by Brad Puet | Jan 9, 2012 | Brad Puet
What if you looked into your camera roll and were shown that a string of seemingly random photos were connected by a story that reached into all those pictures. We intend to not just write a story but to show you a story from photos. One clearly visible but also hidden until you place the pictures in sequence. We urge you to look deeper and see what we see, hidden in the camera.
The collaboration begins with the photographs from 2011. There were so many images that we hope that these images will lead you on a journey through captions. Each week we will continue to develop all the necessary elements of a story of this character until we find a good ending. If you read this we hope that you will help steer the story.
BP: ya’ll know me. Storm: Storm is an accomplished author.
Enough of the talk. Let’s begin.
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Borrowed Time
Chapter One
This was a naval academy. It was more than that. It was where they taught me, created me.
It wasn’t home. My home is gone now. Dying around me.
This is what I became after all the training, after all the missions. Locked here, suspended by steel and wheels.
I came to remember my past and to recover my future. We are both older and decaying, but not dead yet. What happened to me here, what it has done for me, releases me from my prison. Borrowed time it says. Borrowed is all I need.
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Stay tuned for Chapter Two
by Brad Puet | Dec 30, 2011 | Chops with BP, Featured Articles
BP Introduction
Why, Hello there. Glad you were able to make it today. Initially I asked Kim to interview Jussi. I knew that they would be perfect together as their personalities are just straight AWESOME. Their art is both unique and amazing and they both have each others mutual respect = GREAT chance for an interview. The first draft came and it TOTALLY seemed like a conversation. So I shot them back an email and asked them if they be interested in an idea i had. Would they be ok if I played around a bit with the interview and also have Kim fill out the same questions that she asked Jussi. They both agreed. I wanted to have fun with it and made sure it was ok. This was also inspired by Ale’s Chloe series.
The scene: Seattle, January 5, 2012 (HAHA shameless plug for the “Darkroom Series v.1” Gallery Opening.) Jussi and Kim are guests at the event as well as an event in collaboration with it, Bumbershoot In The Winter (no such thing, but work with me…Bumbershoot is in the summer). They are sitting on a panel that I put together to talk about Mobile Arts and the BLOW-UP-ABILITY (that’s right…I made that up – enter patent) within the International Arts.
So…enter the “Story of Two Friends: Jussi and Kim in Seattle”
(Winter Day – Seattle/ Café Zeitgeist on 2nd and Jackson)
An iPhone sits on a table next to a very large cup of joe. The drinker of said cup of joe, Jussi from Oulu, Finland who now lives in Helsinki. He is here at Café Zeitgeist meeting for the first time his “imaginary” friend, Kim. Kim is from Switzerland and has been traveling the world. The both of them are photographers who use mobile devices. Enter Kim. Doors blow open, wind blows cold air through the café and everyone notices this bubbly personality. It’s like the café knew she was coming as The Beatles plays in the background.
Kim: “Jussi? Hi, I’m Kim”
Jussi: “Kim? Hello my friend!”
(He is a handsome and imposing figure, magnetic in his personality. Charismatic, yes, but also very mysterious. For some reason, he has a couple of post-its on his face. One reading “Like” and the other reading “comment.)
(She is a happy soul. Beautiful in how she walks through the café. Almost fairy tale like. Her dog follows her with a smile on his face. No one even asks her for her animal service paperwork, because she and her pup looks just so happy, that they too have caught the happiness bug.)
(Jussi signals the café barista for another cup of joe. He’s only been in Seattle for 3 hours and his aura demands respect. The barista brings out a Chai Latte. Jussi reminds everyone of the “World’s Most interesting Man”. He carries his artwork it seems on his sleeves.)
Kim: Jussi, tell me all about yourself?
Jussi: I’m a boy from a far away land called Finland. I live in a small city called Oulu, but right now I’m located in Helsinki. I live every day with passion and an urge to express myself. But you can call me SKWII!
Kim: SKWII? I love it. What does it mean?
Jussi: Ermm… Early nerd times, that nickname was something me and my brother used on online games :Y – one computer, one nick, we’re twins 🙂 …Eh so the meaning… It’s a sound of a hamster squeeking, as it translates to Finnish. Skwiik=squeek
Jussi: And Kim, what can I know about you my friend?
Kim: My name is Kim and my parents chose it cause it was short and hard to make shorter so my friends made it longer to find me a nickname! You have to say it with a French accent, it’s not Kim-O but more like Kim-OOH haha! You can call me Kimou or Mik or Mikmik. I’m from Switzerland. I was born and raised in a village where the population was mostly composed of cows, sheeps, and horses. Soon I’m moving to the land of Goblins, gold pots, and cloverleafs. I shall call Dublin home for at least the next 6 months.
Jussi: That is awesome my friend. (He reaches for his trusty iPhone to snap a picture)
(At that same moment, Kim has done the same. They point the phone slash camera at each other.)
Jussi: I see you have an iPhone too my dear.
Kim: Yes my friend, Skwii. I love it so dearly. I hope that you aren’t offended if I show you what is on my camera roll.
Jussi: Of COURSE not. I was going to do the same.
(The both of them thumb play on their devices. Each of them almost trying to beat the other to their camera rolls. Alas, they both reach their rolls the same time and flash each other their favorite shot in a FBI agent showing their badges.)
Kim/Jussi: Look at what I’ve got.
(They both show them a photograph of the others.) Jussi’s UP, Kim’s Down.
Kim/Jussi: This is my most favorite shot of yours. I have the utmost respect for you. (They look at each other, in awe.) JINX, BUY ME A COKE. (They both must have read online somewhere some of the stupid, crazy games that Americans play. This is a game when 2 or more people say the same thing at the same time, they say JINX, and the first to say it must buy a coke. Again a real stupid game and this narrator must now digress)
(Bumbershoot In The Winter – Seattle Center – Under the shadow of the Space Needle)
(Flash forward to a panel – This panel consists of the two of them that Brad Puet has put together. The panel is a discussion on mobile device artistry and how this has affected/effected the world of photography. Jussi and Kim have gained international accolades for their work as mobile photographers. Jussi is asked the first set of questions.)
Jussi: Esteemed colleagues, ever since touching an iPhone, the photography possibilities were and have been my highest interest. I was so excited about my first paid app TiltShiftGen that I took hundreds of photos and some photo walks even before the Instagram community had adopted it. And yes, I always did every art course project as photographs if I had a chance.
