documenting worlds
photography by annie appel
film-based work *
craig
my son. life.
matthew
sunday mornings
lily
my boys, william and walter

walter
my family
lashun
the love of g-d is what makes me happy
tommy
my family makes me happy
paul
taking pictures

jhum
visiting here in north america with my
family
vern
jesus christ makes me happy
i'm fine as a frog hair
paul
horses and being on a ranch make me
happy
phyllis
going to church all the time and being with
my daughter makes me real happy

geri
knowing my mom is happy and healthy
and spending time with her
sophia
ir a la iglesia, estar con mi familia y mi
tienda
ellie
it's just a simple thing - seeing my dog
make friends makes me happy

mike
making people laugh

chaucer
juzlia
my wife - and definitely music

brie
music, movement and dance - and my wife
sayra
being with rasheed makes me happy

rasheed
sayra

chocolate
oscar
what makes me happy is to see people
happy
the best thing for a heart is the exercise of
helping somebody get up
lannox
my kids - yrina, her brother, and the one
on the way

yrina
deneen
the kind of love that can inspire people
makes me happy on a very profound level.
you can't really love someone unless you
really get to know them
accepting and inspiring love can really
change people
invest in love - let me understand you so i
can love you

luna and moon
home
Activism
Exchanges, (2010)*
I'd always known that one day, after enough time
had gone by, I would return to the park.
This time, before I'd even mounted my camera to
the tripod, two security guards insisted on seeing
my permit to photograph on public property.

"Lady, if you don't leave right now we will be
forced to call the police."
To their surprise, I welcomed the idea.

One guard stayed and watched from a distance
while I continued to set up my gear. Before long,
the other guard returned with two Los Angeles
police officers. After looking at the set of photos
I'd created 23 years earlier at the same park, with
the same background and the same camera, they
wished me well, although they declined to stand
for a portrait.

In a day filled with unexpected interaction,
meeting Paul was a moment to cherish.
"I remember when you were here last time," he
said.

Convinced I'd confused him with my explanation
of the work, I replied. "I don't photograph here on
a regular basis - just this one time." I pointed to
the original, small book of portraits I'd brought
from 1987. He turned the pages, stopping to point
at one of the portraits.

"Warren is living with his daughter now. She
came and got him." He flipped a few more pages.
"Anthony is married now and has three kids. He is
a waiter a few blocks from here. Dennis and Fas
just got out of jail again, " he added, pointing at
another picture. "Those two are really something."
and he smiled a little.