On the Road With Porcelain Black

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If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?

Steve Jobs

RIP and thanks for my very first computer, an Apple IIc Plus on which I played many hours of Wizardry, yes thank you for the birth of my nerd-dom in 1990.

Neglect.  That’s what’s been happening here.  But I am an adult, I can acknowledge this for what it is and move on.  My tumblr, I have neglected you.  But no more!  In the mean time take a gander at a shot that tells what I’ve been doing in this neglect.  In April I started touring with/working with Porcelain Black.  That’s been going strong since.  She’s dope and you should check her out :) Also I went to Mexico, but that’s another story for another time.

Neglect.  That’s what’s been happening here.  But I am an adult, I can acknowledge this for what it is and move on.  My tumblr, I have neglected you.  But no more!  In the mean time take a gander at a shot that tells what I’ve been doing in this neglect.  In April I started touring with/working with Porcelain Black.  That’s been going strong since.  She’s dope and you should check her out :)

Also I went to Mexico, but that’s another story for another time.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS - Pt. 4 This shot is of my wonderful friend, and extremely talented singer/songwriter Jane Carrey.  It’s from the first shoot Jane and I ever did together.  We shot this on the roof of my old building in downtown Los Angeles around 3:00AM.  It was a fun night of guerilla photography in and around downtown.  This woman is one of my favorite people in the world and getting to document her growth as an artist is a blessing.  I’m lucky to have her in my life. (Click on her name to check her music out) 

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS - Pt. 4

This shot is of my wonderful friend, and extremely talented singer/songwriter Jane Carrey.  It’s from the first shoot Jane and I ever did together.  We shot this on the roof of my old building in downtown Los Angeles around 3:00AM.  It was a fun night of guerilla photography in and around downtown.  This woman is one of my favorite people in the world and getting to document her growth as an artist is a blessing.  I’m lucky to have her in my life.

(Click on her name to check her music out) 

THE SELF PORTRAIT….

…Is an agonizing process for the photographer.  At least it is for me.  I’m in the process of overhauling my website, and it was brought to my attention that the time for a new portrait has come. My options were simple, either shoot myself - or have someone else do it.  To be honest there’s only a handful of photographers I’d trust with this endeavor.  Two of them I worked with at David LaChapelle Studios, one of them is David LaChapelle himself, another is a personal hero who does live in Atlanta, and one of them also shoots bands.  Four of them live in Los Angeles, and the one who doesn’t lives on a normal schedule.  So then it falls to me to do this at about 4am.  I’ve been putting it off for weeks.  So here is what happens when I turn the camera on myself.

311, TYLER REEVE, & VANITY THEFT, BUT NOT IN THAT ORDER:  THIS IS THE NEW…..

Let’s do this chronologically shall we?  Vanity Theft  is an all girl rock band that’ll kick your ass and rock your socks off at the same time.  You should check em out (that there - the fancy italicized name thing above…that’s a link to their site).  They hail from Ohio and they’re mighty nice to take photos of since they’re ladies instead of dudes.  More hair and make-up than my usual (since this isn’t the 80s or the Key Club Hollywood on a Monday night).

Tyler Reeve Is good old dirty, (slightly) drunken, totally awesome country.  Not in that stereotypical girl, dog, truck loss kinda way, but in that makes you feel like man or makes you want to get down and dirty with a man kinda way.  He’s a pretty rad dude and I’m digging workin with him. Plus, he can kick your ass in pool - I’ve seen it. (Guess what?  That fancy type I put his name in?  It’s a link too!  Have no fear, it’ll open in a new window so you don’t have to divert from the awesomeness above…)

311 needs no introduction, particularly from my lens (it’s been 10 years of this now).  So good to see them and to shoot.  They did a cruise right after this, and after all if you look at the month and year…. it’s 3/11 month y’all!

More new photos comin soon.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS - Pt. 3 This shot is of Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely, and Josh Paul of Daughtry in the pre-production writing sessions for their sophomore release, Leave This Town, in the summer of 2008.   I spent two years straight documenting these guys on their insane and unlikely journey as they toured in support of the first album.  All of them are really fantastic people, and I’m honored that they trusted me with these moments.  This shot has always been my favorite of those weeks in the studio.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS - Pt. 3

This shot is of Chris Daughtry, Josh Steely, and Josh Paul of Daughtry in the pre-production writing sessions for their sophomore release, Leave This Town, in the summer of 2008.  

I spent two years straight documenting these guys on their insane and unlikely journey as they toured in support of the first album.  All of them are really fantastic people, and I’m honored that they trusted me with these moments.  This shot has always been my favorite of those weeks in the studio.

