SLiCE of Life

Follow me on TWITTER

2011-01-11T18:03:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

I thought I would steer everyone to my Twitter page because I post photos there WAY more often and might be a better move than waiting for me to post something here.

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW!

Been a while...

2010-12-10T10:22:00.001-08:00

Hey all, it's been way too long. My news years resolution is to blog more....I swear.

PEQUOD'S - Thin crust - Lincoln Park

2010-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Before I get started, it needs to be noted that Pequod's Pan-Style Pizza might be one of the best pie's I've had in Chicago. Absolutely epic and must be tried before diving into their thin crust. Anyway, on to the review....

To be honest, I don't feel like this review is an accurate portrayal of a Pequod's thin, since I rolled the dice on a new topping recommendation. A friend of mine suggested that I try thin with sausage & pepperoncini's. I've never had this combo before but it sounded good to me: I love sausage (not a an enormous fan of it and still prefer pepperoni, but a I like it nonetheless) & pepperoncini's (which I admit that I absolutely love, but until this point, have only had it on sandwiches...and as I found out, is a much different experience than on pizza).
Unfortunately, the combo was not for me. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't necessarily BAD, but the spice of the pepperoncini's over-powered the rest of the pie so much that I couldn't really taste the sausage and I felt like I was more concerned about getting water than enjoying the food. It was during this time that I realized my friend who recommended me this combo is a big fan of spicy food and it makes sense that this is his go to.

I guess I should have known better....

I guess I am a bit lame and prefer something easier: Pepperoni and Mushroom is good enough for me.

So, I think I'm gonna have to give this place another try. I think it had potential but next time, I will stick to what works.

First attempt: 6 out of 10
Second attempt: ?????

Burritos!

2010-09-14T15:15:00.000-07:00

Back again with another video. This one is about the dark side of burrito addiction.

Make sure you click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du7gxWfQTPY

Once again, this stupid blog has cut off some of the frame! arr!!!

PAUL & MONICAS - West Town/Ukranian Village

2010-09-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting to review this place for a while because it has definitely become one of my favorites in the city.

The best thing about Paul & Monica's is that it's not trying to fall into a category. It's not 'Chicago Style' or 'NY Style' or 'Pretentious-Indie-wait 5 hours in line for a $20 small pie-Style.'

It's just a great pie. Pure and simple. It has everything in all the right places. If you live in Chicago and haven't tried this place, you're missing out.

...plus, they deliver to my apartment!

easily 9 out 10 slices

My first (real) attempt at video: TOUCH THE RIM!

2010-09-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

Been a while...I'd like to take a break from the pizza posts and bring to you a video I helped make with John O'Brien & Nick Gage.

This was my first attempt at playing with and making a video. Well, I did a small short on a 'thunderstorm' a few months back but I didn't know what I was doing and compressed it all wrong and it looked like shit.

Anywho...this one was done right and was a blast to make....plus, I thought it came out hilarious.

Enjoy!

****UPDATE!!!!: The proportions are all out of whack on the video below, so I urge you to, instead, CLICK HERE for better viewing experience***

EyeBall Redux

2010-09-01T09:16:00.001-07:00

I think the other draft had too many people in it, so I trimmed it down a bit. I think there is a little more breathing room in this one and the eyeball 'pops' a little more.

PIZANO'S (Loop)

2010-08-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, after months and months of failed delivery attempts, I decided to go right to the horses mouth & finally was able to try Pizano's Pizzeria.

This place is a Chicago institution and it's worthy of all it's praise. I guess Oprah named it her favorite thin crust....(and I'm sure that means an absolute ton to you loyal Slice readers).

From the name to the square cut pies (suck one, Cyril), Pizano's is a quintessential Chicago pizzaria; The epitome of Chicago-Style thin crust (firm crust, lots of Italian style sauce, herbs, etc etc).I was also a huge fan of the crust, too. I'm not sure if it was cornmeal but it was very similar to the crust used by Home Run Inn (best frozen pie, in my humble opinion).

