Brooklyn to Denver

I flew to Brooklyn on Friday to drive my friends car back to Denver, take some photographs, and clear my head. This was* the view from his apartment.

*he sold it four days after i was there.

I need you.

Sunnyside Drug & Market

I've been here for breakfast twice in the past two weeks. I'm going to try and go again tomorrow. Amelia makes the eggs and browns. A pile of breakfast is only a few dollars. These places are a dying breed.

Bruised Bananas

I realized today that I've been eating the bruised bananas on top of my refrigerator for the past few days and those brown spots haven't bothered me one bit. This wasn't always the case and for years I refused to eat even the smallest brown spot on a piece of fruit. I still stay clear of mealy apples and soft spots on peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots and strawberries. But I feel like the bruised bananas situation is a step in the right direction. My friend Dave gives me a hard time for liking unripe fruit. And this is still true for most of the fruit in my life. I like unripened strawberries and the afore mentioned pitted fruits. I like the tartest, crunchiest ones in the supermarket. Because normal people like ripe fruit there is always a solid selection of unripe fruit. I once attributed this like of the unripe to having grown up in a small town with an even smaller grocery market where there weren't ripe options but I can also trace its roots to loving grapefruit and blackberries both notoriously sour fruit. But this whole bruised bananas is a big change.

Today marks my 105th day in the studio shooting this documentary about the band. There are four days left. Four days. This doesn't seem real. I can only equate this feeling with the feeling of an approaching last day of school. Will Wednesday July 2nd be the longest day of shooting?

I've shot around 180 hours of footage that will be cut down to the 30-45 min range for the documentary that will accompany the first 300,000 albums sold. This means that minimally 300,000 people will see my next film. This is hard to grasp. It is another feeling altogether to have worked this hard for something and have it inch closer and closer every day. I have so much to be thankful for; this film, the soon to be published book of photography, and then of course all the publicity, promotion, and marketing tools that I'll make the band for this record, website images, video blogs, press photographs.

James and I are editing the Jacks Mannequin short like you might run a long distance relationship. He's in the City of Angles and so we're about to get on a call together and talk through the first round of edits. I think this project will be released in early September with the new Jack's record titled "The Glass Passenger". Again, so crazy to think that this CD and DVD will be available everywhere, even my mother could go to Best Buy and pick one up.

You're all too beautiful. And I miss you all.

more photos from "Choke, California"

My new friend Frank Maddocks who is the head of the art department at Warner Brothers took these Holga images during our Jacks Mannequin shoot this past weekend. They are awesome images.

"Choke, California", a short film

Last weekend I was out in the Mojave Desert with my friend James Minchin shooting a short film for the band Jacks Mannequin. It was 115-120 degrees during the day out there. Justin made sure we drank a bottle of water an hour. The soles of my feet almost caught on fire. The sunscreen was pancaked on our faces and arms. We got 6 hours of sleep a night, one in an Econo Lodge in Barstow with a bed made of plywood that didn't even matter. We ate bad fast food and Denny's. Our bodies craved the shade. The 1964 Betty Blue Olds went 65 and had no air conditioning. My cameras almost melted.

But we had an amazing time. We shot some amazing images. Here are some video stills.

I love you.

The Coffee Table Book

It has taken ages to get this far, and I can't even really begin to share any more of the project (no time to edit for the blog...) but I did make just a low budget spread of the Polaroids that will be in the book. And when I say low budget I mean I did a low quality scan and then just stuck them on top of a color, no layout, no sizing, no arrangements.

The hard drive with the rest of the images goes to the publisher tomorrow. It has literally taken almost 5 months to get this out the door and I can't tell you how excited I am. Maybe now my mom will think I have a real job!

one photograph & one movie trailer

my friend Brian asked me to take photos the other night of his band Achille Lauro opening up for one of his favorite bands, Subtle. but my photos came out looking rather poor. the lighting was sporadic and my focus was off. this is all i've got.



my friend patrick today told me about this film. if you're a fan of City of Lost Children you should plan on going to see this with me.

there aren't any numbers in my phone that i want to call

that is how i feel tonight. i want to write but i don't have the energy. its raining out and i like listening to it on the metal roof of my studio. i'm dreading going home to sit in the dark and wish i was somewhere else. i don't even know where that is. i really just want to stay up late talking with someone that i can't get enough of. and i don't even know that person.

new Wilco photos

new Eisley photos

This afternoon I drove up to Boulder to see my friends Eisley and Israel. Just picked up a new camera and lens, thought I'd try them out on my friends. Two shots. That's it for tonight. I'm too tired to write anything else. I miss you and hope you're doing really well. I promise to write soon.

