Fall Winter 2015 2016

Poppy
Creative
Agency

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Creative Magazine Fall/Winter 2015/2016

FALL
WINTER





A Note From The Editor

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. Even
though I’m originally a Californian, I’ve
always been an East Coast girl at heart.
When I briefly lived on the East Coast,
I was so excited to actually experience
a true autumn. I loved seeing the flower
market overflowing with orange, burgundy
and rust-colored dahlias alongside
sunflowers and chrysanthemums. I loved
driving through my town and seeing
everyone’s porch adorned with pumpkins
and large pots filled with fall-colored
mums. I still crave the smell of that crisp
fall air, the anticipation of leaves turning an
amazingly bright orange or yellow or red,
the feeling that it’s time to start preparing
for winter and shorter days. For me, no
matter which coast I’m living on, fall is a
time to reboot, get ready for the “school”
year, order new notebooks and pens, and
get busy working on next year’s goals.

It is my honor to present this Fall/Winter
edition of our magazine. Once again,
my team’s remarkable talent has made me
so proud. I’m grateful to do what I do
and to work with such stunning creativity
and beauty every day. I hope that you feel
the same about what is presented here.

Cheers,



Contributors

Joy Coakley Caren Alpert

Poppy’s super soft goods stylist also Caren brings to Poppy Creative a new
gets behind the camera in her free time. way of looking at food through both an
Joy is a tea drinker, magazine addict, artistic and analytical eye. Her passion for
and mother of two beautiful little girls, cooking is obvious from her keen sense
Phoebe and Sybil. of design, presentation, and beautiful
images. Her experience as a photo editor
Eric Zepeda gives her the ability to think about the
whole picture. She also teaches others
A budding food photographer with how to turn a passion into a career –
an amazing way of making even the and who doesn’t want to learn how to
vegetarian’s mouth water at the sight do that? Caren tops all of this off with
of his grilled ribs, Eric enjoys everything a beaming smile and a bright laugh.
outdoors. When not shooting for a client,
he’s at home, test shooting his latest Sean Dagen
edible creation.
With a keen eye for capturing the mood
Ana Homonnay & of any everyday object through his
Ashley Thompson camera, Sean is always creating stunning
still photography. He is the least likely
We’re delighted to announce Poppy guy to enjoy hunting, but does, and he
Creative Agency’s newest members, also loves his son Cypress more than
Ana Homonnay and Ashley Thompson! any father I’ve ever known. Sean has an
Ana was born and raised in São Paulo, amazingly talented wife as well.
Brazil. After receiving a film degree and
working as a documentary director for Shaun Sullivan
MTV, she packed up her cameras and
moved to California to begin the next Shaun is Poppy’s veteran photographer
phase of her career. Ashley, born and with 20+ years experience in shooting
raised in Arkansas, grew up with a strong beautifully elegant images for a wide
connection to the art world, leading her variety of clients. He has a reputation
to pursue a degree in Art History. Her love for being the most amazingly calm guy
for the American landscape prompted on any crazy set and always gives the art
her to document her vision of the USA. director and client something more than
Fascinated with the magic of childhood, was expected.
the storytelling photography duo formed
Thompson Homonnay in 2014.