Anyway, not really too much else to say about this place. It's the bees-knees, so go try it. I would give these guys a better rating if they delivered to my apartment...get your shit together, Pizano's!!!!

8.5 out of 10 Big fan of this guy here. The great Pizano, maybe???

Eyeball (rough draft)

2010-08-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Quick edit of the eyeball shoot that I did a couple weeks ago. I think it has some potential.

I'll have to spend some time on the retouching to be certain, though....but I think I'm on the right track.

I'm on the fence about that bird near the pupil, though. Thoughts, anyone???

CHICAGO'S PIZZA (Wrigleyville)

2010-08-18T18:39:00.000-07:00

Checked out Chicago's Pizza yesterday afternoon in Wrigleyville before heading into the cubs game for yet another loss to the Padres. (*sigh*)

Until this afternoon, I knew Chicago's Pizza as the only slice still open at 5am when you were fall down drunk. So, suffice it to say, I was very excited about trying this place outside of its stereotypical setting.

This was a by the slice, take out order, however, so I did not get a taste of Chicago's potential. Also, to make things worse, the lady working there had a brilliant idea of not heating up my slices despite the fact that they had been sitting there all afternoon. I guess they just didn't want me to like their product. Lucky for them, a truely great pie can be enjoyed hot, lukewarm or cold...so I wasn't scared.

The STUFFED slice:

Stylistically, it's in the ballpark of Chicago classics Giordano's & Baccinos (heavy on the cheese, spaghetti marinara-style sauce, thick flour crust). I won't go into the debate of whether stuffed is better than deep dish or if thin is better than all, etc. All pizza is great and all styles have their awesomeness.

In this case, it was a little bland; nothing really stood out. I wouldn't go as far as to call it bad slice, just kinda "meh". Not the best I've had but I wouldn't kick it out of bed, ya dig?

The THIN CRUST:

Again, similar to competitors 'Dano's & Baccino's. Cheese is good and not too dough-y. Sauce is good but not great. Again, "meh."

One big flaw, though: it suffers from the dreaded bite-and-pull-the-whole-coat-of-cheese-off. Goddammit, get with it people!

All in all, I would call Chicago's Pizza, "Giordano's without the magic." It has everything it needs to be awesome, but for some reason, it falls short. However, this could have simply been the result of the problems I listed above. I dunno, maybe I'll have to have another go at it.

One thing is for sure, though: It's a solid place to order at 5am when you're blind drunk.

6 out of 10 slices.

PAT'S PIZZA, Chicago (Lincoln Park)

2010-08-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Well, here is my first pizza review...this first restaurant has nothing to do with importance and is simply the first spot I've tried since committing to doing these 'za reviews. I actually think I came up with this new blog idea while trying Pat's Pizza when I was in Lincoln Park the other day...

After yet another failed attempt to get delivery from local legends, Pizano's (For some reason, the pizza gods do not want me to try that place), I saw that the highest voted 'za in the neighborhood was Pat's.

It's well deserved, too. Without a doubt, the thinnest crust I've yet to see (see below) and literally sounds like a cracker when you take a bite...even 'holier-than-thou' NYC has nothing on this thin crust. Solid sauce, a good amount of cheese (but not too much), tasty pepperoni and unlike a lot of other thin crust pies, when you take a bite, you don't pull off the whole coat of cheese and get sauce on your shirt...that gets them some Slice of Life points.

All in all, I give it: 8 out of 10 slices

Rebranding the Blog!

2010-08-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

Well, after a few weeks of pondering the idea, I have decided to change the identity of my blog. On top of posting photography projects I will also use this blog for.....*drumroll*......Pizza reviews!!

Seeing as how photography and pizza are the two greatest things ever, it only makes sense to combine them into one unstoppable force.

These reviews will not only be for places in the Chicago area, but wherever my travels take me. I will also try to keep them lighthearted and brief....so, this will not be a stiff, lame, food review site.

I want to say that I am doing this as a means of forcing myself to venture out and try new spots around town...but the truth is, this will simply give me an excuse to eat more pizza.

