Category Archives: Street

Against the Wall

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Im still alive!! haha

It feels so good to be back posting shots again!! Ive been shooting a lot lately, but most of my digital work has been client projects and shoots leaving little to be shared with you guys due to privacy contracts and all that jazz. I did however do a shoot with a father & daughter illusionist team last week for their new autograph material. I will be finishing up final edits this week and will be able to share images when thats finished. Other than that most of my personal photo workflow has been on film. If you’ve been watching the Nick Exposed Facebook Page, you probably seen that I recently got my hands on an old Canonet QL17 rangefinder that has been a blast to shoot with. Once I get the 10+ rolls of film I have lying around developed Ill have plenty to share with you guys :)

Today, however, I went out shooting digital downtown, surprisingly in a section I had yet to explore. Theres not to many areas downtown I haven’t trekked through with camera in hand, but its always fun to run across something Ive missed in the past. As I ventured through the alley ways behind a string of shops, delis and rundown warehouses I came across this parking area containing this scooter. Although I did love the sleek clean red lines of this scooter juxtaposed against the grungy multi-textured wall, I think the piece that got me was the single vibrant yellow line dead center of the scene. Unfortunately there was no blue to be had in this one, otherwise I would have had another addition to my ongoing primary color series, but Im happy with it either way.

 

The Performing Spirit

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“Another Rising Star”

This little series speaks for itself with more shots of the local busking performers. But what I will say is, How cute is the kid above?!?!?! He was sporting his own little electric guitar during last Wednesdays Blues on the Mall performance, and I just had to get around to posting this pic. No rules saying I couldn’t do two rising star pics for the collab haha :)

“Colorful Beats”

“One Drum”

Transporting Character

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“The Elegant 3speed”

I’ve been thinking a lot lately, on the possibility of putting together a coffee table book of my bike shots eventually. Naturally when thinking about this you start gravitating towards more and more bike scenes to be able to choose from when that day comes.

With gas prices where they are these days, biking has become a very comfortable solution for so many traveling around town (not to mention the free parking as well!!). This gives photographers like myself plenty to choose from when looking for a good subject… I try to find bikes with character. Bikes that have a story to tell, or an adventure that is obviously worth living.

Unfortunately so many bikes are lifeless, missing the sense of elegance, mystery and pizzazz that others contain between their two wheels. In a way they are much like humans, some are out there living life, encountering adventure after adventure. While others are simply spinning their wheels going through the motions. This could be why I’m drawn to bikes so much, they are relate-able. They all have the potential to go to the same places, yet only a few do. Some acquire punctured tires, broken sprockets, bent handle bars on the exciting journeys they live out. Others let their chain rust, tires weather and gears go untouched as they sit in the comfort of their shelter.

Let me be like the adventure driven cycle!! If a path isnt available, ill risk a tire or two to make one appear!

“Basket Case”

“Silver Surfer Freshness”

“Sweet Patriotism”

First Ilford Shots

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“Tired Mayonaise”

I cant tell you how much Ive anticipated these shots while waiting for this roll of film to get developed this month!! Earlier this month, wanting to experiment with some other films, I picked up a few rolls of the highly praised ilford black and white film.

Its an incredibly different experience shooting completely black and white, as Im sure a good few of you know from shooting film back in the day. All of a sudden this vibrantly colorful world is broken down to simple shape, gesture’s and light. Before, I could pick and choose which would be which, I could even experiment in Lightroom and try both if I wanted, but not this time. Scenes that were full of life due to their bold energetic hues, were reduced to boring story-less ruble that no longer carried a tune worth playing. Continue reading →

Roadside Chevy

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ISO200 50mm f/1.8 1/800sec

Seen this old beaut, on the side of the road downtown and of course being the motor head I am I had to go to town with shooting it. However, in this particular case All my shots were from various parts of my photo walk. I would grab a shot or two on this passing and then another couple from the next walk by. In fact all 3 of these shots were taken at separate passings.

