Division Brand just dropped a gallery with some photos and words from a recent trip Chris Whyte & Rhys Gogel took to hit the streets of Melbourne for a few days riding, filming, and coffee drinking. Click here to check it out.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Division Brand – Chris Whyte and Rhys Gogel Hit Melbourne
Posted in Uncategorized
Dimitri James by Greg Moliterno
Dimitri James Barspin, Mesa, Arizona
Brian Histand is Still Missing
May 7th, 2013…Brian Michael Histand- “Take each day not day by day, hour by hour, not even minute by minute but moment by moment. Fill your life with love and watch it manifest. Negativity, judgement, laziness all of these are evil and ment to poison the brain. Love is where the power is, love is the way of life”
This is a quote from Brian’s journal he began keeping 9 days before he went missing on May 15, 2013. I believe everybody should take that quote and apply it to their own life. Brian’s journal has become my bible. Love is the answer to everything. Brian’s only true satisfaction comes from helping the world by spreading love…so in the name of Brian Histand, spread the love…it’s contagious – Dave Krone
It’s been one year since Brian Histand went missing and I wish we could bring you better news, but the cold, hard truth is that there is no news. He’s still missing. No one has seen or heard a trace of him in a year. It’s a scary thought and I’m sure at this point the most convenient thing to do would be to dismiss him as dead but that is simply insensitive. There is no definitive answer to his location and wellbeing other than he was last spotted walking alone towards a large mountainous area south of Phoenix. There is undoubtedly a chance that he’s still out there, alive and well. If an entire airplane can go missing for over a month with multiple countries looking for it, a single human can go missing for over a year with only a handful of his closest friends actively looking for him. There is still hope, and frankly, stranger things have happened.
I don’t want to make it seem like I’m a great friend of Brian’s- I knew him for literally a couple of hours. I knew of him, like many of us did, as an eccentric intellectual with a passion for pedaling really fucking fast and jumping huge gaps.
I met him on an unusually hot summer day in Philadelphia when I was already semi-delirious from a lack of sleep the previous night. Navaz was filming Dave Krone trying to polish up one of his unique G-turn clips in Talk is Cheap and I was patiently shooting a sequence with my camera on a tripod. Brian appeared and instantly the session took a turn for the weirder (I say ‘weird’ in the most endearing sense- I love weird). Conversations went in tangents I never conceived possible. Brian is one of those people with a brain full of “what if’s”- some more fantastical than others, but entertaining nonetheless. He lived up to and actually surpassed any notions I had collected of his living spirit from preceding hearsay. He is one of those people you meet and never forget talking to.
During this time, someone pointed out a small, plastic Barbie-like figurine on the litter-strewn ground and suggested that it resembled Brian. Everyone present agreed on account of the bounty of hair lopped to the side of his head. Brian agreed and laughed and posed for this photo-
All said-and-done, Krone was unfortunately defeated by the attempted cleaning-up of his clip and we left the spot to head to another. While driving, our cars lined up and I could see that Brian and Dave were having a great time, singing and laughing- almost dancing- in their car. I could tell that they’d been friends for a while and were on similar wavelengths. They clicked- and I clicked this snapshot- one that I feel embodies the unavoidable energy you incur when in the presence of a being like Brian.
As fate would have it, our plans to reconvene at another spot fell through and their car vanished out of sight. I didn’t really get to say a proper “Goodbye” but then again- given this situation- no one got to. Not even his best friends or family. I can’t imagine dealing with this had I been closer to Brian. I’ve dealt with the death of friends and family, sure, but with that there is closure. You know what happened to them and that they have moved on. With these circumstances, however, there’s nothing you can be sure of. I can only hope that by this time next year a discovery has been made and we can finally understand what actually happened to the enigma who is Brian Histand.
