Marry Durham!

Today The Beast performed at the Marry Durham event downtown. It was SO fun, they really know how to perform. The lighting was beautiful, I got some great stuff. Will definitely be using these for my final exhibit.

Today I went to The Beast's recording session. Pete's basement was turned into a recording studio complete with all the equipment and a separate room for the drummer. It was cool to watch; the lighting was dark, but I worked well in it.

Settings: 1/50, f3.5, 1600

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

Around noon I took some election/campaign photos for Ebonie. She is running for DSG Vice President for Student Life and wanted me to meet her in the gardens for a shoot. I had fun, this photo was one of my favorites. Check out the other ones here.

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

It is allllmost spring. The days are longer, the weather is getting there. The rain last night was luxurious, I was inside listening to the drops hit my window.

Tonight I have a meeting with Prof. Antonio about my project so far. I hope I've been doing okay with this blog. I am not sure if I am doing everything I am supposed to.

Things to talk about tonight:

1. Blog entries
2. Readings
3. Final exhibit
4. Band portraits in his studio

Peep this: The Beast's video for Translation ft. Orquesta Gardel

Pierce was featured on the front page of The Chronicle today.

Check it!

I wrote this for class the other day:

She is a creator.
Simply and beautifully.
Her eyes sparkling and seeing,
Her mind open and free.

She loves the sounds:
-the pulse of the camera
-the laughter
-her breath against her hand
-the sound of curious stares
-the hush

The wind blows through her hair.
She is a silhouette, the sun behind her, always.
Camera swinging from her neck, she direct;
Gentle, focused, enchanting.

Quote I woke up to this morning: "Anger merely makes us smaller." -Seth Godin

It is a BEAUTIFUL day outside, perfect for a photoshoot. My plan is to go "study" on the plaza so I can people watch and take photos...while I study.

:D

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

This performance was, in my opinion, their BEST I've seen! The Beast took their songs and created a well rounded show. The kids had just had a Black History Month assembly a few days ago, so Pierce decided to go with the same flow. He went through different genres of music--blues "I've got the playyyground blueesssss," hip hop, reggae, and gospel.

The kids were so excited to follow along and participate. Pierce brought lucky kids on stage and gave them instruments to play along and allowed one kid to sing "Quiero una fiestaaaa"

Afterward, the kids lined up for autographs. Girls were giggling around Pierce like he was Justin Bieber. The Beast are new elementary school celebs!

I had lots of fun. I know the band did too.

This morning, I am headed to E.K. Powe Elementary School. The Beast is performing at an assembly for first through fifth graders. I am interested to see the tweaks Beast is going to have to make to their songs (language, subject, etc) and to see the kids’ response. I think this is going to be the cutest thing. Excited.

I love this blog, Seth Godin is a marketing genius.

"Art is not in the eye of the beholder. It's in the soul of the artist." -Seth Godin

Playing with the light kit!

I GOT A LIGHT KIT!

My boss at the career center pulled through for me. Apparently she had a contact in Student Affairs who had a light kit laying around. Who knew??! Anyway, I'm going to go pick it up later. :D
!!!!
Prof. Antonio also emailed me with some good ideas that I will have to look into for lenses and such.

Can't wait to play with the lighting in my apartment!

I am so irritated today. I have been looking all over for a light kit that I can rent from Duke. With the plethora of resources, one would think it wouldn't be that hard. However, I cannot rent one anywhere. Because I am not in a class at the Center for Documentary Studies, nor am a Documentary Studies certificate, I cannot rent from the CDS cage (a place that has cameras, light kits, sound equipment, etc for check out). And because I am not in an AMI (Arts of the Moving Image) class, I cannot borrow one from there either. SO frustrating! Where are the resources for Visual Studies students?! Where are the resources for photography minors?!

I spoke to Meg at the career center bc she knows and is connected to all and I emailed Prof. Antonio for help. We shall see.

I got a shout out from M.K. today

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

Today was photo shoot day for The Beautiful. Project. I, as documenter, followed our photographers, took photos of them in their zone, and gave tips and advice as needed. I got some great stuff.

M.K. loved them!! He just sent me this email:

"These are excellent photos! You're a great photographer! I'll have these put on my website(s) and definitely credit you. It's always great working with talented folks. Hit me up when you get to MD.
One love.
----
MK"

Book Signing a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

Went through photos and made tweaks today. Check out more of the photos I sent to M.K. here

Tonight I photographed the UNC Black History Month event. The lecturer was M.K. Asante. M.K. Asante is a critically acclaimed author, professor, and filmmaker. This is the description that is given on the event page: “Asante’s extensive work with the movement for the liberation of African people has gained great recognition throughout the world and across several different fields.

Celebrated for his literary skill, Asante has been awarded both the 2009 Langston Hughes Award as well as the Jean Corrie Prize from the Academy of American Poets. His accomplishments also reach into filmmaking. Asante was awarded Best Documentary at the Africa World Documentary Film Festival for his 2009 film The Black Candle, which was co- written by esteemed poet Maya Angelou. In addition, his film 500 Years Later was the winner of five international film festival awards, and was recognized by the United Nations as they presented him with the Breaking the Chains award.”