So, hope you enjoy...first review coming soon!

Look into the Eyeball

2010-08-05T12:45:00.001-07:00

Over the weekend I saw this psychotically awesome art piece by Tony Tasset.
It is downtown on the corner of Van Buren & State...and as you can see, it kicks ass.

I will probably come back and do a more elaborate shot here for my crowd project. I've been a little disappointed with myself about these personal projects because I takes forever to get them done. This summer has (thankfully) been really busy and it's hard to commit a lot of time to personal work when I could be utilizing it better for my own business. But still, it's something that I need to hold on to...for creative sanity, at the very least.
So, what I hope to do is attack the project as soon as I get the inspiration and quit dragging my feet. So, to start things off, I'm going to re-shoot this crazy eyeball tomorrow morning and get it done.

Stay tuned!

Nevermind...back to work!

2010-07-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

In one of my random, characteristic bursts of energy, I decided to bike over to Bucktown right before dark to take a shot of this bar covered in ivy. This will definitely be the start of another project. (I just need to retouch this and it should be good to go)

Although I grew up in Chicago and have been living here for the past 7 months, there are still some exotic elements here and ivy is something that I've been noticing lately. It's EVERYWHERE. And sometimes, it takes some pretty cool shapes.

This will be the next project. It will most likely be a slow evolving project because there are so many possibilities and let's not forget that it changes color in the fall. I imagine that I should be able to get at least 5 good portfolio images out of this.

Stay tuned....

Been a while...

2010-07-22T07:24:00.001-07:00

It's been quiet 'round here the last couple months. I've been busy but not with my personal work.

My primary bread and butter has always been with weddings (Sorry magazine editors and art buyers....I know it's a faux pas to mention this but we all need to pay the mortgage, so accept it) and that has been consuming almost all of my time.

Actually, here's a link to my wedding BLOG if you would like to see that side of my work. I update it pretty frequently.

Anyway, I am still trying to do my personal work. I have one more shot left in my crowd project that I was hoping to do tomorrow but we'll see. After that, I have a couple other projects that I am anxious to get started on. My wedding schedule starts to downshift next month, so I am hoping to be more productive on this end so please stay tuned.

(Oh yeah, the above photo is a view of Chicago from Indiana)

Shopping Carts

2010-07-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I made a post, so I thought I would throw in this shot I took while scouting for a location in a mall parking lot in the vibrant suburb of Downers Grove. It was actually a happy accident.

Didn't think much of it at the time, but maybe there is something I can do with shopping carts.

Whatever...

Crowd Final

2010-06-24T08:22:00.001-07:00

Album Cover

2010-06-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Kick ass Denver rock band The Knew is using a couple of my images for their upcoming 7 inch release, "Before it Ends." I usually don't like to use filters on my photos but I'm really happy with how these turned out. The filters give the photo an entirely different feel than a straight-ahead photo.

Pretty excited to see one of my photos on a vinyl release!

This is going on the back:

My first attempt at video

2010-06-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

.

Above is my first attempt at video. It is the progression of a thunderstorm.

Cliche and amateurish, I know, but it was fun to do

Crowd 3

2010-06-17T11:28:00.001-07:00

Went back to those crazy trees. Here is the first draft...I feel like something needs to be done to this but can't figure out what at this point.

That's what I'm talkin' about!

2010-06-07T12:27:00.000-07:00

Walked past this over the weekend. I will definitely be back.

The Bloomingdale Trail

2010-05-28T12:27:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a walk on the Bloomingdale Trail, which for those who don't know, is a abandoned elevated railway track that runs east & west on the north side of the city. It passes through Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Wicker Park & Bucktown.

You can read more about it HERE, so I won't go into detail about it's history or anything.

What I will say is that I can't believe that I only first heard about this trail a few months ago. I have been passing by it my whole life and I never really paid much attention to it. It's crazy because once you get up there, it's a whole new world. I had to constantly remind myself that I was not only in Chicago, but in my own neighborhood. Everything seemed so foreign up there.

