Bunch of random images from a fly fishing trip on the Colorado River. Great times out there. Can’t wait to get back. It’s no secret that fly fishing is a relaxing sport, but it still not lost on me the effect a river can have on your brain. No matter how much time you spend out there, where it’s 30 minutes or 3 days, you’re a different person afterwards.
Fly fishing - moving the gear.
Paddling a float raft down the Colorado River.
Summertime fly fishing on the Colorado River
Fly fishing
Colorado River fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing on the Colorado River
Have been all over the place lately and thus slacking on the blog. Most recently wrapped up a road trip out to Colorado and back. Had a great meeting in Santa Fe. Spent some QT with friends for Thanksgiving. And managed to spend a lot of time out on the river. The last day was really the icing on the cake though. We went out split boarding in the morning and then by the afternoon we were fly fishing. Colorado is the best. Will be posting images from this trip soon.
As a photographer I’m very confident in my abilities but rarely fully satisfied with results, always thinking they could be better. Which, in my opinion, is a positive thing. This is one of the rare exceptions that I was very satisfied with an image, so to see it go to a great home is also very gratifying. If you know fly fishing then you know The Drake Magazine and it’s high standards for writing and photography. They aren’t like most other publications that just post pics of people holding the big fish they just caught. You also have to appreciate their style of shit talking to the rest of the industry. They know their niche. In the upper right corner of every cover it reads “Seven bucks. $14 for bait fisherman”. The other thing that makes me really happy about this shot is it was made during a great day on the river with friends, not a set-up photo shoot.
Click here to order a copy of The Drake or hit me up if you’d like a print.
When New Balance reached out to collaborate on a campaign shoot in Los Angeles, the goal was clear: showcase their latest gear—sneakers, track pants, shirts, and shorts—on real athletes, in motion, in the environment where performance matters most.
We shot on location at an outdoor track and surrounding areas, using only natural light to create a clean, authentic feel. The athletes? Professional sprinters and runners, each one bringing real intensity and movement to the images. The result: visuals that feel powerful, vibrant, and honest—perfectly aligned with the New Balance brand.
The images were used across all platforms, from social media and web to digital ads and print. It was a collaborative process from the start, with clear art direction from the New Balance team and a shared focus on delivering visual content that felt both elevated and real.
This is the kind of work I love—translating performance and athletic identity into commercial imagery that brands can actually use to connect with their audience.
If you're a brand looking for high-impact, athlete-driven visuals—let’s talk. Whether you're launching a new product or building out a full campaign, I bring the same attention to detail, collaboration, and creative consistency that brands like New Balance rely on.
Professional track athlete training on an outdoor track wearing athletic gear
Portrait and action shot of a track athlete for New Balance advertising campaign
Athletic training gear photo shoot
Sports advertising photo shoot for national ad campaign
One major focus I’ve had over the past year+ has been to only collaborate with commercial clients that I have a real connection with. Whether that be because they make a product I use or their product/beliefs/brand are directly related to my own lifestyle. I personally think this is the way to have successful collaborations. If you’re not interested and you’re just there for the money, then it shows in the final images, and leads to sour relationships with the clients. Recently I was lucky to collaborate with New Balance on 3 different shoots in LA and Cleveland. I’m a late comer to the New Balance scene, only purchasing my first pair of their sneakers about 5 years ago. Ever since then though, I tell everybody that they are “a gift to your feet”. I’m lucky to do a good amount of traveling, and that travel always involves a LOT of walking. Usually 9-12 miles a day for a week or two straight. It’s fun and really the only way to truly explore/photograph whatever place you’re in. After my first trip in a pair of NB’s, I was totally hooked. They always left my feet feeling great at the end of the day, no matter how much we walked. On top of having a great product, I also like their style of branding, photography, and the athletes they choose to associate with. So it was an honor to collaborate with New Balance on these recent shoots. They were some solid days where the athletes, client, agency, and production company were all great to work with. Everybody had a lot of fun and we all came away with solid content. Win Win for everybody. Looking forward to more of this.
