Recent Projects

!It.

Magazine advertisement with pencil shavings

October 2011

Duke

Mixed media collage using compact disc art

November 2011

New Lomo LC-A+ - Lomo 100

Steve Schapiro - Stills Photographer - O.G. of Behind the Scenes

Every once and a while you come across a photographer who has truly been everywhere and shot almost anything that was groundbreaking in modern history. Steve Schapiro is that man.

I was first introduced to Steve's work while shopping for nothing in American Rag on La Brea.

I was quite pleased though when I found a Taschen book dedicated to Schapiro's work on the set of Martin Scorcese's epic film, Taxi Driver.

As I learned more about Schapiro,

I learned that Deniro was merely the surface of his body of work.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Robert Deniro, aka "Travis Bickle", on the set of Taxi Driver

"Have you ever seen what a 44 Magnum will do to a p****?"

Marlon Brando in makeup with Francis Ford Coppola chilling in the background

on the set of The Godfather.

Robert Kennedy during his Presidential campaign.

Robert Deniro on the set of Taxi Driver

"Winning".

Yes Steve Schapiro has shot Charlie Sheen also.

I would say this photos is circa 1990. Major League days.

Or is this right before he went into character on the set of Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

Adam Freeland, TRON and Chainsaws.

This post is dedicated to one of my favorite live DJs,

Adam Freeland, TRON and chain saws.

Adam Freeland dedicated much of his stage video to these tripped out clips of

Jeff Bridges from the original TRON.

Leg on stage with his Leg family and Freeland.

Read on for the story of leg.

1. "Leg" originated during Freeland's set at LIB 2010.

2. "Leg" is on the top 5 funniest things in 2KC history

3. The Do Lab people took "Leg".

4. We didnt know if we would ever see "Leg".

5. Until one night in Hollywood when the 2kc crew found "Leg".

6. He was on stage with Adam freeland and the rest of his "Leg" family

Adam Freeland @ Lightning in a Bottle 2010

Adam Freeland and Rudy Colby @ Lightning in a Bottle 2010

A collection of DJ photos I've taken over the past 6 months of 2011.

Dj Laura and Antennae @ Lightning in a Bottle 2011

Jay Tripwire @ Woogie Nights Part One 2011

Unknown DJ @ Lightning in a Bottle 2011

Pumpkin @ Lightning in a Bottle 2011

Total Science @ LA Beatdown September 2011

DJ Spinna @ "The Lift: Part One" - Downtown LA 2011

Unknown DJ @ House of Blues LA 2011

Pumpkin @ Woogie Nights Part One 2011

Mimosa @ Lightning in a Bottle 2011

Flying Lotus @ Eagle Rock Music Festival 2011

A-Sides @ Backyard Drum and Bass BBQ 2011

J- Boogie @ California Soul - Downtown LA 2011

Abstract DJ photo @ Lightning in a Bottle 2011

Jeremy Sole @ "The Lift: Part One" - Downtown LA 2011

Abstract DJ photo 2011

Pumpkin @ Woogie Nights Part One 2011

Stephan Jacobs and unkown DJ @ El Rey Theatre 2011

Panty Raid @ Lightning in a Bottle 2011

Gaslamp Killer and Flying Lotus @ Eagle Rock Music Festival 2011

Special Thanks to: Lomography, Canon digital cameras and Music. Period.

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.

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!