Moderator: What inspires you, Jussi?
Jussi: I love instagram so much. I go there to learn and get inspired. There are many sources of inspiration with the people I follow on Instagram, and more. Street art, Japanese Manga to name a few.
It gives me the feeling of dancing and strange films which also inspire me greatly.
(He looks over and sees Brad dancing a jig. Almost as if they planned it. Looks over to Kim and says, “that is for you my friend, I know you will see some jigs in Dublin.)
Jussi: I’ve said this like a thousand times to anyone asking and I’ll say it again (He bellows a laugh.) I LOVE Juxtaposer- Don’t even wanna start about why this app BLOOOWS MY MIND. Any photo on my stream that looks or feels imaginary has been through Juxtaposer.
(He then looks at Brad. “Brad, this is for you and the rest of the Juxters.” And he gives a raised fist)
Jussi: I create while I go. Sometimes if there’s no inspiration, I take a lot of simplified shots to use later and mix mash and blend. Ideas come as bursts, many at a time and you just have to start creating them as soon as possible. Never doubt even the silliest ideas or the progress will stop. Don’t trust yourself? Then do it sarcastically 😀
(Jussi then passes the microphone to Kim. As the moderator turns her questions towards her)
Kim: Hello everyone! I always been crazy about photography, always has been a great passion for me… I started to do mobile photography with my first iPhone the 3Gs, I actually found out about instagram because of my passion, but it was late in February 2011.. I remember that I could spend whole weekends out in the cities of Switzerland, taking pictures of candid.. I had a passion for shadows and redscale when I started! Now my style evolved and since a week I’m in love with my 4S.
Moderator: You have a very unique style. It’s very vibrant and the miniature vehicles are an added touch. How did this come about?
Kim: I’m quite an hippy in heart kind of person. I need colors in my life, they make me feel alive! It’s quite impossible for me to turn a colored picture into b&w HAHAHA. I’ve received my first miniature vehicle 4 years ago while we were in holidays in Spain. It was the blue hippy minivan! Then one sunny Sunday of April, I was alone at home with my camera. I took all my favorite toys in my room and went outside for taking pictures, since that day I started to put the minivan in every situations I could, took it in holidays with me.. And I started to buy others, even if a lot of them are presents! I received a yellow new yorker taxi for Christmas! Can’t wait to find the perfect situation for him!
Moderator to both Jussi and Kim: How do you picture yourself in 20 years?
Jussi: An hour ago I imagined I’d still be sitting here, trying to write this interview… But then I thought “Whatever, the people I like and love will still not hate me no matter how dull or shockingly I write” and been enjoying it ever since 🙂 … 20 years… Maybe our galaxy has been destroyed by a giant supernova? At least I won’t be a physicist HAHAHA
Kim: Haha in 20 years?!?… That is a long time! I didn’t even live as many years yet HAHAHA! Maybe I’ll have my own photography shop, or maybe I’ll have to live in the forest and eat mushrooms for surviving!
Moderator to both Jussi and Kim: Tell us 3 more random facts about you that you didn’t already say?
Kim:
- I’m not a morning person,
- I can’t spend more then 5 minutes without hearing music,
- and I have a phobia of everything that doesn’t have legs (fish, snakes,…)
Jussi:
- Ginger and garlic are my favourite,
- I have no idea how to pay back everything our parents have done for us,
- Email me at [email protected] if you wanna buy my 3GS with my own background design attached. :)) or just wanna chat
(Flash forward to the Seattle/Tacoma International Airport: Both Kim and Jussi await their flights back to their respective homeland)
Kim: We have a few more moments together my friend. It has been an honor and I look forward to our next mobile device arts conference sponsored by Juxt and this isn’t a shamless plug, I’m just saying that Brad Puet is an awesome man with awesome artwork and is great at being a friend, and on top of that he is funny as hell…”etc etc…blah blah blah, whatever whatever”…
(Kim talks for another 7 minutes about how Brad is really cool as Jussi nods his head in COMPLETE agreement and even a couple times in talking about Brad they HI5’d each other, gave pounds, shed a tear, sighs…and then she asks Jussi)
Kim: What is the most craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Jussi: Tough one. Revisiting memory lane… Beep beep. Filtering family-friendly and socially acceptable solutions… Beep beep…Hmm… How’s eating ice cream out of a public trash can during the summer? Just for the thrill of it, with another crazy friend….Also just laying on the middle of a busy walking street just to see how the crowd reacted. None of this would have never happened if I hadn’t had my friends backing me up though.
Kim: Oh Jussi, you so CRAZY!!! Is your sense of humor a family thing? Or a typical Finnish thing?
Jussi: My father is a very humorous guy so I guess that’s where I’m getting the need for all the meaningless fun blabber. (He smiles) Can’t say this is anything traditional, I’m not that good with any “traditional Finns” or anything. For starters I haven’t met many Finns who’d ever take mobile photography seriously.
(Jussi hears his flight number called but looks to Kim)
Jussi: Now your turn before I leave. What is the most craziest thing you’ve ever done my friend?
Kim: Nothing as crazy as you Jussi! I don’t do craziness on purpose, just like to enjoy life and do whatever makes me feel happy! Just like jump in a boat going I don’t know where even if I’m sick as hell and supposed to go somewhere later.. I finally lost myself in the middle of the lake.. I often lay on the ground for taking pictures, people must think I’m crazy! I’m more clumsy over crazy too…don’t forget we have to try the bungee jumping together someday!!!
(Jussi hears his flight calling for the last time. Kim then hears The Beatles on her iPhone.)
Kim/Jussi: WAIT…what is our last word to each other before we go home? (Again another JINX, BUY ME A COKE MOMENT)
Jussi: SKWIII
Kim: KIM-OOH
(The two of them walk away from each other. One walking away with his Finnish swagger. The other walking away with her pup at her side making airport staff smile. They both look at each other one last time and throw up a big thumbs – EMOJI style, and hand their flight attendants their tickets and disappear into the tarmac)
THE END.
by Brad Puet | Dec 29, 2011 | Brad Puet
Hello! Hi! Hey! Hola! What up! Howzit!
