Hey Ladies!! BFRESH

Watching BFRESH work is like watching a fire ignite. This woman is one of the most passionate and driven ladies I have come across, and she is known to work around the clock until she gets the job done! Her work speaks for itself, and her photos tell a story that needs to be heard. Recently transplanting from the Twin Cities to Brooklyn, she is HUNGRY and steady on the grind. Perfect match for HEY LADIES!

Rebecca “B FRESH” McDonald of B FRESH Photography and Media

WHERE DO YOU CALL HOME? Currently, I call Brooklyn my home.
WHERE ARE YOU FROM? I am from a quick-witted-headstrong-mother and a frugal-biker-environmentalist father. The city is the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul).
WHAT DO YOU DO? I am a multimedia artist/journalist working in arts/entertainment/politics in the mediums of photography/video/written word. The work I produce focuses on community power development and telling stories of creation, empowerment and revolution. The common thread throughout all I do is storytelling, which is my ultimate passion in life.
TRUE BEAUTY IS…honest grittiness | colorful textures
BEATS…fuel my energy. I am always listening to music, and I create to the beat.
TRUE SEXY IS…confident | humorous.
MUSIC IS MY…soundtrack to life. I always use lyrics to reflect on life, to escape, or to use it as a tool to connect. That is the same way I use my camera! For example, in a crowd, you can use a camera to isolate yourself, or to connect with people. I typically choose the connection, even though I am an introvert. I love spending time home alone creating, relaxation and rejuvenation. after a long day being super-social. Music helps me find that balance.
ART DOES...not need to follow rules. You must know the rules of your craft, so you can break them. The premise of my work is to always think outside of the box, in terms of creativity, content and technical skills. I aim to represent a missing element in mainstream media- those voices of youth, women and people of color in a unique and bold way.
MY NIGHTS ARE…LONG. I create and am the most inspired in the evening.
THESE 3 TURN ME ON… Passion | Dancing | Happiness
SELF-KNOWLEDGE…is constantly evolving.
ENOUGH OF…the mediocrity! I want excitement in the art/entertainment/political worlds. We have fallen into a trap, and need some excitement in our lives! Who’s with me?!
MY CREATIVITY IS…on fire! I can't stop creating and thinking of things to create. i wish I had more hands!
TRUE POWER IS…self-honesty, and the ability to harness life’s passions while motivating others and staying true to one’s core values.
LIFE CAN BE THE...pits, and drag you down sometimes. We must get back up, and keep moving, stronger and smarter than before. There have been many times when I have considered ending my full-time commitment to the arts. When I am close to giving up, something always happens, to reassure me that I am on the right path.
TO LOVE IS TO…live, as living is to love. It’s not the same as the rush from eating chocolate though- sorry.
I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE…I can be versatile. I can lead and create in any environment. I can navigate covering a museum opening with millionaires, to a rally on the capitol, to a Snoop Dog show, all in one day.
WORDS YOU LIVE BY: “The revolution is ourselves, our lives.” -Audre Lorde
NEW PROJECTS FOR 2011? I am currently working on developing a distribution strategy for my database of over 500,000 images, similar to that of Getty Images, but for the community. Grassroots and progressive websites and blogs are being sued right and left for using copy-written materials. I want to provide a service where the community can obtain creative and quality assets (photos, video, audio etc) without having to worry about legal issues. I am studying for the LSATs, so you may see me at NYU in the Entertainment Law program in the next few years, to pursue my passion for protecting the rights of artists.
I also am working on a book, and developing other merchandise.
WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU? You can reach me at 917.727.2013 or bfreshsphotography@gmail.com
STAY CONNECTED:
Facebook
Twitter
Flickr

Pic of the day..

If I had a ride.. and lived in LA.. I would hope the interior was this hot. Sadly no photo credit, but I found the pic here

PHOTO OF THE DAY ::: M.I.A through the lense of MIKE SCHREIBER

One of the most interesting shots of M.I.A out there captured by my good friend, Mike Schreiber. Not surprisingly, it ended up in the latest issue of ROLLING STONES. Kudos to Mike! Check out more of his work on his website.

Inspirations...

More love to GAS'D and AFTA-1
Sooo inspired....

