Mad Sounds Magazine - To See and Be Seen

mad sounds

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

a publication for the young and daring

to see and be seen ISSUE NO. 11

mad sounds a publication for the young and daring

Giselle Melendres - Editor, Creative Director & Designer madsoundsmagazine@gmail.com

Trinity Gardner - Music Editor

Contributing Writers - Giselle Melendres, Zoe Allen, Riley Donahue

Contributing Photographers - Sheridan Elyse Dyches, Willow Greene, Arvin Rusanganwa, Aidan Doyle, Rai Utomo

ON THE COVER Photography by Sam Dameshek Featuring Maddi Bragg

stay rad, stay mad @madsoundsmag www.madsoundsmag.com @madsoundsmag

contents

introduction 008

contributors

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a letter from the editor

photo journals 012

empire state of mind

by WILLOW GREENE

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high by the beach

by SHERIDAN DYCHES

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eat away the sun

by AIDAN DOYLE

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so far so great, sorta.

by RAI UTOMO

features 076

crow canyon: walking on a dream editorial by RILEY DONAHUE

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an interview with BRANDON SAPP

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an interview with SAM DAMESHEK

mad sounds contributors

contributors

GISELLE MELENDRES

WILLOW GREENE

SHERIDAN DYCHES

AIDAN DOYLE

@gisellelisabeth editor/creative director Seattle

@moody_mind photographer Arizona

@sheridanelyse photographer Hawaii

@adoyleee photographer California

RAI UTOMO

RILEY DONAHUE

ZOE ALLEN

TRINITY GARDNER

@paraisitic photographer Kentucky

@rileyjdonahue writer California

@eoz_allen writer Texas

@catveins music editor California

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a letter from the editor

TO SEE AND BE SEEN MADDI BRAGG

SAM DAMESHEK From social media, to creative influencers, every artist has a not-so-secret desire for their work to be viewed by the masses.

Whether it be through a social media platform or an online portfolio, our generation’s young creatives have an astounding ability to network, connect, and show their creativity to the world through social media and virtually created connections.

“To See and Be Seen” highlights the work of two young creatives, whose art and social media networks have made a mark in the world of fashion photography and

artistic design. Featuring interviews with Brandon Sapp, and Sam Dameshek; Issue No. 11 explores the journeys of young fashion photographers whose photos have inspired their audience to think, feel, and live with passion and creativity in their hearts. And here at Mad Sounds, we hope we can evoke the same within our readers.

Let’s get ready for another issue of Mad Sounds.

It’s going to be a good one.

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Giselle Melendres Founding Editor-in-Chief & Creative Director

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND photography by WILLOW GREENE styling by BRANDY MELVILLE USA

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photography by WILLOW GREENE styling by BRANDY MELVILLE USA

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photography by WILLOW GREENE styling by BRANDY MELVILLE USA

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HIGH

BY THE BEACH photography by SHERIDAN ELYSE featuring SOFIA AVA

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EAT AWAY THE SUN photography by AIDAN DOYLE featuring KATY JOHNSON

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photography by AIDAN DOYLE featuring KATY JOHNSON

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SO FAR SO GREAT, SORTA. photography by RAI UTOMO featuring RAMSEY & SOPHIE BELL

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photography by RAI UTOMO featuring RAMSEY & SOPHIE BELL

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CROW CANYON: WALKING ON A DREAM

by RILEY DONAHUE

I was never that good at sports. I tried all of the classic ones, basketball, baseball, hockey, but I never had that same drive and natural skill for them that so many other kids seemed to have.

Around the same time that I realized this, I discovered music. The arts presented themselves as a different way of thinking, a different way of expression that didn’t involve the tribulations of athleticism. It was something to do that was centered around mentality instead of physicality.

Also I could sound super pretentious when I talked about it.

After a stint as a drummer in my first band that disbanded in early middle school, I met up with an old elementary school acquaintance who happened to play bass and with a new kid at my

who played drums and who happened to be the son of my 8th grade history teacher. These guys, Nathan and Drew, grew up with me and became my brothers over the course of the next four years. Our music started as your typical teen rock band music: loud, simplistic, angsty, and powerchord oriented. But soon we got older and our music took on the more jazzy and subdued psychedelia that would define our sound by the end. We practiced countless hours in a make-shift room in my garage with no heater or A.C. that was filled from the floor to the ceiling with trashy graffiti that Drew and I had drawn one asphyxiating night during our freshman year. That room, with it’s carpeted floors and a permeating odor of incense and sweat, became our club house where we fleshed out songs, recorded high school.

We played 80 live shows in our three and a half years as a band at places ranging from birthday parties with 50 people, to restaurants where nobody payed attention, to the Anaheim Convention center in front of 900 cheerleaders.

When we first started we always wrote down our set-lists and really planned out our performances, but as time went on, our live shows became more like the music we were playing: more impromptu and in the moment. We jammed and played songs that we’d never played before, and talked to the crowd in sometimes quite long bursts of poorly thought out phrases and jokes. This, I loved. I obviously really enjoyed the music that we played very much, but I loved the experience of performing this ever-changing live show almost just as much.

