Music: The Internet

When I find new music I like I get so excited!

I everything is so "me-too" on the radio, same producers making the same sounding songs, that when I can hear something new to my ears, it its literally orgasmic.

such a thing happened a few months ago when I was up watching Carson Daly and he featured this group called The Internet, which was an r&b offshoot of the rap collective Odd Future made up of female Syd Tha Kid and Matt Martians. I just knew she was gonna rap, but she started singing and the sound that came out of her mouth I couldn't believe; soft, breathy vocals, plus real instrumentation and production, not just beat making. The sounds are in the vein of N.E.R.D, Dilla, Amel Larrieux,

I haven't been this excited since I found Robert Glasper.

I'm actually on the late bus today because the song I just heard called Give it Time is from 2012. No album for nothin. I love it. You will too.


Read about them and their influences here at stereogum.com

Vogue Netherlands - Basquiat Inspired Beauty Shoot

Imagery based on the famous artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, shot by Erwin Olaf, make up done by Topolino.

 I had to familiarize myself with his original work and look at his style and use of color so I could "get it"

The portrait is dead on!! I love it. Some of the other make up jobs could have employed more of his elements and compositions from his paintings. Still, this is great, and the kind of work that will set your portfolio apart from other photogs who might have similar concepts in it. Hell I might shoot myself as Basquiat.

Why does it seem like the European versions of fashion magazines seem to feature more people of color? Which is strange, considering the constant debate over the inclusion of people of color.

Read more about it at Huffington Post

John Schneider: Raw Emotions

I was amazed and touched by this story of actor John Schneider and how he chose to have his honest emotions captured by photographer Jeremy Cowart, after his official photo shoot for the OWN network soap opera show The Haves and Have Nots.

 

Read about how he went from these official photos..

...to these painful expressions,without acting.

  

His father had passed away that very same day, so he chose to have his emotions photographed.

These moments are truly priceless, and its when I realize how important image making is when you can help someone deal with something in their lives.

Read the whole story here at viralnova

Artist Mixer 2014 - Studio10Two5

I attended the first ArtistsMixer of the year at Jasen Hudson's new location, Studio10Two5.

It always feels great to get out and meet other creatives, absorb some of the energy and get our minds off of this really cold weather we've been having.

 

Saw many familiar faces and usual suspects. Rhym, and photographers Aaron, Joseph Balestra, Samuel Eli, and the rarely seen Ronald Gray.

I had a chance to see Kris Johnson's new video project. I became a fan when  saw his work at the Dreaming Building.

I talked with the beautiful and talented Robin Lynette, whom I have wanted to shoot and work with. One of these days I'll get her to work her magic on my model, and argue to get her in front of my camera.

I managed to drag my road dog, Kharma, with me.

 So much talent in one place it was incredible!

Super Heroes and their Part Time Jobs

I love it when creative people do what they want to do and just let their imagination run wild.

"If super heroes had part-time jobs, what would they do? They might each go into something they are uniquely suited for.
Artist Chow Hon Lam (Flying Mouse 365) took that idea and ran with it in his series of illustrations called Part Time Job."

And the funniest one...


Thanks to neatorama

Old School and new Sh$t - Busta Rhymes and Q Tip

I was hype as hell when I heard this track a few months ago!
The single "Thank You" featuring a new mixtape The Dragon, by Q Tip and Busta Rhymes, and one hell of a loop from the original 1981 club hit "I Wanna Thank You" by Alicia Meyers.

Its so good to hear rappers killing it lyrically and with the delivery! Plus hilarious antics from my mans' and them.

Insanely Creative - Facial Optical Illustions with Make Up

Thanks to my facebook friend Robin, who is a dope make up artist herself, for posting this.

"Moscow-based photographer Alexander Khokhlov and makeup artist Valeriya Kutsan have teamed up to create an amazing series of portraits, using the natural lines of models’ faces to create illusionary forms.

The series is cleverly called “2D or Not 2D” and is designed to make the faces look like 2D images when viewed in real life."

 

 

I was blown away by these!

See more of them here at deadstate.com

Father John D'Amico

I took for granted that my best friends' father was a jazz pianist.

I guess because I never saw him on tv, or heard him on the radio, I didn't take him seriously. Probably how people see me as a "photographer"; good, but not "real". Despite the piano I saw in the house over and over in my visits, I never believed until I saw him play with his band one night.

Why do we take things for granted?

Mr. D'Amico passed away a few weeks ago. This made me sad not only because someone close to me lost their father, and that my mother was very sick at the same time and I was worried she would be next, but because I didn't pay attention while he was here.

I remember when we talked about Brazilian samba fusion for a long, long time outside of Rite Aid. I was playing him an album I had and he was breaking down the music, the sounds, rhythms, in a way only a musician could.

That will be the best, most fun memory that I have: Talking to him about something he loved. Jazz.

Soup Factory Open House

The studio had its open house a couple days ago. It was really nice to make large prints (11x14 for me) and to be able to hang my work up, something I have never done before.

Unfortunately, the event fell on a day when everyone I knew was busy, away on a trip, or otherwise engaged. Even my own mother was in the hospital! She wanted me to show up and be seen, so I still attended. I saw her afterwards and showed her the photos in my phone.

 The essentials.

 

I got a chance to talk to a few people in "real life" and meet some new faces, like studio mates Nate Middleton and Aaron Stallworth Jr. plus the talented Andrea Harper. Watching Nate retouch in real time was valuable and informative; using some techniques I knew, and some I didn't. Who knew Photoshop's smart sharpen was actually that smart?

Stylist MelSlim Edmond

The most fun was the "unofficial" photographer talk session afterward, where I found out that while our experience and skill levels are different, we are all the same, with the same problems, insecurities, victories and defeats.

We talked gear, lighting, models, business, set backs, guys with cameras, TF, all kinds of stuff.

Times like these are when I am glad that I joined the studio and have a chance to talk with like minded minds, instead of sitting home.

My Lens - Rhym Shoot 2013

Rhym and I have not shot together in years, since my first attempt using softbox lighting. The results were okay, but there was a lot I wanted to do that I didn't. I have always wanted to get her back in front of my camera with my newer skills. 

I wanted to practice my portrait lighting, as well as my composition. Rhym was down for some testing, complete with her own assistant (shout out to Chris for his reflector holding skills)

Of course the plan went awry as Rhym and I found other interesting poses and light to capture. I loved how the back lit photo came out.

I still want to shoot Rhym's legendary Ninja Costume in the future. We will see.