I could say soo much about him. I really wouldnt even be the person I am today if I never met Brian. I looked up to him for his riding before ever meeting him and then as a person as we became friends. He’s just the kind of person who is always looking to make everyone have a good time and feel at home even if it means the shirt off his own back. Always had a positive vibe and his own vision on life. I wish he was still with us to spread the love of life and bmx he always gave to me. – Eric “Ewip” Whitescarver
Moving forward, we should celebrate Brian’s work and his riding that will forever be archived through his videos. Yo Guy and Chocolate Milk are certified classic scene videos. Brian showed a strong desire to show off his friends’ riding which is a trait that is rare nowadays. He put in endless hours behind the camera and computer for no reward other than his personal satisfaction. Until he turns up, I think it’s healthy to think of Brian not as a missing person but as a gifted artist, rider and videographer. – Charlie
“Not Just For Calling” | The Hadrien Picard Interview
Photos by Hadrien Picard interview by Chris Mortenson
Hadrien Picard seems to be able to do it all. Transitioning between the role of photographer and videographer is no easy task, however he seems to do it effortlessly and beautifully. Recently he has been pushing the limits of filming by shooting all his films on Nokia Lumia phone. Filming things on a phone is not a new concept, but with camer/phone technology getting better and better they are starting to turn into a necessity for any filmer/photographers bag. I caught up with Hadrien to find out more about his filming process and what he thinks about this new territory camera phones.
Can you give us a small introduction about yourself?
I am Hadrien Picard. I’m 31 and live around Paris. I’ve been riding for 20 years but I’m still terrible on a bike. I’ve been shooting photos for 16 years & thank god I’m a little less terrible at that. I’ve started to film around 7-8 years ago. I never thought I’d say this but I have the chance to be a pro photographer and filmer.
How did you make the transition from photographer to videographer?
For me, video has always seemed like a close cousin of photography. It has always interested me.
I’m not sayin I did everything in photo, very far from that, every day I realize that, but it was less a challenge for me at that time. I had a DV camera for a couple of years but something changed when video mode start to be included in DSLR. I was totally amazed by the quality and; the feel of the images from the 1st DSLRs that could film like the D90 & 5DMKII. So I bought a 7d and started to play with it. I did a couple of vids here and there, then I won the Nike StandBy Barcelona which helped me to look like a « legit » filmer haha.
I still and; will always shoot photos. It’s honestly cool to do both, it’s hard but it’s really rewarding for yourself to think you have done both. Video is a lot more work than photo, so I’m really happy when I can shoot photos ONLY.
What’s your current filming set up like?
I still have my lovely JVC HM100 but the majority of clips I film are with a Nikon D800 and; a Sony FS700 that maybe, besides my flat, is the most expensive thing I have ever bought. I’m pretty happy with it!
How did you start filming with the Nokia camera/phone?
They contacted me because they were looking for someone who was good in photo and; video in our sports.
Nokia used to be involved in BMX years ago so they knew BMX, skate and; snowboard are really photogenic/videogenic. They wanted people to shoot with their Lumias to show their cameras capabilities. I think they also like the spirit of BMX, skate and; snowboard. We met in the end of 2012 and; we talked about what we can do and Nokia Pureviews, and a creative community based around shooting with their Lumia lines, was born.
What are some of the challenges with filming on a phone? and did you have any hesitation putting down a video camera for a camera phone?
Those things are really light, which is good for your back, but I also thought that it can be a problem for stability. You have to pay attention to even small shakings but it’s actually less than I thought. There is an optical stabilisator inside that does great job.
Obviously a smartphone is and; will never be a DSLR : the sensor is small (even if the 1020 has a pretty big one) and; you can’t change lens. Some actually can but what’s the use having a smartphone that is big like DSLR at the end?
For sure it’s not a FS700 but overall I think the images look pretty damn good. Some riders were a little stressed to send it in front of a smartphone but when they saw the images they were confident about the result.
Your films are all very well done. How much does editing and post come into play? and could you give a little insight into your editing process?
Thanks!
I think editing is at least as important as filming. Photography is very exigent at the moment : a photo is good or bad. Period. But you can actually make a good video from not so good clips. The real difficulty of filming compared to shooting photos is that, even if it’s at the minimal scale, it’s not a movie, you have to think a little to what kind of shots you need if you want to make an intro, show something particular etc…
A photo could be great by its own but a video is an addition of a lot of clips so you have to think a little before & after about how organising it!
Music is also a third of the clip. It’s super important. It’s funny how I’m not a specialist in music but I really like to follow the most I can so the clip at the end is a perfect mix between sound and image.
I didn’t do any film/photo class so my editing process may not be the best! I don’t rename anything, I drag and drop all the clips I have in the time line and; from there cut and; select them and then bit by bit make the edit.