Chicago-meets-'Stand By Me' is an accurate description of the experience.

Anyway, there has been talk about turning this trail into an official park trail (right now, you are not 'technically' allowed to be up there, but no one seems to care) and I think that it's a great idea.
The Blue line.

Milwaukee Ave.

Ashland Ave.

This was kinda weird. It's a place where homeless people sleep at night. This is where the trail ends and it is underneath the expressway...very old-school, drifter-type stuff.

The Nov.

Plan of Attack

2010-05-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

I think these 3 are the spots for the remainder of my 'crowd' project. Gonna have to wait until the weekend, unfortunately, because that is when I know there will be a shit load of people in these areas. Stay tuned...

More landscapes...

2010-05-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

I like the colors on this one.

Crowd project #2

2010-05-26T06:48:00.001-07:00

Summertime

2010-05-25T15:31:00.000-07:00

Went downtown to work on my crowd project. I have one that I am editing now in front of the bean, which I will post soon. But, I snapped these photos while I was walking around.

I think I might come back and redo this one...but I do kinda like it the way it is. We'll see...

AutoMatt

2010-05-25T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some rough edits of a photo session I did with my brother to help promote his new music. Final edits and where to check out his music coming soon.

Best of San Francisco 2010

2010-05-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

My clown photo made it into this years 'Best of San Francisco' in the SF Weekly magazine. This was taken on location at the Casanova Lounge in the Mission. Thanks to everyone involved!!

Check out my photo and all the other ' 2010 Best of SF Art' HERE

May Emailer

2010-05-04T06:50:00.001-07:00

NEW WEBSITE IS UP!!

2010-04-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

Please visit the new www.JACOBPOEHLS.com
Besides an entirely new design, I have added some things:
-I have separated my conceptual portraits from my editorial ones
-And have added a section for my landscapes

You can checking it out by clicking HERE

New Website tease...

2010-04-24T11:19:00.001-07:00

Crowd project scouting shots

2010-04-22T07:59:00.001-07:00

Walked around Millennium Park yesterday to scout for more ideas on my crowd project. I know this park is kind of a cliche for photos (at least in Chicago it is) but these statues are too awesome to pass up. Maybe they will look cool at dusk or something.
Stay tuned...

....and yet another batch from the Archives

2010-04-16T05:37:00.001-07:00

crowd project #1 FINAL

2010-04-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

More Southern Shots

2010-04-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

These photos obviously do not reflect the personality of the south at all...I just happened to take them there. Sorry.

More from the other session

2010-04-12T17:56:00.001-07:00

I am not really a "I-am-one-with-the-ocean-bro" kinda guy, but these were fun to take.

More from the Archives

2010-04-12T17:41:00.001-07:00

I believe this one was taken a couple days before I moved out of California

Turbo Dog South

2010-04-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

It's kind of a cliche but I like this shot

Southbound!

2010-03-26T11:47:00.000-07:00

About to leave for a one-week portfolio trip to the deep south. Going to hit up New Orleans, Mississippi & Tennessee.

Stay tuned for some shots..

2010-03-26T06:17:00.001-07:00

“I drive around. I sit in donut shops. Walk malls. I look at people. Once in awhile someone catches my eye. Why? It is a hard thing to describe, but I think it is similar to the feeling you get when you see, you know, the attractive person across a crowded bar.” - Alec Soth

B-Ball

2010-03-25T15:45:00.001-07:00

I am going to do a project on basketball courts. Not sure why...for some reason, they interest me. Hopefully the reason will reveal itself as I shoot more and more...stay tuned.

My bros room

2010-03-25T14:55:00.001-07:00

More interior work...

RIP Jim Marshall

2010-03-25T05:18:00.001-07:00

New Era/New Promo

2010-03-23T08:21:00.001-07:00

Daley Plaza part deux

2010-03-19T06:33:00.000-07:00

As you can see, I've been doing more landscape work lately and I went out yesterday afternoon to redo a shot I took at Daley Plaza way back when with my 4x5.

