I don’t know if I’ll ever walk into a family photo session again and have a ten year old immediately ask, “You want a picture of me when I drop into the half pipe on my skateboard playing the electric guitar?” Why yes I do… let me get my camera. That ten year old is Kai, his folks are Jeff and Amanda, and they are a very cool and fun little family. Jeff and Amanda wanted some pictures that captured Kai at his current age. As dynamically talented as Kai is, he made it pretty easy for me, and it kinda felt like I was shooting a rock star. He is a self taught guitar player (and yes he did bust out the National Anthem on his electric guitar while dropping in). With the ability to hear-it-then-play-it, Kai was pretty excited about the stack of vinyl records Amanda just got him that included some classics like The Beatles, AC/DC, KISS, and Jimi Hendrix. I have had a guitar longer then he has been alive and I don’t think it’s ever been tuned, let alone played correctly (but it sure does look cool in my living room). Both very talented skaters, it was pretty awesome to watch as the father and son followed each other around the skate park and matched each other move for move. Melanie and Sammy joined me, and we had a fun day hanging out with these three. I told Jeff and Amanda that if Kai ever needs an agent, I will gladly interview for the position.
I shot a Soprano the other weekend… The very talented Baltimore based Opera Soprano Caitlin Vincent that is. Caitlin sent me an email about a month ago letting me know she would be in town, had seen some of my photos, and wanted me to take some pictures for her while in Seattle. I was very excited for the opportunity, and equally excited that someone 2,800 miles away had seen my photos and wanted me to take their picture. We had a good time getting the pictures and I even showed Caitlin how a photographer can manage to break one of his lights, like a champ. Keep your eye out for Caitlin, she has performances lined up including Mozart’s “Exsultate, Jubilate” that brings her back to the Seattle area for performances in the summer of 2011.
“Everyone is affected by a down economy… even Superman.”. That was the concept I was hoping to create visually in my photo shoot this last weekend. My creative Canadian classmate Jordan Cartwright from the Zack AriascreativeLIVE workshop, came up with a great project for the six in-studio audience members to collaborate on, appropriately labeled the “Zack Arias Disciple Project”. Together, we decide on a broad concept, then individually go out and shoot it. It is the opportunity for us to motivate and challenge each other technically and creatively while implementing some of the knowledge we absorbed during the workshop. I’ve never had a formal education when it comes to photography, so having an assignment with a deadline outside of a job was pretty exciting. Our first assignment for the “ZADP” was to do a superhero themed shoot using props from a second hand store or the junk box in your garage. During Zack’s workshop we watched him shoot a set that was designed by his wife Meghan using only items from a second hand store. She created a trashy trailer environment that they plopped a pretty little ballerina model into. Meghan said her main concept was simply “Contrast”; she wanted to see a subject in a completely contrasting environment. Thus, a ballerina in a white trash trailer. What a brilliant but simple way to start the creative process. So for this shoot I did something similar and put a Clark Kent / Superman in a scene that you might not typically visualize a superhero in; run down and dealing with the daily trials and tribulations of life. I had a lot of fun with this and I am really happy with how my pictures came out. Big thanks to my man Garrett Hodgins for playing superhero for the day in front of the camera. Garrett is a talented videographer, check out some of his recent work HERE. And once again, thanks to my sister Lis Krebs for doing a pro job with the makeup. Pictures below followed by a quick video and sketch by my agent Sammy Sue of the of the set up.
(Video below can be watched in 720p HD ~ Adjust in bottom right corner of player)
I asked my agent Sammy Sue to draw up a quick sketch of the set up. She busted it out. Not a bad memory for a 17 month old. Kind of a sloppy drawing though.
How exciting is it when you find out that your favorite band is coming to your hometown for a show? Usually it is few are far between when that happens. I am lucky to have had the opportunity to photograph my favorite band twice this year in the Seattle area. I can spare you my fanatic praises of Slightly Slightly this time around since I thoroughly covered that in my last post about them after their sold out show at the Showbox Market in February. This time they rolled into the Marymoor Amphitheater accompanied by raggae veterans Steel Pulse and a fellow Stoopid Records band, The Expendables. This was my first show at Marymoor in Redmond, WA and I was impressed. A cozy outdoor amphitheater with a beer garden, large stage, and an amazing sound system. Those that thought they were going to sit out the first sets, sipping beers in the grass waiting for Slightly Stoopid to get on stage were quickly drawn to the main floor as The Expendables got things going immediately. Steel Pulse followed, and even though these guys are old timers in comparison to their audience on Saturday, that audience was moving and dancing to the rhythm like their parents did when they were listening to Steel Pulse and smoking doobies in the 80′s. Then Stoopid came out and did what they do best, melting the audiences faces off (great line Mark) with a filthy set that covered a decade and a half worth of their music. Can’t say enough about this band and their live performances. Check their site www.SlightlyStoopid.com to see if the Cauzin Vapors Legalize It tour is coming to a city near you…. and go! Big thanks to Chris Scott at Silverback Music!
