Cabin Life

Kate and I had such a good time this past weekend with our good friends Marion and Steve. Two of the most talented people I know, click on their names to check out their work. Marion and her family has some land and a cabin in PA that is such an amazing escape from the city. It was just the four of us which was super nice (well five if you include Shug), perfect amount to fit around the fire. We drank home made brandy made by Marion's pop, ate great food and had even better conversation. It was a bit chilly but it didn't bother us. Being there during the early spring was a lot different than being there in the summer with the small group and cold weather, it was super relaxing.



These are a little out of order:

Marion & Steve @ The Cabin 2008








Scape PA 2008






We went for a walk around the body of water that is there. This is some swamp land on the far side from the cabin.

Scape PA 2008




Kate and Marion nesting it up the first morning. It was a bit chilly that first morning but the place was pretty toasty by that night.

Kate & Marion @ The Cabin 2008




Like I mentioned before, the place has a different vibe in the winter, beautiful in its own way. Here the lake was about half frozen. Shug was really funny trying to run over it.

Scape PA 2008






Scape PA 2008




And our wonderful hosts. I can't thank Marion enough for giving us this weekend to get out of the city, but also for sharing this special place over the last couple of years. I know there are many many many more memories to come.

Marion & Steve @ The Cabin II 2008

Business Portraits

I've never done anything like this before (corporate portraits) and it was super painless. The man with the mustache, Reuben, was a super cool guy. It was some quick cash, with no headaches.





Lawyers NY, NY 2008

more 4x5

Good News. I talked to Michael, the guy who made my camera, and he said he would do whatever it took to fix the situation. I am going to drop it off tonight possibly. Here are two more pictures I took last week. I'm just getting used to scanning again, so these shots are not finals by any means.


Irving 2008







Kate and Shug Brooklyn, NY 2008

First images from the new 4x5

Finally got some film scanned in. Got my scanner back as well so I could start making some proofs.

I got to say I've really liked shooting with it, but unfortunately there is a problem with the lens when shooting under f.11. I've emailed the guy who made it and am waiting to here back. So to say the least I'm a little bummed about it. The guy said if there are any problems let him know, so I'll wait to hear back.

Here are two images:

Jordan China Town NYC 2008







Kate Brooklyn, NY 2008






In other news Kate and I had our first lesson in Final Cut last night. Super excited to get the multimedia thing going. I'm going to shoot Marty some more and start putting that whole thing. Stay tuned.

Revisited

Thought this looked a lot better in B&W.


J.S. Mildenberg Prospect Park Brooklyn 2008

No photos

Some stuff I thought I'd blog about:

One: I got my new camera. I loaded 10 sheets of film today and am going to shoot with it for the first time tomorrow. I'm super excited for this, I've been waiting 3 months to get it and I thought I was going to have to wait another one or two, but no, it was done early/on time. To slow down a bit and think more about what I am doing photographically will be a good change. Its also what I'm trying to do in life.

Two: All my images are uploaded to my new site! Just waiting on some final tweaks and Adam Amengual Dot Com Version 3.0 will be complete. Look out for an email blast in the next week or so.

Also I just wanted to list some suggested reading:

J. S. Mildenberg

Kate and I just got home from doing a little audio interview with our good friend Jon. We recorded a ton of audio, talked about life, art, music, and NYC. Shot some flicks as well here are a few.




All Images Jon S. Mildenberg Prospect Park Brooklyn, NY

Website is getting even closer, just a few final touches. Also, in other exciting news, my new 4x5 custom camera is finally done! I am so excited. I should have some film tests scanned next week some time.

On the road with CPMcB

Been on a three city tour with my boss and good friend Clay. This is our last night of the trip and its been a real good time. We started off in Panama City, FL and shot local rapper Blood Raw. What a rad dude that guy was. I mean the guy broke so many stereo types of a southern, black MC. The dude was straight hood, but was crazy honest about who he was and where he came from. Clay shot a bunch of super 8mm film and I did some audio recording that we're hoping to put together in a short. He gave us a real straight up from the heart interview that gave me goose bumps at parts, it was an amazing experience. Next day we drove down to Fort Myers with a quick pit stop for dinner at my grandparent's. Saw my Aunt Laura as well. It was really short but super nice to see them. In Fort Myers we did an ad for Nike which went super well, then on to Chicago for another musician shoot. Last night was a funny story. To make a long story short, we ending up at some local pub with Kid Rock (a friend of Clay's) and drank beers while Kid Rock sang karaoke. Pretty random but the everyone at the spot was mad chill. Got to see my old friend Nick Childs and his fiancee as well. One of my oldest and best friends, can't wait for his wedding this summer.