The image I took then didn't quite hit the mark that I was going for and so I went back and the above photo is more along the lines of what I was originally going for. Just need to do a few tweakings and I think it will be good to go.

Industrial Area Final

2010-03-18T17:24:00.001-07:00

Highway Final

2010-03-17T20:16:00.001-07:00

Urban Landscapes

2010-03-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

I took some shots downtown last week. First time with my digital camera...

I found that if I use the camera sparingly (like film) then I think more about what I am shooting, along with composition and exposure. I am pretty happy with what I got. I think there are a couple keepers here.

I am trying to build up a landscape portfolio. Not really sure why...I am told that getting commercial landscape jobs are almost impossible but I am having fun with it....so nuts to 'em.

More from the archives...

2010-03-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Just came across this one from a road trip down to L.A a few months back.

St. Patricks Day

2010-03-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Always a good time and always a shit show. For better or for worse, Chicago definitely takes this day to the next level.
For all the ridiculous party photos that I took that day (which I will spare showing you all at the risk of losing my professional credibility), it's nice to know that one good one came out:

downtown

2010-03-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

2010-03-12T06:58:00.001-08:00

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication - Leonardo Da Vinci.

Some old stuff I finally got around to editing

2010-03-11T10:59:00.000-08:00

Back in December, when I was still living in San Francisco, I walked around Lake Merced and took some photos right before dark. I just happened to have my Mark 2 on me in the car and my girlfriend was able to drop me off at the right time.

What is strange is that at the time, I wasn't very happy with these images because I thought I was becoming a victim of the problem with digital: being too trigger-happy and not thinking through my photo ideas. I took around 50 photos all around the area and thought I ended up with nothing. This was right around the time when shooting large format was becoming more and more appealing because it caused me to stop and think a little more....until I found out how much of a pain it can be to shoot with that medium.

Anyway, I shelved these photos for a couple months and happened to revisit them while I was bored on the airplane over the weekend. Upon closer inspection, I think I might have ended up with some keepers. I have come to realize that no matter how hard I try, I am not a true film photographer. I didn't begin my photo career in the dark room while learning film types and the zone system. I freakin' started out by getting a digital point-and-shoot for my birthday and have ended up here. I was raised in the digital world and I have always thought that my best work was made with a digital camera because I could work through ideas in real time and did not have to wait until the film was processed before I could analyze my mistakes.

So, here's to a new frontier!!

I think this might be the answer

2010-03-05T15:07:00.000-08:00

Just heard about this lens and the other Canon tilt-shift lenses. This might be the item that will make my large format camera obsolete. I am going to rent one this weekend and see what the results are.

Workin'

2010-03-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

some behind-the-scenes-camera-photos of an interior job I did today. Official images to come...

Crap....

2010-02-23T17:05:00.000-08:00

Well, I just got my 8x10 negatives back from the lab and was horrified to find out that there is lens-vignetting going on. Normally, I am down with that but I am not going for that look on this project. Luckly, most of them are fixable, so it's not the end of the world but it defeats the purpose of having a really wide lens.

However, there is one image that might have some vignette potential:

There also seems to be some focusing issues with the lens while going in with a closer inspection. All in all, this pretty disappointing. I really like the 8x10 camera for nostalgia reasons, but I am really starting to question if it's really worth it....it's heavy, extremely cumbersome, takes FOREVER to set up a shot and is extremely expensive to process and print. Plus, the lens isn't that good and needs repair, which will cost me more $$$$.

I am starting to seriously consider selling this thing and down shifting to a 4x5. I saw one today at Central Camera on Wabash today for under $400 for a pretty nice Graflex with a bomb lens. So, we'll see...
There is even a chance that I might even (*gasp*) switch from film to digital for this project. "NO!!" you say!! "THE HORROR!!!"

Deal with it.

Going to the next level

2010-02-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

Took the 8x10 camera out in the snow this morning. In the span of 2 hours I was able to take a grand total of 4 photos with this thing. Yes, it is cumbersome to say the least....

