TCF Ep. 636 - Surviving the Eaton Fire

A new season of The Candid Frame begins on the heals of a natural disaster.

This episode is not how I imagined starting a new year of the podcast. Unfortunately, the recent Eaton Fire in Altadena, CA, impacted us. My family lost our home and my studio. We are among thousands of families throughout Southern California whose lives have been brutally disrupted by this natural disaster. I recorded the audio in a friend’s studio in Pasadena who was spared the loss and damage of her home. However, we are surrounded by men, women, and children who have been displaced.

Despite the trauma of such loss, I am grateful that we escaped with our lives—many people who lived less than a mile away from us didn’t. Our worldly possessions are contained within a single suitcase and the back of our car. However, the loss of the physical things has been offset by the love, compassion, and generosity of family, friends, and countless strangers. These people have made enduring an impossible situation possible.

The show will return, but we must first find a long-term rental before we can begin the long journey towards rebuilding. The Los Angeles market was already expensive and competitive before the fire; the maelstrom has made it even more so. However, we are confident that we will find exactly where we are supposed to be, and that stability will allow us to return to some semblance of normalcy.

The image of me in a hazmat suit this past Tuesday demonstrates the ferocity of the fire and the devastation it inflicted on an entire community. It is hard to grasp how widespread the destruction was. Drone footage is one thing; standing in the middle of it is another.

We welcome your financial support as we negotiate the bureaucracy of insurance, FEMA, and other disaster resources. We welcome contributions through GoFundMe and BuyMeaCoffee. You can also support us by becoming a Patreon member or a paid subscriber to this Substack blog. Contributions, no matter how small, will help us weather the inevitable challenges of the next two to four years as my family and, in fact, our entire community rebuild. You can also make donations directly via Zelle or Venmo at @thecandidframe.

I am not the only photographer/artist impacted by the fire. There are countless others. You can support dozens of others by visiting the Lenscratch website, where they are providing support to dozens of photographers and their families.

Breaking Out of a Rut Webinar

I am scheduled to lead a webinar this Saturday titled “Breaking Out of a Rut: Tips for Creating Breakthroughs in Your Photography.” I am committed to conducting it despite the disruption in my life. The discussion will be more poignant than usual, and it will provide me with a much-needed sense of community. It’s not too late to sign up, and I look forward to seeing some of you there.

LACP - Breaking Out of the Rut Webinar

Thank you again for your kindness and support over these many years, especially the last few weeks. It has meant the world to my family and me.

Sincerely,

Ibarionex