dustin perkins :: portraits :: promo

I recently had the honor of working with Oklahoma musician Dustin Perkins on his up and coming album "Words".  Not only was I in charge of the layout but I was also able to draw all of the artwork for the album's cover material. As if that wasn't cool enough they let me go even further and asked me to come up with a conceptual photo shoot that would have the same aesthetic as the album's cover. 

Working with Dustin is always great.  He's easy going, charming, and you can tell he really has a passion for his, what I'm sure is often difficult-career choice.  But it seems like he would never want to live a minute doing anything else.  His music and song writing is superb and I invite everyone to get a copy of his album.  It will be available on August 17th.  If you want to see more of Dustin click---->here.  But make sure you check his pictures out below first. 

Words album artwork, a collaboration of Dustin Perkins, my wife Ashley, and myself.

Polaroid taken during the promo shoot.  Literally only found here on this blog.

Official Dustin Perkins promotional photo.

 

 

 

crossroads

I'm just a little obsessed with the huge concrete structures that make up the design of our modern ways of travel.  Underneath them, looking up, I get a real feeling of scope and magnitude of how each one of us are ant-like among a thousand other ants and yet still have a pivotal part to play in the grand scheme of all things.  I don't know, it just helps me keep things in perspective.

my two geniuses

Okay, let me set this up for you: My wife and I had to take care of some business at our bank. To keep our kids occupied during our little meeting I gave my youngest my phone, mainly to play Angry Birds or Temple Run or whatever. As long as he stayed still and quiet, which is always the name of the game when in public. About half way through the meeting I ducked my head out to make sure they weren't destroying the place and they both were still quietly sitting in the lobby-engaged, though now they both seemed to be "playing" on my phone. That was this past Monday. Today, while scrolling through my phone's images I came upon some photos I never took, but more mysterious than that was that the images were little abstract works of art that I don't even know how they were taken. They are several images layered one atop the other-multiple multiple exposures of ill composed photos they have a sort of beauty after you look at them for a while. They remind me of the Beatles' White Album whose layered sounds can be discovered and rediscovered again and again upon each listen. I edited the pictures on Snapseed to enhance the layered images so one can actually see the subjects they photographed and to bring to the surface the texture and color in each photo. The results are absolutely stunning. I'd hang these on my wall any time.

 

iphoneography :: before the bride arrives

Shot this quickly at St. Aloysius Catholic Church before the wedding party arrived.  Edited on the back end using snapseed app.  Love it.

impossible louisiana

It's another wedding weekend down in South Louisiana, but before I left I wanted to share a shot taken on The Impossible Project's latest film.  I'll see you all after I get back into town!

graffiti : hammond, louisiana

I started carrying a Canon AE-1 'round my neck lately.  Everywhere I go, camera on my shoulder or in my car-at least.  The results have been interesting.  There are so many things to photograph-may they never run out.

cotton pickin'

Before I grow old and die I have one thing I really want to see happen as it pertains to my photos:  I want to have a gallery show featuring all the images I've taken of Louisiana.  If you know me at all then you know that I've been hunting for a publisher of a book I've been working on for the past seven or eight years based solely on my growing up in Livingston Parish.  Yeah, I'm sure I've mentioned it a time or two here.  The images I've captured over the years of that region also have their share of "outtakes" on the roll of film that accompany the ones set aside specifically for Livingston, these are just random shots of the state that I've taken over the years.  In fact, the Livingston project began with a much broader theme in mind-the entire state of Louisiana herself-and so in the beginning I was stopping on the side of the road all the time.  Early on I realized that it was much to massive of a project to get done in any sort of timely (I'm using the word rather loosely) manner and that if I ever intended on actually finishing a project I should narrow my scope.  Which I did, focusing on just one parish.  As an afterthought though the "big picture" of capturing the state at large isn't such a bad idea.  In fact, I'm still pretty sure it is one I intend on tackling.  The only difference is now I have the knowledge and the patience to understand that like a woman, it will take years to truly capture all the beauty and secrets and intrigue and history that the state embodies.  I'm okay with that now as I realize that I've still many years ahead of me and rest in the simple fact that getting out there and taking pictures five, ten, twenty, thirty years from now is still exciting. All of this is to introduce this photograph, what may be the beginning of truly lifelong ambition. 

