I took a good month long breather-break kinda deal from photography, not by choice, but it was definitely worth it. Just needed time to relax and do random junk in California with some friends. I had a few photo shoots here and there, but nothing too intense. The only images I am able to post at the moment are my Mayday Parade shots.

The shoot basically went down right after their video shoot for “The Silence” (view video, please excuse obnoxious MTV ads). I was around for 6 hours prior to this shoot, hanging out with my pal Matt Lingo and watching them film. Here’s how the day went down…

We left for the shoot in the morning and got to the location at about 11am, to give you an idea of where we were exactly, here is the google map satellite image. You might be wondering the same thing we were, where the fuck are we? We drove up to a fence that was surround by a good ten Mexicans trying to get work for the day and a little printed out paper sign that said “Mayday Parade” on it, pulled inside the fence and parked the car.

We couldn’t see the location, and didn’t feel like risking our cars life trying to get there, so we started to walk. On the way in an SUV heading out asked us “You walking there” , we answer, being the manly men we are with “yea no big deal, we got it”, lady respond,” we can have runners coming pick you up, no big deal” , us, “thanks, we got it”. Bad form. It was a good 20 minutes walk to the location through desert dry sandy stuff that doesn’t even exist in Wisconsin. Really, check out this map again, find the closest road, not fun.

Anyway, arrived to the set which was gnarly.








I was prepared with my backpack for the day, ready to take candids all day and jut hang out. The next day before they flew out I was going to take there press images. However, after talking with Mayday Parade’s manager on site, it became very clear I was going to be shooting their press images tonight. Good thing I didn’t bring any of my equipment.

Matt says “Adam, we should probably go get your equipment.”
I say ” But Matt, catering comes soon…free food”
Matt says “Adam, I will buy you Chick-fil-A”
Me “sweet tea wins all, done deal”

So we trek back to the car, hop in, drive up to the now locked fence. Yea, that’s no good. We decide to drive back to the location this time and ask the production whats up, they say it’s fake locked, give it a jiggle and all is well. Back in the car, struggle down the mars like environment, jiggle and all is not well. Back in the car, back to location, pic up crew dude with key, drive to door, unlock it, take crew dude with key back to location, drive to my house. I have never been so sweaty from sitting in a car as I was that day.

Off to my house we go, grab equipment, gobble down some Chick-fil-A, and back to the location we go. Took about an hour and a half total. Once we got there, we just started setting up. One softbox, one backlight, nothing to wild. I have no idea how I managed to do it, but I snapped one of my Alien Bee light stands legs in half, I was trying to push it into the dirt, and I must have pushed to hard. Beats me. Not too long after we got back, Mike, Mani, and Tony arrived, which was perfect- they all really like pictures of themselves so this means I had people to test my lighting with.

Mayday Parade’s manager had to leave so he put me in charge of getting the guys together and getting the photos done. I told him I needed 15 minutes with the guys, and somehow I ended up with a solid 35, which was awesome. We shot in two different locations and ended up with some really solid shots, here are the shots Atlantic is using.

Tour:

My next tour is finally booked, and it’s actually in two and half weeks, I am stoked to finally go to Europe on tour, and with some great guys as well. I will be out with A Day to Remember on their tour with Bring me the Horizon. I have traveled with the A Day to Remember dudes for about two days total prior to this. Looking forward to getting to know them better. I have known them for almost two years now, this was our first shoot in Milwaukee WI, back in late 2007.

I remember seeing them play live four times in Madison, WI when I was in high school and really dug them, and I still do. Anyway, if you are at any of the dates the best thing to do is hit me up via email a few days prior to the show and I will make sure we can hang for a bit, as I am always down for a good chat. ( no this does not mean we can hang backstage, but we can meet up!). In Italy Bagos is treating me to some pizza which I am looking forward too. Cheers mate.

Bring me the Horizon was in my area a week ago, had a shoot with them as well, however none of the images are out yet, so for now candids and live will do.

I had shoots with School Boy Humor, Pierce The Veil, The Friday Night Boys and The Cab as well, not sure to when all those will go up. For now I have some behind the scenes posted.

Website:

The website has gone through a few more changes there is now a tear sheet section, which contains some of my published work. I will get more of it once I visit home, but this is all the recent junk I could get my hands on.

In addition there is a video section that has my Ustream embedded into it, so if you ever spy me being on Ustream via twitter, just go to that url. I am going to start streaming more and more shoots when I can. I will be on a little bit tomorrow and the next day just posting random half hours of the workshop for fun. I will try at least.

Also, I started a Linkedin profile, check it. my Linkedin

Anything else I forgot? Feel free to ask questions below, however I know most of you just e-mail me instead haha. Either way, it works! Workshop in the AM…goodnight.

much love, keep shootin’
ae