LOCATION:WITHIN from GAS'D on Vimeo.

Blogs we love! FASHION TOAST!

I just can't get enough of the fly style, photoshoots, and the non-apologetic risk taking on Fashion Toast! Her shoes make me drool! Seriously, check it out HERE!

Pics of the day: by Green Vanilla

Feeling this today.. See more on Green Vanilla @ DeviantART

Dont miss it, THIS FRIDAY!

New York, NY – May 22, 2009 premieres Noble Technique Arts & Subculture Arts Fest. The New York based art collective, Noble Technique, presents the first of a four - part event series highlighting New York City based arts and subcultures.

This festival will be celebrated in a four-part series, individually focusing on Dance, Skate culture, Kicks (sneaker) culture, and the Body Arts.

The first is "DANCEINFUSED" and is a unique window for viewing the culture of dance and celebrating everything about it.

“DANCEINFUSED” is presented in a 7500 sq ft. interactive loft space at Die Fabrik in NYC’s Soho district. The opening reception from 9pm – 11pm features the work of photographers, painters, and videographers on their interpretation of dance, as well as a collection of autobiographical work of well - established representatives of dance. The rest of the evening continues until 2am with performances, interactive displays, and a celebration with music provided by Hardy Boys featuring DJ Lloydski and Blu Jemz.

Performances throughout the evening feature the Hip Hop Dance Conservatory, dance photographer Lois Greenfield & The Dario Vaccaro Dance Project, Broadway dancer/choreographer James Kinney and NYC nightlife’s, Roela LaMazing, interactive demonstrations by Voguers, Capoeiristas, B-Boys, B-girls, Burlesque, and more. An ongoing exhibition of the visual displays will continue for the rest of the weekend, May 23 & 24, 1pm - 7pm.


Anyone interested in this experience should RSVP at guest@nobletechnique.com


Noble Technique: DANCEINFUSED
Featuring:
Dance: The Hip Hop Dance Conservatory, Lois Greenfield & The Dario Vaccaro Dance Project, James Kinney, Joshua Pelatzky, Roela LaMazing, Shyrelle K, Melanie Ninja of House of Ninja, and more.
Art & Photography: Lois Greefield, TONE, Michael J. Seamans, Roger Lanoue Jr., Anthony Cunanan, Concep, Elyssa Pierre, Joseph Romanoff, Sarah White, KT, +snowflake, Shawn Bishop-Leo, and more.
Music: Hardy Boys featuring DJ Lloydski and Blu Jemz, and more
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009
Time: Opening reception 9pm-11pm, 11pm - 2am
Admission: $10 w/ RSVP guest@nobletechnique.com, $15 door
Venue: Die Fabrik , 38 Howard St, 5th floor, Soho, NY, NY, 10003
Trains: 6, N, R, Q, W to Canal St.

Pilfered Magazine X King Britt

King Britt as Guest Editor of April's PILFERED Magazine!
Check it out and download it here!

Mama wants... Photos by Kwesi

///////PHOTOS BY KWESI////////

I remember a few weeks after I moved to Brooklyn, I went down to Atlantic Ave to check out ATLANTIC ANTIC, a street festival with music, food, antiques, clothing and art. In between all of the streets full of people, out of the corner of my eye I saw a painting that blew me away. It was messy, and colorful and mysterious. My favorite kind. I squeezed my way through and there he was. Kwesi. I asked him for a card or website, none of which he had @ the time, and he sent me off with nothing but a number to text him at. In the last year I have seen him everywhere from dark corners of parties - to the streets of Fort Greene, and not only has his work came into full bloom, but I think it is some of the most innovative and stylish photography in BK. Check out his shots. I also loooooooooooove the styling by Pamela Shepard.
Be sure to check out his blog too! http://www.spaceshipgeorge.blogspot.com

Mama wants more Stephanie Land!!!

Last night I had the pleasure of spending the evening with the lovely and talented Stephanie Land. Sometimes in this world of blogs and twitter facebooked twisted cypher of myspace, you forget how dope a face to face is. She recently launched her new site! Check it out and be inspired.

Mi-zo is the truth...

been obsessed with Mi-zo's visionary world

Ok, lets begin...