Magazine Design: David Valentine
Copy Editor: Lindsay Pietroluongo

When I Met N

It’s been ten years since Hurricane Slowing down the car to take in the
Katrina, and my first visit to New pure tragedy of what had happened,
Orleans. I had a plane ticket to go visit we rolled down our windows to be
the South where a close friend of mine able to point our cameras out…only
had been living. We were to meet up in to roll them up as fast as we could.
Alabama, drive together to New Orleans, Maggots all over! So we put the car in
and then I would fly home from there. neutral and decided that on the count
When Katrina hit, that flight home out of of three we would jump out, cover our
NOLA got canceled. Not knowing what mouths and noses, and shoot what we
was going to happen with recovery, we could. I think we both made it about
rearranged our plans to just stay put two houses away from the car before
in Alabama. As this trip approached us we both turned and started running
though, people were just being allowed back. The general sense of death
back into NOLA and we were wavering was overwhelming. Maggots, mold,
on what we wanted to do about it. My overturned cars, houses off of their
friend was reluctant to head in as she foundations, and personal belongings
didn’t know if she could handle seeing all around. We fought back tears.
her favorite town destroyed. And so I
brought my camera with me just in case. After realizing that being in the car
was a better option at the moment,
The words that changed so much for we turned a street corner and found a
me came from that dear friend as group of men standing on a front lawn.
she picked me up from the airport in Across the street and several houses
Alabama. “Let’s do it!” I was so ecstatic down several more men at another
but at the same time heartbroken and house. And then a pickup truck with 2
nervous and curious…as I had never more men pulled up behind us. With all
experienced or seen such disaster and men staring at our car, we needed
loss firsthand before (knock on wood). a quick out. So we gunned the car and
But with my medium format camera and jumped a large pile of rubble in the
a bag full of film in hand, I was ready. middle of the street and headed back
Ready to see this city that so many call onto the freeway into NOLA.
their favorite. The adult Disneyland.
The home of so many things. Music, At this point we understood that we
beignets, voodoo, cemeteries, jazz may have been two of not that many
funeral parades, po’ boys, and beads. women in town, and that whatever we
Even if it was completely destroyed. did or wherever we went, we would
need to watch our backs. But we
As we drove towards the city of New forged ahead. And for the next couple
Orleans, it had been only a few days that of days came across some of the most
folks were being let back in. We weren’t beautiful imagery, heard some of the
sure what to expect. We knew some most amazing stories, met incredible
volunteer missions were happening. We people, and were able to catch once in
knew there would be some military and a lifetime events. My first visit to New
police forces overseeing the city. But Orleans was at it’s lowest point. But
nothing could really prepare us for what even at it’s worst, it still is one of the
we were about to see. Upon getting coolest most vibrant cities on
closer, cars turned upside down on the this planet.
side of the freeway. Layers of white mold
all over. Not much action going on. So The images that I am sharing here are
we decided to dive right in, and head just some favorites from this trip: A
into the neighborhood of Slidell, just late cruise on the bayou. A random
East of New Orleans. jazz band playing within Cemetery 1.
Details of Cemetary 1 and from
residential streets…bricks that have
smashed a car after falling off of a
house during Katrina.

photography by Joy Coakley















Hooker’s Sweet

Treats

The Loin. TL. Whatever you choose to
call it, the Tenderloin in San Francisco
holds a special place in my heart. It was
the first neighborhood I moved to when
I came to “The City,” as all my South Bay
friends called it. I landed at Hyde Street,
between Post and Sutter, where my
landlady’s credit check consisted of an
up-and-down once-over look, followed
by the pronouncement that no chickens
were to be kept in the apartment or on
the roof.

Years later, San Francisco is an
entirely different town and changing
rapidly, tech buses winding in and
out, neighborhoods morphing into
something young, vibrant and decidedly
different from a not-so-distant past.
Even the Tenderloin, with seediness
that dates back to the Gold Rush, is
changing. As new kids move in, the
sordidness moves on and there is what
seems to be an endless wave of change.