So…working on my first blog…this Juxting thing has been real fun and hope ya’ll have enjoyed it so far …2012 will bring a lot more fun and games…we look forward to continuing the build of this amazing mobile arts community with you all…
With that being said…this blog entry is ALL ABOUT the Dary Shootout Trespassing Series that Ryan Coleman (@rcoleman) and I were able to do…a week ago today…
Hopefully I can cover everything that went down in a fun and informative way…I know for damn sure that it was a pretty cool shoot…by the way…DARY stems from comments that we leave on each others shots in Instagram…DARY is short for Legendary…and boy writing this out sure makes this bromance a lot thicker…so…
Let me preempt this with a BIG shoutout and BIG thanks to Mellow L. (@threetree) who made this journey thus far HELLA fun!…my first shootout with him rivals this one with Coleman…I mean…who gets to shoot the Fremont Solstice Parade (naked folks on bikes and scooters painted up as super heroes/ heroines, sonics bball stars, zombies etc etc) with a complete stranger and build a friendship…so Mellow…if you read this homie…we’ve got lots of things to do my brotha…and since we shoutin out folks…Watson (@smlife) and Bronson (@boohi_bronson)…THASSWASSUP!
And this includes the Igers Seattle (@Igers_Seattle) crew and another couple folks in Max (@liveinawe) and Dave (@dusen) who I’ve had the priviledge of shooting this beautiful city of ours…Seattle makes for a real dope mobile shootout…so now…this leads to Coleman…
Let’s talk about Coleman…great dude, amazing shooter…before a couple photowalks ago I only knew him through his art…blown away by his shit…I mean the guy has an eye for the craziest things and makes amazing art with his edits…he definitely was one of the folks (along with @joanna) who turned me onto black and white and to be honest…it has been real hard to get away…well…this dude is leaving Seattle for Denver in a matter of days…and so we both agreed that we needed to do a shoot together…but where…hmmmm
Seattle and The Moran: Yup.
Seattle has amazing scenery…amazing skyline, the people are interesting enough to do some dope street photography…Seattle and the surrounding area has both the urban and nature rolled up in one being surrounded by the Cascades and the Olympic mountain ranges…the Puget Sound…Lake Washington…Majestic Mount Rainier…can’t ask for anything more…but of course you can…Coleman found the Moran School on Bainbridge Island…
The Moran has a rich history for the Northwest…it boasts to be one of the West Coast’s first prestigious schools with alumnis who are Nobel Prize winners, City Mayors, and some of the best Navy officers (in the 30’s it turned into a Naval Academy)…it’s the “father” of the Lakeside School in Seattle, which is one of the most expensive private schools in the United States…it’s architecture is the model for the Pacific Northwest with high ceilings, columns, and early Italian influences…in it’s heyday I bet it was one of the most beautiful buildings in the area…still the tallest building on Bainbridge Island at four stories…
The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has been trying to negotiate with the owners to keep this historical relic in place and possibly renovate in order to have future generations enjoy it and learn its history…currently it is in a holding pattern…the owners have tried to sell it, but the one buyer turned out to not be interested in the asking price of $192K…so the owners want to demolish it…the owners are the folks at Soundcare, which is a nursing home that shares the land the Moran is on…
Enter the Shooters.
In order to get to Bainbridge Island from Seattle…the quickest way is to take a 30 min ferry across the water…the ferry is probably one of the most common shots folks take in Seattle, along with the Space Needle, Pike Place, Smith Tower etc etc…it’s a fun ride and a recommendation for all visitors and even locals who just want to get away from the city for a bit…fast forward to docking and Coleman busts out his iPhone and looks up where to go…Bainbridge Island itself has a long history…the Suquamish tribe is the first nation folks there…the island had a history during the time of Japanese internment…there’s a lot of history…
Well fast forward…Coleman and I get to the school and scope out the lay of the land…the building is fenced up with vegetation covering the south of the building, east of the building is open field and plain sight for the residential houses, and on the west side is also wide open to the nursing home…Coleman and I chose to stay on the south side obviously but couldn’t for the life of us figure out how to get in…there was a door open but it led to a concrete vault…the craziest thing…Coleman tried to go down these stairs that were only halfway down…maybe 6 -8 steps…but it literally was hanging and was real rickety…Coleman was determined…he went down there with his iPhone flashlight app and found a whole in the wall that led to a bathroom or a kitchenette…”shit, we’re here…we gotta get in here” he said to me…I was the lookout…during this time he was trying how to figure out how to get in…I was the “SHHH” man…well…I had to shhh a few times…did I mention it was surrounded by residential homes…and a path that led to a waterfront park…so folks who like to walk their dogs were able to…and to our luck…there were folks who wanted to walk their dogs…off leash…and who smelled us or something and actually came up to the fence and was barking at us…and we were only there for 10-15 minutes…either way…the owners of the dog called the dogs back…and when I turned to tell Coleman we’re good…this ninja of a photographer was inside…knocking on windows…tapping on walls…ended up getting into this huge auditorium theatre…he found a window that wasn’t nailed shut…and we spend freakin 20-25 minutes trying to jack this thing up so I can get in…Coleman is able to fit into the space we were able to push up…but for my sexy ass…I needed a few more inches to get in…once we get there…I skiddadle through the window and as soon as I get up…GLORIOUS shooter paradise…we give each other pounds and a hug and commenced our shooting tirade…
The Moran and For Those With Abandonment Issues.