As usual I wish I shot a bit more, but here are a few snaps from the trip. Its still not over, so another post maybe follow.


CPMcB Panama City, FL 2008






CPMcB some where in FL 2008







Oranges in Florida 2008


Stay tuned the website will be done soon!

Too Cool For School

One of my closest friends and all around good guy.


Jon S. Mildenberg 2008

I guess you never know...

...when a picture might appear. Its funny, I still get taken by surprised when I'm given a picture. I guess I shouldn't due to most of the best pictures you ever take have a slice of chance in them. I was taking a reference picture for my friend Steve of my fedora not thinking much of it, but after a second look I really liked it. I'm not saying its the best photo I've ever taken, but for a quick snap of a hat came this.



Kate and my fedora 2008

Still working on the site

I'm still working on the website, but I think I should be pretty done by the end of the week.
I just got back from Molly (formerly Goggin) and Brian Foley's wedding in the Dominican Republic. What a really nice time. I also was the photographer of the event and had a wonderful time doing it. I've heard so many friends of mine that say that they hate to shoot weddings, but for me, when shooting for friends, it goes way beyond the cliche of shooting "a wedding". I am capturing a life event and to be invited by a person or persons to be there for all the intimate moments and allow me to stick a camera in there is an amazing feeling. I have to thank both Molly and Brian for such a great time. I was thinking of posting some of the photo on here but I think I'm going to wait a bit, Mike (molly's younger brother and my brother from another mother) is going to make a website of all the photos, so I think I'll wait and post the link when that is done. I also don't want to try to tell the story the wedding in just one or two photos. As for now I'll post just a portrait of Mike.

I'm really excited to get the website done and have time to keep the blog going.

Funny

Kate and I 2007

Hiatus

I am starting a major website update so it might be a week or two before anything new pops up.

OBAMA! Part 2

Go out and vote today!




Barack Obama by Shepard Fairy

Marty Mar interview pre-post

Today Kate and I interviewed designer and good friend Marty Mar on how he got into design, what he's working on now and what his plans are for the future. Check out his jewelry site OCD and his personal site. It was Kate and my first dabbling in the multi-media thing. It went really well and Marty was a great sport to be the guinea pig . I got some great photos after the interview but I think that we're going to get together again to shoot some more. The interview was great, I'm really impressed at how well it went, the audio sounds so good and Marty gave us a ton of great material. I'm hoping that we'll have it put together sometime in the next month. We plan on interviewing a couple of more people this month, but I don't think we'll have time to edit them all till March. To best explain the format of what we're doing, check out this site, MediaStorm. We want to start telling stories is this style and plan on not only telling stories about our friends but also cultural and social issues.

Here is a sneak peak of two shots from today.


Marty Mar NYC 2008







Marty Mar NYC 2008

D.C.

I'm currently in our nation's capital, shooting some more for a project Roger Gastman is working on. I can't show most of the photographs but I can show a couple of portraits of the crew. I really really like this composition, I think that i like it too much. Much like I was stuck on the bust/head shot composition, this is now my new favorite way to shoot portraits. I know I really enjoy having the landscape in the picture and when shooting back lit like this it just make it feel like such a moment. I can't wait to get that 4x5 camera, I can only imagine what these would look like if shot large format.
We've been shooting in some really bad neighborhoods trying to find some relics of the past. Not poorest neighborhoods I've ever been in, I've got to say the areas around Jackson, Mississippi would unfortunately win that award.



These two are of Corey, a local artist and graffiti writer. He's been helping Roger with the project, kind of as a local producer and historian of D.C.
I think I like the second image the most, but I like that there is some depth to the first, some stuff in the foreground, this is something I was to keep in mind.

Corey portrait 1, Washington D.C. South East 2008






Corey portrait 2, Washington D.C. South East 2008






Here is Ned, he's the video camera man on the project.

Ned, Washington D.C. South East 2008




I'm here for a few more days. I'm sure I'll do another post about the trip when I return to NY.

Out and about: Brooklyn

Had a few photographs hung at my friend and fellow artist Daniel St. George's apartment the other night in an impromptu show. He had cleared out his apt and hung work from several of his friends. It was super last minute so I apologize if I didn't tell anyone about it. I had shown a few pictures from my last trip to Brazil which you can see in a previous post. It was a pretty chill. Couple other friends had work in the show as well: Asif Mian and Zach Johnsen. After the show a few of us went to a house party, all in all a pretty chill night.







