A Glimpse of the real SLC

As stated in my header, I'll be including some of my own work on here from time to time. I hope that I can use this opportunity to receive some critiques, seeing as how we are forced to comment on each others blogs.
The photos I have chosen to post are some that I took about a year ago. For the portrait section of my portfolio I decided to focus on someone I didn't know in their natural element. This brought me to the homeless of downtown SLC. I spent about a half hour talking to Craig before shooting. He was a very emotional and opinionated man, which I feel was captured in the photos.

I feel like all three of these photos capture Craig's for who he is, especially this last one. When I look into his eyes I can actually feel like I am sitting there with him again. Beneath his dry humor and calm personality there is hurt, stress, and exhaustion. 

I chose black and white because I feel like it draws attention to the colder side of the photos. Without being distracted by color, it is possible to see directly to Craig and the realness of it all. 

I tried to imitate the photo style of Leroy Skalstad, who is famous for not only depicting scenes from the street, but also attempting to capture the emotions and feelings of those being photographed. This is why I felt it necessary to gain a relationship with Craig before I started shooting. I wanted to know him and his personality, and try and let that bleed out of the photos. 

Spending time with Craig and his friends was an experience I'll never forget, and with the help of these photos, I was able to capture the emotions we felt that day. 

"Child of the Digital Revolution"

Thinking about contemporary artists, it is hard for me not to think of Mason Fetzer. I went to one of his shows a little over a year ago and was blown away by his work. Mason's talents reach from graphic design to large-scale murals to spray painted vinyl records. I had the privilege of meeting Mason after that show and again while he had a booth set up during the Salt Lake Arts Festival, it didn't hurt that I am friends with his younger sister Emeri . This U of U grad, majoring in Fine Art,  has had a great influence on modern art and has pioneered a style of art called "plexis". This form is created by stacking separate sheets of painted plexiglas on top of each other to show depth to the piece.

I am constantly impressed by his urban methods and the way he continues to experiment with his art. Recently he participated in the exhibit "Manifest Hope:DC" for the inauguration of President Obama and he also painted the trophies for the 2010 US Snowboarding Grand Prix.

The more I dig into Mason's art and photography, the more intrigued and stoked I become. Mason is one of those naturally talented artists, with such an amazing eye for design and the skills to put those ideas onto whatever his canvas may be.

I urge you to check out his website, it is sooo good.

contemplating copeland

Radical? Controversial? Muted? Expressive?

These are a few of the terms I have heard describing John Copelands work. I have been periodically following the Brooklyn based artists work for some time now. As a painter myself, I have noticed the contrast between the different styles of painters and artists. I have always been a huge fan of Copeland. Not only for the muted thick brush strokes or for his controversial works, but i feel like i really agree with the content in his works. I have always looked at art as a way to show the magnificent in the mundane, and i believe Copeland does that incredibly.

His works have progressed and strengthened yet maintained a similar style and theme. Figures, gestures, architecture,  hands and people are commonly spread on his canvases. The people in his works he calls either antagonists or protagonists. Just characters in his art, but nothing literal.

Some of his work, which may be labeled as controversial, is because it is almost pornographic. But, if this is what he needs to do in order to express and convey his emotions in the way he wants, then i fully support him.

When i say that he shows the magnificent in the mundane, i mean to show the beauty in the simple things we pass everyday. You can see in the simplicity in his content, but when you actually study it, it is possible to see much more.

fim

When in Salvador i wanted to be a baiano. When in Porto Alegre i wished i had been born a gaúcho. And so it goes. I am bummed to leave my second home. I wish i could stay.

crabs in fortaleza
park in porto alegre
boats salvador

Manaus II

Went back to Manaus to execute all of the events that we had planned the week before. Like any other business trip, it was totally exhausting but always a great time. One morning we were able to go out on the boat with the owner of Tropical Club to the "Encontro das Águas". This is where the rivers "Rio Negro" and "Rio Simões" meet. Rio Negro is much darker and Simões, drastically lighter. The incredible thing is that the two rivers do not mix. It is really a spectacular sight. For an enormous length of water, these two rivers run side by side, without mixing. The contrast is so definite it seems fake. So after a week of non-stop work, these few hours before catching our flight back to rainy São Paulo made the trip.

MANAUS

HUMID. hot. Work, work, meetings. Feel like a movie star with all the double takes amidst the city of indians at the shopping. Cupuaçu and açaí ice cream. R$25 for the worst internet. Best café da manhã at the Tropical. Meetings. Found internet at shopping. Computer dies. Meetings. Found lamanites at Papo Furado. Sleep. Sit around. Go to marina for boat ride. Broken trailer = no more boat ride. Longest ride around the city. takaká. Picanha. Sleep. Up at 5. Drive an hour and a half. Breakfast of Graviola juice, tapioca, and pupunha. Kayaking down the Amazon. Weird Amazonian guide sidekick drinking the river water. Danny falls in river. Ben falls in river with camera. More pupunha, farofa, and cupuaçu. Jumping off the bridge into the river. Ben hits arm with branch and left with bruise that looks like sweet under arm tat. Drive back. Guy is pissed at Greg = no more boat ride. Flamengo v. Vasco. More Flamengo fans than in Rio. Crazy crazy people at the praça watching the game. Ben and Danny are lost then found. Terrible flight at 1 am. Get in at 6. Rain and traffic. Get to the office at 9.

I think these pictures capture the beauty and the lack of beauty in Manaus. The city is nothing spectacular, but floating down the Amazon on a Sunday morning is incomparable. The city has the same sounds and sights of any city, but the sounds and sights found on our journey down the river can only be found there. The contrast is incredible.

Kayak launch
Houses on a part of the river
Amazon at sunset
Favela
Favela

Foz de Iguaçu

There is a reason that the Foz de Iguaçu are on the list for the 7 Natural Wonders of the world. Sooo dope. Fly to Maringá. diligent rental car man. the 4 1/2 hours to Foz with the Seu Jorge. Most intense set of falls, looks like this is where they got the idea for Avatar land. Required sunga photos. Rafting down Iguaçu River with Israel, spent more time in the river than in the raft. Ben finding some Japanese peeps and unintentionally stealing this dudes girlfriend. Cruise into Argentina, chill at a little table at Feirinha eating olives, cheese and salami. Snacking on delicious ice cream, then Argentinian Churrasco. Uber dope hostel, Casino without profit, intense dance club, 3 hours of sleep. Into Paraguay with fake pin drives, coffee grower outfits, people selling electronics and socks like they are the hottest thing. Terrible parking scam. Car searched at boarder. Back to Argentina, 7 kilos of herva. 4 1/2 hours back to Maringá. Always with Seu Jorge. Flight to São Paulo.

After Rafting
Up close


The whole set of falls is at least 7 times the size of Niagra Falls.