More recent print

I also recently shot a story for Birmingham Magazine called Best of Birmingham for which I made several portraits of the winners of different categories. My favorite of which was photographing Frank Stitt at Highlands Bar and Grill for three different wins: Frank for Best Chef and Best Local Food Advocate as well as Highlands Bar and Grill for Best Service (for which I also photographed a server, Goran, who has been there since Highland's opened their doors).

The main photo I wanted to get was a classic portrait of Frank shot on large format with simple, natural light. We chatted a bit about what we both wanted out of the shot and I was pleased to know he wanted his kitchen staff in the photo with him for his "Best Chef" shot. I went with the same natural light setup I'd thought about for the solo shot and applied it to the whole group with the goal of creating a photo I could visualize hanging in the restaurant's kitchen at the turn of the century. An image with a certain amount of pride and dignity to it. (I don't know that I could have pin pointed it like that in the moment, but thats the emotion that came with the idea of the group shot and the chef wanting to give credit to his team.)

Enough rambling. I ended up shooting the main shot with a Crown Graphic (127mm) on Fuji FP100C45, recovering the negative, and scanning that. It turned out super gritty and made my day.

While waiting on the kitchen crew to get ready we chatted a bit in the dining area during which time I shot much more casual frames of just Frank which, to my surprise, ended up running as the cover. Below is the cover as it ran for the September issue.

We're having a FIRE!...sale.

On my way home a couple of weeks ago I saw a HUGE plume of smoke over my city (above).

So I got closer.

Day 345

Random shot from a few Sundays ago. I was testing out the leica and brought it with me to this newish place here in town called ZaZa. My friendquaintance Braxton works there and was serving up a salad. Just digging and saw it again for the first time and kinda liked it, even though its perhaps imperfect.

Day 189

Wes shooting at the Bearons pre-game throw down. this will end up on poptpop.

Day 170

Magic City Art Connection

I am just now getting around to loading photos on my computer, and organizing things from a week ago. Last weekend I went to the Magic City Art Connection, in Birmingham, AL. I grew up in Hoover, but have never been to this event. I was so happy to be there, and see everything! I know that artists that showed there are from all over the place, but there was so much inspiring work, it made me proud of Birmingham. I'm glad to know that the art scene there is great, and still growing.

I want to mention a few good artists I saw there. And I hope they don't hate me for it, but I took photos of their art, so that I could remember them, and remember their work, and also blog about it here if I wanted to. I'm going to post some of my eye-catchers here over time.


Possibly the most memorable was John Lytle Wilson.

This guy should do character designs for a movie, and write it. (or tv show) I expect that the storyline would be amazing, because what's actually going on in these paintings, I do not know, but you have to have an original imagination for this kind of content.

Day 117

I feel today: Meh.

Day 109

A foggy day a while back on the day some friends had a baby.

Day 062

Alan Barton. Yep.

Birmingham zoo!

Day 335

yesterday was so gross. the fog got worse than this through the day...by the time we went to sleep the studio was nigh on bright from all the light refraction from (at least) the city lights. it was a most perfect day to stay inside and watch my current obsession The West Wing. brilliant show.

i'd be remiss, however, to provide for you proof that nasty days can still be fruitful.

stephanie was in town for thanksgiving and we had the privilege to have kevin mosey over to the studio.
we decided it was time to have uke a million to team up with cat "steve" evans and the song this time would be a wonder from the vault of The Mr. T Experience.

all that to say, not only did we produce an awesome cover of Sorry for Freaking Out on the Phone Last Night, it even managed to find it's way to, lead singer, dr frank's blog.