AEROSOL FIENDS ON FACEBOOK
Posted on May 9th, 2010 by STUNT 101
(Q) How long have you been taking photos of graffiti & what interests you to do so?
(A) I have always followed graffiti, but only started to heavily take photos of it about 2 years ago. I do it out of love. This is my NYC.
(Q) Do you own photo albums of actual prints or do you prefer digital?
(A) Mostly digital, but I experiment with older cameras like Polaroids and Holgas.
(Q) How many photos are in your personal collection?
(A) I have over 2,000 photos up on my Flickr page. For every shot there I probably took ten or more to get one I liked, so let’s just say a lot.
(Q) Do you feel photography plays a major role in documenting graffiti culture?
(A) It’s another part of the tale.
(Q) Do you have any crazy stories or memorable moments while taking photos?
(A) Nothing crazy, the occasional Cop or Citizen that wants to know what you’re doing, but all in all it’s been nothing but love from all the neighborhoods I go to and those I meet.
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
“Behold one of the most luxurious tools for scratching some of the worst graffiti. Icelandic designer Sruli Recht produced the “Carbon Dater,” a “black diamond-tipped carbon pen for writing and illustrating directly into glass.
With a .30 carat stone on its business end, this laser-etched scribe isn’t cheap and actually costs more than Krink’s limited edition fire extinguisher. One of the ten pens will cost affluent scratchitti writers $1036.00″ – Animal NY
(Q) How long have you been taking photos of graffiti & what interests you to do so?
(A) I’ve been photographing graffiti since 2004.. I like it for a few reasons.. Mainly, I dig the art.. I’ve always loved art that’s bold and colorful and so graffiti really fits as a subject for me.. Another thing is the “treasure hunt” aspect of shooting graffiti: exploring through so many interesting abanonded buildings, tunnels, city streets and wherever else is a challenge and a lot of fun.. Finally, I definitely enjoy the technical and creative process of the photography itself..
(Q) Do you own photo albums of actual prints or do you prefer digital??
(A) I shoot exclusively digital these days.. I don’t have traditional albums, but I think of Flickr as a kind of album and I guess I see my two books (Bay Area Graffiti & San Francisco Street Art) as albums.. I’ve also been experimenting with large prints lately.. It’s pretty cool to see the images blown up big..
(Q) How many photos are in your personal collection??
(A) I’m not exactly sure.. I’ve posted more than 8,000 photos to Flickr.. There are tens of thousands of graffiti photos in my personal collection..
(Q) Do you feel photography plays a major role in documenting graffiti culture??
(A) Absolutely, yes!! So much graffiti is gone within a few days or a few weeks.. Photography is the most important way the work is preserved..
(Q) Do you have any crazy stories or memorable moments while taking photos??
(A) Really, nothing too dramatic or crazy.. Exploring amazing spots is what’s probably most memorable for me.. I’ve learned that big spots usually don’t last for too long around here, so I always feel lucky to see and photograph them when I can..
Location: San Francisco, CA
Source: Flickr
Peep this dope video of Mike Giant doin what he does while in Amsterdam for a new exhibition on Urban Bike Culture at MediaMatic..
If you happen to be in Phoenix this friday be sure to check out this show at Chase Gallery..
(Q) How long have you been taking photos of graffiti & what interests you to do so?
(A) I’ve been taking photos of graffiti both on walls and trains since ’88.. I’m in my early 30′s now, so I was a young’un when I seriously pursued both the artistic and documentary aspect of the culture.. Trains on the other hand were an inate part of my existance given that my grandfather was a hobo, ridin’ the rails from Hickory, NC to California and back constantly.. It was/is a natural progression from me as a means to seemingly pay homage to him and celebrate the art that I love..
(Q) Do you own photo albums of actual prints or do you prefer digital??
(A) I prefer digital as it would be impossible to share my visual tales with the entire world if not for this undoubtedly wonderful medium and the coupling of the internet with it.. I own a storage shed worth of hard copies, albums and negatives that would make people sh*t on themselves if they saw what I have.. Wait for the book and you’ll see what I mean..
(Q) How many photos are in your personal collection??
(A) 100,000+ I’m surprised I didn’t bankrupt myself buying film before switching to digital..
(Q) Do you feel photography plays a major role in documenting graffiti culture??
(A) I’m encouraged by the sheer number of video mags out right now that focus on the live action of benching.. Truth is, it’s all photography in some way, shape or form.. But still photography plays THE essential part in archiving the culture.. Without DSLR benchers, what would one place in their albums or adorn their walls with?? You surely can’t manage that with a video..
(Q) Do you have any crazy stories or memorable moments while taking photos??
(A) I could bore you with bull chases, candy-colored sunsets over the yard at dusk to die for, batteries dying at the absolute worst moment; but I won’t do that.. My most memorable moment was cruising Venice Beach in ’99 at the B-boy summit with the homies when a full-scale riot broke out all around me.. I didn’t waivor in shooting while getting pushed around by armor-clad SWAT officers.. In the midst of it all, Crazy Legs from the Almighty Rock Steady Crew, broke into full-on b-boying right in front of these police in a seminal ‘fu*k you’ LAPD! And I was right there 10 feet away from it all snapping away.. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience..
Location: Sacramento, CA
Source: Flickr
“Storm (Heavy Artillery), Does (LoveLetters – the Netherlands), Gebes (Heavy Artillery, DOOM, BSM) and Mr Wany (Heavy Artillery) repaint the wall at The Tivoli themepark in Copenhagen, Denmark. April 2010.” – Ironlak
The homie Fuct got some shine in this short but really dope interview shot & edited by my dude Jimmy Muga for LA Graffiti Girls..
