Thursday, February 24, 2011

Lady Gaga + Terry Richardson+ Supreme

Terry Richardson shooting a surprisingly normal looking Lady Gaga for skate and street wear juggernaut Supreme for Purple Fashion Magazine.



I love seeing this kind of stuff.





Shout out to uristocrat.com and Hypebeast for the info and photos.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

My Lens: Rhym



Last month I shot the beautiful and talented Rhym in my make shift studio. She is an actress, and I'm taking the opportunity to shoot with her before I see her in the movies with Denzel Washington.



Fashion designer Cha Cha N'kole provided the scarves and make up.



I was happy with how my studio lighting came out; I need top learn more about studio lighting, and how you create it. There's more I want to do, until I can get outside in warm weather and back into the natural light.



Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Photographer Terry Richardson

I didn't even know who he was.

I was talking with other photographers about lighting, techniques, equipment, etc and some one mentioned that Terry Richardson has nullified all that stuff with his on-camera-flash-against-stark-walls style that has become (or has been) popular and a part of his look.


Justin Timberlake

Pharrell

Barak Obama!

Amy Winehouse

Pamela Anderson

Photography, like any art, is so funny and subjective; If I shot like this, people would probably say "You need to soften your lighting, use a reflector, umbrella" or something. Instead, he shot the Glee stars cover for GQ magazine. and somehow got in trouble for shooting people over 18 in sexy poses.


My Lens: Boots

Couple months ago, Cole Haan inspired me to try my hand at some product photography. Their advertising for their dress shoes and boots features such crisp lighting.



I used natural light to see if I could get the same effect, but no. I probably need a reflector.



Well, practice makes perfect.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Twitter

I'm not sure why I just signed up for this.



Maybe to keep from getting left behind in new media. Maybe from boredom, maybe nosy. I don't know. People say its good for networking.

#shurgs
I'll give it a try. My twitter is @iunderstan

Follow iunderstan on Twitter

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Importance of Collaboration Between Artists


In the January issue of Complex magazine I read an article on Kanye West and how he sequestered rap artists' Common, Kid Kudi, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, The Rza, and others to make record on his new album My Dark Twisted Fantasy (which I still don't own dammit!)

Kanye flew his selected mc's out to Hawaii, which is unusual (and expensive) to do only because most rapper/producers send tracks to each other via email, they write and rhyme over them, then send the track back. The benefit of being present in the studio is to actually spend time with people, to get out of your environment, and to see the work habits (or lack thereof) of your peers.

Tupac was legendary for always being in the studio, writing and rapping. Biggie was known for smoking weed, chilling for hours, then coming up with rhymes on the spot. J Dilla was known for working on samples and loops over and over again. Much can be learned from working with people like this, and it can be very inspirational.

What I found most interesting was Nicki Minaj's experience. She was working on her verse for Monster (arguably the best on the track, definitely the most hype I've heard her.) She claims Kanye asked her "What do you want to say? its not about rhyming words, its about what you want to say..." (without looking up from the porn on his laptop, no less!) These words inspired Nicki to write the verses loved my everyone.



I fully endorse collaboration. Some of my favorite songs, art, clothes, and projects have come from people getting together instead of insulting each other.

Social media (facebook, twitter, etc) has made it easier to connect with people you might never have met in person, but once you do, try to meet with them and work together, if possible.

There is real value interacting face to face, as opposed to my social media and internet. You might teach or learn something that might make your work better, and we will all benefit from it.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Graffiti-DEACE

I wasn't good at graffiti, it never came out right, or it was corny as hell. So, I find it fascinating to watch a throw up from beginning to end, featuring the work of French graf artist DEACE.



see more of his work here.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Lady Gaga- Born This Way Photo

I thought this photo of her new album Born This Way cover was interesting. She seems to be continuing the theme of being a fame "monster".

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Cosmopolitan Magazine - Mila Kunis


This cover stopped me in my tracks. I love the smoky eye as well; one of my favorite make up looks.

Those huge, beautiful eyes cut right through me, almost in an Angelia Joile-type way.

She has come a long, LONG way from being that skinny girl on That 70's Show. She has grown into an attractive, sexy, funny woman.

I must practice more glamour looks!

Marxist Glue



I came across Marxist Glue when I saw their T shirts on the Digital Gravel website. I wish they had shirts in my size. I loved the in-your-face political message, and the collages of multi-media materials and illustration.





The street art collective had a show in The Hold Up Art Gallery in LA.



See more of their work here
On facebook here

Recap-New Years Eve 2011

Getting busy, caught up in the holidays, depressed, having fun, planning and sick (not in that order) are the reasons why I fell behind in my posts. So the following are a recap of the New Years events.

New Years Eve
This was nearly a thousand times more fun than last year. I got off work early, went home and saw in the New Year with Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve like the old days, then I went to a friends' house party (the best to have on New Years) at a high rise apartment downtown. It was everything I wanted. I ate, drank, and had a good time.




I even brought my own mix ofLong Island Iced Tea and it was a big hit (pictures half gone above in the round bottle) I need to design my own label.







The view from the balcony.

Walking to the car with snacks! Those Red Velvet cupcakes! I wish I could have taken more...