us poolside before we all headed to the private pool at The Commune for the release party. What Youth pulled out all the stops for the event. Los Angeles based punk band, The Paranoyds, kicked off the night with an unreal set before the back-to-back screenings of Everything's Wrong But In The Right Place and Dion Agius' new film, The smiling bag. All in all the night served as a great (unofficial) farewell to summer.

For more photos visit: ALOHA BEACH CLUB ~ FIELD TRIP. 

DISPATCH: MELANESIAN MEANDER - A SHORT FILM.

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Earlier this summer I spent three and a half weeks in Fiji documenting a medical research project for USC. The research centered around the alarming rate of diabetes within the Fijian Islands, specifically the Mamanuca Islands in Northern Fiji.

Currently 30% of the Fijian population will be or has been diagnosed with diabetes. This surge in diabetes stems from an amalgamation of reasons, including agricultural changes throughout the country, a lack of proper medical resources, and globalization. The majority of my trip consisted of documenting one on one interviews with Fijian children discussing their diets, understanding of health, and experiences with family members that have been diagnosed with diabetes.

Enjoy this short film that condenses my experience visiting the Fijian villages of Solevu, Yanuya, & Nacula into five, short minutes.

Music by: South Pacific Singers - "Ni Sa Bula" & "Untitled" - Joeli Taole and Siriako Bola.

Film & Edit: Evan Schell. 

DISPATCH: CAMP WET AND WILD - MISSION BEACH.

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Earlier this month I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with campers at Camp Wet and Wild, a week long summer camp for kids & adults with special needs. Camp Wet and Wild is run through the City of San Diego Parks & Rec Therapeutic Recreation Services program and this year's surf equipment was provided by AmpSurf, an organization for adaptive surfing based in Pismo Beach. 

 

 

DISPATCH: INTERISLAND TRADING POST.

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Aloha Beach Club and Olive + Oliver present the Interisland Trading Post, an annual marketplace focused on well made goods and the Hawaiian based designers and curators behind them. The inaugural Interisland Trading Post was a curated, open to the public marketplace for makers and craftsmen to showcase and sell ethically and excellently manufactured products with a purpose.

The initial event was geared around building a community of creatively driven young professionals in Honolulu amongst attendees and exhibitors, while instituting Hawaii as a cultural hub for tastemakers within the fashion and apparel industries.

For more about Interisland Trading Post visit: www.alohabeachclub.com

DISPATCH: MAY IN MEX.

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During a recent trip to Mexico, Cliff Kapono tested out a new surfboard made of Varial foam that was shaped by Matty Raynor of Raynor Surfboards. The collaborative work between Varial & Raynor Surfboards is important because consumers are beginning to seek out more durable and sustainable surfboards. Cliff and Matty are currently putting together a short film that documents the overall value of using alternative surfboard materials while also exploring environmentally sound forms of production.

To learn more about Cliff Kapono & his current projects visit: www.instagram.com/cliff_kapono

ON THE ROAD: TEXAS - SAN DIEGO.

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Before we began our cross-country trip, countless friends warned us about the drive through Texas. Every time it was discussed we would both just shrug it off and change the subject immediately. Texas did indeed prove to be a dull part of our journey and that’s all I have to say about that. We charged through The Lone Star State in just over twelve hours and made it to New Mexico just in time for sunset.

As we crossed the state line a myriad of desert hues lit up the sky and showed us the way to Las Cruces, NM. After logging the most sleep of the trip we saddled up for the home stretch of our journey and raced west as the sun rose behind us. As we began seeing signs for Arizona it began to sink in that we were almost home. There were only eight hours between us and our beloved coastal hometown. By the time we crossed into California the excitement became palpable as all of the memories we had made over the last week flashed through my head. We traveled coast to coast in four days and there isn’t a thing I would change about our trip. 

ON THE ROAD: WASHINGTON D.C. - NASHVILLE.

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After a few days enjoying the fast paced rhythm of New York City, we boarded a bus to the Nation's Capital. We arrived in Washington D.C. just before sunset. The sweltering heat just outside of the Metro Station marked the beginning of a very common activity throughout our trip, sweating profusely. As we headed across town to pick up our new set of wheels for the remainder of the journey, the streets of D.C. remained buzzing after the Pride Festival held earlier in the day. By the time we loaded up the cherry red Ford E-350 (fittingly named, Rhonda, by her old owners) it was 3:00 am. We raced through the darkness to a rest stop in Northern Virginia where we both fell asleep as the sun rose. Three hours later we woke up drenched in sweat, disheveled, and feeling like we had been left in a convection oven overnight.

By the time we reached a Starbucks in Harrisonburg, VA the news about the events that transpired in Orlando began flooding the internet. It was extremely difficult to comprehend and understand why something so senseless could happen, as we sat surrounded by people going about their Sunday routine completely unaffected. It was hard to sit in silence behind my laptop watching the updates trickle in. We ended up driving all day until we reached Nashville, TN. Due to the Country Music Festival Nashville felt like a complete ghost town. The bars and streets were eerily empty as we slipped into a local diner for a midnight omelette. As we drove through downtown, the Seigenthaler Bridge was illuminated with the colors of a rainbow. It was a beautiful sight to witness. After a quick rinse at a local lake the next morning, we packed up Rhonda and hit the road with our sights set on Dallas, TX. 

ON THE ROAD: NEW YORK CITY.

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Last week, my friend and I flew to Boston and began a week-long, cross country trip. Immediately after landing at Logan Airport we boarded a bus to New York City. We traveled through the night and arrived in Manhattan just after midnight. After missing our train to Bushwick, Brooklyn we elected to travel above ground to our sleeping quarters. 

We spent three days visiting friends and local sights in the Big Apple. It was great visiting the diverse group of friends that I have out in New York before we began our swift trek back to California.