make it happen

Made this for the 2012 Goodwood show benefiting the Ride it Sculpture Park! It’s battery powered so it will show you the light when times get tough, and the Effiel Tower made of pallets should inspire you to build it your own way with what you’ve got.  You can bid to take it home here! Other artists include some of my favorites Swoon, Thomas Campell, Barry Mcgee, Ed Templeton, Matthew Barney and many more! It’s been featured in Juztapoz and Thrasher magazines to name a few. Awesome times!

Paris of the Midwest

2012 Bocci Salon North American Hair Awards Entry; Salon Team

The Players Club

Model: Alexandra Lynn Kelsey
Hair: Erica Dubroy (Bocci salon)
Style (Clothing): Jenna Zerbo
Make-up: Hannah Price (Bianchi salon)

Published!!!

Thank-you Dwell Magazine and Detroit Soup for making my dreams come true!

I undertook this shoot with about the same amount of reservation as excitement. When Erica (the amazing hairstylist) approached me with this look I immediately thought of a greaser/pin-up type housewifey concept. As I researched existing imagery I was disappointed by a lot of the stuff I found. Traditional pin-ups from the 30’s-50’s were painted, giving women posing in awkward positions idealized bodies. When photographers try to replicate it they often fail because real women are just not shaped like the ladies in these paintings, and the harsh lighting and lack of clothes combines just turns into an embarrassing mess (often for both model and photographer). Real pin-ups aren’t meant to be overtly sexual and I think this is something many photographers interpret the wrong way… so when thinking about putting a hot babe on a motor bike… I wanted to stay away from all of these stereotypes. Thanks to the support from some incredible people I think the whole team on this shoot created something that we can all be proud of. I think Lynn looks like such an badass…like she could rip that transmission apart and get that baby going 60… this goes beyond a pin-up… Thank you so much for continually being the best at what you do…

Model: Alexandra Lynn Kelsey
Hair: Erica Dubroy (Bocci salon)
Style (Clothing): Jenna Zerbo
Make-up: Hannah Price (Bianchi salon)
Moped support: Motor City Riot, Aj Manoulian and Mike Petrack
Use of the space and unending inspiration: Omnicorp Detroit

This image is only a teaser… I turned off the stobes and used the modeling lights. It was shot at a high iso so it’s a bit grainy but i love it. Reminds me of something from a movie. <3

All night long.

Amanda in Hamtramck on an awesome spring garden work day.

Been feeling a little like this lately in some respects. Working my butt off to change that.

I have been shooting weddings for a long time now (around 7 years) Yikes! Luckily, I think over that time I have continued to grow and get better (falling in love myself helped). I love every couple who I have had the chance to share in their most important day with, but to be able to do it for some friends of mine, come on, what an honor. Saturday I shot the beautiful wedding of two good friends at one of the coolest venues I have ever seen. It was a celebration of love and the city of Detroit, these two were really made for each other… Congrats Rachel and Paul. I had such a hard time choosing these teasers, cannot wait to show you the rest!

Fawkville

Recently spent some time in a rural part of Alabama with a good friend and her son. We were both going through a rough time, I feel lucky to have shared some really amazing things with her. A part of my heart is always at her side.