I photographed this reef shark on the Great Barrier Reef off of Port Douglas, Queensland, Australia. The diving off of Port Douglas is absolutely pristine!

It’s absolutely glorious from the top suite at the Wythe #lifeisbeautiful #nofilter #magichour (at Wythe Hotel)

That’s a wrap! Such a blast with a solid crew #reddigitalcinema #redepic #r3d #vscocam #vsco (at Red Studios)

The #MoVI is smooth as silk. #beastmode #reddigitalcinema #redepic #r3d #freefly #freeflysystems #gamechanger Looking forward to seeing this footage! Photo by @evanburgher (at Red Studios)

Filming the #flyingtomato, Shaun White. #vsco #vscocam #reddigitalcinema #redepic #4K #shaunwhite (at Red Studios)

Going to get a good workout today #reddigitalcinema #redepic #vsco #vscocam (at Hollywood)

Self Portrait Series

15 Seconds of deep Powder Sledding in Boulder, Colorado filmed on the GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition using Air Jordan Flight 45 TRK boots

A motion picture selfie making fresh tracks and floating on clouds on New Year’s Day, 2014 in Vail Colorado. Filmed on the GoPro HERO3+ Black Edition using a GoPole.

Part of my ongoing Self Portrait Series

A self portrait taken on January 1st, 2014 in Vail, Colorado. We managed to score some fresh powder and were all smiles. Taken with a GoPro HERO 3+ Black Edition and a GoPole.

Part of my ongoing Self Portrait Series

I woke up at 7 am and nearly froze my fingers off taking this self portrait this morning in Central Park, hence the mean look. It took quite a bit of patience waiting for the mall to clear out and enduring the cold to get this shot. I also wanted to show off my merino wool scarf, that I commissioned Gretchen Kreutz to make for me after searching for a bright orange knit scarf for a year. She’s a freelance knitwear designer for Rag & Bone and has mad skills! 

merino wool knit scarf by gretchen kreutz
rag & bone boots
sandro top
raleigh workshop denim

Equipment used: Manfrotto tripod with video fluid head, Canon 5D mark III, 24 - 70 f2.8L II lens, intervalometer, down jacket and lambswool gloves for warmth in between shots.

Part of my ongoing Self Portrait Series

A photo of JR during the first day pasting at the NYC Ballet. It has been an absolute blast documenting such a prolific and influential artist. The second night of the NYC Ballet Art Series featuring JR is this Friday, February 7th. The art exhibition is open to the public from 10 - 5 until February 8th.

I took this photograph in Mozambique on a drive to South Africa. Their eyes tell a deep rooted story, and I was curious about the Chinese characters on the side of their truck. “The Chinese are building things in exchange for mining rights, timber rights, fishing rights, and these are absolutely bad deals.” - Jim LaFleur, senior economist for Mozambique’s largest business association. “China is very clear about what it wants from Africa. Africa has absolutely no idea what it wants from China.” - Lucy Corkin, Centre for Chinese Studies, Stellenbosch University

Image © Reuben Hernandez

When it snows, I like to go outside and levitate

Part of my ongoing Self Portrait Series

2013 was definitely a year to remember, and above are my ten favorite images from last year. Looking back at all the images I captured and the projects I was fortunate to work on makes me realize how blessed and lucky I am. I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to travel all around the world doing what I love, telling stories, capturing beauty, and working with incredibly talented, creative people. It’s been absolutely fulfilling, and there’s no place I’d rather be.

I kicked off 2013 marveling at the infamous Sydney fireworks from a sailboat in the harbor. The fireworks were literally exploding right above my head, and it was breathtaking and surreal. After exploring Australia and New Zealand for 6 weeks (and knocking several things off of my bucket list :), I was home in NY for a few days before I was back on the road again for a month filming Exposed, a documentary film series about tuberculosis in the UK, South Africa, India, Nashville, and DC. Working on Exposed was definitely a professional highlight, and securing our visas for India was nothing short of a miracle!

Personally, a memorable moment was meeting the French artist, JR, one of my favorite artists and the creator of the Inside Out Project, the world’s largest participatory art project. I was asked to document and shoot time-lapse of his large scale pasting/installation in Times Square. That whole experience was magical, and it made me feel like a kid in a candy store.

Another major highlight of 2013 was being selected as a finalist for Tropfest NY, the world’s largest short film festival, hosted by Liev Schreiber and judged by Malcolm Gladwell and Academy Award winning producer, Fisher Stevens (The Cove). We had the incredible opportunity to premiere our short film on the big screen in front of tens of thousands of people! It was quite unforgettable, and probably one of my most significant accomplishments since moving to NY just over 3 years ago. 

Other highlights include filming/surfing in Mexico, catching up with loved ones back home in California, exhibiting at Photoville, and finishing the year snowboarding fresh powder in Vail, Colorado.

I also spent a month living in Paris, learning French, riding a bike, drinking lots of coffee, and trying to soak in and absorb all of the beauty that is literally all over that place. The Eiffel Tower still gets me every single time. 

I’m so thankful and grateful for an awesome and fulfilling year of adventure, beauty, exploration, and good times. All together, I spent over 16 weeks on the road. If there’s anything I’ve learned this past year, it’s that you shouldn’t ask yourself what kind of job you want, but rather what kind of lifestyle you want to live. Live the life you imagined, and do it courageously. It’s always important to keep it fun and exciting, especially when things get challenging or frustrating. If you don’t like your job or what you’re doing, then quit it. 

Last but not least, thank you so much to all of my friends, loved ones, clients, and colleagues for joining me on this crazy, wild adventure. It wouldn’t be the same without you, and I truly cannot thank you enough. I’ve decided to dedicate this space as a place where I will try and give back and be generous as much as possible (inspired by Chase Jarvis).

Let’s create something beautiful together this year!

Carpe Diem,
Reuben

Photo Captions
1. A shark on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, just outside Port Douglas
2. New Delhi, India, the 7th largest urban agglomeration in the world with a population of 23 million people
3. Hadouken self-portrait in Austin, Texas using the remote timer and my wristwatch
4. Paris, France, also known as the City of Light
5. A portrait of a Parisian in Le Marais
6. The scene outside my apartment window in Lisbon, Portugal
7. The Indian Sunrise on the 6 am train from New Delhi to Agra
8. The Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand, one of Jacques Cousteau’s top 10 favorite dive locations in the world
9. Pristine, untouched beauty in Wilson’s Promontory, Australia
10. Winter wonderland on Pearl St. in Boulder, Colorado

All images © Reuben Hernandez

Snow rider #vsco #vscocam (at Williamsburg)

Frontside grab photo by @andrewmklein (at Williamsburg)

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo taken in Sydney, Australia © Reuben Hernandez 

Pasting in progress #JR #NYCBArtSeries #JRNYCBallet (at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts)

It was an honor filming JR and his team paste on the outside windows of the NYC Ballet today, especially since I’m a huge fan of his work and he’s one of my favorite artists (NYC can be so magical). I was impressed by how hard JR and his crew works, and they truly put a tremendous amount of heart and soul into each installation and pasting they do. JR is collaborating with the NYC Ballet and I’m very much looking forward to the opening night next week on January 23rd. Hope to see you there!

Dana Point, California, my old stomping ground. Working on this project planted the seed to quit my job and pursue my longtime dream of moving to NYC.