More motivated at night

Last year I made a set of goals for my photography. I think I threw them out in August because they were way unreasonable. I'm trying to think up a new set of more reasonable goals for 2012, and I think I've got a couple good ideas lined up.

One thing I want to do is carry my point and shoot more often - like all the time. I took maybe a few thousand shots with it this past year, and it was the greatest for documenting random events. Actually, I used this camera more than my film camera and my dslr combined.

I want to continue shooting film, but be more sparing with the scenes I shoot. I love shooting film, but it's expensive. I think it would be amazing if at some point I could get into medium format, but that's wishful thinking.

I want to see the mountains! So many of my favorite photographs from other people are of mountains, and I've never been there. I can't even imagine how big they are. As a slightly more extended goal, I would like to visit Glacier National Park, before the glacier is completely gone.

Lastly, I want to try to build up some kind of portfolio. I would like to do this for personal use, to give my photos some sort of direction, and for me to use as a base standard for my work. I want to work on different Great Lakes related projects, so this would be a good way for me to put it all together.

This is a pretty basic list, but it seems like a good list for me. Now, since this is a post about photography, it would be wrong for me not to include a few photographs. So here are five point and shoot snaps that I really like from this past year:




A bird flew in front of me while I was taking this picture, which is what that nasty looking poo smudge is.










Spent a couple afternoons kayaking until sundown. I took a bunch of shots of the sunset with the front of the kayak in the foreground, but I like this one because it shows movement, it keeps the colors of the sunset, and I like the different perspective.





This shot is from my last trip downstate in June. These trails lead south from the sand bowl. I like the shot by itself, but it reminds me of good adventures with good companions.








This was taken during an evening ride that wound through back roads north of Marquette, through town and then south towards Harvey.






This reservoir wall is so much fun, and the fact that you have to take all these back roads to get to it makes it so much better. I could ride this spot a hundred times and not get sick of it, and the potential for photos here is incredible. I will definitely be back next summer.

12 for 12

12 shots from this past year... And some words.

This night was actually one of the first times that I met Juan, and aside from the fact that I knew he killed it on bikes, I couldn't have told you much else.

Long story short, Juan is cool as shit. Awesome guy to hang out and ride with, and he knows pretty much all of the spots in Boston. One of the many people I'm glad I came to know while living out in Mass. I miss all of those dudes/dudettes.

first frost, october

I'm taking a break from studying for exams to put up a couple snaps from an over nighter I took along the lower baraga lake in the McCormick tract. Being that I was away from Lake Superior, this was the first time I felt the temps go below freezing this fall.

Marquette orphanage

Took another walk through the abandoned orphanage in town recently. This was my favorite picture from the night.

5 Songs (that I am listening to this week)

Hail Mary Mallon - "Plagues and Bacon"
Midlake - "Head Home"
Zach Hill - "Gross Sales" 
Sergei Prokofiev - "Dance of the Knights"
Blockhead - "Insomniac Olympics"

Videos

It's Never Sunny In Michigan

That's a lie. Michigan can actually be a really nice place, weather-wise... For, like, three whole days out of the year.

On a positive note, what with all of this dreariness, I seem to be somewhat productive.



I'm hoping to collect some clips and what have you to make a fun little edit in an attempt to kick away some of this cold and boring Michigan weather.

Then finally, over the course of the next year or so, I'd like to make a full on MI video. We'll see how it goes.

LCF Skate & BMX

About a week or so ago, I spent the day at Lakeshore Cycle, over on the skate and bmx side of things, and along, with some general tomfoolery (including putzing around on the mini that they built in there), I spent about half the day shooting some 400 pictures, give or take.

Because they're super cool people over there, I quick threw this thing together--and because I didn't really know what else to do with it. Hope you like it.

Rainy, Cold, Generally Shit Weather (and Other Cyclocross Fun)

Last Sunday, I made my way into Holland, MI to run a few errands, and to try and shoot some pics down at one of Krisscross's cyclocross races.

It was cold, it was raining, and it was generally poop--but I guess that's really what you're looking for in a good CC race, so everything worked out.

Return of the Ellis

Our very own Mr. Ellis has been getting a few pics (one taken by me) put up on the Sunday! Bikes web site, and they posted this little vid of Pat working the U.P. and the Mitten proper.



And if you're ever in the Holland, MI area, don't forget to stop on in to Lakeshore Cycle & Fitness/LCF Skate and BMX and say hi to Pat, Sneller, and the rest of the LCF crew!