The auditorium seats about 250 folks…there are chairs and sofas laid out all over the place…an organ against the wall…TV kicked in, sits in the middle of the room…despite the garbage and trash strewn out…the auditorium is pretty awesome…high ceilings, exposed rafters, ceiling high windows…you can really feel the history as I’m sure there were spirits that were watching over us…thinking to themselves…look at these fools…anyways…after the pounds and hugs…Coleman is shooting…I barely caught my breath and he was already taking a shot of a recliner on the stage…and he’s in Coleman fashion…angles, angles, angles…me on the other hand…I was still trying to figure out where I was, gather my bearings and load up the weaponry… Native camera on, check. Horizontal tilt, check. Escape route, YIKES. One way in, one way out…I remember telling myself…if something/ someone was to come down these halls and it wasn’t Coleman…I would do like the cartoons and bust through the walls…no matter what floor…so I told myself this…and proceeded through the hallways…first hallway led to a stairwell that was pretty rickety…the railing was definitely not stable and if leaned upon would have given way…the walls were falling apart…the walls were rotted out and after 50 years of neglect…you can imagine that this building was ready to be torn down…sad to say…but it just wasn’t safe…at all…so what the hell…
Coleman and I ran through this MFer like it was our own little playground…each floor had its own character…2nd floor had a loft that over looked the auditorium which was cool, but wasn’t really something that I think Coleman and I really cared for…3rd floor and it got much better…if ya’ll read through some of our captions on the shots on IG…you would have read…”lots of windows, awesome light, wheelchair graveyard, dilapidated walls, broken windows, boarded up bathrooms…well that’s the 3rd floor…I’d say there were a lot of our shots taken here, as it just had a lot of things to shoot…there was a room on this floor, where there seemed to have a past inhabitant…a wheelchair sat in the middle of this huge room…sleeping bags on top of each other, and on top of those bags…dozens of motorcycle magazines…with bare skinned, lace ridden women…some who were obviously meant to grace the pages of a men’s magazine…then others…eh not so much…but I wasn’t looking…too much…hahaha…either way…I hear Coleman and he wasn’t as happy with this floor as me…at the end of the hallway was a room FULL of wheelchairs…like…storage unit style…but it looked to have newer ones…well new ones like the 70’s and other chairs that weren’t so new…I loved it because I read about it in some of the articles I ran across…the nursing home next door would put these chairs of folks who got real sick and/or passed away in this building…now why they have brought it up to the 3rd floor I have no clue…there weren’t no elevators…so I didn’t know how they got all of those wheelchairs up without someone having to be real pissed off at their bosses…move to the 4th floor…the top floor…Coleman is already up here and he tells me that to be weary because maybe the inhabitant didn’t really care for women…but left some rude graffiti all over the rooms up on this floor…some real sexual messed up-ness…one room had a door that read, “this is the room where I rape, knock before entering”…yup…told you real rude…and the graffiti and drawings were real effed up…but…this floor had the hallway that Coleman really wanted to shoot…on his feed you can see the shot…amazing…and he did the hallway real justice…
The Return.
The one thing I forgot to mention up top is that we actually was on a timeline…I had to be back to pick up the kiddo…and Coleman had to make sure that his parking was paid off…even had a homie of his go and check and maybe add more money in…as in a lot of the metropolitan cities in the US…parking is expensive…but even more expensive are the tickets that come…so in our rush back to the city…Coleman and I got to spend some quality bromance time…which was good…which is some of the reason why Juxt is in place…the getting to know the artist/ photographer is just as important as the getting to know and admiring the art…the beauty of what we are able to do in these social networks is share a piece of ourselves in hopes that folks who are like-minded and even those who are not like-minded get to communicate and dialogue despite language, culture and any other social barriers that may be placed before us…
Mr. Ryan Coleman and I got to share in story, in art process, in crime…literally…and the best part of it all…we got to share it with you all…so my new found bro is moving to Denver…Seattle is going to lose one of its amazing mobile artists…Denver gets to add Coleman and his boss to their citizenship…which means if ever I’m in Denver…I’ve got someone to shoot with…and someone who I can shoot the shit with…
Sending you off bro…at least the money you make at the gallery show next week can go to my pocket…WORD UP!!! =) ALSO…still gotta set you up with Mikey and Rich…upon your return brother!
Adios. Bye. Bam. Salud. Cheers.
by Brad Puet | Dec 27, 2011 | Chops with BP, Featured Articles, The Temples
Doo, Doo, Doowop Doo, Doo
All i really want to say my darling today is a special day we call our
Own so take me in your arms and hold me and tell me you love me
and i’ll be there for you
Do you know what today is
Do you know what today is
It’s our anniversary (it’s our, it’s our special day)
anniversary
Do you know what today is
It’s your anniversary made for Dave and Holly…
Ooooh I love me some Tony Toni Tone…It’s Our Anniversary…now that…that right there…is my JAM!! WHOOO…slow jams, grindin’ at the house parties with that special someone…brings me back…well…this interview ain’t necessarily about them days…I’ll revisit those in another article…maybe…EITHER WAY…the reason why I’ve got that song in my head is that today…like…TODAY…is our friends @kewiki and @musiccityace’s ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on IG…so together…if ya’ll know the song…sing the above with me and let’s greet them in a Life To Music fashion…Doo, Doo, Doowop, Doo…ok ok…maybe later…
let’s meet these lovely folks from the Midwest…happy couple, happy family who are powerhouses individually and of course togehter…The Temples: Dave (@kewiki), Holly (@musiccityace), Emily, Chloe, and Colin…
H: Holly D: Dave BP: Yes. That’s me.
BP: Tell us how the daily life of the Temple family looks like. Who is Dave? Who is Holly? (outside of IG, what do you all do for a living etc etc)
D: Holly is a wife, mom, homemaker.
H: Dave is a husband, dad and works for King+Knight, a digital agency in Fort Wayne, IN
BP: Ya’ll are pretty involved with the Igers Chicago crew. Can you tell us why this is important for ya’ll to be involved in? What suggestions would you have for others who are on the margins about joining an Igers group in their city?
H: It has been amazing connecting with the people from IG in real life. They have gone from being “someone you know on an app” to extended family. I look forward to the meets now, not just to take pics but to see everyone. We had an instameet the week before Thanksgiving and were able to stay later and go out to dinner with them. I joked that it was like Thanksgiving dinner with the family you actually WANT to see!
Don’t be afraid. I’m so extremely shy and was very nervous the first time but I can’t imagine missing out on seeing my other family and meeting new friends if I had given into the fear that first time.
D: The Chicago crowd has been great and is headed up by @relaxocat. She does an amazing job at coordinating the events and getting people involved. The events are always different and allow everyone to get a chance to see a different part of the city. The people in the group are the best part. It’s been great to be with other like-minded people and learn more about them outside of IG. They truly have become our friends.
My advice is to find an Instameet in your area and go. We drive three hours just to go to ours and it’s worth the drive. You learn a lot and it’s such a fun way to network.
BP: Chicago and/or surrounding areas. Where do ya’ll actually live and how does this influence your art? Can you describe your area to help us visualize more what the Temple’s see everyday? Where would you (either individually, couple, or family) like to shoot?
