Stay Sharp

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Made In Korea...


Had me a ten minute try at the brand new MOMA photo studio in Seoul (thanks for letting me use the studio!) and local artist Yushi modeled. Studio photograpy not really being my cup of tea so to say, so it was a good reminder of how limited and regulated you are (get) while in a studio. Sure, nice and warm and close to the coffee maker, but the "reality" isn't present and the natural instincts you have been working on and polished for so long during the years has to give way to the cold facts of the strobelight. Can see how you get "addicted" to it though. Yushi has strong ties with Japan so the red chair with the white background gives it a "rising sun" flag kinda feel to it.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

m.w.c.p Japan's New Features




The story on Kerry King from SLAYER and Scott Ian from ANTHRAX turned out really cool. Check it all out in the steaming hot new issue of TATTOO BURST -www.tattooburst.com-


Some other featuring stuff from m.w.c.p.japan in up-coming issues of Japans leading tattoo mag in a near future as well.


Leslie Reesen from Mad Science Tattooing in Amterdam, Holland.


Lucky Bastard from Fine Tattoo Work, California U.S.A

On The Road Again...






I been to over 50 countries so far, but South Korea wasn't on that list so ofcourse I jump on the chance to go there with my friend and business associate C.B.D from Japan. We head out to find out more about this almost non existing tattoo scene and found it to be something extremely new and rare. Coming from a blue collar background my self, as the original tattoo scene most of us know does as well. This proved to be rather unknowned in S.K. Some of the more adventurous rich and famous kids were trying to play hardball and get tattooed, all in the spirit of MTV and an uprising pop trend. Ofcourse the whole idea of where it all comes from and what it stands for wasn't even considered. Give it a couple of years and we might have more than one good tattooist from this traditional and proud "lost" peninsula. Our "man" in Korea was Yushi from the well known Japanese Shiryu tattoo family and what he is doing in S.K has never been done before and he is THE pioneer in his field. Rise above bro!!

You will find this article about how the tattoo scene in S.Korea is evolving in an International publication near you early next year, enjoy.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Pics We Like...




I think this image really captures the whole idea about the skateboarding that I know about and want to continue to learn more from, get new better ideas from and explore deeper untill I can't do so anymore.

Mike Vallely is for me in skateboarding what Henry Rollins is for Music (and brains) and Glen E. Friedman is in photography. That is, True to the cause!

--Say What You Mean, Do What You Say--

Photo from HECKLER SKATE web page

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Trike From Hell


Shot on a late night in Bangkok, this image is how it feels to ride in one of those Tuk-tuks in rush hour with a suicidal driver on the edge of another nervous breakdown... I love it!!

Fish Eye Fuck Up



For years I have tried to avoid extreme gear, like to keep it simple and use what I have to prove (to myself) that it can be done. I do not want to fall in that consumer trap the worlds eager manufacturers so ofter set for the minions. But this time I considered the pros and cons of working with a fullframe 15mm "fisheye" lens and I belive I can do a better job in some situations with an extreme angle view. The barrel effect have its ups and downs but I bet there are images you have seen where a true straight line is bending unnaturally at the ends but that you didn't even think in those terms because the image in itself showed you enough power to make this distraction a secondary thought.

So after chansing prices in my favourite hunting grounds here in Tokyo and on the net I found a seller a bit cheaper than the others and left the store with a light wallet but with new imaginary angles on my mind. I Could already see how this lens would come to it righteous self at the next metal concert or sk8 ramp, on future travels shooting whatever it might be. Even amongst the palmtrees on "my" island in Thailand, my next destination over Christmas and NewYear. Coming home, unpacking the thing and the always unexpected Murphy's Law tapped me on the shoulder as to remind me that life's a bitch. The first thing I do is to drop the fucking thing and fuck it up fucking real good...fuck!!! Well, there is a first thing for everything, my always steady hand failed me by being over careful and I just have to take the consequences and pay the repair of ¥18.000 ($150) and kick my self hard in the ass for being a fool.

The Falling Man



Richard Drew snapped away with a 70-200mm lens as people were falling from the burning top of the WTC 9/11. For some this photo of a falling man is provocative and scratches the by now old wounds of the aftermath of the deed. For some it symbolizes our true human spirits and upstir emotions we rarely pull out from the deep. We can say and feel whatever we want, and it's all to this one single photograph that we open up our eyes and are shaken awake to emotional actions. For me this is what true photography is all about, to tell a story in a singe frame with enough "life" in it even if it in most cases is the end of what for most of us is the most precious in life, that is just that, to live, to survive at all cost!





Photo by Robert Diosneau (top) and Eddie Adams (bottom)