Fujifilm X100V :: Olivia

I’ve been meaning to create a more detailed post about the Fujifilm X100V. I haven’t had the time nor the motivation to do so. However, I did have an opportunity to shoot with my friend and co-worker, Olivia. She was temporarily gifted jewelry designed by Drew Ginsburg, Founder & Creative Director of Dylan Lex. Dylan Lex has been worn by Beyonce, Madonna, Cardi B and many more. Olivia was recently interviewed by Dylan Lex around the idea of “Women just want to have funds”. Please read the full interview, it’s highly informative.

I was excited about the shoot because I wanted to use the X100V for portraits and lifestyle shots. I was also excited because I got to test the video features. I was highly impressed with what it captured. The only shot that isn’t the Fuji, is the opening shot of the skyline. That was my Canon 70D. I won’t get too technical other than, I shot all the images in .raw, used various Fujifilm simulations and tweaked them to my liking.

Enjoy the videos and photos.

Blessing of the Boats: River to River by Muna Malik

My niece sent me a message over a month ago telling me she and her wife were coming to NYC to attend her friends art show. I had almost forgotten until she messaged me the day before saying that she was arriving to the city soon. It was great meeting my niece’s wife for the first time. (I started writing the post on 8/16/2020 but didn’t publish until the 27th.)

It was a beautiful evening to walk up the westside. The show was well attended and had lots of participation. Muna (the artist) had lots of media in attendance, including myself. There were two other film crews. I was able to get a great interview early in the evening while there was still great light.

The harp players gave the evening a special enchanting vibe.

My Top 5 Summer Movies

Since most of us should still be quarantining, I’ve curated some of my favorite summer movie. Two of these, I watch every summer without fail. I feel like I’m not truly enjoying summer until I watch them. Two more are timeless favorites that take me back to childhood and one is a new classic. Enjoy!

1) Do The Right Thing

Do The Right Thing takes places in Brooklyn, NY on the hottest day of the summer. It’s filled with tension, political/ social commentary and a look inside a microcosm of culture and community. This is a great watch by yourself or with a group of people. Make sure your sound system is banging. It has one of the greatest anthems of all time.

2) White Man Can’t Jump

This is probably my all time favorite comedy film and definitely in my top 5 basketball films. White Men Can’t Jump takes place on the basketball courts of Venice Beach California. This has some of the greatest one liners of all time. I’ve repeated many of these quote on basketball courts ever since its release. There’s no coincident that both of these two films co-star Rosie Perez

3) Jaws

Jaws was the scariest movie I used to love to watch as a kid. At the time, I was too young to follow the story but I watched it every time it was on TV. Jaws made people afraid to go the beach for years. I urge you to listen to Bill Simmons’s Rewatchable podcast about Jaws. Steven Spielberg’s genius is truly on display here.

4) A League of Their Own

There’s nothing that says summer more than baseball. This all-star cast gives us one of the best performances of the 90’s. A League of their own is an outdoor movie staple. I watched it in DUMBO park a couple of summers ago. Remember when Madonna was a movie star?

5) Girls Trip

Girls Trip should easily be the next movie franchise that should go 8-10 movies deep like Fast & Furious or Police Academy. I could go watch this cast every summer in a new adventure. The fact that this takes place during Essence fest means they new exactly who their audience was which is why this was such a hit. #blackmoviesmatter

Vacation Blog: Day #1 The City is Dead

Some would say the city died years ago. And by “died” I mean, back when the city had grit, character, not over taken by big box stores and absorbent rents. The city’s current death is a result of COVID-19 and the possibilities of looters. This is only my third or fourth time in the city since mid March. Today marks the first day of my two week vacation. The life of a Video Producer means you’re in front of your computer for hours at end. The goal is to spend as much time as possible being out and about walking around. Plus, it’s summer. Under normal conditions, the city would be jumping with people and activity. Now, it’s a ghost town and a shell of what it used to be.

This post is to simply to showcase the many buildings and stores that are boarded up. I’ll also showcase a few that are open.

I can’t wait to go back to the movies. It probably won’t be until late this year. I was the only person in a movie theater the night before the city shutdown. I highly recommend seeing The Times of Bill Cunningham

There are so many empty storefronts. So many businesses closed shop a few weeks into the pandemic. The rent is too damn high.

This appears to be the sentiment amongst most people.

This is where this post becomes social and political. We all know whats going. I don’t believe in looting. However, with every war and social uprising, there’s collateral damage. Huge multinational companies can repair broken glass and replace clothing. The people at the top make so much they could personally pay for most of the damage themselves. I hate when bad things happen to innocent people and companies but I have no tears for big retail companies.

Museum of Ice cream is open. As they should be. It’s hot and nothing makes us happier than ice cream on a hot day. Carry on.