H: We live in a small town in Indiana of about 8,000 people. The next bigger towns are 30 minutes each way with nothing but flat roads and cornfields in between. It has definitely influenced my art. I enjoyed taking pics of downtown Nashville before we moved back and we don’t really have that big city feel here now. It’s caused me to get more creative though and allowed me to see the beauty in an old rundown barn. I would absolutely LOVE to shoot Boston. Only been once but so gorgeous.
D: To piggy back on what Holly said, the change of scenery definitely impacted our art. At first it was difficult to find things to take pics of. But I am lucky enough to work in an area that has a lot of old brick buildings. They make a great subject for shooting. I’d love to travel to Italy, London or Germany to shoot pics of the art, scenery and people.
BP: Dave and Holly, ya’ll are powerhouses on IG with great respect through not only you’re art but also through your interaction with your followers and the community. What is it about IG that keeps ya’ll going?
H: The creativity has to be my #1 thing. I never knew I had so much bottled up before being able to let it out. Next would be the awesome people. So many have become friends outside of IG and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
D: Definitely the creative outlet. It’s great to be part of a community. Regardless of how many followers you have, it’s important to just be active, be real and just have fun.
BP: When do ya’ll find time to shoot? Are there times that you both go out shooting together? as a couple? or within a group?
H: We don’t really shoot as a couple, unless we are out as a family and something catches our eyes! And it’s usually the same thing and we have a little spat about who gets to shoot it! Lol. I would love to do a family photowalk but I think time is the biggest issue. With that said, most of my shots come from around the house, while driving (safely!) or Dave will slow down while driving so I can lean over to get that perfect barn.
D: I had to get a production schedule figured out so that IG didn’t interfere with my “real” life too much. It has worked great for me and has become so routine that I don’t think about it. I basically shoot wherever I am and whatever catches my eye. The iPhone is ALWAYS in hand so I don’t miss a shot. We usually go shooting together when the weather is nicer and we take a walk as a family, but we typically try to shoot different things. And yes, she usually beats me to the good shots!
BP: You have three beautiful children in Chloe, Emily, and Colin. How have ya’ll instilled in them the passion of photography/ arts? Does each of them share the same passion as you all?
H: We want them to be themselves. Emily showed some interest while taking a digital photography class in school but it died off when the class ended. She’s very crafty though, learning to knit at 6 and teaching me when she was 8! I think Chloe has the photographers eye. Some of her shots are normal 11 year old shots but some have made me jealous that I wasn’t the one that got it! She’s very artistic and loves to draw the most. She has talked about being an architect when she grows up but I think she would make a great photographer too. Colin is much more techy. He enjoyed taking pics at an instameet but hasn’t done it since. He would rather play a video game or help fix a broken xbox.
D: We really try hard to promote creativity and thinking outside of the box with the kids. They all think about and see things completely different and we teach them that there’s no one way to do things. They are all amazing in their own ways and all have different opinions of what art is to them. We may not all share the same passions for things, but we try to be involved in their lives as much as possible. Basically we just try to lead by example.
BP: How have ya’ll both gained the passion for mobile photography? for the arts?
H: I have always had a little interest in photography but the passion didn’t come out until IG. I had taken shots with the dslr before but ended up frustrated that I couldn’t capture what was in my mind so I gave up. After having an iphone though, I know my frustration was more with my lack of knowledge of photoshop and not being able to edit the way I saw it.
D: I started shooting when I was a little kid. Whether it was a 35mm film camera or a Polaroid. I always enjoyed it. I got my first real camera in high school and learned how to shoot with film. It’s a great way to learn. Digital photography really just helped make me better. I fell in love with mobile photography as soon as I got an iPhone though. Truly the best phone a photographer could own. I am also a huge fan of the arts. Anything from paintings to sculptures to music and more.
BP: Outside of just the photography, editing is a huge factor for a lot of folks on IG. This reigns true for ya’ll as ya’ll are able to edit and produce beautiful art. What are yalls favorite apps? When you first started, what apps did you all use? How have you seen the progression of these apps, and ultimately the “super” app would be able to do what?
H: I’m a huge fan of snapseed for my barns. I love ProHDR for sunsets. I was hardcore camera+ when I first started and it’s still the app I usually turn to first for certain things. The apps just keep getting better but as far as a “super” app, I would have to say that snapseed is about there. If they added a masking tool it would be even more awesome.
D: Favorite apps are snapseed, pixlromatic, Hipstamatic, super retro and proHDR. I think camera + was my first and I still use it every once in a while. The apps just get better and better as they begin to emulate much of what you can do on your computer. I’d love to see a mobile version of Adobe Lightroom someday, that also includes Lomo filters, effects and more. I think Filterstorm and Iris are close though. We both get asked all the time what kind of camera we used for a shot. We really just use our phones. The trick is in the editing. That’s what makes the shot look amazing.
BP: Are there styles that you see on IG that you don’t necessarily use, that you would like to try? IE. street, portraiture. What would you say is your “style”?
H: I’m very random but would have to say that landscapes would be my style. I think I would try any style, but I’m very happy with my landscapes and randomness so I don’t feel a pull towards any other style right now.
D: I really love street photography shots from folks in New York City. I also love some of the black and white photography of elderly people or people with very interesting faces. (Think National Geographic) I would have to say my style leans toward journalistic in the sense that it’s more of a magazine feel.
BP: What do you think when someone says that mobile photography/ arts isn’t a viable art form? Do you see it as a viable art form?
H: It is most definitely a viable art form! Some things that some people do with their pictures absolutely amazes me and makes me feel something emotionally. That’s art.
D: I guess I’d ask them what art is to them? Anything that causes you to feel an emotional response by engaging you to stop, study and ponder is art. I wouldn’t say that all mobile photography turns into art, but not all clay turns into a beautiful vase either. It’s what the artist does with the raw form of mobile photography that allows it to turn into art.
BP: What other passions do you all have outside of mobile photography?
H: I like to knit. Recently taught myself how to crochet too. I love spending time with the family watching movies and I am a little too passionate about games on my phone!
D: I love to sing. I do it every day no matter where I am. Like Holly, I too love watching movies, but I typically watch them with a critical and creative eye.
BP: CONGRATULATIONS on your IG Anniversary today. When you first started what got ya’ll hooked? What are the pros and cons of IG in your honest opinion?
