Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
By Marlena McClain
9 Jul 2008
What city do you live in? What neighborhood?
I live in Santa Cruz county home to more than 249,705 people, a growing community nesting in between Monterey Bay and the greater San Francisco area.
What are some adjectives that describe your neighborhood?
Interesting, playful, historic, different and diverse.
How long have you lived there, and what brought you there?
Actually I have just moved to Santa Cruz less than a month ago, and I wanted to produce photographic images that bring in a sense of fun and excitement that I have never tried before. I shot wacky angles and views I had never attempted either. This little photo adventure was a tool for me to learn and experience a different way to discover this new found home and to discover myself.
I am here for UCSC to major in photography and art, yet this project is a way to keep myself busy in my favorite subjects.
What is your favorite thing about this place? Your least favorite?
I was attracted by this area because of its diversity and closeness to the big city. I came here to study and to hopefully meet other cool artists open to colaborations or friendships.
The most difficult lesson I have learned so far was that person who wants to work in a artistic inviroment, yet it doesn't always mean that the people that I work for would respond back in a way that I had hoped for.
It is hard for me to slow down when all I want to do is art and be with artistic people. Santa Cruz for many years has presurved its reputation of a hippy, peace loving city. However, it has clearly changed and Cat Stevens words put it best "Oh, baby, baby, it's a wild world
It's hard to get by, just upon a smile."
Do you feel that you belong there?
At the moment my feelings of Santa Cruz have shifted. I haven't completely given up on this place, but every place in the world has the potintial of sucking. I have constanly been moving and it is always hard to start over. Every place I have lived has been difficult from time to time, but I choose not to think that Santa Cruz is a terrible place to live.
What is the most common misconception about where you live?
The most common misconception of Santa Cruz is that every one is a hippy or smokes pot. Ha ha, there are a lot of guppies and people that think they know all the answers. Lately gas prices have sky rocketed and jobs are harder to find, which urges people to react like jerks.
What is a special fact about your city that you have to live there to know?
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is one of two ocean front amuzment parks still standing upon the Western Coast of the United States.
What aspect of your city do you secretly love?
I secretly love that there is stuffto do without ever spending money. For an expample I can go to the Boardwalk with out ever spending a dime. The Boardwalk is free and it is right on the beach, which also makes it a great place to take lots of pictures of all kinds of people.
Anything else you'd like to add?
I would like to add that even though some of my recent experiences have left me high and dry, I will not let that keep me from taking pictures. I hope my pictures and story inspires all the countless struggling artists out there and to never give up on their dreams.