With camera and phone technology getting better every year, how do you think this is going to change the way we make films?
It has already changed a lot of things! Thanks to DSLR we can achieve a look that was impossible before. Things will become more and more close to perfection and; cheaper and; cheaper. But at the end, even with a Red Epic, if you suck you suck. It will never change that.
Smartphone speaking, they have 3 huge strenghs that may cause some big trouble to camera manufacturers: The image they make is getting better and; better and; can be usable for a lot of projects. Another strengh of the smartphone is that you carry it EVERYWHERE. It does so many thing it’s obvisouly already in your pocket, so you can shoot very fast whatever happen in front of you. « The best camera is the on you have » Remember. And finally phones are connected. Really important for geeks like us haha. But it’s true that more and more cameras can be connected. I bought a small panasonic that’s so smart it can send the photos to a phone via a wifi networks it creates. Crazy!
Do you have any other big projects coming out this year?
I have some really, really good stuff coming this year with Nokia…
Do you have any advice for future filmers out there?
Go out and shoot! Don’t wait, don’t be shy. If you want to learn, it’s 1000 times easier now that before thanks to digital and internet. Look around you to understand how things works but always remember not to copy/paste what is fashion today. Create your own style.
Posted in BMX, Interview, Uncategorized, Video
Tagged BMX, Hadrien Picard, Nokia Lumia, soul bmx, videography
Daniel Benson | The Diggest
Photographer Daniel Benson has a photo gallery and interview up on The Diggest. I grew up looking at Benson’s BMX work in all the UK magazines so it was refreshing to see some of his work outside of BMX as well. Check it out here.
Posted in Interview, Photo, Uncategorized
Tagged albion, BMX, daniel benson, Photography
Ricky Adam x Destroying Everything Extended Edition
Ever since I picked up my first Dig, I was inspired by Ricky Adam’s photographs. As I flipped through each new issue I was blown away with the energy he captured with his camera. When I heard his first book “Destroying Everything” was coming out, I knew I had to own it. Now that he’s doing an extended edition, I wanted to catch up with him and ask him a few questions about it. If you missed out on his first book, you won’t want to miss this one. It’s one for the shelves.
For kids who might not know who you are, could just give a little background info on yourself?
Hello. My name is Ricky Adam. I’m from Northern Ireland, although I have been living in mainland U.K. for the last 11+ years. I first picked up a camera in 1997 and haven’t stopped taking photos since.…I really wish I had some coffee right now to kickstart my brain before I answer these Q’s.
What made you want to do an extended edition, or is it going to be completely different than the first book?
Well, I was approached by an Italian arts publisher, ‘Drago Arts & Communications’ and invited to make a 2nd edition of the book. The 1st edition sold out quickly, so the timing was perfect. Since the release of the 1st edition I had taken more photos that fitted well. So, the publisher suggested making an extended version to include these extra photos. Also, I found a few old negatives that I wanted to include in the original book. Typically, after searching for them for months I found them pretty much as soon as the first edition came out. At least they will now see the light of day.
How did you go about sequencing the work?
With ‘Destroying Everything’ it’s quite sporadic. It was a difficult volume to edit as I didn’t have a book in mind when I was taking a lot of these pictures. The time span for the book is 1997 – 2013. I needed to edit a selection of photos that worked with each other as well as the title.
How has your work been received outside the bmx community?
It’s surprisingly done really well. Although, you have to consider that it’s not strictly a BMX book. It has elements of BMX but the focus is on youth sub culture. So, it’s appeal is more wide reaching. I’ve found that a lot of people who have picked up the book aren’t necessarily into punk or BMX. But they can still relate to it & get something out of it. Which is cool. Apparently, the main demographic who have purchased it, are teenagers (angry teenagers) haha. I’m pretty sure I too would have liked seeing this book when I was younger.
What’s the importance of shooting personal projects outside of bmx?
I really need to. I mean, I’d get burnt out shooting anything over a sustained, long period. It’s good for me to have a few different projects going on simultaneously. This way I can leave one for a while and then go back to it again. Recently, I haven’t been taking that many BMX photos. I’ve been doing other photo work which has meant stepping back a little from BMX. (At least for the time being).
Any other projects in the works at the moment?