If you haven’t seen the video The Rec League put together, check it out below. Awesome stuff. You can also check out more work from them HERE.
Here are a couple images from the day that I like. Not sure if these are even the shots used for the campaign, but I like them.
Photograph of Sydney McLaughlin before a track workout
Photograph of Sydney McLaughlin working out on a track
Portrait of Sydney McLaughlin
People were always saying “Oh, you haven’t been to Vinny’s in Los Angeles? You have to go check out Vinny’s”. Heard that constantly, and after reaching out a couple times with no response, I remember thinking “they must just be a bunch of LA assholes”. Thankfully, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Like most barbers, the crew is a solid bunch of guys that like to have fun and probably don’t pay much attention to random emails from unknown photographers. Omar Romero is the owner, who not only put together an extremely slick shop, but also might be the owner of the best head of hair you’ll see on a human being. Seriously. As you’ll see from the exterior shot, it’s a very unique place. It occupies the bottom floor of a building in what I can only assume used to be two different apartments. What I love the most is that they kept the entrance the same, in that there are different doors for each side of the shop. Omar and all his guys are also one of the only crews around that dress from head to toe in uniforms. How’s that for carrying on tradition?
Follow Omar on Instagram @omarthebarber and the shop @vinnys_barbershop
Click here to check out “Barbershops of America”
Click here to read the last Q&A from The Proper Barbershop.
1) Where are you from and what did you do prior to becoming a barber?
I’m originally from Ensenada Baja California but I grew up in South San Diego, CA.
Before becoming a barber I had varies odd jobs. Bus boy, server, did landscaping and worked almost every summer with my dad. He’s a retired Truck driver.
2) How did you get into barbering?
it all started with watching Cry-Baby and I love Lucy... I know it sound cliché but it’s true. I’d also watch early Elvis with his amazing hair! I loved hair instantly. I was 8 when I started to appreciate good hair in cinema and magazines. When I got to middle school i always wanted a proper haircut but to my surprise it was almost non existent. It would frustrate me and made me start researching more about the whole barbering world. I soon realized that it wasn’t just about a haircut. More of a tradition that I grew to obsess over! I would instantly be defensive when I’d set foot in a barber shop, always knowing that I would be disappointed. I realized that people who were barbers at that point (mid 90s) were just doing it for a quick buck. As soon as I realized that, I started manifesting this idea of a shop with charm of yesteryear but efficiency of modern times.
At 16 1/2 I met my mentor, Mr. Ralph Upshaw and his son Rick Upshaw. They opened their doors to me and and they got me on the right path. It was far for me so I decided to stay in San Diego and finish my hours at Associated Barber College.
3) What was your experience at Sweeney Todd's like?
It was a very important experience!
Without going there I wouldn’t have learned the importance of structure. I have always been a stickler about a clean shop. Even if the shop was owned by people whom didn’t care much about keeping tidy.
Todd Lahman showed me that taking pride in being a barber was something special. That IT IS a real job and it must be treated as such.
4) What did you take away from Sween's that is in place at Vinny's?
Again, structure and consistency
5) The building that Vinny's occupies is quite unique for a barbershop. Do you know the history of it? Why did you choose that building?
All I know is that it was built in 1917 and it’s been many different store fronts.
I chose that building, honestly for convenience. I used to live down the street because it was so cheap in that neighborhood (at the time).
I saw it up for rent for over a year and I needed to do something quick. After I left Sweeneys I had a “speak easy” barber shop behind Golden Saddle Cyclery in Silverlake. They shared a space in the back with our local comic book store “Secret Headquarters”. My friends David Pifer and David Ritchie (owners of SHQ) gave me a spot there and I rented for 1 year. I had to make my business legit...
6) There are a lot of solid shops in LA. How was it opening your shop in Silverlake?
It was fine. There are a lot of shops in LA and I knew that going in, but I didn’t let that hold me back. I decided to put my head down and just plow forward. I figured if we give the public genuine/ sincere service that we won’t have to worry about competition. There is so many people that need cuts! I won’t allow myself to have hang ups like every shop owner I had ever worked with.