I don't really mind the long set up time with this camera except that with all the time and thinking that you put into each shot, you have so much time to second guess yourself on whether what you are about to take is complete and utter crap. I know that working with this format will take some time to get used to but I am hopeful. I am pretty sure that I got at least 2 solid keepers today and I can't wait to get them developed at the lab.

With time, hopefully I can shake the worst part of working with this camera: after taking all the time to set up, compose, snap the photo and break everything down, I am constantly stricken with a panic attack at the end that I didn't set the proper exposure and all that work was for nothing. It's extremely novice behavior but it's the truth. I think I did everything right today, but my God, if these don't come out, I will walk out onto North Avenue and punch the first person I see.

Snow Day

2010-02-09T19:25:00.001-08:00

It snowed a lot today & I went around to scope for locations. Pretty happy with what I got today.

I know Chicago (and the Midwest in general) gets a bad rep for its weather but I really think there are advantages to the cold. As much as I loved life in California, the one thing that I really missed was the seasons. It just keeps things fresh to me.

Yeah, it was cold, windy and I stepped in so much slush that the bottom half of my jeans were soaked...but I couldn't help but love every minute of it.

I will admit that leaving California was a lot harder than I expected and the transition has not exactly been the cake walk I was hoping for, but after walking around my new neighborhood and seeing all the beautiful, old homes, the locals shoveling their walkways, the kids having snowball fights in front of their homes...all happening in the midst of a predicted 2 foot of blizzard, I can safely say that I am home.

Inside of my apartment...thought it looked kinda cool.

Feb Emailer

2010-02-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

A nice reminder to the magazine world that I am still alive...

Scouting shots

2010-02-08T07:27:00.001-08:00

I really want to get to work on some large format urban landscape work and I took some time over the weekend to walk around my new neighborhood in Chicago to see what I could find.

New Territory

2010-02-06T12:04:00.000-08:00

"I dont know how to talk. I'm not interested in talking. If I have something to say, perhaps it can be found in my photos." - Josef Koudelka

For some reason that quote rang true to me.

Anyway...I've been slacking on the blog front for the last month or so. Will be back soon with more updates (I swear). Off to go shoot some photos on lovely, frozen, Chicago afternoon!

Not much going on

2010-01-13T17:58:00.000-08:00

...Well, that's not really true. Not much going on in the blog world but I've been incredibly busy preparing for my move to Chicago in T-minus 2 weeks (yikes). With that comes a bucket list of things to do in San Francisco before I get outta dodge. Two words: Gary Danko (Know it, love it).

Aside from that, been shooting a lot of film. Will get everything back from the lab tomorrow. Stay tuned...

From Sea to Shining Sea...

2010-01-05T08:16:00.001-08:00

Christmas Time

2009-12-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

Every year my roommates and I throw a crazy Christmas Party and this year was by far the craziest. More photos to come but I think the above shot gives you an idea of the effort that we put into this thing.
However, as with any party, people let loose a little bit and shit gets out of control....thus producing this:

Must See Video of James Nactwey's TED speech

2009-12-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

This is a phenomenal example of the power of photography. I've always been humbled by the work of James Nachtwey. At times, I've even felt a bit guilty that while he is getting in the trenches & risking his life to bring awareness and peace through photography, I am back home in my over-priced apartment in San Francisco taking pictures of clowns and attractive ladies.
Although I've had a taste of what gritty photojournalism is like, I've realized that it's not the best fit for me. Sure, it's an experience and I get to come home and tell my friends what I just saw...but at the time, I'm more focused on getting the hell out of there than I am trying to bring the truth.

I guess we are all pulled to different things. For now, if you have 20+ minutes to spare, I strongly encourage you to watch this video. It's extremely inspiring and humbling. This is photography at it's best.

December Emailer

2009-12-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

Last one of the year! Big thanks to all of those who I have pestered with these emails throughout 2009!!

Random shots in Chicago

2009-12-01T10:02:00.001-08:00

Here are some random pics I took around Chicago while I was home over Thanksgiving...

At work...

2009-11-29T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hopefully lugging this thing during a rainstorm was worth it...