Thrifting

Got a five dollar slide projector from Goodwill, so now my back wall has become a wide screen for looking at pictures. Ah, the joys of a good thrift store find...

sweet

Normally I hate pictures of me, but this old shot by RV is pretty good.

Injured and Bored Edit For Lakeshore

I have not been able to ride to do a bunk knee for the past 3 weeks. So in an order to stay pumped on bikes I threw together a combined edit of both of my lakeshore edits and some additional new footage. This is the result.
Enjoy?

Quit the Scene

*I recently quit a shitty job in a shitty city. I met cool people. I met assholes. Some days, I'd come home and just write about what happened at work. All of the QtS segments are about work.*

Once upon a time, we could shirk off most of the shit that we’d catch from customers in between fixing and slinging bikes. Once upon a time, for me at least, I cared a little more.

When this game all started out, it was little things. At first, I’d put stickers on all of the repairs I’d do. Little stickers. Sometimes they were the same color as the bike, so they’d be really hard to see—unless you actually paid attention.

No one ever noticed.

What?!

Big change coming soon. Stay tuned!

Lakeshore UP Edit

For Lack

 Last weekend:

This turned out well.

This did not.

I am bored.

Supermen

I wonder what it's like to ride at this level of skill.



Double-tire ride - feeble - 360 out. Wild.


P.S. If you've never seen his Props Bio, go check it out. You'll be doing yourself a favor.

3

A little while back, I posted "A Tease; Rock, Paper, and Waiting". Well, here, I give yee Scissors.



Yeah, that's right. I said "yee".

Dropped a new one for ya.

Here's a quick edit for you guys. Filmed in August by Sneller. I'll have another one coming soon.


Pat Ellis, August quicks from Pat Ellis on Vimeo.

Some new shots.

Last week, I received my new Sunday Forecaster. Very stoked on the frame's feel and geometry. Here's a couple shots of me getting warmed up to the fresh frame...

Test roll

Ran a roll of old print film through a Canon AE-1. Gotta love the click of the shutter on these old cameras.

A Tease; Rock, Paper, and Waiting

Trailer:


Rock:


Paper:


More coming soon, I've just got more filming to do.

-RV

Ranting and Raving (Bitching and Whining)

*For those of you that don't know me (RV), I manage a bike shop. It is in Lynn, MA. It is glory and hell.

Whether this is the right kind of place for it or not--it is bike related, in a way. I thought I might share with you, the invisible public, a little of what my job is like.

If you're not in to reading, or you just don't give a shit, scroll past this and check out some of the sweet videos we, and some friends, have made. We also have pretty pictures to look at.*

LakeShore 2K11 Edit

Well I finally put together another edit for Lakeshore BMX and pulled a few tricks I have been wanting to do for a while also. So here it is...........


Lakeshore Summer Edit 2K11 from Andrew Sneller on Vimeo.

Pat signing in here...

I apologize for my lack of updates. Not having my own computer is the reason for that.

To keep everyone updated, Sneller and I have been filming a bunch. Sifting through a lot of footage lately. Since the weather is so gorgeous here in the mitten, my schedule consists of work... and riding. Fingers crossed I'll have another edit posted on Vimeo in the next few weeks. Thanks again RV for re-upping my last video!

In other news, there's significant progress on Holland, MI's new skate plaza/park. They've started pouring the concrete base slab and there's more being added every time I ride by. The plaza will be bike friendly! City plans say that it'll be open by the end of summer.

Traveling has been tough this summer, especially due to a busy work schedule and the fact that I no longer own a vehicle. I'm really really anticipating my next visit to Boston again! Next month, Sneller and I are planning a trip up to Marquette, MI to visit Justin for a few days. Let's hope we can get time to make this happen. Fun times are ahead!

Thanks to everyone who keeps this thing alive and running. I hope I can gain access to a computer more often so I can post more updates. Love BMX every day!

RJP makin moves in Holland, MI

Because you probably haven't been stalking me as well as you should

Some of you from the imaginary world of Facebook may have already seen these. For those of you that aren't somehow creeping on me, I thought I might just share some of what I've been doing since I've started trying to learn how to incorporate a flash. Also, some randomness.

Behold, in all of it's pixelated glory, pictures:

More after the jump.

More Michigan, More Chance

Here's another fun edit from Chance Garrison out of mid-Michigan.

Earthy goodness

Work in between work.

