Flash & Fuse Issue #01
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Curated by: The Brothers Riff & Co.
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Mission Statement: Flash & Fuse is dedicated to empowering artists through publication. Each month we showcase a handful of talented artists whose work we find inspiring, unique, and innovative. A percentage of all digital and print sales go directly back to these selected artists. In turn these proceeds are then used to supplement their creative processes. Harnessing the power of community and crowd funding we will act as an incubator for creative visionaries and watch as they spread their wings and soar.
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Thomas Mesiarik // #08 Mitch Perritt // #10 Tyrikus Cunningham // #14 Daniel Riff // #18 Drew Smith // #20 Floyd Small Jr. // #26 7
Thomas Mesiarik W ebsite: axiomphotos.tumblr.com Email: thomas.mesiarik@gmail.com Instagram: @zimlabs
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"As an artist, I connect with infrared photography on a larger scale than other mediums. It takes conventional photos and techniques that rely on the visual spectrum of light, and skews them into a totally new and abstract art form. Trees become snow white beings, the skies take on a brilliant deep color, and an almost tangible silence fills the image. It's an ethereal world that can only be seen through the eye of a lens. Photographing this way makes me re-think what I see with my own eyes, constantly searching for new windows into this ghost-like realm. " - Thomas Mesiarik
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Mitch Perritt W ebsite: www.zimlabs.com Phone: 843-457-3343 Instagram: @zimlabs
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Eighteenth Century Meets Twentyfirst Century If you have not met the legend Alice Flagg, pay her a visit, she is waiting. We visited Alice as we scouted her historic cemetery. Christian Caglione of Myrtle Beach South Carolina observed a heavy gravitational pull as she stood to the left of Alice’s plot. I walked over and then moved away quickly as what Christian had felt, came upon myself. It was a heavy sense of “void.” It was a tangible feeling. I walked away pulling my emotions & senses back together as I had felt something drain them away. But what really made this location interesting was the charter bus tour that unloaded as we began to shoot. Oh, I must not forget the holiday service that began in the on-site chapel as we arrived. Picture us, dressed in head-totoe black and the 100+ senior citizens…well, you know. Mind you, an old shovel that barely fit into the cars trunk was intended to be a prop for this look - but avoiding the holiday service and the bus tour were challenging enough. We didn’t think the shovel, all black and senior citizens would be a good mixture. We left the shovel in the car.
Penelope Island “You own this island, Penelope!” “Everyone here works for you.” “This is YOUR beach that YOU own!” I wanted to speak Christian Caglione into a mindset that would create an image of flow, with a story and a voice of its own. Earlier that morning she asked me to guess the name of her car. I replied “Penelope?” - It turns out I was right! We ran with the concept of a “Penelope” as this was just too crazy to ignore. We brainstormed traits of a “Penelope”, figured a Penelope would have her own island, and her own sassy attitude, and let that live out through the images and the art.
Lessons Learned • Only shoot public locations early in the morning, as to avoid crowds (bus tours and holiday funeral ceremonies.) • In my experience the weather is usually clear in the early morning (sunrise) and has tendency to worsen later in the day. (It stormed shortly after we finished this shoot - as did two of my shoots the prior month.) But perhaps it’s only this crazy Myrtle Beach weather we are known for! As an artist, I believe it is important to inspire people. I do not believe anything else is important. -Editorial Photographer Mitch Perritt
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Tyrikus Cunningham W ebsite: www.tyrikuscunninghamphotography.com Phone: 706-436-9785 Instagram: @phlyfotographer
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A Photographer's Evolution As an aspiring photographer currently based in Myrtle Beach, SC, I found my love and appreciated for my craft during my senior year of high school. After taking hundreds of random pictures, I found where my heart lies – with the art of photography. Throughout the years, I have developed a strong passion for photography; whatever my subject may be, and I enjoy doing it all. I don’t think a day has gone by without me picking up my camera. With each photo I take, I try to capture a different perspective. I want my style to speak for itself. I want my fashion photography to embody a vintage theme; a classic feel. I’ve always been a fan of the arts and appreciated artists who are able to creatively display the beauty of nature as well as the human body. I have always felt that my work rides on the safer side of things. I never wanted to show “too much.” As I get older, I want my work to creatively grow as well. I was a little hesitant on doing shoots that would seem provocative or crude, but I want my audience to see the human body like I do; as an art form. Not something to be sexualized. As I began to study the different types of art and the work of other photographers, I began to see things differently. 18
I realized that as an artist, I have to be confident in what I want to create and what I want my audience to take away from my work. With that being said, I finally mustered up the courage to make something happen. Fortunately I have a gorgeous friend, Gabrielle Dys, who was willing to pose for this photo set. With her natural beauty and her level of comfort, we were able to make my vision come to fruition. I wanted to pair the model with the serenity of nature. Everything flowed so naturally – the way nature often does. With this shoot, I was able to find my comfort zone. It also helped me to develop my style of photography. As time progresses, I can see my work expanding; becoming a living, breathing thing. This will be my primary focus as 2015 takes off. I am very excited about the upcoming projects that I have planned. There are no limits in the sky! - Tyrikus Cunningham
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Daniel Riff W ebsite: www.thebrothersriff.com Phone: 347-244-5508 Instagram: @danielriff
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A Learning Experience The art of photography is a constant learning experience. Every photo taken is a step closer towards figuring out how to accurately capture a unique vision that has taken shape in the mind's eye. The best way to learn and grow as a photographer isn’t through a text book alone, but through the application of those skills and additional hands on experience. Getting out in the field and facing the technical and creative processes of photography head on allows for a more productive and beneficial learning experience. Mistakes that are made become lessons to be applied later on down the road. This process of learning from mistakes is an integral and necessary part of maturing as a photographer and as an artist. So, what’s the best way to get hands on experience? Create and develop personal projects. Keeping a notebook on hand to physically write down and document your ideas is crucial to this process. Keeping a journal makes it easier to develop your idea over time. As an added benefit the action of physically getting an idea down on paper helps spark the brainstorming and creative process.
