I found a roll of film from a cross-country road trip I took three years ago. Here are a few of the photos that actually came out (I aparently don't know how to shoot analog all that well). Enjoy!
Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photos. Show all posts
UGLY FACE CONTEST
Last night I texted this photo to a bunch of my friends with the caption, "Ugly face contest!! Go!":
The mission was simple, the results terrifying. World, may I present to you some of the ugliest mugs I've ever laid eyes on! To all my friends that participated, thank you. You're awesome and I now have a deeper understanding as to why we're friends.
So, who do you think the winner is?!
ELVIS WEEK
I spent the week of August 13th in Memphis, Tennessee soaking up Elvis Week 2012. Elvis week is held every August in memory of the passing of the King of Rock 'n' Roll himself. This year commemorated 35 years since his passing and, I can tell you from first hand experience, the fanbase has not dwindled. Thousands of Elvis fans walked the streets of Elvis Presley Blvd. to show their dedication.
I've always liked Elvis' music, but I didn't know much about his history until recently. What an amazing man. Pure talent and determination. He recorded his first hit at Sun Studio in the early 50's after a year of trying to get the attendion of Sam Phillips (the studio's founder). A lot of people would have given up after a week, but Elvis stuck it out. Thank goodness he did! He opened the door for the music that exists today.
I've always liked Elvis' music, but I didn't know much about his history until recently. What an amazing man. Pure talent and determination. He recorded his first hit at Sun Studio in the early 50's after a year of trying to get the attendion of Sam Phillips (the studio's founder). A lot of people would have given up after a week, but Elvis stuck it out. Thank goodness he did! He opened the door for the music that exists today.
There's something really weird and wonderful about conventions. You go from being one of the few people (if not the only person) in your social network that has some particular interest to being completely surrounded by a group of people that all share that interest. What normally sets you apart from you usual pack becomes your main focus for a dedicated amount of time. It honestly kind of intense. What you may have been secretly really interested in comes into the light and is exposed for all to see.
When I got to Memphis, I knew what I was coming into.. kind of. I knew there'd be Elvis music, lots of sideburns, and maybe even a few tears.. but the week definitely surpassed my expectations. I got to visit Tupelo, Mississippi - the birthplace of Elvis. We drove the same route that Elvis and his parent took to Memphis when Elvis was 13 years old. We stopped in Holly Springs, Mississippi to visit Graceland Too (which is too wonderful for this already long blog post, so I'll be posting about it later). We visited Beale Street where the blues started. We stepped into the recording room of Sun Studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins all got their start and where countless famous musicians have gone to soak up just a little of the magic. I put my head on the very spot where Elvis recorded "That's All Right (Mama)" back in 1954. I felt the energy in the room. I got chills. I was inspired. We met James Burton, Elvis' guirtarist and heard Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley talk about Elvis. I heard a great episode of This American Life about conventions. Definitely worth checking out and if you're ever near Memphis, Tennessee in August or January (to celebrate his birthday) or really any day of the year, be sure to stop in. Visit Graceland. Shake your hips. You'll feel the spirit of the King of Rock 'n' Roll.
11.18.11 // band practice
My neighbors are so rad. Every night at the artist's community where I live is like a uber-creative childhood slumber party. I love all of the goofy shenanigans we get into. The other night we decided to do an impromptu awkward family/band photo shoot for Picture Day. I have a slight obsession with cheesy things from the 90's so I, of course, adored every minute of the shoot. I'm really happy with how the photos came out! I think they look pretty authentic without looking like we tried too hard.
Here are a few of my favorites:
Here are a few of my favorites:
One of the things that I think can really make or break something that is intentionally and ironically cheesy is attention to detail. I had a ton of fun taking and being a part of these photos, but I had equally as much fun getting the color/glow of the photos just right.. I also got a special thrill out of creating and placing our "Picture Day" watermark on all of the photos. I know.. I know..I probably should tell the world about that.
You can check out more of the photos from the shoot on Flickr! Like what you see? Comment below!
january 7, 2011 // destination: desert
On Friday, a few friends and I headed out to the desert to visit Niland, California. At first glance, Niland doesn't look like much. There's a laundromat, a small grocery store and a restaurant/bar in the main part of town.. not a place that most people would think to make a vacation spot.. but hiding just off of the main strip of town are two national treasures - Salvation Mountain and Slab City. I've visited Niland a few times, but I always take something new away every time that I visit. Salvation Mountain was built by folk artist Leonard Knight as an outward declaration of his faith to God. He built the entire mountain by hand using adobe clay and straw. It's such an awesome place to visit.
Just down the road from Salvation Mountain is Slab City - what's been called the last free place to live in America. People from all over the country and world go to Slab City with their trailers and RVs and live on cement slabs. The slabs are all the remains of Camp Dunlap - a WWII Marine barrack. It's a quirky community.. made up all sorts of people. My friends and I spoke with one guy who had moved out to Slab City after losing his job with a traveling carnival. He now spends his days converting an abandoned swimming pool into a skate park for the community.
Every Saturday night in Slab City, the residents hold a open mic at an open-air venue called "The Range". A man by the name of Builder Bill started up the show a few years back and people come from all over to perform there. When I went out to Slab City back in September with Roadtrip Nation's Roadie tour, we gave Builder Bill one of our RV bumper stickers. I was really excited when I noticed that it had been put up on one of the walls at The Range!
Bill was kind enough to grace us with his singing talents. He played a song that he performs at the opening of open mic each week. Here's a little taste of that!
december 22, 2010 // what the zeiss?!