2 of my guys just opened up a shop each about 2 miles away from Vinny’s. Beautiful shops, and I couldn’t be prouder or happier. Víctor Bañuelos opened Elysian Barber Shop (@elysianbarbershop) and Arya Abarghoei opened Victory Barber Co. (@victory_barber_company)
7) What do you get into outside of the shop?
I love cycling, making music, camping and Bodyboarding
Tell me more about the music
I started music right before I decided to stick to barbering. I thought it would be a good fit.I figured I could cut hair anywhere I traveled to.I’ve been part of a independent label for almost 20 years now. ‘WILD Records’ (@wildrecords). I record most of the acts on it and I also currently perform with my band Omar & The Stringpoppers.
8) Biggest lesson you've learned as a barber turned shop owner?
Grown men are very fragile..... (customers) hahaha.
Expand on that
if a person shows up late to their appointment and we have to skip their turn, they get bent out of shape and take it personal, not realizing that the next person after them is probably on a lunch break or a tight schedule.
Or if you “squeeze” them in they take it as a personal attack and throw in your face that they pay or tip well.
To me it’s not about the tip or the money (don’t get me wrong, I NEED money), but it’s about running a well oiled machine. Respecting every customer that helps feed my children.
9) There are 10(?) chairs at Vinny's. What is the key to managing all those barbers?
I think the key is to listen to the people renting out the chairs. If they have input, hear them out. A lot of times they have better ideas than I do.
Respect their stations, lockers, knick knacks etc...
Also, the biggest one- lead by example!!!! I can’t stress that enough.
I hate shop owners that want to be the “Boss”
Be a leader. Roll your sleeves up and get things done.
At the end of the day, when the barbers start leaving the nest, you’ll be left without your “minions” to do your “dirty work”.
Get in a good habit to show your crew that we all have to have each other’s backs and that we all have the same greater good goal...
10) Vinny's is one of the only shops I see where the barbers are wearing uniform tops, bottoms, and shoes. Can you talk about your decision do that and why you run your shop the way you do?
Reason for uniforms is because I feel that if you put on the uniform it makes you feel professional, clean and well put together. I felt like it is important that when patrons walk through our doors they see our staff and recognize that we in fact work here and are ready to serve you.I used to cut hair in regular clothes and always felt like I was rushing through haircuts or wasn’t fully invested in the days work. As if I was just in for a few and then had to rush out.
Besides- walking around with other people’s hair all day long is just not for me. Haha.
Once you throw the uniform on it feels like you’re the one in charge of your station and service.
11) Random thoughts on what you do.....
Yeah, we should all be grateful for people walking in to our shops. They don’t owe us crap! In fact without them we won’t eat. So stay grounded! Respect everyone and the rest will fall in place.
People might get sick of hearing me say this but it doesn’t matter - I’m a huge advocate for photographers personal projects. And in my opinion, if you’re not working on at least one then you’re doing yourself a disservice. Barbershops of America is one of my longest running personal projects. Since starting it almost 8 years ago it has sort of taken on a life of its own. Leading to many friendships and commercial work with a lot of like minded people/companies. I really love this project and have no plan on stopping, so being asked to talk at MOPA earlier this month was a huge honor. Really enjoyed presenting and was great to see people who have never heard about the project having a genuine interest in the images/story/book. Hope to do something like this again soon.
Suppose the only way to describe this set of images is quirky? If you come up with something better, let me know. They were all made on a recent road trip from San Diego to Colorado and back. This kind of shooting wasn’t the main focus, but it is always a focus while on the road. Did a lot of with the 50mm, which has been sitting on a shelf for the better part of 5+ years. Odd how you fall in and out of love with different lenses. Could have cared less about it for these last 5+ years, now I can’t get enough of it.