A little teaser for the July/August edit. Enjoy.

http://runjellypandas.org

And, if you want to see any of the pictures of some of what's been going on, head over here.

Pat & Chance

Our good friend Pat has a new little edit out. Damn good. Pat rides for LCF Skate & BMX, out of Holland, MI. Good people, good shop.


Pat also put together an edit for another fellow from Michigan by the name of Chance Garrison. I've personally not met the dude, but I've only ever heard good things about him.

Michigan knows how to ride.

So much for regularity

Sorry about all of the no posts. Been busy riding, trying to play with and learn how to use a flash, filming, and sitting indoors during all of the rain and reading.

Mayhem and Tomfoolery Aside

Things are a-rollin'. Things are a-bouncin'. Life is getting itself back together. I still have plans on making a trip back to Michigan, but it may not be via bicycle. (We'll see how things work out, though. It'd be kind of fun.)

Got a new Run Jelly Pandas site up. Things are looking good. Check it.

More in a bit.

Get outta town

After a lot of random riding adventures, I went out to search for a waterfall I knew of, and ended up finding one that I didn't know existed. It definitely gave me the motivation I need to get out and take some more nature shots. Sometimes the best times are being out in the woods alone, hopping across rocks, walking fallen logs to cross streams and sitting next to a waterfall, not hearing traffic or airplanes flying overhead.

Wait for it.........wait for it............OHHHH SNAP!!!!!

Trying to film a line for my Lakeshore edit and got a nice little clip that I thought I would share.

Riding shenanigans.

This video is a from a while ago. I lost all my footage and luckily Pat still had it saved somewhere and slightly edited it for me. Enjoy!

"What do you really want Andrew?"

"What do you really want Andrew?" Honestly I don't think I know right now, and even if I did why do you keep asking me? I always have the same cliche answers for you, "a career that will provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction but will also give me options in life, a girlfriend/wife that is loving and trustworthy, the ability to pay off my debt and begin saving money." They are things that are constantly invading and enveloping my thoughts. I know they are things within your power to give, but I can't help to feel they are not things you want me to have quite yet.

Scrapple (Extended)

That whole jazz about trust is in the end. People are weird. I wouldn't trust any of you random mother fuckers if you came up to me on the street.



Scrapple. (Extended) from RV H-J on Vimeo.



Also, there was a dude walking around, asking for money, and trying to sell shirts he had painted... If you agreed to give him a buck or so, he'd stick his hip out toward you and have you put the money in his pocket. I think he just wanted to be touched.

The Heat is Upon Us

As summer is getting closer, and things are getting busier, inevitably, I'm getting slower about this. A few things:

-The shop is getting busy, which basically means ridiculous hours dealing with ridiculous people. It's Lynn, there's a lot of fucking weirdos and characters.

-27 is nothing like 22, 18, or 15. All of you kids have way too much energy to ride. I'm jealous.

-People are strange creatures, and, for some reason, will put quite a bit of trust in people they don't even know. (*Video explanation of this, later.)

More photos from the last couple of rides, after the break.

He's got a Fuc*#$ dagger!

This is Not BMX

This past weekend, maybe as a way to jump-start myself into taking more pictures, I went and shot photos for a 25th anniversary vow renewal. It was definitely a change of pace for me, especially considering I'm not the kind of person that usually even goes to parties at all.

(*The photo above this, I shot shot a bit dark. I brightened it up. I don't know how I feel about doing stuff like that to pictures.)

01/05/11

I've kind of let my photo hand get a little rusty. I tried to go out to shoot some stuff today, but really wasn't feeling it, for the most part.

I did some riding, though. And, during that time, I got a little footage, and I figured out what kinds of things I don't really like taking pictures of. This is a fairly large list of things, apparently.

Outside is the Inside

This doesn't have anything to do with us, but it has everything to do with bmx as a community. Not having insurance to cover medical bills is something that most of us are probably, or at least at some point have been, familiar with. Many of us, however, have probably never had to deal with cancer treatment while being in that kind of situation.

Mike Tag. FBM. BMX.

Follow the links. Give as much, or as little, as your can.

These are the Daves I know.

Lately, what with work being a bike shop in the spring time, I haven't had too much time to really get out and ride. Luckily for me, the Daves live just a couple blocks from the shop. They're two brothers, they're both awesome dudes that have plenty of years of riding ahead of them, and awesome attitudes to boot. And their driveway rocks.

Dave 1 (David) got a new frame the other day.