convenience

The working title to a new series of photos I am working on is "convenience".  Obviously dubbed so because of the subject matter, the series really is a more personal project based on my favorite pop artist Edward Rusha and his iconic paintings of gas stations, as well as my ongoing love of things old and forgotten.  Most of the photos in the series are shot in the same way and in the same manor, low angle looking up letting the structure loom overhead.  I think the photos are more dramatic this way and I like stressing the low-fi architecture of structures that exist literally on every corner that become almost dismissive until we need lighter fluid, toilet paper, motor oil, or cotton swabs.  Then they become invaluable.  They are like debit cards and ATMs, what did we do ten years ago...write checks?!  Now that the local 7-Eleven is just down the road, how did we ever do without?

monoliths

I am, and have been, attracted to these huge silos that spread out across Fort Worth. Been eyeing them for a few years now. They're massive structures, nothing of any monumental architectural wonder but they still cast some sort of aesthetic upon me. I think they are awesome. I've been trying to dig up a little history on them lately and really can't find anything that quenches my thirst. They are mysteries to me. What are each of them used for? Are they still in use today? I'm pretty sure they play a part in the story of Fort Worth and it's rise to Western Cowboy Fame, but what part is that? Some of this attraction is that I find wonder and beauty in the simplest of things. A lot of architecture that is applauded can be found on Catholic churches, modern art museums, and the like. I tend to focus on those little known structures that not many people stop to think about: gas stations, grain elevators, flour mills. I don't know why I find beauty in the plain. Maybe it is just the minimalist in me.

barnyard

Behind the old Victorian home sat a half kept up horse barn. The land owner still uses the land but the person who owns the home on the property is content to letting mother nature take it over. Anyway, here's a shot of the barn with that big blue Texas sky stretching out from behind it, for what could be forever.

the blog.

It's been nearly two months since I last posted anything in this space. To some, like my mother who is one of my biggest fans, this has been brought to my attention; but in today's constantly changing world I don't know how useful this blog has been. Lately I've been actively not seeking freelance work, choosing only to shoot for myself and engage in those projects that are personal. I have a few baking, and others that I've bought ingredients for but just haven't been in the kitchen lately. Don't worry, they are still there, and they will come to light soon, but until then I'm taking my time-something that is hard to come by when so many things demand it of me. This is excluding my family of course, I always have time for them. With technology advancing so fast, and the exchange of information so instant these days I have been really giving thought towards taking the counter-culture route and slowing things down a bit. I plan on digging out my old film cameras and getting out early some mornings and hopefully pitching my tripod up beside some scenic wonderland, some abandoned gas station, some forgotten hotel, and take my time remembering how much I love this medium. Until then, this blog may be a bit barren, but don't worry. I am sure to have some beautiful images to share once the film is developed. Thanks to all who still follow.

merry christmas!

As we pack for Louisiana this will be my last post until after Christmas, so to all of you out there who still read, have a Merry Christmas! Thank you for your devotion, I hope you and your families enjoy each other, the holiday, and the season. May God Bless...

on the boat-quickie

Last weekend the family and I, with our neighbor's kind invite, went out on Eagle Mountain lake for a bit of boating. For some reason, all natural water bodies, beaches, lakes, oceans, etc. just make for great photos. Here's a favorite, talk to you guys soon!

on the porch

Down south one needs a porch. Upon that porch, one must have a porch swing. Why? Because if there were no porch swing there would be no porch 'talks'. 'Porch talks' being those times your parents need to talk to you about something import, drastic, Earth shattering, or accuse you of things you may or may not have done or am doing. And in those moments during the porch talks, if there is no porch swing, then all there is left to do is stand there.

pumpkins-autumn's new mascot

I understand. I do. Pumpkins do seem like hosts ushering us into the Autumn season what with them representing Halloween and all with their carved decor garnishing door ways and front porches and wicker baskets etc. It is only natural for us to begin the season with a little pumpkin on our stoop. I assume we bought it at the market with plans to later kill it-as Linus would cry-and carve it, and put it out front as part of the most un-sacred events of the year. In recent years though, pumpkins have become the cool kids on campus. Women's magazine's galore have infinite creative and crafty ways to dress and decorate your pumpkin that will make your neighbors green with envy. Even my local newspaper had a pumpkin carving contest where one had to represent one of the seven deadly sins on the face of a pumpkin. Even our food, deserts, and coffee are pumpkin spiced; you can purchase pumpkin lights; and one can even dress as one for the costume party. For me though, the fad has passed, and although pumpkin spice has captured my taste buds with the rest of America, shouldn't the food gods be a little food-forward hunting down the next awesome flavor to usher in the season. Is there a flavor that could represent a cornucopia? Or maybe even a flaky croissant can be marketed in such a way that makes one dream of raking leaves...then burning them to a crisp in the back yard. Alls I know, is that unlike Linus, I am anxious no longer for the Great Pumpkin, he has overstayed his welcome. I am ready to taste a new season.

