So, when I was in college getting my degree in art and concentrating in photography, "WHAT are you gonna do with THAT?" was a question I heard a LOT. I really didn't know, but I knew I loved art and, at the time, that's what I wanted to spend most of my time doing. Like any photographer that loves people, I used my friends for my photo shoots. It just so happened that a lot of my friends (and especially the most photographically interesting ones) were skateboarders and musicians. So, since I was constantly showing photographs of skateboarders and musicians in my class critiques, one of my professors introduced me to this awesome photographer named Glen Friedman, who spent the better part of his young adult life traveling with professional skateboarders and amazing musicians. I bought some of his books and began to develop this crazy idea in my head that THIS was what I was gonna do after graduation! Well, plans to save the world derailed that crazy idea (and if my parents think I'm crazy now for spending the bulk of my time with gang members and people who are imprisoned, they REALLY would have hated that career choice). But, recently I've had several opportunites to pretend, even just for an evening, that the crazy idea really is my life!
I met these guys when I was at a local hip hop show to support and photograph my friend Myke. They were performing when I got to the show, and I can honestly say they are a photographer's dream! So, I snapped a couple shots before the end of their set and caught them afterwards to get their info so I could get them the pics. Sadly, I didn't get too many good shots of them at the first show because I hardly wanted to beast my way in front of all their friends to get shots. But I did go back for a second show and got some better ones there.
So, what makes them a photographer's dream? They are so full of talent, personality, passion, and presence that I didn't really have to do ANYTHING at all to get good shots. Plus they have style...and that certainly doesn't hurt.
I don't know why, but it makes me feel good when I get pictures of the twins together...like their mom would be proud or something?? Also because these guys run around on stage doing so much different stuff, it's hard to catch them together! One could be in the back on the trombone while the other one is on the mic, then one could be in the back on the trumpet while the other is on the mic...it wouldn't surprise me at all if one day one of them whipped out a didgeridoo and started playing it while the others were rapping...and it would still sound like amazing hip hop.
Here are some shots from performance number 2 (which unfortunately was also plagued by my camera battery dying, and then a barfight. I can't WAIT until I actually get to really photograph an entire show of theirs!)
I think Fred quite possibly is the most animated of the bunch...and he knows where the cameras are. I didn't even move all night! And still got great shots like this:
This is one of my favorites...if you notice, Fred and Joshua (twin1) are in the foreground, but you can still see Jonah (twin2) in the back with his trumpet.
And then, when I thought the pics couldn't get any better, out comes THIS GUY, who goes by Myk'l (pronounced like Michael...but he is just too cool to spell it so plain!), who not only has a great singing voice:
but he also just oozes this effortless style and confidence. This pic is one I took of him just standing watching the other guys perform (and I was clear across the bar...he had no clue I was taking it). I mean, who just looks THIS cool when they are just standing there?
I threw this one in just to give you a glimpse of the musical talent that is present when they perform. Not only are they awesome lyricists, but at any given moment you can and should expect to see a dj, a full drum set, guitar, bass guitar, a few trombones and trumpets, and a keyboard....and probably more that I've forgotten about. By the way, their name is BeatNam...or well, I think that's what the twins go by. Then there's Fred who goes by Solomon, and Michael who goes by Myk'l and all the musicians, well when they perform with BeatNam they are "the Vets". I hope I got that right. Confusing, yes. But awesome.
