Here's a solid event for a good cause. Terren Gomez, Ryan Hughes and myself along with several other artists are donating photos and artwork for charity to help the boarding for breast cancer cause. Come check out the movies, drink some booze, get a free day pass to Northstar or Sierra, drink some booze, vibe out to the Mother hips and South Lake's own Saturn Rising, drink some booze and have a ripping time holmes. Be smart, don't drink and drive. Take a cab. Walk. Designate a Driver. Blue Go.
Myself and Scott Coslett
Many of you don't know that I used to be in the music biz, playing shows on the East Coast. Once our group dissolved, I gave up on that dream and and chose to refocus and now I do what I do. When I moved out to California from New Hampshire, my best friend rolled with me. His name is Scott Coslett, and he did the snowboard thing with me for many years and operated a Cat for Northstar-at-Tahoe. Also, we went to Lake Tahoe Community College and graduated in 2004 with AA degrees.
He got the music itch again and decided to pursue it here in South Lake Tahoe in the form of Seraphim Records. Although a talented bunch, their interrelationship was full of drama and diffidence so he packed up and moved to Los Angeles and put himself into the Los Angeles Recording School. Since he finished the program, he's gone on to work for Threshold Sound & Vision Recording Studios in Santa Monica, CA and has worked with talent such as Black Sabbath, The Cure, Weezer, Herbie Hancock, etc. Funny thing is, as I was pursuing photography, I would always be working at Ian Ruhter's place in Santa Monica, concurrently, he was working on this album with James Jr., and Threshold Sound & Vision was two streets over from Ruht's. Funny how life is.
Now he's working on a new project with Jackson Rathbone, of Twilight fame, and the band 100 Monkeys. Scotty is the hardest working and most committed person I have ever met in my life, and if he hadn't come out west with me, my life would be very different right now. If your into Hip Hop, cop this album. Just trust me, it's good.
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The industry is tough right now. Many people I know are not finding the ins to secure a position to work in Snowboarding this year due to the economy and the general consolidation of the industry. This isn't new by any means but, really, it's hard out here for a pimp. Shit, I don't even know if I have a job, that's the way it is. I've been noting that the middle class snowboarder/filmer/photographer is really being cut out of the mix. By middle class, I'm not referring to income, but rather, the person who's been trying to get into the industry for a while but hasn't quite made it. It's not due to a lack of talent, it's like a connection was missed or something. So now, you have the heavy hitters, big budget, long term companies and on the other hand, you have the fresh out the gate rookies, willing to give it everything. The problem for the people in the middle is that they have been giving it everything and are finding it harder and harder to pay out of pocket for another year of filming snowboarding. At this point, it starts to make sense to try something a little more realistic.
I'd like to introduce you all to a good friend of mine that goes by the name of Leland McNamara. I've known him since I started shooting photos of snowboarding and we've always been right there with each other. Leland, Sam Hiltner (people filmer) and Kevin Winkel (K2 TM) made NC Productions what it was, a solid in between market, underground Snowboard video company. Practically a snowboard farming company. If you've heard of Austin Smith, well, that's the kind of talent that NC was raising. He's got skills with the camera, and he's got the whole travel thing on lock, so what's stopping him? Lack of jobs, I guess. If there's a company looking for a full time, talented and fully dedicated filmer, hit Leland up @ ncpleland@yahoo.com or hit me up and I'll introduce you.
Anyways, check out the film they dropped the previous winter in full: ALMOST DEAD
Almost Dead from Leland McNamara on Vimeo.
My brother Patrick and his 'lil baby Fiona Rose came by the house for a minute today and as the responsible photographer Uncle, I grabbed a portrait of the two in the backyard. Here you go parents, your granddaughter is beautiful.
This is another one of those pinhole flash photos I take sometimes, this time on polaroid. Brandon Rein is kind of a legend here in South Lake, Hella good skater and film maker. This photo was taken at about 5pm in the old Bijou Skate park in Broad Daylight. I used an Elinchrom Ranger at full power with a High performance reflector about 12 inches away from his face. He told me that it messed up his eyes for a long time. Sorry BE!
(This was taken same day after above portrait)
This photo was taken at the Ozone motel in Quebec City. Jonas and friend Nick Dirks with the brilliant idea of self piercing their noses while we sat at the downstairs bar. Fully inebriated, and with the help of Transworld Filmer, Gary Milton, we decided it would be a good idea to try and document it. This is the result and one of the most successful photos I have ever taken. Hope you like it, Jonas was in a lot of pain.
p.s., check out both Jonas and Nick in the new Videograss movie coming this fall
p.p.s check out the Nick Dirks Cheesedicks SUPER edit here.