It’s been so long since I sat down with the guys at Kings Club Barbershop to record this thing that I don’t really remember much of what we talked about. I do recall that it was a great time, but it was also completely unfiltered, so you might wanna skip it if you’re offended easily. Either way, they are a great group of guys (and barbers) that you should hit up if you’re in the Dana Point area and need a cut. Beautiful shop too. I’ve known them since way back when I first started shooting for this project in 2012-ish and they’ve been in both books. The shop has been through a lot since then, including a fire that completely destroyed the place, so it was cool to catch up with them to talk about everything that has happened since we first met.
Just wrapped up another road trip, and like every one before, it was amazing for many different reasons. For me as a person and a photographer, there is nothing better than being out by myself on the road. The freedom and lack of influence by other people is the best. This one was a bit shorter than my usual coast to coast trip done this time of year. I drove out to Colorado and did quite a bit of shooting for various projects/reasons, as well as visiting friends to do some camping, mountain biking, and white water rafting. More from all of this soon.
Posted a similar batch of images from this series a few month back, maybe even half a year ago. In that post I talked about the need to live with images for while before you realize what you had seen during the shoot, what’s good, and what’s shit. Went back a week ago and looked at that gallery of images and decided I did not like them at all, and one of the reasons is because they were all black and white. After seeing one of the images by chance in color, it occurred to me that the subtle colors of the locations that translate in the images are very effective. They are real and tell a good story. My appreciation for more subtle colors is growing quite a bit. Especially after spending time on Instagram and seeing how people feel the need to have everything perfect. Perfect isn’t real.
It seems that most people think of gin as that nasty pine needle tasting liquor that your grandfather had at his house. And I used to think the same thing. 6 months ago if you offered me a gin drink, I would have ignorantly turned it down thinking that all gin just tastes like floor cleaner. Dead of Night Distillery has completely changed my mind though. I’ve always been a beer guy, never much for liquor, but tasting this gin and the cocktails made with it, has me singing a different tune. Really great stuff and i’m excited to see where this recently opened distillery goes. If you’re anywhere in the Los Angeles and looking for spirits to make great craft cocktails, look up where to buy Dead of Night’s products. Aside from their vodka, gin, and rum, the head distiller also creates incredible small batch experimental spirits like limoncello, aquavit, and amaro.
Follow them on Instagram @dead_of_night_distilery or go to their WEBSITE.
Distilling craft spirits in Los Angeles, CA
Photograph of a distiller making gin in Los Angeles, CA
The best craft distillery in Los Angeles
Craft spirits made in Southern California
Distilling gin in LA
Photograph of a distiller making craft spirits in Los Angeles, California
Aaron Rokjer - owner and distiller at Dead of Night Distillery in Los Angeles, CA
Fly fishing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Mammoth Lakes, CA.
Read MoreIf we’re being honest, I’ve lived my whole life under the assumption that Cleveland is a complete shithole. Have probably passed it on the road 20 times for that very reason. Was out there a few weeks ago for a commercial shoot and was not only pleasantly surprised, but felt like an idiot for those assumptions. It might be one of the cleanest “cities” in America. It’s hardly big enough to classify as a city like New York or Chicago, but damn it is clean. Shockingly so. Any time I’m in a place for a commercial shoot I make it a point to get out and do some shooting for myself as well. It’s a great way to relax and learn more about the place you’re in. After a couple hours of walking around, my opinion was completely changed. Also noticed immediately that the people there are incredibly nice. Like, go out their way for you nice. It just felt like a very hospitable place. Cheers to you, Cleveland.
In the past selling prints hasn’t been a huge part of my business, but the requests have certainly started to grow. Unfortunately, I’ve never had a feature on my website in place that allows people to just hop on and order whatever image/size/medium they please, which really hindered the process. So I’m very happy to announce that this feature is now available. Just go to the link below and you can choose from any image listed and order just about any size print, canvas, metal, or wood print that you’d like. And if there is a specific image you’d like that isn’t listed, just reach out to me directly and I’ll get it up there for you.