And I’m like, I don’t want to be poked by you.
Carissa on the subject of Facebook poking.
THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS - Pt. 2 The above photo is of Nick Hexum of 311, with his dog Jake on his bus. We shot this on the Summer Unity Tour in 2007 during the daytime prior to the hometown show. We were in Council Bluffs, Iowa at the Westfair Pavillion. During the summer this venue counts as 311’s Omaha show for the run. Whenever I have to opportunity to visit Omaha with these guys, or any of their siblings (I’ve been with Zack Hexum a couple times as well), it’s a joy. I get to learn things about the band and men that have been part of my life for the last decade. Yes, I’ve been photographing 311 for ten years. To narrow down my “favorite 311 photos” is near impossible. There are SO many, it’s a little bit overwhelming, and slightly intimidating. However, this photo has always been special to me. Nick is a dear friend, and I love that particular dog like my own. Not much of a fascinating story behind this shot, just a great moment between Nick and Jake and I’m grateful that I was there to capture it. Happy Holidays :)

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS - Pt. 2

The above photo is of Nick Hexum of 311, with his dog Jake on his bus. We shot this on the Summer Unity Tour in 2007 during the daytime prior to the hometown show. We were in Council Bluffs, Iowa at the Westfair Pavillion. During the summer this venue counts as 311’s Omaha show for the run. Whenever I have to opportunity to visit Omaha with these guys, or any of their siblings (I’ve been with Zack Hexum a couple times as well), it’s a joy. I get to learn things about the band and men that have been part of my life for the last decade. Yes, I’ve been photographing 311 for ten years.

To narrow down my “favorite 311 photos” is near impossible. There are SO many, it’s a little bit overwhelming, and slightly intimidating. However, this photo has always been special to me. Nick is a dear friend, and I love that particular dog like my own. Not much of a fascinating story behind this shot, just a great moment between Nick and Jake and I’m grateful that I was there to capture it.

Happy Holidays :)

Kobe Buffs Jeff Van Gundy’s Head (via NBA)

Hehehehehe

youtube.com

OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING MEMORIAL

On our trip, my friend Sal and I stopped in Oklahoma City to see the memorial and pay our respects.  If you ever find yourself with the time you should see it too. It’s a beautiful tribute to the people who died that day.  It’s quiet and emotional.  I was crying the bulk of the time we spent there.  

The wall of the formerly adjacent building - now the museum - has been left undisturbed since the day the bomb went off.

The Field of Empty Chairs has a chair for each of the 168 people who died.  The smaller chairs are for the children from the daycare who died.  They’re separated by which floor of the building they were on.

The Gates of Time each bear an inscription on their outer wall, with a time stamp on the inner walls.  The inscription reads, We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived, and those changed forever.  May all who leave here know the impact of violence.  May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peach, hope, and serenity.  The first gate is marked 9:01 - for 9:01AM the last minute before the blast, which they call the last minute of innocence.  The second is stamped 9:03 for every minute after the blast, in which their lives are forever changed.

Further information:

http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS That’s Tyson Ritter from the All-American Rejects.  Translated for the current popular vernacular, that photo by @AustenRisolvato of @TysonRitterAAR from @OfficialAAR is one of my favorite photos. I shot it at the radio show at the Roxy in Hollywood a year ago.  Shooting a band I’m accustomed to documenting in arenas, amphitheaters, major festivals - in a 450 capacity venue is both fun and totally irritating.  But venues that size are where I got started, and they too have that story.  It’s a fun time warp for me.  The skills involved in shooting without a barricade and barely any room on stage to maneuver around the artist are totally different from the laminated all access world of an arena.   It’s guerrilla music photography, and I love it. The terrain is rough, containing screaming girls, reaching out for anything they can grab, unhindered by the non existent barricade - the artist is there for their taking.  It was great fun and shooting these guys is always a joy.  All of them are exceptional human beings and I consider myself fortunate to have them in my life. So that’s the first installment of this blog series.

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE….PHOTOS

That’s Tyson Ritter from the All-American Rejects.  Translated for the current popular vernacular, that photo by @AustenRisolvato of @TysonRitterAAR from @OfficialAAR is one of my favorite photos.

I shot it at the radio show at the Roxy in Hollywood a year ago.  Shooting a band I’m accustomed to documenting in arenas, amphitheaters, major festivals - in a 450 capacity venue is both fun and totally irritating.  But venues that size are where I got started, and they too have that story.  It’s a fun time warp for me.  The skills involved in shooting without a barricade and barely any room on stage to maneuver around the artist are totally different from the laminated all access world of an arena.  

It’s guerrilla music photography, and I love it.

The terrain is rough, containing screaming girls, reaching out for anything they can grab, unhindered by the non existent barricade - the artist is there for their taking. 

It was great fun and shooting these guys is always a joy.  All of them are exceptional human beings and I consider myself fortunate to have them in my life.

So that’s the first installment of this blog series.

Jeff Rock: Chet

jeffrock:

I’m pretty picky about where I get gas. I shouldn’t be. It’s all contributing to the same central issue. And picking one vendor over another is a lot like choosing tater tots over fries. I mean, you’re still sucking grease, right? So I pretty much stay away from BP (for obvious reasons) and any…

jeffrock

Shame

  • Me: "If it makes you feel any better I just started following Vinny from Jersey Shore. I secretly love him cause apparently I have a penchant for douchebags."
  • Friend: "Hahaha.....awesome."

Here’s a Thought

I’m thinking about doing a weekly post featuring one of my favorite photos at a time, and the story behind that shot.  Whatcha think?