Yesterday marked the culmination of the World Cup at the Montalban. With the theatre packed to the brim, it was again up to Emily to save the day. Reed, DS, Tiago and I slid in with her assistance, while Hanif went real stealth for his entrance. Nonetheless it was a great experience and an end to one of the more unique branding experiences I’ve been a part of. Big thanks to everyone involved in facilitating the events. Nike is winning.
It’s tough to step outside of your comfort zone. We call it the comfort zone for a reason. But I think once you step outside yours, it begins to expand. When you take that leap to do some shit you’ve never done before the experience shatters the fear you had for it initially. Lately I’ve been thinking that fear generally comes from the unknown, but let’s save that conversation for another time.
Hunter’s work just got me thinking. His latest photo project appropriately titled astronauts is an ode to the spaceman who’s stuck on earth. Attempting to deal with the normalcy of everyday life, Hunter places the astronaut in a range of ordinary settings, effectively removing the astronaut from his comfort zone, and shooting him back down to reality. It’s not always fun to be an astronaut.
I know, 10 minutes is asking a lot for this day and age. So if time is of the essence, start at minute 4, and go til 4:30. The latest from BLU. Thank you and you’re welcome. Creativity knows no boundaries. We’ve been saying it for years. This is only the beginning. Get your popcorn ready.
Margaret told me she’s not too fond of putting words along with her work, and I think it’s only appropriate. Her work pretty much speaks for itself, so I’ll try to keep it brief. With an eye for natural lighting and beautiful scenery, Margaret is able to transform simple settings and subjects into something surreal. For more from Margaret, check out her site here, but don’t be too surprised if she shows up here again soon.
George Carlin once said of societal norms and ideals, that “it’s all bullshit, and it’s bad for you”. Looking around at some of the ideals that get drilled into our heads on a regular basis, I’m inclined to believe that’s an important point to keep in mind. The Hills and Cosmo have a way of making things confusing, as I’m sure us dudes do too. But the standard isn’t real. It really is bullshit, and beauty isn’t something you can measure in pounds or inches. I know it’s a more complicated discussion than I can get into in a blog post, but suffice to say that everybody’s different, and every body’s beautiful. Thanks for this, Jodi.
It seems like the environment that you take your pictures in is a key element to one’s creativity. I feel like environments have to inspire you to take pictures. As if the sight before your eyes magically compels your hands to grab your camera, lift it to your eye, squint, focus and shoot. Perhaps the true artistry lies with those whose instinct dictates the picture. I think Tiago’s pictures relate just that. Capturing the scenery that characterizes Venice Beach, Tiago relates an accurate portrayal of one of L.A.’s most cherished destinations.
Cuba is a place that’s always intrigued me. Here’s a country had the potential to turn into a just, economically stable society, geared toward making the lives of its everyday citizens livable, emerging from fascism to socialist revolution. And yet, it failed so dismally in that goal, due in large part to the poor leadership of one person. The U.S. trade embargo, and Cold War hysteria can’t have helped either. If you know about Vice, you know Cuba is the kind of place they need to see for themselves. Putting together this photographic essay, Vice describes “a unique form of societal deterioration as baffling and beautiful as it is sad” and a country “adorned with kitschy aesthetic, that lacks even the most ubiquitous modern technology”. Check here for the whole project, which offers valuable insight on each of the photos below.
The more time goes by the more I begin to appreciate the work of Michael Jackson. Not that I didn’t before, but now that he’s gone it’s just kind of like damn, Usher and JT aren’t sniffin this cat.
Recently photographing Michael Jackson, and many of his possessions, international photographer Henry Leutwyler has recently completed his photo book, Neverland Lost. Highlighting the iconic wardrobe of the King of Pop, Henry’s images provide a rare behind the scenes glimpse of Michael. Original photos from the book will be on display at the M+B Gallery in Los Angeles beginning tomorrow. A great exhibition for photographers and fans of MJ. Thanks Neijah.
I’ve only been to New York a few times, but I know enough to say it has to be one of the best places to people-watch. From 5th Ave to Harlem, the city is full of characters of all shapes and sizes. I suppose it’s the same in any huge metropolitan area. Looking around at all the cars on L.A. freeways, or the folks in a New York subway station is almost overwhelming. Usually, I’m just wondering where the fuck all those people are going, or what their lives are like. I think Robert might’ve asked himself the same questions once or twice, and in any case, he has an amazing eye for people. These pictures, taken from a collection of work, shot beginning in 1978, find the famous photographer at his best, capturing the spirit of the big city through its native New Yorkers. For more, check out his site here.
There are nights when the sky in L.A. has this weird orange glow, even at midnight. The other day, I sat in bumper to bumper traffic for more than an hour trying to get from Westwood to LAX, and earlier tonight I drove less than half a mile away to pick up trees. Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t have to tell you, but the way we live just isn’t sustainable, and the fact is we’re all implicated. I know I need to be doing more. It’s easy to point the finger BP and other oil companies, and in fact it’s important. Frankly, it’s hard to even wrap your head around how colossally BP fucked things up on this one.
But rather than getting caught up in any particular aspect of the complex problem at hand, I think it’s just important to remember that all these things are interconnected. For every action, there is a reaction, and all the luxuries we enjoy as citizens of industrialized society come at a high price. These birds are doing bad and wars are being fought overseas, and somewhere down the line, it has a lot to do with light pollution in Los Angeles, or how I got to my classes across town this past year. I’m not an expert on sustainability, wildlife or geopolitics. But when I saw these pictures, it reminded me that we need to do better. Let’s make it happen folks.
Things are getting pretty crazy in the world right now. While many of us continue to live positive lives, many are still suffering. I know that may be a grandiose conclusion to draw from a post about bikes but let me tie it in. For our generation to change the world for the better we must all become responsible for our actions as individuals. So often, I, and maybe you criticize what other people are doing, before we take the time analyze ourselves. “Well if they did this, or if there weren’t so many… etc. etc.” the list goes on. Bikes are so dope because it’s like the most extraordinary win win situation ever. Instead of burning oil, we burn calories. With bikes, getting from A to B becomes a journey. We could go on about this for a while. But I think B. Williams can take it from here. Read on for a description of The Bicycle Portraits, including insight from creator Stan Engelbrecht’s on the purpose and scope for the project.
It’s about time I got some travel in. Leaving home, and putting everything else aside for a while just gives you a certain kind of perspective you can’t get otherwise. Will‘s been making me way too jealous, and now photographer Galen Brown just has me inspired. With North to South, Brown captures a set of stunning landscapes and urban settings, highlighting the vast diversity of the unique stretch of earth that is Chile. Because of its North-to-South sprawl, covering much of South America’s Pacific coast, Chile boasts just about every type of landscape imaginable. This list of places I need to see is getting pretty long.
One talent that’s important for a photographer to have is the ability to make everyday life beautiful. By traditional standards, Stefan Simikich‘s subjects aren’t necessarily the most beautiful ones in the world. But what’s impressive about his work is the poignancy of the images, and the way they convey a reality far beyond their immediate focus. Stefan’s black and white collection, shot primarily in San Francisco is a detailed portrait of street level reality in one of the America’s most fascinating cities. Quality work to say the least.
Why ask somebody else, if you can do it yourself? I’m all for teamwork, but in Yulia’s case, it looks like going solo is the right move. Gorodinski is an Israeli photographer, whose portfolio is made up almost exclusively by self-portraits, setting herself against a canvas of natural scenery. How she sets these up, I couldn’t tell you, but the work speaks for itself. Gorodinski’s photography is sexy and visually arresting, putting her body front and center. Check out the full portfolio here.