If you need Italian lingerie during a pandemic and social movement, Intimissimi is open. More power to you. You might as well feel sexy if you’re going to be sitting at home.

Antique Garage, a SoHo staple is open. If you decide to go, order the pork schnitzel. Restaurants need our money.

All day, every day, 365.

Order to go. Keep those hands sanitized.

Rebuilding or repairing has begun.

Fact. Has always been.

The city isn’t dead. It’s having a down time. This city is strong. The city is resilient. But the rent is still too damn high.

Reviewing The Fujifilm X100V

I finally got my hands on the X100V. I’ve been so excited to take this camera out for a spin. This might be my next camera purchase. I spent the last week in Vermont working from a cabin in the hills. In my evening downtime, I’ve been exploring the area. It’s been extremely refreshing to be out of the city. Being in nature, breathing the fresh air and not feeling the current stress of my Brooklyn neighborhood has been very relaxing.

taken with iPhone

The beauty of this camera is that I don’t have to lug around a big camera body and lenses. It’s all contained in a single camera body that packs the punch of a bigger camera. It also didn’t get in the way of me walking around. However, be careful, you could easily forget where you left it if you sat it down.

I won’t bore you with the technical specs. You can read that on the Fujifilm website. I will say that if you can’t take a good shot with this camera, you should just hang it up. Photography isn’t for you. The X100V has every detail you need to capture a great image. I’m more than happy with the images I got.

I’m very happy with this camera. I love the build quality and the retro tactile buttons. This made me enjoy shooting again.

Life Around Brooklyn

Every evening since the beginning of quarantine, I’ve been taking 4-5 mile walks around my Crown Heights neighborhood. As a video editor, I sit all day. Since I’m not walking up and down stairs to the subway everyday, I have to keep my body moving. In addition to my health, I’ve been wanting to get into street photography. So, I’ve been taking these walks as an opportunity to start shooting again. It’s been years since I’ve really been into photography. I’ve been thinking about buying the new Fujifilm X100V as an everyday street camera. However, before I buy, I’m going to sharpen my skills and eye with my current camera first. The Fuji will be a lot smaller and hopefully more fun to shoot with.

These shots are a tiny glimpse into what it feels like in the neighborhood during COVID. Enjoy!

Life has really slowed down in an eerie way for the last two months.

Every evening at 7pm, NYC applauds the frontline workers with cheers, screams and cowbells.

Liquor stores seem to be thriving really well.

A local smoke shop employee.

Bizarre, funny and scary.

Ball is life.

12 o’clock boys.

Queue Swizz Beats.

Alone together.

In a city where there are so many thirsty land developers, I’m always in awe that this level of urban decay still exist in this city. It might as well be NYC 1981.

These are a few of my favorite Vimeo videos

I’ve been a member of Vimeo since 2007. Over the years, I’ve “liked/book marked” thousands of videos. Some because they were really creative, inspiring or just entertaining. In the early days of Vimeo, it was a tight knit community of video professionals who wanted to share their work in the highest quality possible. Vimeo was the first platform that allowed HD uploads and also offered a clean interface and design that made your videos look impeccable online. In 2007, YouTube was not the juggernaut it is today. It had crappy resolution, a poorly designed video player, and just an overall tacky experience. I naturally gravitated to Vimeo because I was able to learn and watch where video content was headed. I could find out about the latest camera gear, editing techniques and the who’s who of the video creator community. With all the extra time I have now, I’ve gone through and randomly selected some of my favorite short-form videos. Enjoy!

Fly with Kyle Scott: Facebook to ABC7

I met Kyle back in 2013 in Sarasota. We would bump into each other around town and always in Publix. During one of our many meetings at Publix, Kyle told me an idea he had a for a TV series called “Hot, Hip & Happening”. I dug the idea so we started shooting mini video segments around town, at bars and restaurants. After we did a few of those, Kyle showed the videos to Nate Jacobs who loved the idea and wanted to support us in making a pilot for the show. Kyle, Nate and I had a meeting of the minds and started planning the pilot. After a few meetings and Nate making some connections, we were off to the races and completed the pilot.

After the pilot, we continued shooting short segments for Facebook and YouTube. In 2015, I moved to NYC. Meanwhile, night after night, Nate was producing sellout shows at his West Coast Black Theatre Troupe while frequently hosting on ABC7’s Suncoast View. Nate shared the pilot with the producers at ABC7 and they loved the concept. After a couple of years of planning, I made my way back down to Sarasota during the summer of 2019 to shoot the first season of Fly with Kyle Scott. Some where along the way, I had a crazy idea of rebranding the show. “Hot, Hip & Happening” was the essence of what the show was about but I felt “Fly” better represented it and was much cleaner and easier to brand.