I just got back my second roll of 35mm film shot on my dad's old Zeiss Ikon Contina. Something must have gone wrong again (...boo) because I only got back five shots this time. They double and sometimes even quadruple exposed for some unknown reason. Oh well, I'll chock it up to the creative process. At least I got one more shot on this roll than I did on the last one!
Sadly, I lost my shots from Etsy Labs in all this mess.. I'm disappointed about this because that place was so awesome. I guess I'll have to go back with my digital camera.. at least then I can be 100% positive that I've taken a picture!
december 21, 2010 // gif fun
After taking a photo of my film cameras the other day, I started thinking about a little animation I wanted to try making. So, without further adieu.. here it is.. my first little gif animation!
december 19, 2010 // creative weapons
I'm shooting film this holiday season.. armed and dangerous with my dad's old Zeiss Ikon Contina and my Holga 120. I just got a roll developed with photos from Roadie tour and a few shots from home, but I unfortunately ruined most the roll. I went to rewind the roll, thought it was totally rewound and then opened the back. Much to my dismay, it had only rewound slightly..exposing most of the roll. Note to self - open the back of an old film camera in a DARK PLACE.. just in case something malfunctions, if not to challenge motor skills. Anyway, here are two of the four shots I got back from the entire roll.. Still kicking myself about this! I don't even remember taking these photos, but that's what makes shooting film all the more fun - you never know what you're gonna get.
and I really don't know where this was taken..
11.13.10 // LIFE AS A ROADIE
It took me a while, but I have humbly come to the conclusion that I am not the best at blogging. I tend to blog, blog, blog for a while and then take long hiatuses from blogging. I like to think that it's because I get easily distracted (..I just spent five minutes staring at the window at a squirrel..) Whatever the reason, I apologize to anyone who actually takes the time to look at my blog. The very fact that you (whoever you may be.. if you do exist outside of my imagination) would take time out of your day to read this little blog makes me so happy.. and then so sad that I have let you down. Just so you know, I do have sort of a good excuse for not blogging over the past month or so.. I had very limited internet in my motor home/work space. With that said, here's a make up post for all those posts that I missed.. A collection of photos from my Roadie team's trip counterclockwise around the United States. We started in Costa Mesa, California and took the southern route all the way to Washington, D.C. From there we headed up North through Chicago and Montana over all the way to Seattle, WA. We're not stationed in San Francisco, CA.. making our way back South to arrive at our home office next week. It's been an amazing trip. I love being a Roadie.. enough to do the job twice! I love Roadtrip Nation and the message that they are sending to our generation - that you really can do what you love and what you are passionate about with your life. With that said, here's a collection of photos from the road. I tried to limit the photos to one per state that we stopped in, but I was unsuccessful with a few places (there are just so many wonderful things to see and photograph in each state!)
CALIFORNIA
Roadie launch party. That guy singing there.. that's Joey Sanders. He's my fellow Roadie on Jr. the RV. He's definitely going to be famous one day, so be on the lookout!
ARIZONA
We only drove through Arizona, but I could tell that the state was beautiful. We stopped to use the bathroom at this rest stop that had boulders all around it. We did a little climbing and picture taking.
NEW MEXICOSo beautiful! We checked out White Sands, NM. It was amazing. AMAZING! Jr. looked more green than usual against the snow white scenery.
TEXASOh, Texas.. how I love you. Texas has so much to offer and so many hidden treasures. One of them is Marfa, TX. If you want to visit a place that is equal parts awesome and weird.. this is your place. Marfa, TX is home to a large community of artists (large meaning a population of about 2,000!) and The Marfa Mystery Lights. We went all over Marfa and Joey (being the excellent musician that he is) discovered some perfect acoustics on top of the town's courthouse.
From Marfa, we headed East toward Austin. Man, do I love that city. I could totally live there. It's got so much character and spunk.. not to mention, some of the best music festivals in the country.
We happened to be in Austin during Austin City Limits, one such fabulous music festival. A major part of what Roadtrip Nation does is give people the opportunity to interview people who love what they do. Our Roadie team's main focus was promoting Roadtrip on college campuses and recruiting future Roadtrippers. We also had the chance do a few interviews of our own on the trip. We attempted to set up an interview with Band of Horses, but the band was too busy to meet with us. Instead, we were told that we could sit in on their rehearsal, but we were turned down by the band's manager after we arrived at the KLRU studio. Luckily, we met an amazing intern who gave us an all access studio tour and hooked us up with free tickets to the band's performance for the Austin City Limits television show! It was incredible.
TENNESSEE
Tennessee is another one of those states with so many hidden treasures. I never thought much of Tennessee until I actually went to visit it. There is so much music history in Memphis and Nashville and as you head further East, the Smokey Mountains meet you with a beautiful "hello".
WASHINGTON, D.C.
NEW JERSEY/NEW YORKOur team wasn't scheduled to head up to New York from Washington, D.C. but we had the opportunity to meet up with the other Roadie team who are currently traveling clockwise around the country so we decided to drive a few extra hours to see them!
PENNSYLVANIA
ILLINOIS
We went urban climbing in Chicago. I had never been to "The Windy City" before and seeing it at night from a rooftop was definitely worth sneaking into an apartment building to see!
NORTH DAKOTA
MONTANA
Montana is SO BEAUTIFUL! I love the snowy mountain tops and crisp air.. not to mention the flannel wearing boys that are everywhere! I also saw my best friend, Sarah, in Montana.. which was a highlight of my trip!
WASHINGTON
Montana is SO BEAUTIFUL! I love the snowy mountain tops and crisp air.. not to mention the flannel wearing boys that are everywhere! I also saw my best friend, Sarah, in Montana.. which was a highlight of my trip!
WASHINGTON
Oregon and Northern California photos are soon to come...
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