Asif, Brooklyn 2008







Kate, Brookyn 2008

LA LA another big city of dreams

Just got back from a week of assisting in LA. Over all a good time, got to catch up with a bunch of people. It had been over 6 months since I was last out there and it was good to be back. All the people I know out there always show me a good time and are super hospitable. Minus all the bullshit, I think I could move out there someday. Just like NYC there is a bunch of shitty people and a bunch of shitty scenes. But just like NYC you got to see past all that and see what's good and there is definitely a lot of good people.


"LA Scape" 2008





Usually on these jobs I get my own room, but this trip it was shared with my friend and fellow assistant Hugh. Hugh is a sick photographer in his own right check out his work here. Needless to say there was a bunch of down time. It was good though, Hugh and I have known each other for a while now but it was really good to just chill and talk about life and photography.

Hugh at the Mondrian Hotel LA, CA 2008





Hung out one afternoon with a friend from college, Gabe Lacktman. I usually get to see him when I'm out there, he's shown me some wild times out there but this was just a chill afternoon. He's been working as a graphic designer out there and has been doing some stuff for TOM's. We chilled for a minute at his friend Phylo's spot. The massive pitt is Phylo's, I forget his name. Also Gabe gave me a CD of Brother Reade, it's definitely in the hipster genre of hip hop but it has still got to be some of the better stuff I've heard in a long time, I'm not saying I love every track but there is a good mix of thought provoking rhymes but not the emo bullshit thats been put out by other indie hip-hop acts. The other thing is that they are not clowns. It feels like today if its not commercial rap you get either street wear nerds or emo crap. Maybe there is still some hope for hip-hop. Check out their myspace here.

Gabe outside Phylo's apt. LA, CA 2008








Phylo's Pup 2008








Hugh in Beverly Hills, CA 2008

OBAMA!

Click HERE

From the archive: MSK AWR Road trip w/ Revok, Saber, and Retna

I was hired a while back to hang out with some graff writers and document the leg of their east coast tour that was sponsored by boost mobile. The trip started in Brooklyn, NY, then went to Philly and ended in Atlanta. Roger at Swindle was hired to produce the whole thing and gave me a huge opportunity to tag along and document the trip. It was my first time ever hired to shoot more than a portrait. I had never done anything like this and I knew it was going to be a huge learning experience. Looking back I know I missed some things but all in all it was a great experience that I will never forget and I hope I get to do something similar again some day. The writers were great, they were all mad cool. They were also some of the biggest guys out there from one of the biggest crews. Like I said before, I learned a ton on shooting this kind of thing but also a bit about graffiti. These guys knew people in every city we went to, especially ATL. Man, that is a fun ass place. I really wish I was able to photograph when we went out, I did a bit, but not to the extent I would have wanted to. I don't think this is the final edit, still need to go through them a bit more. I've talked a few times to these guys and they are all cool with me photographing them some more. I think I am going to plan a trip out to Cali around March to shoot some more, I'd really like to get some audio to do a some multi media stuff. The stories these guys tell are great.




Revok talking to police at permission wall in DUMBO, Brooklyn 2007







Finished permission wall in DUMBO, Brooklyn 2007







Saber stands in front of gallery installation at the Powerhouse Gallery. Dumbo, Brooklyn 2007





These guys had a good friend who wrote Tie that was shot and killed while bombing in SF. Really tragic story, he was only 17 or 18 years old. Somebody thought he was a robber and shot him in the back when he was running away. Since then they've gotten reproductions of stickers that Tie had made. They put them up in his memory as well as tag his name.

Saber with Tie sticker. Philly 2007








Revok catches some tags in Philly. 2007








"Skram" MSK AWR. Bombing clean trains in Philly. 2007






Revok inviting me out to the train lay-up was a great opportunity. To give me that kind of access was very cool on his part. He asked me the first day if I would be down to do something like that. It was the only night we went out, but it was a big one. The trains actually ran into the city.

Revok and "Skram" bomb clean trains in Philly. 2007








Kids watch as Saber paints permission wall in Philly. 2007






Saber taking a smoke brake with local kids in Philly. 2007









Revok. Philly 2007








Retna and Revok hotel room ATL 2007








Retna ATL 2007

So hopefully in the next year I'll be able to catch up again with some of these guys. I really want to photograph more of their everyday. Getting to shoot the illegal stuff is fun, but I more interested in their daily grind as artist.