It can be difficult to find good parties with the right energy. I had attended one of these last year and hadn’t been able to come back until now. Lots of clubs and events may have great DJs and music but you go and don’t feel the energy from the crowd. Ideally you’d get people who are there for the music as well, but instead you get a bunch of drunks in collars hitting on girls and killing the vibe. The I Feel group has been consistent in having a pure crowd that is there for all the right reasons, and I’m very grateful for the work they put into offering this every month.

New York is a special place for Halloween as a large part of the city descends on Manhattan to join in the parade. Here are a few moments that I captured this year.

Let go, just for one week, and see what you learn.

Welcome home…

A nice late morning in Venice with my beautiful twins

Headed to Tulum for two good friends Brent and Ana’s wedding, we decided to spend the first couple days off the beaten path. We headed to the north coast of the Yucatan state to a little town called El Cuyo. You’ll find it on a strip of land on the sea with only about 1,000 people that was perfect for a taste of authenticity not touched at all by tourism. Tranquil and quiet during the heat of the day, the friendly locals were happy to chat and let me capture the vibe.

I got inspired on a recent west coast visit to compile a series of photos I’ve shot from commercial flights of the deserts. Being originally from California, we have the privilege of flying over these vast expanses of empty lands every time we travel east. I’m always glued to the window, fascinated at what might be below me.

Here are some sights you may encounter between the California Sierra mountains and the expansive Rocky Mountain range.

We found a lovely cove on the east side of Oahu. Nani born and raised on the north shore is clearly very comfortable in the water, I barely had to direct, just captured moments of exploration.

This group is straight up crazy. I had the idea to shoot a little series of the club doing their weekly winter dip on Sunday, and it did not disappoint. Air temp was “warm” for February at 36°F (2°C) and the water was exactly the same. To give you an idea of how cold that is, the American west coast ocean doesn’t reach those temperatures until you get to the inner nooks of Alaska. Norway and Iceland don’t even get this cold.

All covered with my wetsuit, I jumped in with the screaming bunch and documented their fight against the frigid Atlantic waters. They had told me it lasts about five minutes. I was surprised at first to hear the short duration, and saw about half get out at that mark, then by ten minutes almost all were back out onto the beach.

While changing out of my suit after, I said “what the heck I have to try it”, so I threw on my trunks and ran back across the beach to the water and waded in. At the waist deep mark, I was stunned with pain in my legs. I couldn’t believe it. I knew it would just get worse with time so I dove in fully submerged and popped up with a shriek. I absolutely had to get out. I lasted one whole minute. How all these other people did it for so long I have no idea, but I’ll have to give it a proper try and see if I can match it. Thank you Polar Bear Club for being so warm and welcoming while I came out to document your gathering!

An editorial for The Advnt Society downtown LA.

A little series of LA yogi Ali Owens in an afternoon flow.