There was a fire on my roof today

Firemen coming up the stairs sounded like an invasion of sorts. Think that scared me more than the actual fire. They were giants and there were so many.

From Mexico

Playa del Carmen.



Jeremy in his domain.

Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve

About 3 hours south of Cancun and another 2 hours east by an incredibly bumpy dirt/rock road exists the Sian Ka'an biosphere reserve. We passed through this natural sanctuary on the way to Punta Allen, the largest (at pop 500) village in the reserve. Jeremy and I were lucky enough to hitch back out of the village with some friendly and insane Americans, Phil and Diana. We kind of feared for our lives as Phil drove like a bat out of hell through the twisting jungle, skimming over potholes full of water like a kid jumps rocks on a river, but it was a thrilling time.

I am so thankful that Phil and Diana made us stop (despite the rain) to get out and look at this beach, which was littered with trash from passing cruise ships but also full of sea life that you just aren't gonna find on beaches in Cancun.

Brooklyn, Butchlesque, Beach

It's all go, go, go 'round these parts. Just tryin' to keep up.

Cuties at the beach

Vicki&Rich gettin hitched

A quiet and unusual moment with the bride in the middle of the reception. Brides&Grooms, see the couple's entire take here.

Kid Sister article on Chinashopmag.com

Read it here!

I shot for the cool peeps at China Shop during SXSW and am super happy they've wanted to continue working with me in NY. I think one of the best parts about freelancing is getting the opportunities to do lots of different things (I get bored easily) and photographing musicians is something I haven't explored fully yet.

I mean, I get to photograph shows I would attend anyway, hang out in VIP rooms and shoot the shit during interviews (I think Kid Sis and I wasted about 15 minutes of my allotted 30 gushing about our dogs) and that's pretty great. Bottom line is as long as I have a camera in hand and license to be creative, I'm content to do just about anything.

Kid Sister lets me hang out in her hotel room

And she said I was 'so cute!'

Ninjasonik

Really fun show even though it was freezing outside. I got my camera knocked into my face about 5 times, kept thinking I was gonna have a black eye or something. Photography = dangerous.

I couldn't pick my favorite crowd shot because It was a funny crowd-- one moment they were happily bouncing and the next they were attempting to storm the stage and yelling obscenities at the security guys who kept shoving them behind the protective line that I was taking refuge behind after the 5th face knock (thank you all-access pass, makes life so much easier).

Marina and the Diamonds, The Very Best, L.A.X.

"I am Marina, you are the Diamonds."




The Very Best from Malawi plays at Fader Fort.




Don't know much about this band, L.A.X., except that they hail from Austin and put on a great show.

SXSW Portraits

Yasmine Kittles and William Strangeland Menchaca make up the band Tearist. Read my review here.



Juiceboxxx put on a really good show. More photos here.



This man needs no introduction.

I love it when I'm like 'Hi (insert artists name here), do you have a few seconds for me to take your portrait?' and they are like 'Yeah but only if it actually takes a few seconds.'

I don't know how hard it is to be a touring musician, but I know it's hard to be a journalist following your pretentious ass around. I'm the media, we need each other, remember? Give me 5 minutes and we could really make a picture, man.

Ah well, you work with what you got, I guess. Also, many strait up said no.

'Cept for Bun B, he was a total gem. Really kind guy!

SXSW

These are a few of my favorite random grabs from throughout the week. What an amazing time. I bet I'll post more.

Also, here is a link to a few articles I photographed and wrote during my stint there.

Shooting heads

"They are not a specimen," Magnum Dennis Stock, who died about a month ago, once said in a lecture at UT, in regards to how to treat people when photographing them. This lecture has crossed my mind many times as I've spent the last few months learning how to be a good portrait photographer.

I know this picture isn't anything special. Headshots are pretty boring but make up a lot of we freelance photographers bread and butter. These days I take money where I can get it. Its different from the environmental portraits I've done in the past because A.) Someone is paying me and B.) There are lights and a backdrop and the 'subject' is very aware that this is a photo shoot. It essentially strips a person of everything that makes them unique. Yet just because there is a camera in someones face doesn't give an excuse for ingenuity on my part. And, remembering that, every once in a while I end up with a not so posed photo that I feel actually captures a bit of a persons personality and demeanor even in a totally controlled situation.

i love goats

Snow romp through Bushwick

Catskills

Another pretty lady

Got to take pics of Leah for the calendar too. Thanks to Joey for letting me borrow his lights and to Joe, Jordan and Joey for letting us ladies take over their awesome new apartment for the evening! We had so much fun.

Bike ride

Spent the day taking some portraits of Terry and her bike for the I <3 Brooklyn Girls Calendar, here are some outtakes that I really dig.

Crown Heights

I really creeped this girl out. She looked at me like I was crazy so I waved happily and gave her my cheesiest grin. I think this must have confirmed to her that I was crazy because her expression did not change. But the light was so nice!

punk rock shows sometimes happen in dark basements

Another Breath performed in the basement of the McKibbin lofts last week. Really fun in a 'what it might have been like in the 80's' kind of way although I was expecting more shoving.

Ranjana and Callies class

I 'guest lectured' Ranjana, Callie and Mark's multimedia storytelling after school class and was so busy passing on my extensive knowledge of delicate interviewing techniques that I hardly had time to take any photos! Here are a few grabs from after class. Thanks for having me, guys, even though I am a terrible teacher and really don't know what to do with myself around children. I had a great time and hope you can get more funding and support for this coming semester's program!