H: I originally got the app as a different option for putting pics on twitter. Once I realized it was a social app, I never imagined being as involved as I am. I was hooked when someone other than Dave first liked a photo. How exciting to have someone you don’t know like something of yours!
D: I originally got the app for the filters and then discovered it was a social app. It soon became addicting because I wanted to see if anyone liked my stuff. Then I began meeting new people and the rest is history. Pros of the app for me are that you have a creative outlet, get to meet new people and be inspired by others to keep improving. Cons of the app are the spamming, copyright issues and the lack of effort by some people to improve their skills. It’s a photography app, not Tumblr and we both have seen a flood of junk showing up. But, that doesn’t keep us from posting. You gotta drown out the negative with the positive. That’s just part of it being a social app.
BP: Holly had some shots stolen and gained a lot of support from the IG community for the IG Anti-Theft movement. Holly, you’ve been able to return to IG after such a terrible happening. What brought you back? Dave how were you able to support her outside of IG? Can you describe the emotions of finding out about this, processing, and coming to the conclusion to return?
H: I couldn’t stay away! I get very emotional about things, overly emotional sometimes and I wear them on my sleeve. I have had other shots stolen but have learned how to deal with it better. Yes, I still get very mad. It’s very frustrating to see a shot that you worked hard on on someone else’s profile taking the credit for it. I might not make money from my shots but that doesn’t mean anything. I put myself in each one. My editing is pure gut feeling so when someone steals a shot, I take it very personally. My first thought was “I quit”. I was mad and frustrated and just wanted to quit. The anger starts going away with the power of the flag, report and block options. But once your photo and/or the user is removed it’s hard to stay away. Yes, it will probably happen again but that little report/block button is very powerful.
D: I am more passive in how I handle things. I typically play the “peace keeper” role. But, I have to stay supportive of Holly throughout and just encourage her. I just reminded her that for every one “bad” person, there are thousands of others who are inspired by her and appreciate her work.
BP: I remember thinking to myself, “this couple has got to be the first family of IG!”. Both of you were able to pull many successful challenges, which ultimately helped Ale and I come up with some Life To Music challenges. Do you all plan to still do challenges in the future? If you are, what are some ideas of challenges that we may see from you all?
H: I miss doing challenges! The success of my Gotham Clouds Challenge was very exciting but it’s also exhausting. We’ve taken a little break from challenges but plan to start again after the new year! As far as ideas, we haven’t really thought much about it. We agree that there are certain things you have to consider to make it successful so a lot of thought goes into each one and we haven’t gotten that far yet.
D: The challenges are a blast and I can’t wait to partner with Holly again on future ones. We’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t work in a challenge and have established great relationships with @postalpix, @hatchcraft and @keepsy. We will definitely be starting up again after the holidays.
BP: Back to the kiddos. I know for myself, every chance I get I try to get my little one to learn how to use the camera. Did your children naturally take on mobile photography? What are some of the things you would say to other parents who have future mobile artists i their family?
D: Our kids have had a camera in their face since the minute they were born. I think they have just learned by example and have each taken on their own personal flare. We love to see what they come up with and are blown away sometimes at the shots they take. For parents of future mobile artists, encourage them to be creative with their shots. If they do end up in a social environment like IG, just monitor them closely. We post the kids’ pics for them on IG so they can have a creative outlet, but they don’t actually go to the pop page and see what else people are posting. Until the content is cleaned up, they won’t. They still enjoy hearing the comments and how many likes they received. They all compete with each other a little in that way.
BP: Who is Wilbur the Ant? What does Wilbur the Ant represent? What is the future for Wilbur the Ant?
D: Wilbur was created on IG back in June after I lost my job. I needed a creative outlet and posted a pic of an ant. He was named and people prompted me to keep posting new pics. So he became a way for me to share my daily experiences and emotions. Soon after people suggested a book be written and that’s what I did. Wilbur now brings happiness to many folks on IG and has become a member of the community. I plan on writing more books and just enjoying the ride for now. Reading the book for kids has been the best part of the experience. Their minds are so open to learning and they are sponges.
BP: In one year, what have ya’ll seen change in IG? for the worst? for the best? Have ya’ll tried any of the other photo social apps? Why or why not?
D: The biggest thing I’ve seen change is the volume of spammers. Some of that may just be more noticeable due to the amount of followers I have. The app has improved greatly and @mikeyk and @kevin have done a great job with maintenance and improvements to the app. I haven’t really tried to many other photo social apps. Mainly just because I like to stay focused on one community.
H: I agree that the amount of negativity, spamming and stealing have all increased but that’s gonna happen with so many more millions of people on than when we started. But there are also more great people to see and share with. I haven’t been interested in any other photo social apps. IG meets my needs and wants and isn’t one addiction bad enough? ????
BP: Where do you see the future of mobile photography/ arts is going?
H: I think it’s just going to keep blowing up. I think mobile cameras will continue to get better and I would love to shoot a wedding entirely by iphone.
D: As the technology improves, it will only get better. Apple has really pushed the art form forward. I eventually see stereo (3D) photography being a logical next step, but it will be a ways off. I’d love to someday do an exhibit strictly limited to mobile photography.
BP: Lastly, what does the future hold for the Temple family? in general and in the mobile photography community?
D: We basically take one day at a time. Who knows where things will go from here. We can only hope it’s good. The key is to just be open to positive new experiences. For mobile photography, I’ll pretty much go as long as the technology allows, and it looks like it will only get better. So you guys are pretty much stuck with me. Haha
H: Ditto
Dave’s Favorite Shots
Train Tracks – Taken in the evening and edited with snapseed. I love the mood of this shot and it’s vanishing point.
Old Man – This was a homeless man in Wicker Park that I paid $5 to take his pic. He has an amazing face! I used snapseed for this shot as well.
