Friday, September 16, 2011

The First Lomography Photographs


Somewhere around 2005 I decided to spend $60 dollars on a new experimental film camera. I bought the Lomo Fisheye Number 2 and it was one of the greatest and most inspiring investments I've ever made.


No joke, my first Lomo adventure involves me getting grilled by a "rent a cop". I had just bought the Fisheye camera at the mall I spent countless hours at when I was a teenager, so I felt comfortable to try out the camera for the first time in the parking lot.
I observed some large construction machinery in the back of the lot, with huge round wheels. Figuring the wheels would make for an awesome composition to compliment the round fish bowl effect, I began shooting.
Within minutes a rent a cop security guard rolled up on me very fast in his little white car and asked, "what are you doing?"
To which I replied, "It's none of your business what I'm doing".

If you've ever busted a security guard's chops, you know that this sets them off completely.
"What did you just say son?", he replied loudly from out of his car window.
Believing he simply didn't hear me I yelled back, "it's none of your business what I'm doing".
We exchanged words that concluded with me telling him to "scratch off,
I'm just taking photographs... Dude."



My first multiple exposure photo. Oh snap, What's up Jaci Benza?



Summer 2006... I think.
I brought the camera to one of my many trips to Portland, Maine.
Widgery Wharf, Allagash, Shipyard, Sebago, Black Hawk Down - "yeesh".

Here are photos of one of the funniest memories I have with Evan.

We spent some time at Sebago Lake (the second largest lake in Maine if you care), at Evan's Aunt's home which was a stones throw from the water. Evan completely bullshitted us when he said that he, "always takes the boat out on the lake"..."it's cool".
The problem wasn't really that he exaggerated, it was that he had no clue how to actually use the damn thing, or cover his tracks that he used it in the first place.
My first time swimming in a freshwater lake was amazing. Special thanks to Mike Kendrick and Melina Moser for also being members of that trip. The good old days.

. We had a hilarious experience with the locals, when Evan thought it would be a good idea to gas the boat back up before he returned it. Have you ever tried to back a ten foot boat into a 12 foot space? We needed the gas attendant to help make sure we didn't completely ruin ours and two other boats. Safe. Gas up. Whew!

Evan's uncle found out the next day that we took the boat out because the gas attendant alerted his Uncle that someone was taking his boat out and almost wrecking some others and when he turned the boat on, the stereo was blasting some ill hip-hop mix that Evan played all day for us. Smooth Evan.





MC Kendrick after the boat ride.


Evan in the back seat of my SkElement.


Monday, September 12, 2011

The Rusko Series - Cockney Supreme.


During the fall of 2009 I shot a rave that really brought Dubstep to my ears for the first time.
This particular stage had an underground lineup with names like Caspa, Benga and Rusko.
This is way back when getting this close to Rusko as a photographer was acceptable.
Like stumbling upon a great party that none of your friends know about and your cell phone is dead, you just go where the music takes you; you don't ask questions.


Rusko circa 2009 - San Bernardino, CA - Nocturnal Music Festival











Rusko circa 2010 - San Beranardino, CA - Audiotistic Music Festival





Special thanks to: Friends who achieve personal goals at Burning Man, robble deeps, skeeby deeps and all of Duke's sayings, Tom Brady for the fantasy points (and only the fantasy points!), Metta World Peace - it's official, Deep House, Mariano Rivera and his saves record, Motor City Drum Ensemble, not watching TV News for at least one whole year!

Monday, September 5, 2011

Graphic Design for The Do Lab Blog - Drum and Bass Legend, Photek



In honor of his live show with RJD2 and the Glitch Mob @ Nokia Theatre, we met up with Drum and Bass legend Photek at his Hollywood recording studio.
Posted on The Do Lab Blog
I wanted to capture his existence in this city of Los Angeles for so many years by surrounding him with the structures of his world.
The skyline represents the environment that encompasses his recording studio and his auditory life.
In Photoshop I spliced in some scanned imagery from Photek's album cover
for "Avalanche".


Special Thanks to: Blogspot, Jesus Montero ( the future of the New York Yankees), The Do Lab, Duke Du Rock, Jordan from The Do Lab for being a guerilla in the trenches, anyone who is about making conscious moves.