Projects can be as simple as attempting to master a certain style of photography, such as low key portraits or the use of “Rembrandt” or Baroque style lighting. This style is exactly what I was attempting to develop through the creation of a self-portrait and fashion photography series. In turn, I now have a much better grasp on modeling with light as well as the technical aspects of working with studio strobes and speed lights. The black background and low key lighting effects combined with Baroque style lighting adds a dramatic tone to the images while bringing the eye and attention of the viewer immediately onto the subject. It is the perfect style for self-portraits allowing the photographer the ability to focus in on what’s important and get across exactly what’s intended. So remember, developing and executing personal projects is the best and most efficient way to grow as a photographer. Constantly create self-projects and keep in mind that the more you shoot the more you’ll learn and the better your photographs will become. - Daniel Riff, Creative Director
Drew Smith W ebsite: www.thebrothersriff.com Phone: 410-404-7968 Instagram: @genuine_dreamer
Kanna (Explore) There’s this euphoric wonderland located almost as far north as anyone can go, where mountain ranges run into oceans and sunlight warms your soul. It’s an experience, of sorts, unlike any other country in the world from its language, outlook on life and jawdropping landscape. Iceland is considered to be an ideal location to get a taste of something new and create new memories. I had the pleasure of traveling to Iceland for three weeks during this past holiday season. As a young traveler and aspiring photographer, I felt at home engulfed by a culture who shares the same passions as me. The people all speak English, which helps a great deal for new worldly travelers, but prefer their native tongue; Icelandic. The relaxed atmosphere expressed by the cities, towns, and villages along the coastlines made it a comfortable and memorable trip. Icelanders exude a sense of pride for their homeland and are always willing to show you the outstanding sights and natural phenomena it has to offer. I am fortunate enough to have six friends who call Iceland home and who were willing to show me the insider view of what Iceland ahs to offer.
I was able to hike mountain terrain, adventure to whaling stations, see glaciers, and witness the unbelievable sunsets behind the never-ending mountains. The snapshots I took don’t compare to the sights I saw while over seas. If you have questions or just would like to know more about Iceland from a fellow traveler, follow the contract information provided. I will always be willing to share with anyone, especially newborn world travelers like myself. - Drew Smith
Street art by uknown artist in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland
Floyd Small Jr. W ebsite: floydsmalljr.tumblr.com Phone: 843-330-9825 Instagram: @pbf_small
"I feel as if Charleston’s true colors show best through a camera lens. There is this unexplainable honesty I have found that can only be captured by looking over stills of the streets. I realized my interest in taking photographs of otherwise rather mundane subjects when I pushed myself to go deeper and shoot the beauty missed by the naked eye. Meandering the streets of this historic town, I found my muse in the Spanish moss hanging in the city squares. I love Charleston and all it has to offer, but I can’t wait to get out there and experience the rest of the world. In the mean time, I’ll embrace my home." - Floyd Small Jr.
Creative Director: Daniel Riff Written Content Editor: Eden Halevy Curated By: The Brothers Riff & Co. Publisher: Blurb (http://www.blurb.com/) Website: www.thebrothersriff.com Content Contributors: - Thomas Mesiarik - Mitch Perritt - Tyrikus Cunningham - Daniel Riff - Drew Smith - Floyd Small Jr.
Copyright © 2015 Flash & Fuse, Affiliate of The Brothers Riff & Co. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below. The Brothers Riff & Co. 116 Citadel Drive Conway, SC 29526 347-244-5508