Dave 2 (Davy) picks up tricks faster than you can pick up sticks.

My life lately

So my life lately has revolved around me working weird random hours, talking to strangers, numbers,chemicals, paint, learning, managing, graphic design, frustration, word,  drawing, prices, quotes, negotiating, lighting, photoshop, timing, promotion, building, trial and error, heat, cold, and being broke.

I'm pretty good at silly shit.

The song is performed/owned/whatever by Terry Stafford. It's titled Suspicion.

Random Shots

This is almost un-bmx related. Almost.

I just like these pictures, for one reason or another.

Bringing spots back to life.

Do you remember those riding spots that you went to when you were younger, and then stopped visiting for years?

Sneller and I ended up re-visiting an old wallride next to what used to be Menards in Holland, MI. Yesterday was a nice break from the cold and wind we've had here lately, so we decided to venture away from the skatepark and ride some real obstacles.

This wallride has been around since I can remember (even before I started riding bmx). It's a perfect grass bank which leads up to a grippy brick block wall.

After not being ridden for a couple years, the bank has become soft and dense. It took a little bit of rake, shovel, and broom work to get runways ridable again, but things started to look good after just an hour or so. We were even able to get a few runs at the wall before the sun went down. At the top of this post, you can see that Sneller has already been getting comfortable with his runs!

This spot is nearly perfect, with plenty of space for speed. The Menards which used to occupy the area has moved, so the whole lot is now clear. My only concern is that a Save A Lot across the parking lot may have some employees who don't like people riding bikes in their area. So far, they've only been giving us looks of curiosity rather than annoyance.

I'm excited to ride this spot more and more as the weather gets better! -Pat Ellis

As Seen on TV

Obviously, if you know me personally (or keep up with anything Run Jelly Pandas-related), you've most likely seen these already. Anyway, just a couple more shots from last Sunday to help get you through the middle of the week.

Trail Work

Bmx NEEDS a Crash Section Like This

Close-up, face-grinding, blood-smearing, crash section like this. NEEDS!

Big Bay

For some reason, any time I think of what it must have been like to operate a light in the 1800s, I think of nasty storms with high winds, large waves, heavy rain, and little visability over the lake. I'm sure the lighthouse keepers saw some intense storms, and some spectacular sunsets. These buildings are tied to some of the Great Lake's most fascinating historical events, and I hope that they are kept around for many years to be visited and photographed.

Some Random

 Little Javi is a shredder. Here, he's not doing that. Street portrait.

*(I looked at this picture on a different screen, and it wasn't as dark as what it looks like on the computer that I'm viewing it on now. So, if you can't see it clearly... I don't know. There.)

Black and White

I found an old roll of 400 speed black and white Kodak negative film, and thought I'd do something a little different than my usual color shots.

Marquette Lighthouse, Marquette, Michigan.











































East of Munising, Michigan, at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

There Is Nothing Serious About This.

I was bored and couldn't sleep the other night. This is the poop that I made as a result of that.

A quick pic

A morning shoreline hike along Lake Superior in Marquette, MI.

Weather is Better

Rode all day, did a little shooting as RJP.
Got a few okay shots. Eat 'em up.

Little Javi and Devon.

Late winter goodness

What we have here are a few recent shots, some from tonight, and a couple from last week. I wanted to show better copies or different angles of shots posted elsewhere.















Castle Rock. In the spring, summer and fall, I would likely have been standing shoulder to shoulder with other people, as this spot is the most accessable at the pictured rocks. Due to the last few miles of the road leading in not being plowed, I was able to ski in and be totally alone. 3 stops neutral density filters to keep the sky from washing out.















On my way out I stopped to take a shot of some trees turning orange from the late evening sun with my 35mm body. As I turned around to put my camera away, I noticed a fox standing about 25 feet away, just watching me. I slowly crouched down and started digging through the bag for the digital camera. The fox walked to within ten feet of me, and we just sat there looking at eachother for a moment. I didn't even take a picture. I realized that although I've seen some pretty fantastic scenes, I often spend so much time worrying about exposures and compositions that I don't take the time to just sit and enjoy my surroundings. This was a great moment. Of course, I got some shots after it lost interest and started walking around.

























































Walking through the ice caves in Eben is a wild experience. It's a popular spot, but I was able to get a little solitude on this trip. I think for the first time I used the wireless flash in a landscape shot. I tried a couple different flash placements, but I would really like to go back with another flash so I can fill up the dark areas.