Fly began streaming on ABC7 in October of 2019. It aired Saturday nights at 7pm and Sunday at noon. It was great tuning in from NYC to watch every weekend. As the show completed airing at the end of 2019, ABC7 delivered great news to us that a spot had opened up on the actual TV network. And the rest was history. Fly with Kyle Scott made it to television. Here are a couple of episodes.

Representation Matters at Flywheel

Black History month feels more like a hashtag or a February sales initiative more so than an American tradition. As time goes on, I hear less and less about it every year. Growing up in the 80’s and early 90’s, Black History Month felt like the most important thing. It’s lost some of its impact however it’s not completely bleak for the month long celebration.

I was recently contacted by my former kickboxing instructor who is now an instructor for Flywheel. She told me she wanted to tell the real story of black instructors working in a very white boutique industry. She wasn’t sure that we would get corporate approval on the video but she wanted to make it any way. We filmed the video on January 26th (the day Kobe Bryant passed away). The only reason I include this is to show the stark difference between famous black athletes and the instructor working at your local gym. The boutique fitness industry faces lots of back lash because of its inability to be inclusive of people of color. Some of the Flywheel instructors have faced lots of criticism because they don’t reflect the core demographic of who they serve. This video hopefully helps shed some light on why representation matters.

Telling my story at The High School of Fashion Industries

Relationships are the lifeline to any professional career. Cultivating new relationships can lead to extraordinary opportunities. Back in September, I got the opportunity to share my educational and professional story with a group of students from the The High School of Fashion Industries. The High School of Fashion Industries is a technical high school in NYC specializing in the trade and skills of the fashion industry. My dear friend Angie O’Riley runs a program called The Curvy Lab from the high school. The mission of the The Curvy lab is to promote inclusivity and diversity and to integrate these principles in a multifaceted curriculum by celebrating realistic representations of the body.

Speaking to groups of people isn’t my thing but I did enjoy sharing my story with this group of students. Enjoy.

Artist Talk with Lola June

Lola June is NYC’s hottest and youngest artist. At only two years of age, Lola has shown her work at multiple galleries and has been featured on several media outlets, CBS New York, The Cut, The Times UK. She’s totally making the rounds and is selling work in the process. I had the opportunity to document the final night of her gallery show where they had an “artist talk” with Pajtim, the curator that discovered Lola, and Lola’s godmother, Laura.

I was introduced to Lola June and Pajtim Osmanaj through my friend Marissa. Pajtim says “I first noticed her drawings using marker on paper and was in awe of her perfect abstract composition in my mind. She caught my attention and I wanted to help her explore with more mediums such as acrylics and pastels on canvas”.

It’s been exciting to watch Lola’s story unfold from week to week. Who knows where she will end up next.

American Fox at POOLTRADESHOW Las Vegas

Although, I lost $30 at a $5 blackjack table, I’m doubling down on American Fox. American Fox is a “festival chic” clothing brand started by my friend Karlenn. This year, Karlenn decided to take part in the 2019 POOLTRADESHOW held in Las Vegas. POOLTRADESHOW pulls out all the major brands and influencers of the fashion industry. The show is catered to retailers looking to stock their stores with the latest and greatest in current trends. To be in this show, means you’re getting major visibility. It’s a huge stepping stone for a small brand.

Karlenn and I have created multiple fashion videos over the years for American Fox. Everything from the strange and bizarre to vintage and fun in the sun. Creating these videos is alway a great exercise in creativity. I went to Vegas with the intention of documenting Karlenn’s time at the show and to create another lifestyle video. We pulled off both.

I rented the FUJI XT-3 for the trip. The verdict is still out whether I’m going to purchase it but I’m certainly happy with the results from it.

An Intimate Conversation: Feminism and Race

I was recently tasked with filming an intimate panel around feminism and race hosted by Clémentine Desseaux, model, entrepreneur, and blogger. Clémentine runs a non-profit organization called the “All Womxn Project”, which is dedicated to girls and women empowerment. Clémentine graciously opened the talk with “if you’re uncomfortable, you’re doing something right”. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced a more calm and rational talk about race. This could have easily gone off the rails but all the women in attendance were there to share, listen and understand.

The panel included Ericka Hart M.Ed., sex educator, speaker, writer, and breast cancer survivor. Rachel Cargle, activist, writer, entrepreneur and lecturer. Gabriella Richardson, model, artist, and activist.

I’m fortunate that I get to work on projects that are bringing attention to a really important cultural movement.

The highlight video from the night.

The talk in its entirety.