we interrupt your regularly scheduled programming...

Two days ago, and for the past three weeks in other parts of the country, storms have swept through, bringing high winds, hail, rain, floods, you name it. Two days ago rain and hail fell on my neck of the woods, but luckily no damage was done. It seems like we were just on the edge of brunt of it. Being on the edge you get to watch the clouds layered one on top of the other, on top of another. They would change dramatically in the matter of minutes from dark and brooding to light and fluffy, often colorful, then back to dark grey and blue. It was awesome to watch.

enter livingston parish

I picked up the last official roll of film that was devoted to the Livingston project today from the lab. As I held the negatives up to the light in the foyer anticipating what I'd seen, Steven, the guy I've been handing film to and picking film up from for years at Barron Photografix said, "You're the last of the medium format shooters." I laughed to myself thinking that I, oh me of so little, can't be the last. In fact I know I'm not the last by just flipping through a couple of photography magazines you will find another shooter or two still using film, but maybe rare is a more accurate statement. Many of the images are shot digitally, but after I got deep into the project and had a bit more of an idea of the direction I was headed, it was film all the way. Anyway, these two shots aren't my favorites, so who knows if they'll make into the book or not, but I thought they'd be a good send off image to commemorate the end of a personal project that took me so far into the woods, the eyes, and the beauty that south Louisiana is. Even though the image making process is over, I still look forward toward the next step, knowing the final chapter will only be closed after the book hits the shelves. Who knows then what other stories may be told after mine is done. I'd rather think of my story just as one of many others-like a puzzle piece fitting in with the rest of what makes the parish the place that it is, the people that live there, and the feeling of home.

posted

There aren't many billboards down the back roads of rural south Louisiana. What there is a lot of are posted signs. Most everywhere people are marking off their territory and their land to let you know these woods are not to be trespassed upon, hunted within, or explored throughout, for any means necessary. The problem with the message they send out is that no one listens to them. And that old adage about being "prosecuted on site"-in Livingston Parish you'll more likely be invited in for a pot of coffee. Reasons why I love the place.

train cars

The difference between Texas backroads and Louisiana ones are most evident in a shot like this. Taking road trips down and around rural south Louisiana the view of the sky is often crowded out by tall pines that line the road on either side. You can see blue sky above the road, but look to the left or the right, and it's tall thin bark and underbrush, palmettos and thickets. In Texas, it's all open sky. Along side the railroad tracks this road was taking me home one day, picked out by my GPS, which at times is wrong and it sends me down these untraveled back roads thinking it can get me to my destination even faster. Once I learn the road I'm on is the wrong one though, I can't get angry, because although I may not be headed directly toward my destination, it's what you find on the road to getting there.

windblown

Now that the image-taking process has come to a close on the Louisiana project, is it time yet to begin a series focused on Texas? As I shift my focus from the great parish I was born in and now begin the process of organizing my images and stalking publishers the actual capture part of that project has ended. A photographer's got to shoot though, right? A while back I began thinking of a photography series set in and around Fort Worth, more of a city to me than where I grew up, and having the two books published back to back: one about Livingston Parish, Louisiana. The other about Fort Worth, Texas, and then marketing the two books as a county/city series. The idea still resonates with me and one never knows how these things will turn out. But, as I go through daily life, there are images of Texas that may not be iconic to Texans, but they are iconic to me and what I love about the this area. This photo, taken on the side of the interstate struck me in it's simplicity but notice the grass all laying violently to one side as if they were collectively laying down in the shade, like a day worker on a lunch break. Tell-tale to the high winds that make Fort Worth a permanant home during the spring. This image speaks to me, and reminds me of a Texas I've come to call home. Hopefully it does the same for you.