SIGHT AND SOUNDS PART 1

SIGHT AND SOUNDS PART 1 This is the first in a set of video projects where I experiment with my 'new' DSLR camera. Now before you get to wondering, I've been shooting video on a variety of cameras for the past 10 years. So I'm not unfamiliar with the principals of shooting. However, I'm really trying to put myself into the realm of 'cinematography', so I purchased a nifty DSLR camera (Canon 60D) and now I'm going thru a series of steps to get 100% confident with all the realms of a DSLR camera. I've done a good amount of shoots with teams of people, and I've done a good amount of photo's as well. BUT, in order to get into my own cinematography, I'm going to take a few steps to get extra ready for the visual journey ahead.......ENJOY! SHOT WITH: CANON 60D SIGMA 30MM 1.4 Edited with: Adobe Premiere (a bit of color correction) This video was shot in Downtown Indianapolis, I saw a few shots that I was very interested in, and I wanted to get familiar with using a fixed lens. the Sigma 30mm f1.4 is an excellent lens, the sharpness, speed and durability of this lens is great. HOWEVER, using a fixed lens is one of the 1st most major changes I had to deal with. ZOOM WITH YOUR FEET, becomes a great reality. But it was a nice warm day in Indianapolis, and there is a lot of scenery, that stimulated me to shoot away. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS PART 1.......

THE ALLEY

THE ALLEY, a set on Flickr.

Too much dopeness in this alley to not snap a few shots!!!!! All of the walls had great texture, the intrusive HUMANS on a few walls....it was irresistible to be in this alley and not shoot something!!!!!

HUMANS

A FEW SHOTS IN AN ALLEY........

(LEFT) I took this shot in an alley in Noblesville, IN.......this scenery stood out to me because of the words EMPLOYEE'S and HUMAN'S.......the sign had a lot of character with the paint below having chipped off, and someone decided to 'intrude' on the sign with their own message........HUMAN'S......

(RIGHT) I was really feeling the whole 'HUMAN'S' things in this alley. There was a lot of grit to the walls of the buildings. Some of them where brick and some of them had metal covering a variety of inconsistencies in the facades; and this artist decided to post his statement...........

 (LEFT) Thru this alley you can see the old county court house. In Noblesville there aren't any massively tall structure. But there is some very refined architecture from eras ago. The walls of the buildings in this alley lead you to courthouse, and remind me of walking thru one of the cultural neighborhoods in New York. I felt like the courthouse was waiting at the end of this alley way for me.......

Be Inspired!

DI......Digital Inspiration

If you dont hear or read anything I blog about, I want you to read & FEEL this........BE INSPIRED!

In this digital age we all have access to a lot more outlets of creativity & expression than generations before! Some generations from past cultures molded clay, drew on pyramid walls or built shrines of culture and expression without ever knowing if those expressions would be appreciated by cultures to come after them.

But they still did it & some of their creations are the topic of college lectures, art exhibits & general culture milliniums beyond their creations.

Now fast foward to TODAY, in this day & age we deal in an era of recorded history, so the marks you make, if displayed correctly will undoubtably be apart of what people of the future will reflect back on. Your pictures, Your poems, your movies & your designs will all be an invaluable part of what the world will call history and culture. Your work is important!

When you draw you represent something, when you script you captivate a viewer, when you snap a photo you mark a moment in time that is defined by everything that makes up YOU. 

Stay INSPIRED  work the long nights, make the early meetings, don't let your aspirations go unseen. 

No matter what your realm of expression is, your culture, your belief, your family, make your art make a mark on society. Innovate the old & trailblaze the new. The world is full of people that don't maximize their potential. Inertia is always an enemy. But I want to impress upon you the need to PRESS ON, don't quit, your chance is coming soon. But in order to reach your goals it is imperative that you stay INSPIRED!

ROQstar Boutique shoot....

ROQstar Boutique shoot...., a set on Flickr.

THE NEWEST PHOTOSHOOT, I'M ON MY GRIZZY YA'LL!!!!!

Jason Gregory

Jason Gregory, a set on Flickr.

Photo's from my latest video shoot!!!!!

THE WORLD IS YOURS

There are certain theme's in any culture that can be stifling! Thoughts, concepts, personalities, facades and all sorts of social manifestations, that can really stop a group of people, a culture, or a genre of music from progressing. ANALYZING GANGSTERISM in Hip Hop could be an entire college major, but one thing I will add to this conversation is that I believe the Urban Bravado presents a duality in thought, one that is rife with stagnation, and one that is budding with ambition.


'I'll thug me way thru.......' JAY Z
On the one hand, in Hip Hop can show examples of how urban America and ethnically marginalized youth can STRIVE in hostile environments without flinching. The scariest thing for corporate America is a generation of people that DEMAND ACCESS, a group that sees its obstacles and looks at overcoming those obstacles as a MUST. The Urban Bravado of Gangsta rap has been a big part of maintaining that mentality and in many ways bringing it to levels that it didn't exist before.

As Americans get a closer look at the highs and the lows of business men and public officials with each political cycle in America, the question of 'Are those people really any better than any other people?' Comes closer to be rhetorical. The new question to ask is, 'How did those people get access to the system, while these people have not?'

Looking at the Burn Hollywood, All that Jazz, Dead Presidents, Go Getta, Put ON, mentality of Hip Hop throughout the years, getting a chip of the American Chunk has always been a goal. Keepin it real, keepin it gutter, keepin it gangsta  TODAY are expressions that don't cut to the depth of what Hip Hop has always been about. Putting Urban Culture and Ethnically marginalized youth to the forefront of American culture, in it's triumph and tragedy Hip Hop has always been on a quest for world domination. It is up to YOU TO BELIEVE THAT THE WORLD IS YOURS..............