1000 WORDS: I'll TAKE THE TICKET

This particular photo shoot was iconic... iconic because of the mismatched variables that aligned perfectly that would allow us to complete this task. When putting together any photo shoot, there is always a range of obstacles you must overcome to achieve the goal and to get exactly what you want out of it. Anyone that has been apart of a shoot, or group activity knows its difficult to get everyone on the same page at the same time. The first hurdle was getting someone to shoot in the Troubled Youth Mechanics Jacket... Getting people to commit and to really show up to shoots when they aren't "real models" is always difficult. But just so happen, my man, an artist from South Carolina, named Noochi Bovice, just so happen to be in town for the week. He was here, recording or shooting a video, I'm not really sure... but he was here. We didn't plan to work, do a shoot, nothing. I just knew he was around and I would go check him if we had time.

The summer was coming to an end and I just picked up the sample for the Troubled Youth Mechanics Jacket. I had it for a couple days and been riding around with it, going through different blocks, thinking of people I can shoot, scouting locations.. and trying to figure out the space in which this jacket would make the most sense being captured in. Later on, I was with my peoples, talking, drinking and shit. and I was telling them about the jacket.. what I wanna do with it... how the shoot has to make sense... blazayblah. And out of nowhere she was like "you should shoot it at my job".. I'm like where you work at?.. She said "The Post Office, the big one on 34 St.... Everything is gutted out, its nothin but brick walls, hanging wires and open space... they're rebuilding the L.I.R and making the Post Office the new station".. I'm like you deadass? she like yea, you just gotta come between this time and this time and I can bring you and whoever through the side entrance.. I'm like BET! I hit Nooch immediately, "yoo"... "you gotta do this shoot for me tomorrow bro" he was like "what time" .... 9 A.M. "got damn" lol... It took some convincing but he said fuck it, he'll do it.

The next morning come, I picked Nooch up bout 8 cause we had to be there by a certain time, I ain't wanna take no chances.. We get down there, I park up. Didn't care what the sign said, lol. I'll take a ticket to get this done... What?! Its fuckin epic... Post Office? 34 Street? I've never been in this shit in my life... shit, half of New York never been in this post office and me..... I get to do a shoot in this shit?... in a phase it will never be again?.. To shoot Troubled Youth?... You fuckin right I'm taking that ticket.

Once we parked, I called Ky, she told me to meet her at the side entrance, and just like she said, she walked us right in... The shit was huge ( || )... Cement everywhere, wires hanging, ripped out elevator shafts... shit looked crazy. She took us up to the top floor where you could overlook everything. It was just a big ass space. But we had a small window to shoot. So we got right to it...

1000 Words:

I know you don't think I'm going to type 1000 words, right? Lol.. The 1000 Words article is in reference to that old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words". This article will explain the meaning, idea(s), or influences behind each photoshoot. I prefer to do things with purpose/significance.. Doing a random shoot, at a random location, holds no value.. Everything that I do.. will be done, with intent. Since the development of Troubled Youth, it has been my idea to use my own life's experiences as the backdrop for the imagery in my shoots. Each shoot has an element or reference to my life, whether past or present, the association is relevant.