Check out M.K.’s site here: http://www.mkasante.com/

It was AWESOME. I had so much confidence photographing tonight. M.K. specifically wanted photos that showed that CNN was there. I had a good time with this and I was all over the place, on the stage, in the back, behind the band, etc.

Today is my birthday! In my first class, we went for a walk in the gardens. It was wonderful, walking in the gardens, I went slowly and took in nature and the colors and breathed in the crisp air.

“We don’t have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky...Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy.” --Peace Is Every Step

During that walk I got a call from Pierce, the lead in The Beast. On Weds, they were playing for a Black History Month event and the lecturer was looking for someone to photograph. Pierce thought of me! He also mentioned that CNN would be there covering as well. How exciting!!!! I can’t wait.

p.s here’s a polaroid from tonight’s b-day dinner

Tonight I met with Prof. Antonio and the other girls, my first time meeting them. It was cool seeing what everyone is working on. I’m excited to see the progress we will have!

Btw today is Valentine’s day! My birthday is tomorrow so I got to open a present early: a Polaroid camera! I am so happy :) Here’s a Polaroid of the flowers I also got

Today I have been emailing a lot of people about my final exhibit event. Here is my plan:

Independent Study Exhibit

Location:

~Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture

• http://www.studentaffairs.duke.edu/mlw, use unique id to reserve spot
• April 1st, 8th, 15th, 7th, 14th, 28th, choose date, talk to band
• mary lou funding code?

~The Ark

• reserve through dance site

Lighting:

• Freewater Films
• CDS

Promotion:

• Flyers: get design made
• Dida poster
• Facebook event
• various listservs
• eflyer
• word of mouth: the beast, beautiful, etc

Photo Printing:

• talk to Jamaica

My eyes are bleeding from all this photo editing. Seriously, I hate photoshop.

"Nothing happens when you sit at home. I always make it a point to carry a camera with me at all times…I just shoot at what interests me at that moment."
-Elliott Erwitt

I wish I carried my camera around with me everywhere. I need to get in the habit of doing this, but it's hard because my camera is so big. I am going to try and make a commitment to do it anyways though. I always miss good stuff.

Duke beat UNC!!!!! So exciting! I was on TV yesterday after the game with one of my friends :D

I am at work and Rebecca (she works here at the career center) sent me a link to a local music photographer's site.

http://public.fotki.com/templesofgrey/

Apparently she is an older lady who loves to take photographs of local artists. Rebecca's husband is a local artist himself, check him out here

REFLECTION

I went online looking for music photography tips today to help with shooting at Jack Sprat tomorrow since it was difficult last time. I found this site by music photographer Todd Owyoung. He gave some great tips that i am eager to try tomorrow night:




1. Watch for patterns
2. Don't forget the drummer
3. Do your homework
4. Work the angles
5. Critique

Yesterday I went to “A Conversation with Carrie Mae Weems.” Before this I had never heard her speak nor really seen much of her work. Some things I learned:

• Ain't Jokin' Series: still relevant; a sense of folklore and humor; the discomfort of this series comes from reality; Weems calls attention to the joke & undermines it.
• Kitchen Table Series: a cinematic photo story
• She likes to use words along with her photos to add voice, flavor, and texture to the story. Words set up meditation for the viewer

I hope I am giving my viewers something to think about when they see my photos.

Today I am going to see Carrie Mae Weems speak. I have heard of her from Jamaica, the founder of The Beautiful. Project (which I’ll speak more on later). Carrie Mae Weems is a black female photographer who has inspired Jamaica’s personal work--she ravesss about her so I am excited to go. This is the info she sent in her email to me:

"Carrie Mae Weems is an award-winning photographer and visual artist. Her photographs, films, and videos focus on racism, sexism, gender relations, politics, and personal identity. In conjunction with her visit, her 4 minute, 10 second video projection, Side Girl will screen in the East Duke Building Corridor Gallery from January 26-February 4."

Wind Chime a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

Check out some of my photos here, let me know what you think!

Tenting!
Today is day two of white tenting and I have to sleep tonight o_O

Anything for the Duke Carolina game.

“With clarity, determination, and patience--the fruits of meditation--we can sustain a life of action and be real instruments of peace.”

Today truly tested my patience. Today and tomorrow are the last days for Lion King. There were two showings today and student rush tickets go on sale two hours before each show. I got to DPAC an three hours before the show to get in line. The line seemed short and I was excited for my $20 tickets. The line behind me gets longer and longer. Finally, they open the box office, only to find out there were only 20-25 tickets available. With the amount of people in front of me and considering each person could buy more than one, I didn’t get one. I stood in line for the later showing as well and didn’t get one that time either.

Ugh.