Panorama 1

2009-11-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

This is more or less what I am going for in the panoramic project. I guess the goal here is to expand on the "all over photographs" that Joel Meyerowitz did in the '70's...except utilize the digital age by stitching together multiple images to create one, single scene that captures the essence of the location. Make sense?

The photo above is kind of a test, really. I'll have to go back when the light is better and be more patient for interesting content, but I think I'm off to a good start.

More to come...

Yikes! Panoramic Test!

2009-11-28T12:09:00.001-08:00

Digital is freakin' crazy.

Scouting (Large Format)

2009-11-26T10:00:00.001-08:00

Here is the other batch of scouting photos I took yesterday. These are the opposite of the digital panoramic project...instead, these are going to be shot with my big ass, 8x10 camera. I also want all of the images to be rid of people. Not sure why, but I think I'm really just going for a sense of place, so why distract with people, eh?

Anyway, enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!
I think one of these statue images has potential. Still deciding which one is worth it.

I think one of the reasons why I have enjoyed photography so much is that it gives me a reason to go out and explore and every so often, I stumble upon a place that I never would have went to if it were not for the purpose of taking pics. My journey through the zoo is a nice example of that.

Can't decide which one to shoot here. Maybe both? Maybe a series? Who knows....

Scouting (panoramics)

2009-11-25T14:56:00.001-08:00

Here are some (rough) scouting samples for a panoramic project that I am working on. I was planning on getting all of my shooting done this weekend but after looking at these images, I'm a little doubtful that I will finish everything on time, but who knows...
I also did scouting shots of locations I want to hit up with my 8x10 camera which I will post tomorrow.

Stumbled across the LP Zoo, which I haven't been to in quite some time. Pretty cool stuff to see there....plus, I think some of these spots have potential for a good photo.

These might be a bit difficult because of the building size/distortion along with all of the people.

I think this might be the best one out of the four...

Just in time!

2009-11-25T06:44:00.001-08:00

Just got my 8x10 camera and I'm bringing it back to Chicago for Thanksgiving. I have big plans for it, so hopefully the weather will be cooperative. I am also planning on experimenting with my panoramic idea.
I'll post the results as soon as I get them.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I heart Ebay

2009-11-09T13:07:00.001-08:00

Man, Ebay rules. Just won a 8x10 film holder for a great price and in excellent condition.
Who needs stupid Calumet when there's Ebay...

New Toy!

2009-11-08T20:02:00.001-08:00

Just won this baby on Ebay this morning. It's a Calumet 8x10 camera. Pretty excited to upgrade to the big guns. I have an old 4x5 press camera but it's a little janky for what I want to use it for.
Can't wait to start using it....hopefully it opens up new opportunities.

Panoramic Test

2009-11-05T10:15:00.000-08:00

I think I might have broken new ground with this. Ideas are flowing & I'll be sure images as they come.

God bless the digital age!

Daley Plaza

2009-10-25T22:34:00.001-07:00

The next image in the series I am doing on urban scenes. Much thanks to retoucher extraordinaire, Kevin Smith!

Something new to show

2009-10-21T14:46:00.001-07:00

Portrait of my friends that I thought came out nicely...

RIP Irving Penn

2009-10-07T20:21:00.000-07:00

Legendary photographer (and one of my all time favorites) died today at age 92.
Here are some of my favorites of his:

Vote For Me!!

2009-10-07T15:07:00.000-07:00

Vote for my photos in the 'My Chicago' contest here:

VOTE FOR JAKE!!!

Thanks!

At Work...

2009-10-06T21:30:00.001-07:00

Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

2009-09-17T23:21:00.001-07:00

A couple photos I shot for this weeks cover of the SF Weekly have made it in other papers across the country. Looks like I have a total of 5 covers!!
I think this might be the coolest thing that has happened in my career and I'm really happy how the images turned out.
Much thanks to SF Weekly art director, Justin Page.

Obviously, the photo is not what made the story spread to multiple papers. Staff writer, Peter Jamison, wrote a fascinating article about the radical group, The Weather Underground, which you can read here

Bike Race in Chicago

2009-09-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

One down....ten to go.

