Bands Were the Reason I Ever Picked Up a Camera

    When I was 16 years old I literally had no clue about anything to do with life.  And I absolutely knew nothing about photography.  As I turned 17 I was thrown into a hot mess of friends who played loud, progressive, punk music that were drawing crowds and a solid fan base. 

    Likewise, I myself had just enrolled into my high school’s photography department.  One day I said, “Hey man.  I’m gunna start bringing my camera to your shows.”  I figured that had some potential as far as content is concerned.  I mean I didn’t wanna be the guy in class always taking pictures of his friends doing nothing or the nearest decent girl at a computer desk.  I saw so many of those photos up around the dark room already.

    Anyways, the images I came back with from the shows kept me working at the department store after class so I could keep buying film, development, paper, better cameras, new lenses, etc...  Until I had realized that I’ve invested so much into the craft that I’d never feel fully comfortable with turning away from it.  And I’m absolutely thrilled that I took the steps to turn it into my day to day career.

 Above
This was taken on top of the "Roth Rock" building downtown Erie.

That place is no longer the Roth Rock.

Not sure what it is now, but it served a purpose for me that day.

Above:

 These are the same two guys from the top of the building.

I took this photo in my studio back in the winter of 2009.

I based their portrait off of a print I found of a portrait taken

of an elderly man and women.

I thought it worked out pretty awesome for their band group photo.

Above:

I took this one back in the summer of 2005 with the first 

model of the canon digital rebel.

I will always hold this photo with such high regard,

because of how I managed to pan with his whip lash body-like movement.

 Above:

I just love how the over head lighting took to this photo.

Thanks.

Talk to ya later.

-Joey