Got an email from Alternative Press back in February about doing a shoot with the Valdosta, GA group From First to Last. I accepted and proceeded to dive right into some of the craziest weeks of my life. The shoot went well, but I had multiple, large and well paying shoots all fall through at the same time that the engine in my Honda CR-V decided it wanted to completely stop working. I’m extremely grateful that the FFTL guys let me stay at their place for a while as my engine was slowly replaced by a local mechanic, there was no way I could afford a hotel.
Here are the tear sheets from the AP article, it’s actually my first feature article in three years of doing photo shoots for them. WHOA… has it really been three years? I’m getting old. Also, there was a last minute change that caused them to swap the two photos… the second photo was supposed to be the spread, I was pretty bummed over that change since I shot it all with a certain usage in mind.
From First to Last - Alternative Press Feature 2010
From First to Last - Alternative Press Feature 2010
90′s grunge band, anyone? (outtake):
From First to Last
I also did some setups for their new label, Rise Records. Here are a few select images from that (not all were used):
From First to Last
From First to Last
From First to Last
Fun shot from a recent Dead Bury Dead shoot I had the other week. Shot a short film that day as well, expect that within a month or two. Click the photo to view larger.
Ingredients -
One giant blanket acting as a cheap 4×8 flag.
Three lights
One smoke grenade (note – obtain more next time. They don’t last long)
Various mixed surplus war apparel.
Fake blood and soot
One killer cigar.
Mix well in an empty field area, bake at ISO 100 400 and pick the best shot for final promotional use. Season to taste.
Your brand is important.
You can’t build it up so much that it’s only about you, some people do that and come across as full of themselves.
You must make a name of yourself and create an image that sells. Just as you might work in an industry where you create an image for other people in order to sell them, you must create one for yourself that sells you to people who want to hire you to create images for other people.
Image is important in the web 2.0 world.
Your portfolio must represent who you are as a creative. It must represent what you enjoy doing. It has to represent YOU.
YOU are your portfolio. Your PORTOFLIO is YOU. Represent it well.
My roommate Brad carved a pumpkin. Soooooo I took a photo of it and made it look even creepier than it was! Sadly the brain guts haven’t been taken out and scattered about yet, but it’s still pretty sweet.
Pumpkin
edit: Added a nice little costume shot. I was a bum and didn’t go to any halloween parties, but Brad (right) and his friend did-
Halloween costumes
They seem to be blowing up, I figured it would happen. Just today for example, I went and checked out a video review from gamespot.com on the game Borderlands and a Cage the Elephant song was playing throughout the entire review.
I did a shoot with Cage the Elephant earlier this year, was part of a Sony/Red Summer Music Guide/Mini AP magazine. I had one of the four covers, we did the shoot (stressfully!) at Bamboozle east. Had twenty minutes with the band to pull off two looks, and while it ended up being more like 1 1/2 looks, it came out well.
Here is my favorite photo from the shoot, it’s also posted on my website under the “music” section. They’re coming through Atlanta November 21st.
Cage the Elephant (www.keatonandrew.com)
