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East River Waterfront Esplanade, May 2019

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Queensboro Bridge, May 2019

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NYC Ferry, May 2019

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Being Black Against Police

Police and the black community has been at odd from seemingly the beginning. Some will argue that it’s the fear of the black man/woman that keeps them aggressively targeting us while others say it’s a side affect of  system that has strategically put blacks and other minorities at the forefront. Either options puts our people in constant danger of not only wrongful accusations but of constant fear. Fear that can basically be rooted down to the bone of individuality, how can I be me if I’m always going to be seen as a criminal. My skin tone shouldn’t speak in the negative volumes that it’s percieved to. Yes, we do the same to the white community but we’re not putting a template of them together for every crime reported once someone says “he’s a white male....”. I don’t know about everyone because I can only speak for myself in this aspect but I’d rather be left alone. In this sense I’m referring to the lifestyles we lead and live, just because we may stand out in a crowd doesn’t meet we want to be noticed. We just want to live life without interference, living life Black is sometimes living in infamy. That’s how we feel and as for the police being the standard for “public safety”, they confirm this. In no way should we be stopped just for dressing a certain way, or talking different. Our way of life is simply “Rhythmic”, can’t penalize us because you dance to a different beat. Just be smooth and catch the beat...the world would be better if we were all tuned in.

 To all the police, we don’t believe ALL of you are bad, we don’t but this needs to be said. Your job is to protect us all, no matter my race or nationality. A bullet doesn’t choose it’s on target, so a person is only as bad as the decisions they make. People aren’t bad, individuals are. That being said, you can’t help the community if you’re scared of the people. Just sayin!!🖖🏾 

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Practice: Slow Shutter

I've begun practicing some slow shutter photography, this shit is awesome! To be able to perfect this would be amazing BUT I'm actually more interested in the journey to get the perfect shot. I seem to be more interested in taking in the whole experience from the travel and find the angles to repeated getting different shot at different settings. Even while the shutter is still open catching all the surrounding light, I'm standing next to it taking in EVERYTHING.

These shots were taken one night on the way to Bear Mountain (which I actually hiked on one of the hottest days I've of the summer, I know...stupid). The summit was closed so I wasn't able to get the full landscape shot that I planned but I found this "scenic area" on the way down. Add a couple of friends and some drinks and we had a great night. Enjoying life 😃

Also, some shots had more potential than others...so I ran them through photoshop to see what I could add to the shot. 

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The Cool

Is it possible?

To just pop your top under your own subconscious

Smiles and a crown before the sun goes down

Unsettling veracity and angst when she's not around

Is it possible?

To fight your own dream?

A reoccurring desire seems to be filled with malice

Hard to see the face of this man

A fire within this desire...

Yet

I'm the man that'll have to withstand

Is it possible?

To tame your consciousness

It swims with intent and aggression

Within reach of definition but once again...

Unsatisfied due to suppression

My Night's grown into Day's

Eyes open

In sunlight I'm basked

The cool wears the crown...

No questions asked!

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Film vs Photo

I LOVE a good story! That's the whole point of a movie, right? To tell a story. A sequence of frames/pictures in motion with audio, basically that's it to me. I like writing stories as well, most of the time I'm imaginative on a day to day basis so why shouldn't I jot it down every once in a while.

I've always aspired to do photo series that tell stories. You'd see the characters, setting and the colors would set the mood but the question is...would you get it? That is the question I get most when I talk about this subject, and my honest answer is..."the viewer is a much as a storyteller as the photographer!". In my mind this plays out sort of like a film, I have this script in my head with these key shots to get my point across. I can bring the audience along and tell these stories BUT the power of perception is KEY to my storytelling.

Movies will give you every piece of information to make the viewer connect the dots and assume that'll lead to a successful story plot. Not necessarily. Everyone has an opinion and a different perspective of every story. Everyone has their own truth to a story, why not utilize that? With photos the viewer creates a world and a story that explores that world. If I presented 4 photos side by side, the viewer will come up with their own stories that connect these images! Without me asking or implementing a timeline or plot, people will work it out as they perceive it.

This is why I'd prefer a photo series to a film, I firmly believe that people are more creative than they seem. By not giving them a story to critique, based on a few images they will create their own.