The exception to all this change is Larkin
Street. One block over from Hyde, it
still has that look-over-your-shoulder
vibe, reminding you that the past isn’t
that far away after all. This is what
makes Hooker’s Sweet Treats so real
and unique. David, the owner, opened
the shop when the area was still raw.
The name was derived from exactly
what you’d assume and it’s still common
to see a few hanging around here and
there. The store has gained a name for
their chocolates, a rich mix of savory
and sweet, with a beautiful look that’s
fun to shoot. Maybe it’s because I spent
time in that hood that I loved shooting
Hooker’s. The images from that day are
special and worth sharing.

photography by Eric Zepeda















Here is:
La Mission

I love San Francisco, but I especially love
the Mission.
I love the colors and the walkable flat
busy streets. The sun reminds me of
my Brazilian home. The Mission makes
me feel more comfortable than any
neighborhood in the city.
I have been shooting portraits in the
Mission mostly with my Hasselblad, using
film, respecting the speed of the heavy
medium format camera and just taking
my time walking on the streets.

photography by Ana Homonnay















This City

This city won’t wash away
This city won’t ever drown
Blood in the water and hell to pay
Sky turned gray when the pain rained down
Doesn’t matter, let come what may
I ain’t ever going to leave this town
This city won’t wash away
This city wont’ ever drown.
Ain’t the river or the wind to blame
As everybody around here knows.
Nothing holding back Pontchatrain
Except a prayer and a promise’s ghost
This town’s digging our graves
In solid marble above the ground
Maybe our bones will wash away
This city won’t ever drown
This city won’t ever die
Just as long as our heart be strong
Like a second line stepping high
Raising hell as we roll along
Gentilly to Vieux Carre
Lower 9, Central City, Uptown
Singing Jockamo fee nane
This city won’t ever drown.

photography by Ashley Thompson















Beauty is in
The Details

I never miss a chance to get outdoors.
Since coming back to California 16 years
ago, I’ve explored many different hiking
trails in the Northern California area, a
hobby that is not unlike many other San
Franciscans. The redwoods that seem to
touch the sky are such a contrast to the
cacti I would delicately hike around being
raised in Arizona.
A couple of years ago, as I jumped around
from trail to trail, instead of always
looking up, I became equally entranced by
looking downward. I started to notice the
amazing leaves that the change in season
sprinkled on the ground all around me —
so much so, that I began collecting and
photographing them.
Most were big, and some were small.
They were various shades of green and
yellow; some with spots and others barely
freckled. What they all have in common
is a very unique shape that I can only
imagine has something to do with their
tree type, access to sunlight in the growth
phase, outside temperature, and time in
the season which they fell off
the branches.
Like a snowflake, no two are the same.
Coming in to the Fall season again gives
me plenty of new subjects to choose from,
and a visual method by which to celebrate
one of the many delights of Autumn.

photography by Caren Alpert















MacArthur

Boulevard

Time has stopped for MacArthur Blvd. Not
all at once, and not everywhere, but in fits
and starts. What was once the early home
of U.S. Hwy 50 is now a time machine. In
this day and age when gentrification is
swirling all around, MacArthur Blvd has
mostly been left untouched in it’s various
forms. The boulevard often serves as
an unofficial line between rich and poor
neighborhoods.

I have lived in Oakland for almost 8 years
and I had not really explored MacArthur
Blvd fully until one day when I started
taking it home after dropping my son
off at school. I wanted an alternate route
that was not the highway. I needed to be
more connected to the city. From my first
trip home I was hooked, I wanted to soak
it all in. I was drawn in by the signage
from both current and defunct shops, the
colors, the architectural design (or lack
of design), the decrepit, the new. There is
such amazing contrast on this street. I just
love imaging what it must have been like
during it’s heyday. Motels for blocks, stores
everywhere, this was a main artery leading
to the heart of the city. An artery that was
most likely so vibrant and full before it
shriveled up, clinging desperately to life.
In my minds eye I can still see the people
dressed in suits with fedoras, and fine
dresses walking along the sidewalks on a
sunny afternoon.

I absolutely romanticize MacArthur
Blvd. It’s a dream world for me; one that
I find much visual inspiration in. I also
understand what it is now; a leftover relic
that some blocks have been revived while
other blocks still struggle. It feels as if it
reflects the ever changing ethos of the
Bay Area. There is so much change going
on right now in our own back yards. I just
want to photograph this one piece of it
before it’s gone.

photography by Sean Dagen