I Shot a Music Video for a Complete Stranger

Let me explain. Earlier this summer, I attended the opening of Pier17 in lower Manhattan. While walking around, I met a fellow creative by the name of Tim. Tim said he was here from Jamaica to shoot his music video. After we talked about cameras and other creative stuff, he asked if I could help him shoot his music video. (I’m really not into shooting music videos. It’s not my thing.) Instantly, my guard went up. I really didn’t want to do it but he was so adamant that God had brought us together for a reason. He told me that he was a christian rapper and that his song was super positive. So I dropped my guard a bit. We talked a little more and tried to figure out the scheduling and we came to the realization the only time we had was the following morning.

The next morning, we get together in Time Square and we shoot parts of his music video. I remember it being extremely hot outside. All the scenes of him walking in the yellow shirt, I filmed. Serendipity was definitely on our side through the day. Some how, we were able to get onto the top of a double decker bus by ourselves as it drove through time square. It’s a pretty dope shot actually. In the end, everything worked out. Tim also mentioned that he was a motion graphic artist and that he had a stylized vision for the video that involved superimposing himself and text onto the jumbo screens of time square. After hearing that, I envisioned the music video looking exactly how he put together.

Here’s Timothy’s music video “Bright Days”.

Immigration Reform by Marilyn M. Miller

As I was walking home from work on Thursday, I casually strolled through Union Square Park. Union Square Park is usually a hotbed of all sorts of activity. People selling and soliciting, markets and makers, artist and performers. When I noticed a cage with mannequins on the inside, I stopped to take in people's reactions. The cage was covered in hand written notes of peoples feeling towards the idea of children being separated from the parents at the border. Most of the notes were written in solidarity with the families. There were a few negative notes left on the cage as well. 

While I was standing there, I was hit with the urge to document what I was seeing. Luckily, I had my camera with me. I was really hoping to interview the artist. After standing there for about fifteen minutes or so, I saw this woman being very friendly with people around the cage. She greeted people as if she was hosting them in her home. I quickly put together that she was the artist of this very powerful project. I introduced myself to Marilyn Miller and asked if I could ask her a few questions on camera and the rest is history. 

This video has gotten quite a bit of attention on FB, mainly from my friends but the overall idea and story struck a cord with people that I wasn't expecting. The video has gotten around 50 shares and close to 3,000 views. I truly hope that Marilyn receives more attention for this work. 

Taste of Time Square

I shot this video a few weeks back. It was finally starting to get warm outside and I was really jonesing to be out and about. I got wind of this event and thought it might make for a cool video. I was mostly right. I was also hoping that maybe I could get it published on The New Food Economy but I knew the video was going to be mostly event coverage which isn't what TNFE is about. However, the video turned out to be pretty fun and it showcased "no man's land" for the majority of New Yorkers. 

Remembering Anthony Bourdain

This week I got to interview a few people outside of Brasserie Les Halles, Anthony Bourdain's former restaurant, to hear what he meant to them. It's been a sad week here in NYC. 

7th Annual Bushwick Collective Block Party 2018

It's been three years now that I've been documenting The Bushwick Collective Block Party on behalf of Lot45. I look forward to this event every year. It represents the beginning of summer and the overall creative energy of Brooklyn. I hope to do more videos like this during the summer all over NYC. Here's the video from this past weekend. 

While shooting the event, I also got great coverage of the Monster Energy drink booth. They had a full on experience with a DJ, breakdancers and free energy drinks. I met the MC of the party and cut a video specifically centered around the Monster brand. He shared the video on Instagram where it got a lot of love. Here's that video. 

Work Update: MAK Math Coaching and Tutoring Service

Once again, I've found myself working in education. This time I was hired by a coaching and tutoring firm called Marianne's Alpha Kappa. Mak Math provides a unique educational experience tailored to the individual needs of students with a special focus on French speaking students crossing over into an American system of learning. Marianne, the fearless leader of the company, had a very unique vision of what she wanted from the video. Since the classes take place in art galleries, she wanted parts of the video to feel very abstract and artsy. You'll notice the b-roll is black and white and the interviews are in color. This was a fun video to make. This video came together like a mini-doc. Lots of candid interviews, shooting in different environments and an overall inspiring story.  

Volkswagen "Jetta Haus" New York City Pop-Up

Friday afternoon, I get a text message from my friend Nadia saying there's a Volkswagen event in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I asked if it was a vintage Volkswagen (we all know I love vintage Volkswagens) show and she says no, it's for the new Jetta. After looking up the show and realizing it would be cool, I decided to go. Luckily, I had my video equipment with me. "Jetta Haus" was a full on interactive experience promoting the release of the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The experience included an ambient lighting room, a turbo engine experience, test driving demo, musical performances and a doughnut wall. Spring/Summer is what I like to call "corporate event season". A lot of companies use the warmer season to market new ideas and products. These events lend themselves for great video opportunities. Here's my video from "Jetta Haus".