Oh well, we went to a nice dinner and movie instead.

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

I went to The Beast’s show at Motorco today. I got there late, during the middle of their set. I love the power of the camera--all I did was put it in front of me and say “excuse me, photographer, excuse me” to make my way to the front. I got to shoot for only one song, but I got some great shots. Next time I will get there earlier to see if I can get on stage with the group.

This concert was similar in lighting to the one Tues so I was good with my settings.

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

Today was my second shoot. The Beast has rehearsal every Wednesday at one of the guys' house. They turned the entire basement area into their practice space complete with instruments, sound equipment and wall padding. I could not stay long and only ended up with a few usable shots, but hopefully I will be able to make it here again. The fact that this is weekly will really help me in the long run.

a photo by V Lynn on Flickr.

Today I went to my first show of The Beast’s to introduce myself and start photographing. The show was at Jack Sprat, a café in Chapel Hill. The band hosts a show there every other Tuesday night, sometimes inviting other guests, including rappers and spoken word artists, to take part. Tonight they had invited a local rap artist. The guys in the band were great and were very excited to have me photographing them. I introduced myself to Pierce, the lead singer, Eric on keys, Peter on bass, and Steve on drums.

I started to photograph and was immediately challenged by the lighting. The café was very dimly lit and used red and blue lights for the stage. I set my camera on manual and tried to figure it out through trial and error. I need to start writing down what I am trying because I can’t remember right now. But looking back at my photos, it looks like I became comfortable with a shutter speed of either 1/80 or 1/60 and an aperture at f3.5, sometimes f5, f5.6. The ISO was on 1600 and 800 most of the time.

check out this article on The Beast!

here is an overview of The Beast from their site:

Equally comfortable in the worlds of hip-hop and jazz, The Beast developed its revolutionary sound at UNC Chapel Hill. While pianist Eric Hirsh (an alumnus of the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program), drummer Stephen Coffman, and bassist Peter Kimosh were earning their music degrees, emcee Pierce Freelon was developing his intelligent lyricism at cyphers and music venues across campus. After graduating, the quartet joined forces in 2007 and quickly distinguished themselves as one of the most progressive and entertaining bands in the North Carolina through their high energy live show and exceptional compositions.

In 2010 The Beast released a free collaborative album with 6-time Grammy nominated jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon called, Freedom Suite. Released in collaboration with Okayplayer’s jazz channel The Revivalist, Freedom Suite garnered international acclaim for The Beast’s progressive lyrics and eclectic jazz-infused production. On Freedom Suite, The Beast collaborates with artists such as 9th Wonder, YahZarah, Phonte, The Apple Juice Kid, Geechi Suede (of Camp Lo) and Branford Marsalis.

In 2009, The Beast released their fearless self-produced debut album entitled Silence Fiction. Capturing the quartet’s first two years of risk-taking and progressive songwriting, Silence Fiction was hailed as “dexterous musicianship behind detail-driven, socially progressive lyrics” (The Independent). Silence Fiction was released on the Chapel Hill-based independent label Robust Records.

The Beast’s debut EP, Belly, was released in 2008 and called “eclectic and intricate Hip-Hop shot through with soul and Afro-Cuban influences” (The Independent). The collaborative project features soul-singer YahZarah, guitarist Scott Sawyer and the Seed and Harvest Gospel Choir.

check out their website!

After our meeting I set out to find a local band. Durham has a huge music scene, something that I overlooked once I came back from New York. I went to Reverbnation, a popular online tool for music artists that is based out of North Carolina. I found this band called The Beast that is based out of Durham. The band is a hip-hop/jazz fusion and emulated what I was looking for. I reached out to them and within the hour they were locked in.

Now that I had my topic, I needed to find a professor willing to work with me and a band willing to let me document them.

At first, I thought I had to work with a professor that I know or had been in class with before. Since I have only had two classes in which we practiced photography, (intro and documentary), I decided to try and work with my documentary photography professor. Long story short, she wasn't able to work with me so I contacted Professor Antonio Bogaert. He already had two students but agreed to meet with me and talk about my project.

I am so grateful to be working with him. Our first meeting was awesome and gave me lots of hope and encouragement surrounding my project. He gave me the freedom I needed to move forward in searching for a band to document.

Starting my independent study, I had no idea what was expected of me. I searched online, I asked around, but no one could give me the definite answer that I wanted. I was confused and frustrated, but figured I may as well jump into it despite what I did and didn’t know. My photography mentor (who I owe MUCH to) and I brainstormed some ideas:

-fashion
-a day in the life
-music
-campus relationships
-etcccc

I needed to work on something I love though.

So I chose music.

When I participated in the Duke in New York program, I worked at Universal Motown Records. While there, I gained an immense amount of knowledge of the music industry and became very interested in how the industry strived to promote creativity. When they found out I was a photographer, they were eager to let me develop my skills so I got to photograph a couple shows and events.

Throughout this beginning phase, my project was molded into something that fits me perfectly.