Been saying this for a while now, but personal projects are the best, especially when they connect you with other like minded people. Which is certainly the case with Dan Peterson of Project Backboard. He’s been doing amazing things with outdoor basketball courts all over the country. Taking broken down courts and turning them into beautiful works of art that locals are excited to play on. Recently we visited a few of his courts in Los Angeles together, and I was able to talk with him first hand about the process and how things have developed over the years. I really applaud this project and hope that it continues to grow. If you want to check out more of what PB has done, go to their WEBSITE or follow along on their INSTAGRAM PAGE.
If you recognize the bridge in the Watts Oasis images, that’s because it is the very bridge from those famous scenes in White Men Can’t Jump. I personally love that movie and was ecstatic when Dan told me what it was.
Click here to see more of my basketball photography from the American Backcourts series
1) Where are you from and what place has basketball taken in your life (prior to Project Backboard) ?
I grew up in suburban NY during the heyday of the great 1990s Knicks teams and ultimately played a year of basketball at Iona College before leaving my official playing days behind.
2) When did you come up with the idea for Project Backboard(PB)?
Project Backboard wasn't really my idea! I started the work just by painting lines on public courts in Memphis that did not have any just because I loved outdoor basketball.
3) How long/what did it take to get things going for PB?
I got my first large grant about a year after starting Project Backboard but it was another year before I did the court with William LaChance in St. Louis that really got a lot of attention and opened the door for Project Backboard to become what it is today.
4) What was the initial reaction? How have reactions changed since you started?
The initial reaction was overwhelmingly positive and that is the reaction I have continued to get. That said, this style of court has become surprisingly common over the past 12-18 months that the reaction now may be a bit more restrained than the early courts. No one had ever seen anything like the William LaChance court when we first painted it.
5) How have you gone about getting funding for these projects?
A lot of the courts are funded either by community or corporate foundations.
6) What is the process like from the original idea for a court to the final execution?
The painting process is different for each court depending on what the artist has in mind for the court artwork. Sometimes its a lot of measuring and straight lines or curves and other times we create a grid across the entire surface of the court and drawing the artwork box by box.
7) PB has teamed up with some big name companies. How have those relationships come about?
People reach out and I respond! I am always open to collaborating but the successful projects have been ones were the brands are able to be a little less “corporate” in their approach and allow the artist the freedom to create and lead the project vision.
8) What is the overall goal for PB?
For every community to have a safe and inviting basketball court. I love outdoor basketball and want to share that with others but, from my perspective, the way that will happen is when individual community members step up to help care for public spaces and hold those charged with maintaining those spaces accountable.
9) Any big projects in the works that you want to share?
Yes! Looking forward to a few courts in the Bay Area and a court in Puerto Rico along with a handful of others.
10) Random thoughts on PB......
I appreciate all the support and, as I said, always open to collaborating and helping others follow my example so don't hesitate to reach out!
I love BBQ. Everything about it. The smell. The taste. The smoke. The buildings. The pits. The process. Even the meat sweats. There really isn’t anything about BBQ I don’t like. Even take a lot of enjoyment out of the different sides that each place serves. Since I started road tripping X amount of years ago, there really hasn’t been a single one that didn’t involve BBQ in some way. That usually means eating it, but I’ve also began documenting it whenever possible, which obviously leads to eating afterward. Win win. Smitty’s down in Texas is as beautiful a BBQ joint as you’ll find anywhere. When you work up a mental picture of old school Texas BBQ in your head, Smitty’s is probably it, or damn close. Their pit room is the kind of thing I see in my dreams. Mouth watering smells, heavy smoke, and dark bricks that have been crusted over from cooking with fire for years and years. Smitty’s is the real deal. Love how the chopping block which was once a flat top is now worn in from endless hours of cutting and serving meats. I could hang out here forever……if there weren’t so many other good BBQ joints to explore.
FYI: If you visit Smitty’s get the sausage.