If art doesn't make you utilize your intellect then...what the f*^k are we doing?

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Unique To Film

This entry is to showcase some unique shots that are exclusive to film! People will try to immulate these effects but these are originated by film photography. The unpredictable nature of the simplest mistake within film can result in the most memorable and outstanding shots. Whether that be a simple light leak or the combinations of overlayered shots. These are effects that programs like photoshop can accomplish simply by using the blending tab on the layers window but make no mistake, the purity of these effects by hand are much more rewarding! As a photographer, you'd like to capture as much inside the camera as possible. That would include composition, light compensations, and of course subject. These are all things that you'd like to control but aren't always easy BUT aren't always necessary to get a beautiful shot. I'm just appreciative of this new obsession I have with film photography, more specifically Black and White film photography.  Just try not to mix film and photoshop because in my opinion, it takes away from the unpredictable nature of that shot and the feeling you get from looking at the original 🖖🏾🖤📸 

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Light Leaks

I've been having a complicated relationship with light leaks on my film photography. It's a love/hate kind of thing, mainly because I don't have control over where the leak is and when it'll show up.  I tried getting it fixed on my Electro 35 but it remains. It's not a completely negative thing because sometimes the shots are amazing and nothing compares to film photography! The textures and the unpredictability of it and that's just referring to color film. Black and White film is still my favorite to shoot with. The depth that it give a picture, the grit, and the drama of black and white film is what makes it great. I'll still try to experiment with these light leaks and see what I get.

Stay Tuned 🤞🏾🖖🏾

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To Be Honest

I never got into photography for the "art" aspect of it, just wanted to capture images of things in my life at the time. Didn't care much for meeting new people or making friends either but it comes with the craft. Being the introverted kind of person I am, portrait photography seemed like the furthest from my interests but the music I listen to makes day to day life with a camera interesting. I just put my headphones in and just start walking and capture my nightly adventures. It became an art just because I do it or myself, nobody else. The purity of it is what makes it ART!  True Shutterbug/Artist

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The Odd Ones

To whom it may comfort, 

 Growing up as a considerably odd, strange, weird, reclusive child and all anyone can classify you as is shy, you're not alone. You hold the core creations of ART. All those who've made fun of you growing up have fallen into the same systematic potholes and rotational errors as he rest of society but YOU stand out! You're the ones who people look to for light, inspiration, style, vision, LIFE. I understand it's hard living day to day in obscurity, I know the fear of smiling. Laughing out loud so nobody looks at the pool of pain you're standing in. You're not alone. The strength you're mustering up may start from anger/rage but put that explosiveness towards something that can have you seen in ways that will live forever. Each and everyone of your eyes and hearts are different even though our struggles are similar. Find your window in your solitude. It will give you the mental comfort that you've been seeking and mistaking for social acceptance. Once you've accepted yourself and prepare to show them all who you are, society will have to adapt! Acceptance is only a brushstroke, shutter click, pen stroke, song or music note away! Be strong, stay strong, RISE to ACCEPT yourself and they will all SEE YOU.

Love to all my odd ones,

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Clusterfuck by yours truly 🤗

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Fuckin Beautiful Botanical 🌻🌺🌷💐🌿

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My first real attempt at long exposure photography was a dope experiment. Learned a lot as I made several mistakes and ended up with a few shots that weren't usable but the ones I COULD use....🤓😍😘 I'm geekin!! Lol

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Just messing around after a shoot with actor Stephen Cofield Jr. Some new visuals I couldn't shake out of my heard. I don't know what's my fascination with geometric shapes and symmetry is but...why fuck with greatness, they look gooooood

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Got to shoot with this cat Stephen Cofield Jr., actor/model/Writer/Producer…Entertainer! All black and white film at the transit museum in Brooklyn, NY. My first time doing a “photoshoot” in all film. Was excited to see the results weren’t bad 🤗…and that he actually likes them…but more about my satisfaction…it IS MY art ya dig..wtf 😂

Location: Brooklyn Transit Museum Model: Stephen Cofield Jr. August 2016

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Comic Con '15 some crazy shit...gotta find that powderpuff girls pictures. These 3 dudes fucked up my childhood lol...I couldn't be more heartbroken to be honest