Response To Last Blog About George Bush

A reader wrote "IT'S NO SURPRISE TO ME THAT CNN WOULD CONDUCT THIS POLL IN FAVOR OF (AS THE MILITARY REFERS TO THEM) "THE COMMUNIST NEWS NETWORK". I HOPE BY NOW EVERYONE WHO HAS A MIND TO THINK KNOWS BETTER THAN TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. IT'S OBVIOUSLY IMPOSSIBLE TO GET ANYTHING FAIR FROM THIS GROUP. THE ONLY PEOPLE DIVIDING THIS COUNTRY ARE PEOPLE LIKE REV. WRIGHT AND HIS FOLLOWERS AND PEOPLE LIKE ROSIE O'DONNELL, ALEC BALDWIN, HARRISON FORD, AND ALL THE HUNDREDS OF "BRILLIANT MOVIE STARS AS THEY CLAIM EACH OTHER TO BE" AND THEIR FOLLOWERS. WE DEFINITELY NEED MORE TOGETHERNESS IN PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY BUT IT CANNOT HAPPEN WITH THESE PEOPLE ALWAYS TEARING OUR COUNTRY DOWN BECAUSE THEY FEEL THE NEED TO BE A REBEL. SOMETIMES I WISH THEY WOULD FIND THEIR OWN ISLAND TO BURN BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING I WOULD RATHER THEY PUT DOWN THEIR FIREPOWER(WORDS,POSITION AND MONEY)DOWN AND USE IT TO HELP UNITE US THAN DIVIDE US."

Here is a question for you.

How are those who choose to accept all walks of life dividing the country?

Those who challenge the view of the uneducated and close minded individuals are doing their best to point out over and over again that our nation does not want to be run by close minded neo conservatives who have the "its my way or the highway" approach to life.

If you look at history, it will show that conservatives instead choose to support and accept only those who are like themselves. The whole point of our nation is to be able to choose to live how you wish to live, and not have every aspect of your life decided upon by a government. If you don't like something, somebody, or a way of life, all you need to do is look the other way.

You don't need to limit someone else's existence merely because you think your way of living is superior.

Bush Is Officially The Worst President On Record

From CNN.com

"A new poll suggests that President Bush is the most unpopular president in modern American history.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Thursday indicates that 71 percent of the American public disapprove of how Bush is handling his job as president.

"No president has ever had a higher disapproval rating in any CNN or Gallup Poll; in fact, this is the first time that any president's disapproval rating has cracked the 70 percent mark," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director.

"Bush's approval rating, which stands at 28 percent in our new poll, remains better than the all-time lows set by Harry Truman and Richard Nixon [22 percent and 24 percent, respectively], but even those two presidents never got a disapproval rating in the 70s," Holland said. "The previous all-time record in CNN or Gallup polling was set by Truman, 67 percent disapproval in January 1952."

I'm not in the mood to explain to those who need explaining too, but I often wonder what will the history books remember about George? What will future editions of High School History have to say about his presidency? I can't think of one successful venture or national gain that he has accomplished. instead he has been the most divisive president in history, pushing Americans further apart from each other than ever before.

Truly the most awful political even of my lifetime thus far.

A real post coming soon....

Big Head Todd And The Monsters DVD in Best Buy

My friend Kelly directed a documentary about the band Big Head Todd And The Monsters. It was released yesterday (exclusively at Best Buy I believe) and during lunch today we drove over and picked ourselves up a few copies. It looks really great so maybe you should check it out.

Here's a sneak peek that the band posted online:



Oh, and if you watch the credits you'll notice that Kelly gave me my own page in the credits as the Director of Photography. If you do happen to check it out look for my super 8mm footage of Albany NY and Burbank CA. (my two homes over the past few years).