Recently, I’ve been going through my archive. Scanning lots of negatives and prints. There’s a lot of pictures, that for some reason I skipped over the first time around. Over the years my eye has become more refined, which in turn helps with editing. So, at the moment, lots of sorting and editing. I’m always taking photos, and the more photographs I accumulate, the more scope there is for shaping other projects. I want to do something with my street photos eventually, as well as the other projects I have going on. I’m not in any rush. When it feels right, I’ll do something with them.
I’m currently working on a book about my time spent in the Midwest of America from 2001-2005. Titled: ” The Freezing Heart Of America”. Until recently, I hadn’t really looked at the photos properly. For the last 8-12 years they have been laying dormant. Partially forgotten about. Prints and negatives messily piled up in the squeaky, bottom drawer of a grey filing cabinet. It’s getting there. i just need to finalize a few things.
A few months ago I made a photo Zine’ about punk jackets titled ‘Glad To See The Back Of You’. Basically snapshots of the back of punk jackets from the region of the U.K. I live in.
When’s your new book being released? and where can people get a copy?
I’m not sure of the exact date. I do know that it’s due to be released soon. By the end of 2013. The extended, 2nd edition of ‘Destroying Everything’ will have more pages, slightly different layout, updated soft cover & it’ll be cheaper and a lot more readily available. It’s being published by Drago Arts & Communications and is currently available for pre – order from Amazon as well as a host of other good bookstores.
I’m not sure of the exact date. I do know that it’s due to be released soon. By the end of 2013. The extended, 2nd edition of ‘Destroying Everything’ will have more pages, slightly different layout, updated soft cover & it’ll be cheaper and a lot more readily available. It’s being published by Drago Arts & Communications and is currently available for pre – order from Amazon as well as a host of other good bookstores.
Virb.com Portfolio Site Review
A couple months ago when I was in the market for a new online portfolio, a friend at Fraction Magazine referred me to Virb.com. I couldn’t be happier with the platform. It’s $10 a month for hosting your site, they have a ton of customizable themes to choose from, and it is very user friendly.
Above are some examples of the themes you can choose from, click the image to see more. Virb allows you to personalize each theme to meet your needs exactly. Also, everything can be coded using html to customize it even further. All of the themes automatically include a mobile format.
This is the customization page for the theme I use. It is really simple and it gives you a live preview as you make changes.
This is the backend of my website. To create new galleries you just add new pages and then start uploading images. To organize the galleries you simply drag and drop into the order you want.
To add photos you upload them straight from the computer (always make sure web images are in srgb format) and use the drag and drop feature to sequence your photos. Really think about the sequence of your images to maximize the viewers experience.
It is just as easy to add video galleries to your site. You can upload straight from your computer or with a url directly from your Vimeo or Youtube account.
Some other features I was really into with Virb was the ease of connecting your social media. You can link your Instagram, Tumblr, and Facebook with just the click of a button. Virb also connects to bigcartel.com, so if you want to sell prints you already have a store front to start slinging from.
Overall I would recommend Virb to any artist out there looking for a quick, easily managed, professional portfolio site. It is so simple that you could have your site up and going within an hour of registering with Virb.
Disclaimer: This is just a personal product review on the service that I use. Virb.com did not compensate me in any way for my opinion. However, if anyone from Virb is reading this I would not say no to a free website.
worst lens hit ever!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZIt-_3Rk7E&feature=sharew=620&h=345]
Cult’s Dehart/Swain Storm Sweepstakes Winner
So a few months back Cult held the Dehart/Swain Storm video edit competition. Out of 50 edits submitted, Chase D. chose Ryan Olsons’s for the grand prize. The grand prize consisted of a (At the time not available yet) Chase Dehart Butter frame, fork, pedals, tons of stickers… And the bragging rights haha.
Personally could not think of a more deserving dude than Olson, has to be about the most dedicated/innovative street rider in the area. I’m more than certain you will hear more from him in the future.
So Olson hit me up a few weeks ago so we could go get a couple shots of his “Buttery” new rig and this is what we got, follow the link and hope you enjoy! http://www.cultcrew.com/butter-winner-ryan-olson
Here is the edit that got him the CULT winnings.
Posted in BMX, Photo, Uncategorized, Video
Tagged BMX, Ca, contest, Cult, Fresno, Photographer, Ryan Ogawa, Ryan Olson, Video
Push It A Stop 