New focus pulling work. Feels like I’m watching FuseTV before school again.
Forever / Always by @sleepingwithsirens@kellinquinn
Directed by @maxmoorefilms
Cinematography by @spiceforce_dp
Getting to work with this band was such a cool full circle moment for me. Back in 2015, when I was hustling as a concert photographer while still in college, Kellin found some photos I took of them at a recent concert and reached out to me asking if I’d like to join them on an upcoming tour. After figuring out how to juggle my college classes on the road, I said yes. But by butterfly effect, the opportunity unfortunately fell through. The band Of Mice & Men were out supporting Linkin Park. Chester from Linkin Park had broken his ankle during a show resulting in the rest of the tour getting cancelled. OM&M had THE scene photographer, Adam Elmakias, out with them who suddenly had a free calendar. So he ended up getting the bunk that would have gone to me. It was a bummer at the time, and always a “what if” in my head. But all these years later, Max and Nate afforded me the opportunity to get to cross paths again, and for that I am grateful.
Got to work with some great people for the media day premiere of Kings Island’s new ride, Opening Nightmare. Six FX3’s and a Arri Mini LF, all live switched for live news segments and influencer reels. Thanks to @bennelson.dp for having me and @thighpaygap for having my back!
It’s felt good getting back to work the last few months after my injury. Here’s the build for a commercial shoot this week with @josh_saideman on a Venice with BlackWings. Thanks to @thecameradepartment as always!
Love seeing hometown hero’s @foxyshazam kill it. So cool to go from pulling focus for @kevinveselka on a new music video for them, proceeded by hearing their amazing new album two weeks later, and then going from not only hearing them on the weekly episodes of @peacemaker as the intro song but to seeing them ON STAGE playing the song in the finale episode. What a renaissance of foxy we are getting to experience.
Got to pull focus for @kevinveselka on a music video for legendary @foxyshazam . They are absolutely killing it between this new album, @peacemaker season 2 theme song and being musicians behind the fictional group who happens to be Superman’s favorite band in the DCU. Pretty cool for both the band and the Hall of Justice to both be from Cincinnati!
Getting friend groups back together after so many years apart is always reenergizing. It’s amazing how quickly you revert back to old dynamics, how many memories come flooding back, and how you revert back to being a younger version of yourself for just a little bit. I do wish FC played better yesterday though.
I had such a good time with @callahankyra to celebrate the wedding of her sister @kaleelise and @mp_tepe out in the Grand Tetons in Idaho earlier this month.
I shot my first roll of 35mm in quite some time. I have a bunch of expired film from college that was gifted to me by my professor, which was already expired at the time. These are over 20 years expired by now, and not properly stored, so I was not even certain I’d get a single usable photo from this roll. I was honestly expecting more flares and contrast inconsistencies across the photos, but it seems the negatives have these cracks that really aged it. Shooting this definitely remarked my interest in 35mm photography and I have more expired rolls to go through!
Tragic. It’s the only word that I can use to describe what happened this week.
Dan Williams was a hometown hero. Watching a few teenagers, only a few years older than you, not just leave high school to tour the road, but to define a genre and inspire a whole era of copy-cats, was the coolest thing in the world to watch. You could tell there was something special happening. You felt it in the air. Every local band at the weekly show at the Attic was filled with kids inspired by what TDWP was doing.
MySpace. Teased hair that covered your eyes because it wasn’t a phase mom. Pants and shirts that were tight on purpose, not because you’ve been having pizza and ice cream for dinner too much in your 30’s. Local shows every weekend. That culture helped many who didn’t feel accepted in mainstream spaces, feel like they belonged somewhere. At the core of that culture, was music. And in Dayton, Ohio; TDWP was royalty. Dan helped pioneer a whole era.
These photos and videos are from my short time with TDWP on warped tour in 2014. Looking through clips of him last night I noticed whether it was just him and the guys hanging out on the bus or shaking hands at fan meet and greets, Dan always had a smile on his face. He was a warm person by nature. Someone who loved to laugh and make people feel seen. There’s not a ton of people like that in the music industry, let alone the world, and we are all worse off with one less person like that.
His influence is eternal. Rest in Power Dan.
Week 3 of 4 of The Asylum has been completed. Absolutely love working with this crew and cast. And of course, Nate Spicer has been creating absolutely beautiful images. My new rain gear from @rainwings_raincover_cameragear has keeping our Sony Burano and K35’s nice and dry throughout multiple days of rain and water stunts. This modular system is fast and easy to wrap around camera, and can fit most builds you throw at it. Really pleased to have this part of my kit as it gives more confidence on those stressful shots where water is involved.
Day 1 of an indie feature out in Eastern Kentucky started at this beautiful location. Built out @spiceforce_dp Sony Burano with Cooke i2X Anamorphic lenses for an almost exclusively handheld build. Excited to see how working with a Burano on a feature goes for the next four weeks.