Holly’s Favorite Shots
Sunsets on the lake in TN were my favorite. I love color so this shot was eye candy for me! Edited with ProHDR, camera+ and tilt shift generator
Queen Anne’s lace, sunset and clouds. How could it get any better! I love shooting weeds/twigs/flowers in front of a sunset. ProHDR
The Temple Kid’s Favorite Shots
Ducks – Taken by Colin with his cell phone in Chicago during an Instameet
Gate- taken and edited by Emily on her cellphone during Instameet in Chicago
Me and Mom – Taken by Chloe. Shot in Chicago at an Instameet.
by Brad Puet | Dec 21, 2011 | Chops with BP, Featured Articles
BP’s Introduction
Peace ya’ll. For my first Juxt interview, I wanted to find someone who definitely represented themselves in a proper fashion. Someone who not only killed the photography portion, but killed the edit side with style, purpose, and vision. I couldn’t find anyone so I went with Marco. BAH, just playing. I chose to interview Marco because I was blown away by his feed. He has a crazy style and flare to his edits that not only represents him as an artist but his area, Brick City. I love that. I try to do the same (Seattle, Stand UP) and I find that Marco is someone who inspires me to look deeper into my own art to capture that. To me, it’s easy to capture people (oooh, that may get me some heat) BUT I think there are a few folks that I follow on IG, EyeEm, and SZ that are able to really capture the person and fully represent them on that level, not just a picture of them but a photograph of them. That sits true for Marco, real strong.
One of his first images that caught my eye, was of a woman walking by a mural in Brick City where he isolated the color on the girl and left the rest of the image in black and white. The woman has her head down, almost scared of the mural. The mural has the flowers coming out the sidewalk, a monster mothra sized butterfly, and a globe just a bit bigger than the mothra sized butterfly. The womans head is just about framed by another piece of the mural as if trying to box her head in. The caption reads, “Butterfly up high, got it’s eye on all passersby. No lie.”
Once I saw this image it was an immediate follow, an immediate homie holla, and an immediate mutual artist respect and friendship. I’m not the only one either. One of my friends on IG, Ryan Coleman @rcoleman, tagged me on one of his photos and exclaimed the same feelings, “DARY” (short for legendary). The both of us use that term only when appropriate and this feed is just that…DARY.
He has a new series that he is working on (but hopefully continues his “TAG” series) entitled “70’s album covers”. The vintage feel and art from back then is CLASSIC and he will definitely be able to capture that with his own background and experience in that genre. He is also is real keen on music. Marco sits back in not only his Hip Hop but is also in many genres like myself. But we rooted. We are of the same fabric. Enjoy his words, and his works. HOLLA at him when you get a chance.
And with that…I introduce Magic Marco…
BP: BP M: Marco
BP: Who is @magicmarco? What are you all about?
M: First I’d like to say peace to the whole Juxt fam. I think what you guys are doing here is a great thing for the mobile photography community and I look forward to seeing the site grow leaps and bounds. But ok, me…I’m just me like 50 Cent said years back. I’m your average trash talking, joke a lot, dirty flick watching, paperback book reading, working and family man. Oh and due to my wife’s work schedule, I’m Mr. Mom every other weekend. It’s because of my two kids that I’m so grateful the liquor store is right down the block.
BP: Tell us all about your area and how does this influence you. Your style?
M: I’m from a small town called Newark, NJ. It’s like Miami’s South Beach but without the palm trees, beautiful homes, nightlife or beach. Ok, all joking aside, Newark is an old industrial city. It’s not much of a tourist attraction. Not by a long shot. In fact, our biggest draw is the close proximity to NYC and the lower rates offered by local hotels. Essentially we’re the unofficial bastard “6th borough” of NYC. About as appealing a place to live in as the Bronx but I love it. I love it and hate it at the same time if that makes sense. Brick City, or the The Bricks as we sometimes call it, has that whole hustle-n-bustle type vibe….the epitome of the rat race. You either hustle and make something of your life or get lost in the cracks. People love to write off Newark as the slums but there’s a lot of beauty to be found. The vibe, the essence of the people, the melting pot of the different ward’s cultures and mentalities is home and it’s my mission to capture them in a honest and artistic way.
BP: Bro, who are the biggest influences in your life? And why?
M: My mama, my baby mama and everything in between. Yeah. Oh, and I’m influenced by how much money I have in my pocket at any given moment. Cause if I’m broke I don’t feel too confident. Therefore I’m not my usual me. Ok, I’m not even making sense here. Next question.
BP: Whats the weapon of choice when it comes to shooting? Where does it shine? Where you think it needs some assistance?
M: I use an iphone4. It helps me tremendously because I’m listening to music all day while working anyway. So, you can usually find me with the ear buds on and when a photo op presents itself, bamn!, I whip the trusty iphone out my pocket and snap. It’s super convenient. Plus the 5 mega pixel camera isn’t too shabby either. Those are pros for sure. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of photo apps accessible at any time. Editing a pic while sitting in a Wendy’s Drive-Thru is a beautiful experience. Cons? Um, well it’s a given that the iphone sucks donkey balls when it comes to night shots. So far that’s my only complaint. Dear Apple, fix that shit. Sincerely yours, Marco.
BP: What apps you got in your darkroom, bro? You chose to share this shot with us, tell us the movement/ process you took on this one.
M: I use ProCamera for all my shots. I like the default big button feature and auto saves to the camera roll so I definitely stick with ProCamera. I also use Snapseed, Filterstorm, and Juxtaposer. Oh and Camera+ for the Clarity and of course a bunch of other shit cause I’ll appstack the hell out of a pic if need be. The ones I mentioned though are my staple go-to apps. But ok, lemme break down the editing process for P.i.G.e.O.n.S.
First I’d like to say I hate pigeons. Bunch of dirty ass shit dropping nuisances with feathers is what they are. One of them fuckers shitted on my head a few years back. So fuck them.
Anyway, so for this pic I captured with ProCamera in the daytime. Then I added Clarity in Camera+ and sent it to Filterstorm to turn into B&W and saved. Still in FilterStorm, I used the Vignette damn near all the way in to create fake moon and saved again. I took that B&W image without moon in Iris and used the Solarize effect and saved. Then I blended both images in Juxtaposer and finally added ND-Grad in Photo fx. Tah-dah, Halloween looking ass pigeons!
BP: Ok bro, what do you want us to take away with your photography? What’s your expectations?
M: Basically I’m looking for the same response as every other photographer….if I may so boldly refer to myself as that. What I want is simple…….I want you to look at my pics and be like, “Damn, that is the most beautiful photo I ever seen in my life! Marco’s a fuckin’ genius and I hope all my kids turn out to be just like him!” That’s it, I don’t expect much.