Im pretty comfortable with my editing process and typically know which steps Ill be taking as I capture the scene, but in some occasions, when I get the pics up on screen I realize the shots call for a different direction. This was one of those times. The front end pic below was one of the first captures for the day, and is nearly unedited straight from camera (just a subtle vignette to keep attention where I want it). I loved the 50′s sunburnt, crazy flare, look that was going on, which was starkly different from the well contrasting top and bottom images. In looking the images over I decided the sun glare and low contrast really helped in telling the story of the car and its story, so I went to town editing the other two shots to bring in the same feeling. (Before and after pics may get posted in the behind the scenes album on the Nick Exposed Facebook page.. wink wink)

I love shots like the one above! First of all whats this kid doing downtown, in only socks?! Second his shirt goes great with the car, and third he has no clue Im shooting him so everything is completely natural. Everybody was walking by taking shots of the car, and Im sure it appeared like I was doing the exact same thing, giving me perfect cover to bring him into the unscripted story of timelessness. He has no shoes, so you know he is in no hurry to go anywhere. Sitting on the side of the road with the same colors as the car… He and the car are practically one in the same. hahaha

Well if anything, it made for a sweet street shot :D

ISO200 50mm f/2.8 1/400 sec

ISO200 50mm f/2.8 1/250sec

The Hopeless Romantic

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ISO200 50mm f/2.8 1/160sec

Today was an EXTREMELY EXCITING day for me as I received my long awaited Canon 7D in the mail!! Perfect timing with the “Blues on the Mall” celebration downtown and this month Collab project coming to a close this weekend!

One thing I absolutely love about downtown Grand Rapids, is the street performers that scatter the streets and alley ways as you make your way around the corridors of brick paved roads. Everything from break dancing competitions, classic sax players, to the everyday musician out in search for a buck or a lovely lady to woo.

This guy definitely fits into the later of the bunch, out trying to show his charm with a rose in mouth, as he serenades the beautiful women who pass by… in hopes a connection may be made.

Either that or the act may just bring in extra cash hahaha. Either way I love the live performances around every street corner!

The Hot Seat

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Heres another shot that was posted to instagram (@nickexposed) before up on the blog… hint hint.. follow us on instagram!! ;)

One of my good friends Kelly is getting into photography more and more lately, and he and I will often venture out for an afternoons worth of shooting with specific objectives in mind. Somedays it may be we both shoot film, other days like in this case we have a sort of iphone showdown!

For our photo walk he suggested we go to a local amphitheater that used to be all abandoned and covered with vines and woodland creatures, in order to get some cool shots for this months collab scavenger hunt project. So were all amped up (pun intended) to see how abandoned this theatre is looking these days, when we realize they had just cleaned up and redone the whole thing within the last year or so. Red stadium seating all around, vines and woodland creatures cleared out… the thing definitely didn’t fit into the whole abandoned theme any more. But it couldnt have worked out any better, because as I reach the lower level and look back up I see this awesome beam of light breaking through the trees, and highlighting just this single chair! I immediately got into my, overly excited, photography character, and started shooting away working on getting the iphone to properly expose this incredible scene while the clouds were still working with us.

All editing was done in my fav iphone app Snapseed.

Orange Wheel

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An interesting crop into a awesome crotch rocket. Taken with my iphone 4s.

Love the colors and geometry in here!

Old Indian

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Im a car guy all the way, but I definitely love my share of sweet bikes at the same time. As I mentioned in my post yesterday, downtown hosts a great event on wednesday nights called “Blues on the Mall” that rocks some great live blues music and a dynamic range of bikes from fully custom cruisers, mph devouring crotch rockets and kickass vintage bikes like this old skool Indian. This bike, however, stood apart from the some 500 other bikes at this particular event. Continue reading →

Abandoned Mongoose

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If you haven’t figured it out by now… I love bikes!! (In fact my main mode of transportation is by bike! Why drive when you can bike.. very eco friendly and has infinite gas mileage ;) )

My love for bikes definitely spills over into my photography quite often. I have a feeling that eventually I will come out with a coffee table book or something documenting the hundreds of bike shots Im bound to acquire. Continue reading →

Primary Trash

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I cant help but love coming across these primaries grouped together! Its so suiting that when I do, Im like a kid again running around collecting shots from all sorts of angles.

This particular shot is out back a restaurant, and it just so happened that there were a few employees out back taking a smoke break. Needless to say they were giving me a strange look, as Im sure they wondered what I found so fascinating with their trash bin. lol