Contact me if you’d like a print for your home, office, or commercial space - rob@robhammerphotography.com
The Proper Barbershop is a special place that is right at home in Hollywood. If you want a show as well as a great cut, then The Proper is the place for you. The first time I visited was back in 2013-ish and there was someone sleeping one off in the backroom. From the time I stepped foot inside, the show was just naturally going on. The guys in there know how to have a good time all while getting shit done. The owner Vinnie is a good dude and a classic case of someone you shouldn’t judge just based on his appearance. Being the owner of The Proper and knowing it’s reputation, it would be easy to think that he’s just another Southern California bro with face tattoos. He’s the exact opposite of that though. And one thing I’ve been saying for years now, is that they are just tattoos, a vehicle for creativity and self expression. Vinnie is a really solid guy who spreads a lot of positivity and has a lot of support for his fellow barbers all across the industry.
Follow the shop on IG @theproperbarbershop and Vinnie @theedgebarber
Click here to read the last Q&A with Pig Barber.
Click here to check out Barbershops of America.
1) Where are you from and what did you do before barbering?
I am from Los Angeles, CA and before barbering I was in high school and I actually was kickboxing and teaching kickboxing! But I had a friend who knew during high school that he wanted to do hair so when I realized that I was never going to have a life fighting I tried my hand at hair and absolutely fell in love with it!
2) Talk about owning a shop in Hollywood from a barber's perspective as well as an owner's perspective.
Well owning a shop in Hollywood is more than what I originally set out for, my hope for the shop was to be a cool little neighborhood spot and this shop grew a bit of a kind of its own, not to say that is a bad thing at all but this shop became more of its own personality, the antics the environment and the bullshit garnered it quite the reputation! From the barbers perspective this shop is so rad, always busy in a transient town with constant walk-ins and never ending material for discussion, it is a dream. From the owners perspective I would echo a ton of that but the real difference is learning how to keep this place relevant while remaining true to the roots of The Proper and that has been the real challenge!
Do you find that people come in expecting a show or a certain environment? If so, how do you deal with that?
Over the years I have learned so so much and one thing I have learned is that the environment is just as important as the haircut itself! So yes, at this point in the shops life I do feel that people have come to expect the show that is The Proper Barbershop, and we happily oblige that expectation! Don’t get me wrong we love to sling our brand of BS and entertain but we also make sure we give a quality service!
3) You also own a shop in Orange County. What lead you to open another shop there and what have you done to grow the business?
My Orange County shop came out of the need for myself to not drive to and from Hollywood every day from the OC as that is where my family and I live, so in order to preserve some tiny bit of sanity I had to open a shop less than 60 miles away from me! To grow the Orange County shop it required having to penetrate the residential neighborhoods surrounding the center that my shop is located. We drove around with home printed fliers and stuffed mail boxes and most recently have run an add in the money mailer at the recommendation of my brother Cory Danger of the locally famous Golden Crown Barbershop! So that has been fantastic for the shop as well! I have found more of the rad local feeling I wanted in the OC shop as opposed to the larger than life persona of the Hollywood shop!
4) Who/what in the barber industry is inspiring to you? Who/what outside of the industry gives you inspiration?
Inside the barber industry I draw a ton of inspiration from the team I am on over at Babyliss. I am surrounded by so many really talented barbers that all do something so different from my traditional style of cutting so right now it is learning to meld the new urban style I am learning with my tried and trusted traditional skill set and that has been such a breath of fresh air for me and my career! Outside of the industry I am inspired by culture, tattoos, art, design, currently I am super passionate about graffiti again and that is so cool to try to use some linear intersecting lines and bring that to my creative side of hair!
Are you saying that you look at graffiti and try to use those designs in haircuts? How has that progressed for you? Do customers come to you for that type of thing now?
I do draw some liniar inspiration from the cut lines in graffiti as well as all types of art. I try to evolve my style as a barber and as a haircutter every day. I never want to become complacent in this craft. As far as customers coming to me for designs I do have a pocket of those customers who allow me to express my artistic roots and freedom!
5) Each time I've been in your shop, there is an exceptional level of comedy going on. Talk about that.