Photo from Photobucket's DCOBAMABOOK
Although I decided to stay in BK for the big day, I stayed glued to CNN watching as the moment unfolded. Warm on my futon with my fam....
We have a lot of work to do in this country and it's time to get serious.. But first, can I just say, to hear Etta James (Well ...Beyonce singing Etta) as the opening song for the dance @ the "Ball" was almost as moving as the speech? I love me some Etta, so seeing our President get down to that, sealed the deal.
Lets get to work people. It starts within.

Mama wants.. Lagos Shake!!!

So, I was with my fam shopping for vinyl the other day on Bleecker and I came across this amazing cover. Then, to my surprise I flipped over the double LP and found some of my favorites names in the music game on the tracks! Of course, Rico ripped the vinyl out of my fingertios within seconds... So mama wants another copy!
We cant stop bumping the Waajeed rework!!
Get yours on vinyl at Bleecker Records (check to see if there are any left) or order here.
AMAZING PHOTO BY PIETER HUGO!



Lagos Shake
A Tony Allen Chop Up
HONEST JON'S RECORDS
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Sankofa / Carl Craig Kilode Remix / Bonde Do Role - Awa Na Re Remix / Mark Ernestus - Mark's Disco Dub / Wareika Hill Sounds - Reggae Land Dub / Newham Generals - Tetsuya's Theme / Son Palenque De Colombia - Samba / Diplo - Fuji Ouija / Salah Ragab - Ole (Cairo Version) / Moritz von Oswald - Ole Remix / Terrence Parker - One Tree, TPs Spirit Of Unity Mix (vinyl only) / Waajeed - Kilode Rework (vinyl only)

Ursula X Wendel///Little Dragon X LPR

YO! Check out photos from my gig @ Knitting Factory last week with Ursula Rucker, Eagle Nebula and Wendel Patrick. The photos are up on my personal blog, so peep them HERE.

Also just wanted to mention, that Ursula had Wendel Patrick playing with her, and I have been bumpin his cd since SAT! Be sure to check out his myspace for his music and his story. Found this video on his page. Classically trained too. Peep this while you relax to the sound of music!




Be sure to also check out pics from Little Dragon's show @ LPR on my blog too! They had an amazing set!

Hey Ladies!!! Through the Camera Obscura 2

STEPHANIE LAND

I met Stephanie through my good friend, Jelsen, who always refers me to amazing artists. After browsing through her work, I was blown away. I love Stephanie's composition and the incredible warm mood she achieves through her use of color/ tone. She's got a really cool blog as well, make sure to check it here.

WHAT DO YOU DO? click photos, send letters, observe & create.
WHERE DO YOU CALL IT HOME? BK 4 today...excited to see where i eventually Land.
TRUE BEAUTY IS…in everyone.
BEATS…make me shiver.
TRUE SEXY IS…feeling inspired.
MUSIC IS MY…memory, my soundtrack.
ART DOES NOT…have boundaries.
MY NIGHTS ARE…filled with focus.
THESE 3 TURN ME ON…laughter, creative passionate minds, boys on bikes.
SELF-KNOWLEDGE …is what i strive for.
ENOUGH OF …pretentiousness.
MY CREATIVITY IS…what gets me through each day. TRUE POWER IS...a lifeforce filled with good intentions. LIFE CAN BE THE...exact thing you want it to be.
TO LOVE IS TO…feel light & free.
I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE…i can't stop won't stop.
THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE…are holding it down today.
WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU? http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephanieland/sets http://www.stephanielandclicks.blogspot.com
http://www.stephanieland.etsy.com
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2008? crossing bridges, turning pages, opening doors, walkin on through.

AMANDA ADAMS LOIUS aka Lafotographeuse

Lafotographeuse is Amanda Adams-Louis’ artistic nom du plume. Both her studio portraits and her event photos have a dynamic quality and an intensity I really love. "At age 14, she fell in love with photography on the Charles Bridge Tower in Prague, Czech Republic and has been shooting ever since. A visual griot trained in the art of imagery, she is influenced by Caravaggio’s chiaroscuro. She has a BFA degree in photography from Pratt Institute."