John Mulaney

2009-09-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd do something a little different with my post and talk about up-and-coming comedian, John Mulaney. He's a childhood friend of mine from Chicago who I've know since pre-school. His friends (along with myself) always knew he had potential to make it in entertainment and now it looks like it is happening.
Instead of blah blah-ing about what I think of his comedy, I will let these clips do the talking.

Enjoy!

***Unfortunately, for copyright reasons, I cannot post clips directly on my blog***

That said, you can view a couple funny clips here & here

Lastly, here's a clip that although, is not current, is still hilarious and is a good representation of his wit.

For more, please check out www.johnmulaney.com

Pretty Cool

2009-09-04T14:24:00.001-07:00

This cover I shot last year has made it on the wall of fame down at the SF Weekly office.

Slice hits the big time!!

New Promo

2009-09-02T10:54:00.001-07:00

Avedon Homage

2009-08-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

My roommates and I just checked out the Richard Avedon exhibit at the SF MOMA. It's an excellent exhibit and I highly recommend it.

We all liked it so much that we nerded out on our cameras when we got home and I busted out my Type 55 Polaroid film that has been sitting in my fridge for the last year. I'll be sure to post the scans soon.

Scans

2009-08-05T11:52:00.001-07:00

Just picked up my 4x5 scans from my trip to Chicago. I'm pretty happy with the way they're looking so far. I'll be sure to post the final, retouched versions.

Broadway Strip

2009-07-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Outtake from a story I did for the SF Weekly on San Francisco's entertainment commission. I guess this photo didn't really have any relevance to the story, but I think it looks pretty cool and thought it would be cool to show people.

Back to reality...

2009-07-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

I just returned from my awesome-as-usual trip to Chicago. It was nice to see friends/family and enjoy the Chi Town summer (which I cannot say enough good things about).

It was also nice to use my 4x5 camera. It's been a while since I've used it (and film, in general) and depending on how the film turns out, I hope to use it a lot more often. It was a nice change of pace from my usual, on-the-go, shoot quick, street photography.

More to come!

Enjoying Chicago

2009-07-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

I've been here for the last few days on a much needed vacation. I brought my 4x5 camera with me and am excited to get everything developed. Stay tuned...

Insomnia

2009-07-19T15:20:00.000-07:00

One for the nerds...

2009-07-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

A very old (and long) interview with legendary photographer, Joel Meyerowitz. I can't say enough good things about his work and he is a very articulate speaker.

To be honest, this video really inspired me to go hit the streets with my camera. I haven't been able to do that lately. For the first time this year, I wish I didn't have to go to work today :(
....Thank God I get to go to Chicago next week.

2009-07-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

This is where I see myself in 5 years.

Scouting

2009-07-06T11:17:00.001-07:00

Still trying to push forward with my street performer idea. I'm moving a little slower than I'd like on this, but it's getting there. I might have to go back out and look around again, but I'm leaning towards #2 or #5.
While, I was riding around, I noticed light beams coming out of the trees in golden gate park and began to wonder if I could somehow incorporate that kind of light into the photo.

I've come to the realization that I have a long way to go before I can complete this....

July Promotion

2009-07-06T11:08:00.001-07:00

Pretty happy with how this turned out.

2009-06-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

There is no crappier feeling than to have the Gods tease you.

Milking it!!

2009-06-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

My snarling chihuahua photo made the creative director's top covers last week. This was based on all of the Village Voice papers nationwide.

It's nice to get a pat on the back every once in a while...

PNG over JPG?

2009-06-25T11:32:00.001-07:00

I've been hearing that .png's are the way to go for online posting. I'm still deciding...
The above image, for example, is wayyyy more vibrant (with the blues and reds, especially) than it looks here.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong, but there has to be a way to post, high-quality low-res file for online viewing. Right?

Wow...I'm a fucking dork.

Dennis was always ahead of the curve

2009-06-23T13:20:00.001-07:00