Well the Hollywood shop as mentioned has become a place not just to get a haircut but now to watch and participate in the show! Clients are a part of our jokes and take things from inside the shop weather it be jokes or stories or jargon and apply them to their lives outside the shop and bring us some really epic stories that lead to some incredible real world comedy! Most recently we have a doctor who is a shop regular and his last visit he helped us diagnose that one of our barbers may have contracted an STI and once we realized what it was we just laughed it off and said “oh rad so it’s basically the common cold for the penis!” Well our client found this to be so rad that he vowed he would break the news to someone in the same fashion and this haircut. He came back and told us the story of the frat kid who came to him for the same STI and how our client was so pumped to let this kid know “don’t stress man it is just the common cold for the penis” and he had our whole shop rolling with laughter!
6) You are straight edge. What led to that decision/lifestyle?
Ehhh that’s a whole ridiculous story but let’s just say that given my family history I knew if I ever started drinking I would be really good at it so I have always been way to scared to even try it! But being straight edge works for me so I intend to stay this way!
7) What do you think about where barbering is today?
Loaded question, I think barbering is in an interesting transition where it is less about the work you do and more about the way you look and how you present yourself while not working as if that translates to how good you cut hair? I think the industry has lost sight that we all cut hair and we all should support each other as it costs us nothing to support one another! If we all could band together in positivity we could then and only then start to effect real change! So I hope we can make that the new future together!
8) What do you do outside of the shop?
Well I play ice hockey as well as have season tickets to the Anaheim Ducks and I raise my beautiful baby girl! I also love to ride my motorcycle. And may or may not be a part time plus sized model... no big deal!
I'm sorry, did you say that you're a plus size model?
I am trying out this new thing called..... sarcasm. I am not to sure about it but it sure is fun!
9) Can you describe the psychology of running and keeping a barbershop moving from day to day. In other words, what is that thing that's happening when you notice everything is just clicking?
I am not to sure how to answer this one because it changes from day to day. I just try to keep my shops busy because if we are all making money it tends to lead to good moods and a better working environment!
10) Random thoughts/ramblings/advice on what you do....
I love this industry. It is all I have ever known. I have never had a real job so to see what we are now and how the internet has had such a profound effect on us all I can only hope that we can soon come together and determine a nation wide rate of service. If we all choose, we can force each other to better ourselves by holding ourselves to higher standards we can drop the hate and just be in this together! I love to support barbering. I wear only shop shirts and never my own! I take pride in putting on a pin of a barber or a hat or shirt as I am proud of my industry. It doesn’t hurt us or devalue ourselves to say that someone else is an amazing barber! It just boosts that we are all in this together. I want to do nothing but cut with my friends and constantly put out the best work of my life every day! Through positivity and friendship we can all push ourselves and each other to be the best and it doesn’t cost us anything to support one another!
Anything else you want to get off your chest?
Nope!
Working on something new for the Hoops Project which has caused me to go back through old hard drives. That in turn always leads to looking at old images in a new way, usually uncovering things that I didn’t notice the first 10 times around. Sitting in front of a computer is not my idea of a good time, but it is fun finding images that turn me on. Below are a few I made from 2013-2018 that stood out at least a little.
Had a mini freak-out the other day at the vet when we had to bring Mojo in to get a lump removed. They couldn’t say either way if it was cancerous, and would be 6 days until we got the results back. I left there thinking totally irrationally, and jumped on 99 Designs right when I got home to get a logo of him made up. No idea why I was doing it at all. Even asked myself that question the next day after calming down. Still not sure of the answer other than wanting something of him besides a photo that will also last forever. Now that I think about it, I’ve been paying a lot of attention to logos lately and thinking how similar they all are. On top of that, thinking how little my previous logo meant to me. I love this depiction of Mojo because he means so much to me, and it’s vastly different than anything commercial photographers use. It’s also cool to think about how much he has been involved in my photography. He has been on board for all of my biggest/long term personal projects like Barbershops of America and The Basketball Hoops Project. Not quite sure of the total tally, but he’s been to roughly 45 states with me. He’s made a lot of people smile, and just about everywhere I go, people ask how he’s doing. Glad he doesn’t have cancer.