The Dodos, Cloud Cult, Fleet Foxes, My Warehouse & Indie Rock

Why do scenesters and hipsters always look the same? Why do you have to have a beard, tight jeans and some faded overpriced vintage t-shirt on in order to be taken seriously by the "independent scene"? Why do you have to look any part? I'm a casual dresser, jeans, shirts, shoes, and underwear but people look at me like I'm some disease at cool little rock shows. My friend Kelly and I talk about this all the time. We're just happy being ourselves looking like the dorky filmmakers that we are. I mean look at Julian Schnabel. He wore sweatpants and a flannel shirt to the SAG awards where his film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was honored. When he stood up to accept the award he remarked that he didn't know anyone in the room yet the place was full of the current who's who of Hollywood. That's reassuring to me. I've always been proud of the work I do. I meet so many people who just dip into their trust fund all the time to make their projects. I meet so many people who just know people and never actually create any art. I see these hipsters buried three deep at the Hi Dive bar and wonder how hard they actually are trying to look like they are some eccentric creative genius. Then I remember that I've never seen any of their work, heard any of their music, and all they are is just someone who's trying too hard.

My three new favorite bands are Cloud Cult, The Dodos, and Fleet Foxes. I owe the tip of Fleet Foxes to my new friend Laurie. She hit the nail on the head with that one. The Dodos are playing in Denver on Monday. I'm a little "showed" out right now but I'm trying to reach out to them to see if we can go take some photos and shoot a little acoustic performance in a car wash during the day.

Last night my friend Jimmy's band Dualistics played at the Bluebird in Denver. Yet another venue afflicted with poor lighting.



Do these photos of my room and living space make me "hip"?

Mike vs Aaron

Bicycle, Denver, Film & a Lady

I got my mountain bike back up and running again today. It had been sitting in storage since last September when it rode on the roof of my car from upstate NY to Los Angeles and then back to Denver. I’m not much of a biker in the fixed gear hardcore biker scene sense of the word but I do like riding.


This is me, circa the fall of 2005 in Crested Butte, CO. This photo is tough and cool, although the fact that I’m posting it on my blog calling it tough and cool probably negates all original intention. I’m going to have to call my lawyer on this one.

There is a giant mesa across the road from my studio and everyday I look up this nice gravel road that goes to the top and wonder what the view of the Front Range looks like. I’m going to find out tomorrow. Out the front door of my afore mentioned warehouse is an access point to the Platte River and Cherry Creek trail systems. This is a whole new side of Denver that while I knew existed had no real concept of what it looked like. I rode for miles without seeing any cars or the hustle and the bustle of a city, just other bikers, runners, dog walkers and beautiful girls. As long as I can remember the warm weather always brings the beautiful girls out of the woodwork. Granted it was almost in the 80’s today. Back in college (does that sound a little too old to be said like that) when spring hit the quads were always full of dirty trust fund hippies throwing the Frisbee around listening to crappy reggae music pumped out of the third story of some nearby dorm room. I hate reggae music. I use the word hate here in every strong sense of the word. But then there were always the girls sunning on the quad that we’d never seen before. Its like they’d been locked in the basement of some obscure academic building and then brought out with the warm weather as to ensure that we all would no longer want to study and therefore fail our courses. This was for sure a scheme instituted by the institution in order to force us to return for an additional semester so that they could once again pillage my bank account.

Speaking of beautiful girls I’m sure someone might be wondering what happened with my whole Valentine’s Day date search thing. Here’s what I can tell you. I met this great girl from Texas, we hung out a few times, but it didn’t seem natural and we both kind of feel apart in a completely normal way. We haven’t talked in a bit but there is a chance she might be reading this. She was great but obviously it wasn’t the right thing and that’s okay sometimes. Have to try to know right?

I did however meet this great woman two weekends ago at the Vail Film Festival. My friend Chris flew into town so we could go paint the mountains red as his film about the Damnwells, Golden Days , was playing in Vail. I was having a crappy time at the closing night party (its tough watching a room full of less than exceptional wanna be filmmaker patrons talk to themselves about how cool they are for supporting independent film) when all of a sudden I happened to start talking with these two women. Long story short I meet Kristen (she might be reading this too). She’s 37, lives here in Denver and I’m totally smitten. She thinks its kind of weird that she’s 10 years older than me. On Sunday we got a bite to eat and then saw Juno. I e-mailed her today to see if we could see the film Chansons D'Amour this weekend:



Anyway, I like this girl.

(is that an appropriate way to end this blog?)

Hopping Freight To Denver

After having been gone for most of February and all of March I arrived back in Denver two weeks ago in need of a place to live. My eight boxes of assorted clothes, books, records and movies were in storage at my friend Patrick’s warehouse, and seeing as there were already two other people renting space from him I said why not. I’m sure that the hopeless romanticism associated with warehouse living will probably soon come to pass as I approach the end of my late twenties in the next few years and so perhaps this occasion will be my only chance to live in the oddest of spaces.