WHAT DO YOU DO? Visual griott (female form of griot) I utilize images to convey visual narratives and/or stories for a variety of purposes, art, commercial and documentary. My primary subject matter is social gatherings.

WHERE DO YOU CALL IT HOME? Where my heart and friends are, currently Brooklyn

TRUE BEAUTY IS… self-love, courage and ambition

BEATS… Global soul, dance music, classic disco, gay "Cage Aux Foelles" disco, jazz, alternative rock, golden age of RnB- RnB, progressive and minimal techno, spanish rock and a little bit of Hip Hop

TRUE SEXY IS… genuine self confidence, talent in one's and love craft or career path (when you love what you do)

MUSIC IS MY… love

Black ART DOES NOT… get the respect or representation that it deserves. Though progress has been made. While there are several institutions that are dedicated to Black/ Art of the African Diaspora, I do not think that there is enough "main stream" fine art and commercial representation out there for us black artists, particularly black women.

MY NIGHTS ARE… spent shooting events, brainstorming, dreaming, sleeping,

THESE 3 TURN ME ON… kissing, sucking, fucking

SELF-KNOWLEDGE … is oh so necessary

ENOUGH OF … the price of gas going up, reality TV, bashing the Obama family and the current administration's horrible decision making

MY CREATIVITY IS… part of my soul

TRUE POWER IS… intelligence, education and the ability to think for the long term

LIFE CAN BE THE... greatest and the worst, it just depends on the day (and usually one's bank account)

TO LOVE IS TO… trust yourself to do it and the person or people you are loving

I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE…. I put my work into everything and everything into my work

THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE… Michelle Obama of course

WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU?

website- www.lafotographeuse.com email- lafotographeuse@gmail.com

WHAT'S NEW FOR 2008?

Going to grad school, working on getting a book published

Hey Ladies!!! Through the Camera Obscura

LAYLAH AMATULLAH BARRAYN

My first encounter with Laylah was through a feature story on her photography collective, She Shootin’ in the Fall 07 issue of TRACE. From then on, I started to see her work everywhere. Laylah began her creative journey as a child under the tutelage of her uncle, illustrator Leonard Armstrong studying cartooning and illustration. She also spent nearly a decade studying ballet and modern dance and she has performed at the Apollo Theater and Aaron Davis Hall. Her desire to seriously pursue photography was sparked by the historic Million Woman March in 1997. Her work received national attention when her images were included in the Deborah Willis photo-anthology, “BLACK: A Celebration of a Culture,” co-published by the Smithsonian Institution. Her journalism has taken her abroad to Asia, Africa and the Caribbean and her writing has appeared in Essence, The Source, Uptown, Complex, STUDIO: The Magazine of the Studio Museum in Harlem among other publications.

WHAT DO YOU DO? I'm an educator and an artist
WHERE DO YOU CALL IT HOME? Crown Heights, Brooklyn
TRUE BEAUTY IS…humility
BEATS…are soundtrack of existence
TRUE SEXY IS…realizing the sexiness of self
MUSIC IS MY…oxygen
ART DOES NOT…bore
MY NIGHTS ARE…sensual
THESE 3 TURN ME ON…beautiful, humble men, jazzy trumpets and a nice smile
SELF-KNOWLEDGE …mandatory for survival
ENOUGH OF …egos!
MY CREATIVITY IS…has a mind of it own
TRUE POWER IS…comes from self and knowing truth
LIFE CAN BE THE... ultimate quickie! count your blessings and adore your days
TO LOVE IS TO…be conscious of love
I'VE GOT FLOW BECAUSE….I'm from Brooklyn
THE WOMAN OF THE FUTURE…accepts and cherishes all of her being, inside and out
WHERE CAN WE REACH YOU? www.KindredCool.org
WHAT'S NEW FOR 2008? True Love! And a new camera!

Laylah's affinity for jazz was recognized by the Jazz Journalist Association in 2005 when she was granted the Clarence Atkins Fellowship for her jazz writings. Her latest solo exhibition, Kindred Cool, will open at MoCADA on August 3, 2008. I had a chance to work with Laylah, as she asked me to design her flier for the show (see below). I must say that she is not only an amazingly talented artist, but is also one of the hardest working ones. I highly recommend it