Podcast

Top 5(ish) Photos of 2020 - (As If We Needed to Be Reminded).

You know…it’s almost as if there was something that happened this year that just sucked all of the joy and energy out of the air, but I just can’t put my finger on it.

Normally I’m pretty excited about these roundup posts. I typically like going back and remembering all of the fun times on set, and reviewing old images that had been delivered, and picking out the forgotten gems that didn’t make the original cut. But this year I have struggled with making this roundup and have put it off about as long as I could possibly justify.

I still think that there were some great memories this year, even if I have to force myself to find the positivity in the process.

The year started off with an immediate trip to Europe. I had just started a new job and spent the first weeks of the year training and getting into the swing of what my days would be filled with.

Having worked for an EU based company for the last several years, I’m no stranger to flying for business. However Copenhagen was its own experience all together. I am so not used to the idea of a Nordic winter where things start to get dark around 3pm and by the time you are done for the day there is almost no daylight left.

I think this was one of the first times I got to get out and really use the Sony A7RIV I bought at the end of 2019. Shooting at extremely high resolution at night is not as easy as you would think! But I still was able to capture some of my “traditional” images of Europe’s various bikes and street art.


When it came time to start shooting portraits again, I had the end of 2019 fresh in my mind and wanted to continue a trend of very minimalist photos that I had been working on.

On my birthday I had the chance to work again with the wonderful Nina La Voix during a trip to New York City. I had planned on being in NY a lot this year (Ha), but even if that didn’t happen I always enjoy my time with Nina and hope to be able to work with her and her circle again soon.

My “home studio” also got a good bit of work at the beginning of the year when I had sessions with Ruby Marx, Gideon Hodge, Jack Calico, and Magenta Marie in what felt like back to back to back bookings


And then, “IT” happened. We had heard rumblings of some sort of illness that was circulating abroad, but it never seemed to be THAT bad. I personally didn’t know what to think or believe until I was in the Atlanta airport and saw the breaking news that the US/Canada border was closed until further notice.

To be honest I think I was more frustrated that my trip to Canada the next week would need to be rescheduled, but then I noticed how empty the Atlanta airport was, and thats when things got a little scary.

I’ve made the joke several times this year, but I’ll say it again. It’s very hard to be a portrait photographer when it’s not a responsible choice to be around other people. So I quickly found out I needed to buckle down and find other ways to get my creativity into the world, and take the time to add some new tools to my photographer’s tool kit.

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I hope that in 2021 I’ll be able to actually show the many hours of work that went into this project. But until then enjoy these recreations of some comic book logos.

Additionally I did some work creating some other vector art pieces for myself and for friends of the blog The Fandom Nerdlesque.

(Psssst, If you want to see the photos we originally created for this show you can find them here).

 

Additionally to learning vector art, I wanted to get into some other arts as well. I managed to snatch up a decent microphone setup before COVID made them almost impossible to purchase:

In this episode your host learns the hard way that podcasting isn't as easy as it looks while trying to explain why we are all here spending this time together. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast.

Blake sits down virtually with Comedian and Podcast Host, Rivers Langley to talk Headshots, Comedy, Podcasting, and some experiments with long gone Polaroid film. To see the photos talked about in this episode, make sure to visit the blog at: UNEXphotography.com/news/2020/7/19/rivers-langely-2020.

In this episode, Blake describes a new project that he is starting and sits down with some of the first friends he made after moving to Atlanta a decade ago to talk about one of the things he loves most in the world...cats.

I’ll be honest that this particular project didn’t exactly take off as much as I’d like for it to have, but I wouldn’t consider this to be dead just yet.

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It wasn’t all bad though. I started a new project “The Cats Who Live with my Friends” where I bother my friends to let me take photos of their cats…

I need to re-visit this project with some vigor next year and get some more entries lined up and in the can.


Ruby Marx asked me to photograph some non-traditional graduation photos of herself:


And my friends Cody and Tegan asked me to capture one of their most important days:

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Devyn was recommended to me by her sister (and no stranger to this blog CharLee):

And now for some photos I’ve been holding on to specifically for this entry, the two sisters demanded that I took some photos of the two of them just being sisters and having a completely un-staged pillow fight. Really…this wasn’t staged at all…nope…not at all ;).


I also want to give a big shout out to Tom and Michelle from Apocalypse in Review for finding me interesting enough to have me on twice this year!

While all of the movies we've featured on our podcast have fetching titles in regards to the dumpster fire that is 2020, this one seems especially fitting. Doomsday (2008) is an action-packed hodgepodge of everything you'd want in an action movie: beautiful ass-kicking woman protagonist, great action sequences, gruesome deaths, and crazy cannibals.

We're so excited to have our friend and portrait photographer, Blake Griffin, back on our show! We watched Akira, the anime movie of all time. We discussed some trivia and Blake through out some cool facts about how Akira created a shift in action movies and became the movie that brought anime into Western culture.

Also please be on the lookout next year as Michelle and I are in the beginning phases of having some episodes of Let Me Take Your Picture where we discuss the art of portrait photography from both a beginner and professional POV.


I think it’s only fitting that I end this entry with a photo of a plague doctor. All things considered I guess I came out ok. I still have my health (mostly) and have been extremely fortunate to keep stable employment through this rollercoaster of a year. I can hope that next year will slowly begin to get more and more “normal” again and maybe by 2022 we will enter a new renaissance of the arts (a boy can dream anyway).

I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself because there is still a lot of bridges to cross, but I have some plans of what I’d like to accomplish in 2021. I want to do what I can to get some more content in the can before I launch it though. I hope to reconnect with some former regulars here on the blog, and continue to create content that is enjoyable (for both me and all of you) and back a little closer to my “roots”.

We’ll get the band back together in due time ;).

Until then, have a wonderful (and safe) new year. Wash your hands, Wear your mask, Get Vaccinated, and don’t gather in large crowds. We’ll get through this together. See you on the other side!

Rivers Langley - 2020 (2018).

So, naturally, I’d be the guy who would want to start a podcast about taking photos of people…during a time when it’s not wise to get closer to 6 feet from someone. I can’t say I’ve ever had the best timing, but when the idea strikes, you have to act on it. Thankfully I know some awesome people who are willing to step up and take on a challenge.

Back in 2018, I had the chance to meet up with Comedian and Podcaster, Rivers Langley, and take some new head-shots at the Standard Deluxe compound in Waverly, Alabama. Check out the first batch of these photos from when Rivers and I first shot together here.

So going back to the podcast, I took a look back at some of the photos I didn’t use back in 2018 and came across a few great moments that I felt needed to be shared and figured I’d chat with the man himself about what he’s been up to in the time of Corona.

Let Me Take Your Picture - Episode 1 - Rivers Langley:

Blake sits down virtually with Comedian and Podcast Host, Rivers Langley to talk Headshots, Comedy, Podcasting, and some experiments with long gone Polaroid film. To see the photos talked about in this episode, make sure to visit the blog at: UNEXphotography.com/news/2020/7/19/rivers-langely-2020.


During the episode Rivers and I talk about some of his experiments with Polaroid film. He sent me these photos to share with everyone, and I think they are pretty cool. I knew this kind of thing was possible, but I’ve never really tried it myself!


And if you liked the cut of Rivers’ jib, make sure to check out and subscribe to his very entertaining podcast:


This Is Rad! - (The Alien Franchise)

Earlier this year I had the chance to meet Kyle Clark at his album taping for Absolute Terror (Info below), but I guess this story actually starts farther back than that (Spoiler Alert: We talk about it on the episode). At the taping Kyle gave me a standing invite to come on the show if I was ever in the LA area. Well, it just so happened that in early October I was doing some traveling and reached out.

I had a great time meeting and recording with the whole Rad! crew, and encourage you to listen to my goofy ass voice talk about Aliens for three hours (yeah…no joke). Hopefully I’ll be able to make it back and maybe get another episode recorded in the can.

And of course, my offer does still stand for headshots or anything Radland Records related ;)

This is a rare chance to hear me talk about something that isn’t photography related…so enjoy!


This week Kyle and Matthew welcome photographer Blake Griffin to the show to chat about the Alien Franchise. Everybody involved is a fan and they really go deep on this one. From the cinematic perfection that are Alien and Aliens to the triumphs and tragedies of the comics and video games. We dig into the franchise and leave very few stones unturned. So climb into your power loader and strap in because in podcasting nobody can hear you scream. (That’s not true, we hear Kyle scream on this podcast all the time. Zing!)

 

Weekly Rads:

Kyle – HBO’s Watchmen (show)

Matthew – The Outer Worlds (video game)

check out Laura’s new designs on TeePublic!!!

Guys, Kyle’s new album Absolute Terror is offfically out!!! Get it wherever you stream music… no for real… do it now… please…

This episode is sponsored by www.mackweldon.comuse the promo code RAD and get 20% off your first order.

Check out our merch!

https://www.teepublic.com/stores/this-is-rad

Also! Check out march for Kyle’s record label Radland Records https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/4109261-radland-logo

Also! Laura started an online store for her art! Go buy all of her stuff!!!https://www.teepublic.com/stors/lmknight?ref_id=8178

Follow us on social media or whatever!

Twitter: @ThisIsRadPod @kyleclarkisrad @MatthewBurnside @LMKnightArt

Instagram: @thisisradpodcast

Rivers - 2018.

If you don’t know Rivers Langley yet, you should.

Rivers is a stand up comedian from Auburn, Alabama currently based in Los Angeles. I was introduced to him through his podcast The Goods from the Woods, which he shares with two other smart and hilarious individuals (as well as a rotating cast of equally funny guests).

After being hooked by the southern-fried podcast, I quickly followed Rivers on Twitter where we occasionally would tweet back and forth with each other. We met in late 2017 while he was home visiting Alabama, and I am happy to consider him as a friend.

This year, he announced that he would be having his usual holiday show, and I knew I had to act while I had the chance. In exchange for the hours of entertainment he has facilitated for me over the last few years, I wanted to shoot some portraits in return.

Rivers and I both loved the backdrop of posters created by the Standard Deluxe team, so we set up and quickly had to rattle off a few shots. I think this backdrop, while a little busy for standard head-shots, creates a unique look for a very unique person.

I’m super stoked to share these photos as my last set of 2018:

Be sure to check out Rivers in the video below, and make sure you follow both him and The Goods’ social media accounts for some great comedy.

And of course, be sure to share the attitude of gratitude, because if you don’t then fuck you.


Big thanks to Scott over at Standard Deluxe for allowing us to shoot in his home/place of business. It was super awesome seeing all of the artwork, and I am stupid-jealous of your library. Can’t wait to be back in Waverly for the next adventure.


Happy new years everyone, see you all in 2019 with more great photos and exciting stories.
-B

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