The former Pride Electric Company, which went bankrupt in 2004, is situated almost directly off the interchange of I-25 and I-70, the two major North South and East West Highways that meet in Denver. Globeville, as this area of town is known, also includes the small communities on the eastern side of 25 just off Washington Ave. When industry was booming in Denver post World War II there was a smelting factory just north up Washington that spewed pollutants into the Denver air, unregulated for years. Once the factory closed down it was discovered that the homes in this area had become highly contaminated with a myriad of bad stuff that had been falling from the sky. I don’t live on that side of the highway.

My new roommates include the musician Eric Bachmann. You should probably know his band Crooked Fingers. They’re on MERGE Records, a small true indie label that incidentally also happens to be home to Spoon and the Arcade Fire among others. His mere presence in the warehouse increases the appeal of my warehouse living experience, although he is currently away producing a record for a friend. There are occasionally packages in the front lobby from his other record label, Saddle Creek (yeah, he’s a Saddle Creek solo artist too). I’d like to think to myself that he’s receiving super top secret transmissions from Conor Oberst regarding either the state of the Omaha underground music scene or highly classified and rare Bright Eyes recordings. I mean I know that they aren’t but its kind of nice to imagine.

On the western side of Globeville are the railroad tracks that technically separate my part of the ghetto from the Highlands. As I was driving back from my studio today to the warehouse I noticed, an out of place man walking down a dead end street that dead ends at those tracks. He was wearing a heavy jacket and shouldering a knapsack, the old fashioned kind. He was trying to blend in but without any other foot traffic or cars in the area he was hard to miss. The nervousness of his pose and glances as he cross Fox Ave in my rear view made me wonder if he was hopping freight. Then about 15 minutes later as I was headed downtown to meet my friend for dinner and a movie I noticed a few other random individuals scattered about through the industrial void that exists along Park Ave between 25 and the ballpark. The train tracks also run right along the Platte River through there and then it occurred to me that all these guys were hopping freight and a train must have just come in. They were all walking away from the vicinity of the rail yard, hands jammed in pockets, heads down, looking their best to look like they belonged there, ducking in and out of holes in the chain link that hides the rails from the rest of the gentry.

Last night at the Hi-Dive, where my friends Elin and Audrey were playing, I ran into the Denver photographer, Gary Isaacs. Gary is a creative and visual force and as we met for the first time he asked me if I’d like to join him on some street walking missions around the city. He suggested that I film his encounters with random people as he tries to convince them to let him take their photograph. I eagerly said yes. I stumbled through my conversation with him and felt like an idiot for not fully being able to express my knowledge of film and photographs like I wanted to be able to. He’s taken photographs of everyone from Garrison Keillor to Mikhail Gorbachev.

Over the course of the past few weeks, as I left Sausalito and headed down to sunnier parts in Southern California, I began writing down some adventures that I’d like to embark on. While the idea of a Greyhound Bus adventure coast to coast does sound nice I’ll have to admit that there is a small fear of the claustrophobia of being stuck next to the recent parole who’s headed to Sandusky to scare up rent money by selling his body. Greyhound has its charms but its unpredictable makes it totally out of my control. So I proposed to my friend Brian that I hop in a van with him and Bon Iver on his summer/fall tour for two weeks. I’ll take photographs and shoot super 8mm. We will shower in truck stops, share one hotel room a night, and drink like fish. Nothing makes me smile more than the thought of driving around the country at the end of summer when the nights are short and the days are long. I’m hoping that they say yes.

ALESANA from the Marquis Theatre

Wednesday April 9th
Alesana, The Marquis Theatre, Denver, CO

this is slightly embarassing

but why not. we found it today whilst looking through several thousand photographs for the coffee table book. i'm okay with the fact that i look like an idiot.

Chevelle Photos

Dear you,

Too much time has passed since I last wrote. However today I just want to share a photo composition from a show I photographed last night here in Denver. Been ages since I'd been to a rock concert and as my friend Rikki is on the road with Finger 11 and Chevelle she hooked it up with the photo pass. There is one subtle difference in the pictures below. I'd love to know which one you like better. Until then be well. I promise I'll write soon.

Love Rod

I'm Always In Love