A year after the Eaton Fire in Altadena upended our lives, I found myself sitting down with photographer, writer, and educator Jeffery Saddoris for a conversation that was less about photography and more about what happens when life forces you to reconsider where—and how—you want to live. Recorded in February, just before our move to Bordeaux, France, this episode reflects on the long emotional aftermath of loss, displacement, and uncertainty, as well as the difficult decisions that followed in the wake of the fire.

What emerged from our conversation was not simply a discussion about relocation or starting over abroad. It became an honest reflection on identity, community, work, and the search for stability after a period of profound disruption. We talk about the realities of rebuilding, the emotional weight of leaving Southern California, and the hope that comes with embracing change, even when it arrives unexpectedly. For those who have experienced upheaval in their own lives, this conversation may feel especially familiar—a reminder that sometimes the path forward only becomes visible once everything familiar has been stripped away.

Resources

Jeffery Saddoris
https://www.jefferysaddoris.com

Altadena Photographers
https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/

Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello

X-Pedition Hanoi
A destination workshop centered on street photography, culture, and daily life in Hanoi, Vietnam.
https://www.f8photographicworkshops.com/x-pedition-hanoi

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When Michael Robinson Chávez first traveled to Peru with a camera in hand, he couldn't have known it would mark the beginning of a lifelong relationship with photography—and with the country that would become central to his understanding of himself. A native Californian and the son of a Peruvian mother, Chávez has spent decades building a distinguished career as a visual journalist, photographing stories across the globe with a rare combination of rigor, empathy, and clarity. Whether covering war, political upheaval, environmental crisis, or everyday life, his photographs are rooted in a deep respect for the people in front of his lens and a commitment to revealing the emotional truth within complex stories.

That same depth of feeling runs through Mestizo, his long-term project on Peru and the subject of our conversation this week. Made over decades, the work is both a portrait of a country shaped by layers of history, culture, and contradiction, and a personal reckoning with heritage, belonging, and identity. These photographs do more than document place—they reflect an ongoing search for connection, a way of understanding how the mixed inheritance of Peru has also shaped the way Chávez sees the world and himself. The result is a body of work that feels both intimate and expansive, deeply personal yet resonant far beyond the boundaries of autobiography. Mestizo will be released as a monograph in early 2026 by Eyeshot.

Resources

Michael Robinson Chávez
https://chavezphoto.com/aboutcontact

Mestizo
https://www.eyeshotstreetphotography.com/shop/books/mestizo-by-michael-robinson-chavez/

Altadena Photographers
https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/

Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello

Japan Spring Workshop 2026
An immersive photographic and cultural experience in Japan, focused on visual storytelling, observation, and creative growth.
https://www.nobechicreative.com/ibarionex-perello-spring-workshop-2026-japan

X-Pedition Hanoi
A destination workshop centered on street photography, culture, and daily life in Hanoi, Vietnam.
https://www.f8photographicworkshops.com/x-pedition-hanoi

Raw Photo Fest
An annual photography festival celebrating emerging and established photographers through exhibitions, talks, and community engagement.
https://therawsociety.org/rawphotofest/

Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame

GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/f/perello-familys-journey-to-re-establish-our-life

eBook Purchases
https://www.ibarionex.net/ebooks

Websites

The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link
https://www.ibarionex.net/support

Sponsors

Charcoal Book Club
https://charcoalbookclub.com

Frames Magazine
https://readframes.com

Education Resources

Momenta Photographic Workshops
https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/

Candid Frame Resources

The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog
http://ibarionex.substack.com/welcome

Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing via PayPal:
https://www.ibarionex.net/support

You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram
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When photographers Ken Browar and Deborah Ory first began collaborating on what would become NYC Dance Project, they set out to create portraits that could honor the athleticism, artistry, and emotional force of dance. Their work has since become synonymous with a style of portraiture that is both elegant and explosive—capturing dancers in motion with a precision that reveals not only physical mastery, but also vulnerability, discipline, and grace. Over the years, their lens has been turned toward some of the world's most accomplished performers, translating movement into still images that pulse with life.

That vision continues in their new book, Martha Graham Dance Company at 100, which celebrates one of the most influential institutions in modern dance. Through striking portraits and carefully sequenced images, the book honors the legacy of Martha Graham's groundbreaking choreography while foregrounding the contemporary artists who continue to embody and reinterpret that tradition. Rather than simply documenting performance, Browar and Ory create photographs that feel sculptural, theatrical, and deeply human—offering a tribute not only to dance, but to the enduring power of a company that helped redefine what modern movement could be.

Resources

Ken Browar & Deborah Ory / NYC Dance Project
http://www.nycdanceproject.com/about-1

Martha Graham Dance Company at 100
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0762487445

Altadena Photographers
https://www.altadenaphotographers.org/

Workshops & Upcoming Education with Ibarionex Perello

Japan Spring Workshop 2026
An immersive photographic and cultural experience in Japan, focused on visual storytelling, observation, and creative growth.
https://www.nobechicreative.com/ibarionex-perello-spring-workshop-2026-japan

X-Pedition Hanoi
A destination workshop centered on street photography, culture, and daily life in Hanoi, Vietnam.
https://www.f8photographicworkshops.com/x-pedition-hanoi

Raw Photo Fest
An annual photography festival celebrating emerging and established photographers through exhibitions, talks, and community engagement.
https://therawsociety.org/rawphotofest/

Support Ibarionex & The Candid Frame

GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/f/perello-familys-journey-to-re-establish-our-life

eBook Purchases
https://www.ibarionex.net/ebooks

Websites

The Candid Frame PayPal Contribution Link
https://www.paypal.com/donate

Sponsors

Charcoal Book Club
https://charcoalbookclub.com

Frames Magazine
https://readframes.com

Education Resources

Momenta Photographic Workshops
https://momentaworkshops.com/workshops/

Candid Frame Resources

The Candid Frame Newsletter & Substack Blog
http://ibarionex.substack.com/welcome

Support the work at The Candid Frame by contributing via PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/donate

You can follow Ibarionex on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/ibarionex/?hl=en

and Twitter
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