BP: OK Marco, you rolled out a new-er series using TAGS. Can you tell us what is behind this series? Why are you doing this series and its meaning to you? For some folks, they don’t know really what “tags” are. What would you tell them “tags” is all about?
M: Ok, TAGS are the overlooked, more simplified style of graffiti that you see everywhere in the city. They’re mainly just names of the writer. Definitely nothing fancy like murals or the more elaborate, colorful type pieces that most folk associate graffiti with. Urban calligraphy if you will. Writer’s bomb the city with their tag…..basically tattooing as much property as possible as a claim to fame. I started the TAGS series as a challenge to myself because I was getting bored taking regular street candid shots. The challenge is that for every tag I see and like, I take a photo of it and then have to take a candid street shot within the vicinity. No more than two blocks apart. Afterward I combine the two and make the funky fresh images I post on InstaGram. Lately I’ve been including stand-up comedy in the captions as well. Might as well share some laughter while I’m at it.
BP: You and I connect lots of levels. One of which is the love for Hip Hop. You got Hip Hop references all over your stuff. Tell us about what Hip Hop means to you.
M: Most definitely! I’m a Hip Hop head 155% to the 10th power. I walk, talk and live Hip Hop. I don’t breakdance but I’m a B-Boy at heart. Does that make sense? As a kid, when my parents were vibing to their Merengue and Salsa, I was bumping Run-DMC, Afrikaa Bambataa, LL Cool J, and so forth and so on. I fell in love with Hip Hop around age 5 or 6. Not as a casual listener, no sir. I completely submerged myself into the whole culture. I would run to see the older kids have b-boy battles on cardboard or I’d rush to witness rhyme cyphers at the lunchroom tables and the beatbox rhyme cyphers after school. I knew which artists were down with who and the beefs…..ah man, I could talk about Hip Hop all day. That definitely has a huge influence on my life period. I’m Hip Hop like KRS said.
BP: Knowledge gets shared. No doubt! Drop something on us that you live by.
M: Ok, there’s an old grumpy fuck on the radio named Gary Null. He has a talk show that covers health, political and societal issues in general. Dude is very informative and I’m definitely grateful for the knowledge he shares but sometimes he’s boring as fuck. His voice could put an insomniac in a coma. Plus he gets irate too easily. But he’s old and that’s how old folks get down.
Anyway I copped one of his books, and a particular paragraph stood out. I typed it, printed it and framed it. It goes, …….
“When you let go of your relentless thinking, you can rest. Once you’re relaxed, visualize what you want and start your journey. When we wake up we just jump into the day. We’re so focused on starting our rituals and routine that we don’t visualize the greater importance of the day. This is a twenty-four-hour-period we can never live again. So what can we do in this twenty-four hours that’s new and unique, empowering and fulfilling?”
I love that.
BP: You represent New Jersey. Brick City. Tell us all about your area. What do you love about your area? Describe for us the people, the culture and how that influences your art.
M: Yeah, like I mentioned earlier….I have a love/hate relationship with my city. I love it but hate the fact that plenty folk don’t take more pride in maintaining their surroundings. Therefore whole blocks of the city look like they do. And I hate referring to my neighborhood as….’the hood’, but that’s what out-of-towners think of it anyway. Still though, I get annoyed with tasteless ‘ghetto’ pics. Newark may not ever make the “Top place to live in America” list and yes it has it’s share of riff raff but it’s also full of hardworking folk just trying to make ends meet and trying their best to ensure their kids have a bright future just like any other town. There’s so much more to Newark than being ‘the hood’. In fact, fuck that label….’the hood’. I promised myself to never to post any disparaging images of Newark and it’s people because we already get kicked and put down by out-of-towners enough. I don’t kid myself or try to portray Newark in some phony pretty type way but I do try to capture it with style. Well….I think so at least. My bad, lemme get off my soapbox. Hi Mama.
BP: Who influences or inspires you as far as your photography? and why?
M: Oh by the way, I don’t have a baby mama. I mean….my wife is my baby mama. Just her. And I’m a superb dad. Like Dad of the Year type dad. I just wanted to clear that up. Just so you know. But um, ok…my influences? Um, shit I don’t know. Jesus? Oprah Winfrey? I don’t know. Everybody. There. Everybody in the whole planet inspires and influences me. Especially and most definitely all the cool ass people I’ve met on InstaGram. You know who you are.
BP: Your style is dope (awesome). Have you experimented or found a different style that you would like to try out?
M: Thank you. I appreciate that. For reals. I know I’ve been talking trash throughout the interview but seriously I second guess my work a lot. I feel there are much better street photographers and I aspire to capture at least a smidgeon of that same magic, ya know. The emotions, the real life, the powerful evocative type images is what I’m after and I got a long ways to go. So in the meantime, I’m definitely experimenting as I go along. Like what I’m doing with the TAGS series for instance. When I get bored of that, I’ma try something else and hopefully it’ll be aesthetically pleasing and then some. I like candids but I also love approaching people for portraits. So I’m thinking I may do a series of portraits but edited in a way to look like old 70’s album covers. A lot of 70’s album covers are funky as hell. So yeah, matter fact I think that is gonna be my next project.
BP: Lastly, what’s the future looking like for @magicmarco and this art form?
M: Honestly I would love to be more involved in capturing my city on an official level. Not something lame like taking pics of the Mayor cheesing for the camera while he’s shaking hands with other cornball politicians. Nah, I wanna be commissioned to capture the heart and soul of the city. The people. All with my iphone. I know it sounds far fetched but that’s my goal. And no, I wasn’t smoking weed. I don’t smoke. Not anymore.
But yeah man, I just wanna do my little part to help push the craft forward. Ya know? To help show that mobile photography is indeed a respectable craft…not looked down on as some fake ass offshoot of ‘real photography’. There are already so many talented people making and posting mind-blowing images online and that’s just with the current technology. Can you imagine how much more the envelope is gonna get pushed as the phones and apps get more advanced? We’re on our way to a world where brides will look to hire professional mobile photographers to shoot their weddings. And without one skeptic in the crowd. Watch, it’s going to happen.
Marco L., Instagram: @magicmarco
BP for Juxt, Instagram: @bradpuet
**Stay tuned**
This is a TAG Interview. @magicmarco will interview @brooklyntheory in the near future!