Sometimes we stumbled, sometimes things worked out perfectly,but we always did it with a smile on our faces because we were best friends doing something that we loved. We were creating something in the moment that held great importance to us, and it felt amazing to do in front of other people that could hopefully get something out of it as well, even if sometimes we hit a wrong note or messed up a part. We were having fun doing it and that was really all that mattered.

NO. 11 — TO SEE AND BE SEEN Now we’ve all left for college and those chapters of our band are over. Drew and Nathan both attend the same college, California State University Northridge, while I go to school 45 minutes south at California State University Long Beach. None of us have cars, or our full equipment set up, but hope to bring it all down with us once we’re done living in the dorms next year. None of us are really sure what the future holds in store for us; they both study music and I study film.

“We were business partners and creators that made something together out of nothing in that dimly lit band room that reeked of incense and body odor, all the way to the Whisky A Go Go, on a stage that once held both Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.” nothing in places ranging from our dimly lit band room that reeked of incense and body odor, all the way to the Whisky A Go Go on a stage that once held both Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.

Will we play again over break or in the coming school year when we have cars and our e q u i p m e n t ? Pro b a b l y. Re g a rd l e s s , m y experience with those two is one that I’ll never forget. The bond that we all shared (and still share) is unbreakable in the sense that we were more than friends. We were business partners and creators that made something together out

It was lucky for me that I didn't try to keep being mediocre at soccer.

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Meet Brandon Sapp, an L.A. based creative with an eye for the captivating and unique. An Instagram sensation; Brandon has worked with some of the biggest names on the internet: Maddi Bragg, Amanda Steele, Alexa Losey, Suede Brookes, and many more. Today, we sat down with Brandon and discussed his photography, creative inspiration, and future aspirations. Read on to learn more about Brandon and the face behind the photographs.

FAVORITE… Song: Anything from @dapurrmusic on Soundcloud Band: FIDLAR Artist: Banksy Book: I have yet to find my favorite book Movie: Interstellar TV Show: Workaholics Female Celeb: Cara Delevingne Male Celeb: Kanye West Place: The Getty Museum Drink: Mango Pineapple Smoothie Quote: “The creative adult is the child who survived.”

Store: Barneys New York Instrument: Drums Movie Soundtrack: Interstellar Animal: Turtle Holiday: Christmas RANDOMS… Coffee or tea? Tea

Comedies or dramas? Comedies Big city or small town? Big city What is your most worn item? My allsaints jeans, I wear them & wash them every other day What are your biggest pet peeves? Liars Favorite place that you’ve ever traveled? Hawaii Hot or cold weather? Cold (I own so many jackets) East or West coast? East Coast Worst fears? Breaking or losing my camera HYPOTHETICALS… If you could have one talent, what would it be?

If I was good at guitar I'd be sooo happy You have a free trip to anywhere in the world, where do you go?

New York City

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If you could have any job in the world (without worrying about financial stability), which would you choose?

Id love to be the photographer that shoots for Gucci You have $1,000, what do you spend it on?

Clothes from OFF-White If you could relocate to one place, where would you live?

New York City

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“Well, when I’m not shooting I'm u s u a l l y sleeping or shopping for clothes I can't afford.”

HI BRANDON, THANKS FOR TALKING TO US TODAY HERE AT MAD SOUNDS. TO START OFF, TELL US ABOUT THE DAY IN THE LIFE OF BRANDON SAPP.

WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHERS? My main man Sam Dameshek (@Sam_dameshek) my internet friend Brandon Woelfel (@Brandonwoelfel) and my fav Ron Dadon (@Ronathann) & many others!

WHICH HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SHOOT THAT YOU HAVE DONE THUS FAR? So far my favorite shoot has been with Wilhelmina's Taylor Howard (@Taylor_Howard), She’s so good with her poses and she’s an all around fun person!

DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR LOCATIONS IN WHICH YOU PREFER SHOOTING? I love shooting in the Santa Monica Mountains and buildings with modern architecture WHERE DO YOU FIND INSPIRATION FOR YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? I love looking through tumblr, I usually will save pictures in my camera roll just to admire.

Well, when I'm not shooting I’m usually sleeping or shopping for clothes I can't afford….

I UNDERSTAND YOU LIVE IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE LIFESTYLE/CULTURE OF THIS URBAN AREA? It’s very fun but only if you plan out your days, I sometimes end up sitting on my bed with no plans. The Lifestyle in LA is pretty mellow in some areas, but where I am it's mostly mellow and laidback.

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photography by BRANDON SAPP featuring ALEXA LOSEY

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“Try to be unique, give people a reason to follow your work. I love fi n d i n g o t h e r photographers that shoot very differently than o t h e r photographers I've seen.”

IF YOU COULD WORK WITH ANYONE IN THE WORLD, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? I’d love to shoot with Gemma Ward WHAT DO YOU ULTIMATELY HOPE TO PORTRAY THROUGH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? I wouldn't say I try and portray any stories through my work, but I like portraying different views through my work, whether that's angles or the way a picture is cropped DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST ADVICE FOR ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS? