News & Updates

Al-Thawra in Mother Jones

01-11-2009

Al-Thawra
Have a photo in the new issue of Mother Jones as part of a short piece on the Chicago based Taqwacore band Al-Thawra. It’s in the Jan/Feb issue. Pick it up.
Click either image to see full size.

Messenger: Portraits from the 2008 NACCC

12-18-2008

NACCC Chicago
I've got an exhibit up right now at the Gold Star Bar here in Chicago of portraits from the 2008 North American Cycle Courier Championship, which happened this past August.
Prints are available for sale and the exhibit will run until Mid-January. Monday's are $3 pints and there's free pool and popcorn. Yup.
Directions to the Gold Star.
Click either image to see full size.

More Studio Work

10-21-2008

Augie Montes for 4 Star Courier
Been working in the studio more lately, but am getting back on the road this week and the gone for a bunch of November. Did shoots for 4 Star Courier Collective, Luminaire and Kiff Slemmons, Killing Machine Apparel and Tru Models. Shot an on site series of Bike Messenger portraits for COG Magazine during the NACCC which should be coming out soon.
I'm keeping things more up to date as I'm working over on my blog and working on a new front page for this part of the site.
Click either image to see full size.

NACCC 2008 Chicago

09-02-2008

Chicago NACCC 2008
Still recovering from the epic three days that was the 2008 North American Cycle Courier Championship. Not only did I help with putting it on and did a ton of the design work, I shot the whole event, partially for COG as well as others. The event was amazing and huge props have to go out to Augie Montes and everyone who helped set up, race and support. I'm editing down stuff as fast as I can, to pull out what goes to whom, and will have stuff up on flickr as well as galleries here shortly.

Two Pages in COG Magazine

09-02-2008

COG Magazine
The new issue of COG Magazine just came out, featuring two pages of photos of mine from the Cycle Messenger World Championship, held back in June. You should get yourself a copy. Check out www.cogmag.com for more information.

Shoot for Bonnie & Clyde

08-18-2008

Bonnie and Clyde
Monika Pawlak and I did a spec shoot the other day for Bonnie & Clyde, a Chicago clothing boutique. Borrowed a custom chrome cruiser for it and shot it in a few hours at the studio.
Click either image to see full size

Shoot for Mother Jones Magazine

08-13-2008

Terracide
Just did a shoot for Mother Jones Magazine of a Chicago band, al-Thawra, for an article on the nascent Muslin punk Taqwacore scene. The show was in a basement space out on the west side and I got to shoot two other bands as well, Terracide from Minneapolis and Expendable Youth from Chicago. It was nice to be back in a basement shooting. I've said it before, but a basement it the best place in the world to see a band. I'll put up some of the al-Thawra stuff once the issue comes out.

Design for NACCC

08-08-2008

NACCC t-shirt
I've been working just about nonstop on design for the 2008 North American Cycle Courier Championship, handling a wide variety of design and photo stuff, as well as maintaining the website. It's been exhausting, but we're about a week and a half out from the event going down, and I'm pretty excited. T-Shirts have gone to the printer, as have the rider guides. I'll be shooting the event as well, both for COG and for other media. (click on the thumbnail to the left to see the full shirt).

NPPL Buffalo

07-24-2008

Marcus Neilsen at the NPPL Buffalo
Just got back from almost two weeks of travel, starting off with going out to PA to shoot and then home for a day, then back to Buffalo for the third leg of the NPPL Pro Paintball Tour. Then went straight from there to New York for a few days, then finally back to Chicago. I was shooting for the League again, which I'll probably do for the rest of the season. Photos will end up used across their different media concerns, like PB2X Magazine, as well as for promotional and publicity.

Assisted on Nickel Salon Shoot + Postcard Design

06-18-2008

Nickel Salon
Back at the end of May I assisted on a shoot with Monika Pawlak of Better Looking Studio on a shoot for Nickel Salon. It was a fun afternoon shoot in the studio space I share with her and another photographer. I ended up putting together the event postcard as well (click on the thumbnail to the left to see the full card).

CMWC 2008

06-18-2008

Cuttin' Cruiser
Just got back to Chicago from the Cycle Messenger World Championships up in Toronto. Amazing trip, rolling up with a bunch of the Chicago Cuttin Crew and other messengers (current and former) plus a whole crew of bike polo kids. Working on a piece about the trip for COG Magazine.
Gallery Link

Formed Records 109

06-12-2008

Vorwolf
Art went out for Formed Records 109 - Vorwolf's Snake's Eye. Really happy how it come out. I had put most of it together while out in Omaha and was for sure influenced by watching an amazing documentary film called Helvetica. It's nice that the identity of Formed is built around Helvetica, and seeing a film that got me teared up over a typeface made putting together this package just that much better. You can see more of what I've done for Formed at formedrecords.com

Amanda Levete Reception for Luminaire Chicago

06-10-2008

Amanda Levete at Luminaire Chicago
Had the opportunity to photograph the display and reception for renowned designer and architect Amanda Levete's appearance at Luminaire Chicago. The display featured furniture pieces that she is producing for Established & Sons, a British based design and manufacturing company. Luminaire is a contemporary furniture and accessories showroom with locations in Miami and Chicago, focusing on 20th century european design. They're also some really lovely people with great taste in furniture. Plus my wife works there. Additionally the photos have now appeared in I.D. Magazine, the international design magazine.
Gallery Link

Chicago Cuttin' Crew

06-09-2008

Jeff Perkins
Shot the Chicago Cuttin' Crew cycle racing team. The Chicago Cuttin’ Crew is a team of exceptional riders built from the messenger community and urban street racing circuit. Most of the team are current or ex messengers who are now competing in sanctioned cycle racing, and doing quite well at it, taking skills learned hard on the street and bringing them to the "legit" race world.
Gallery Link

NPPL Jacksonville

05-20-2008

Jeff Perkins
Back home from shooting the Jacksonville leg of the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) pro tour. I was working for the league itself as their in-house still photographer. First time I've shot paintball for money in about three years, and all said it was nice to be back. Kind of a comfortable feeling returning to what you did for six years. Stuff came out ok, even if I felt a little rusty. Photos will end up in a few magazines (Paintball 2Xtremes and Facefull) as well as used for promotional materials for the league.
Gallery Link

Formed Records 108

04-25-2008

SLW
Been working on a new Formed Records release called SLW, featuring Burkhard Beins, Lucio Capece,  Rhodri Davies and Toshimaru Nakamura. You can see more of what I've done for Formed at formedrecords.com

Brandon Showers

04-21-2008

Finished doing business cards and branding for LA based photographer Brandon Showers. Got to work with a great typeface (Johnson Underground), which has been one of my favorites for a long time. If you don't know it, it's the typeface used by the London Underground. Clean, readable with a nice vintage feel.

Chrome Aces Playing Cards

03-24-2008

Chrome Aces
So a while back I photographed a group of Chicago bike messengers for a benefit project Chrome is doing to support Bicycle Messenger Associations from four cities: SF, NYC, Portland and Chicago. Funds raised provide assistance to messengers who are injured on the job. All proceeds go directly back to the courier community via local Bicycle Messenger Associations as well as the international Bicycle Messenger Emergency Fund.

The cards just came out and are looking good. Check it and throw down $10 to a good cause.

Su Houston site and Photos

3-15-2008

Su- Houston.com
Finished doing my good friend Su Houston's new website,
su-houston.com the other day. It's up and running. I also photographed her for the site while she tattooed my friend Michelle. Su's a great tattoo artist, working out of both Chicago and New York City and if you're ever in either of those towns I recommend getting some work done.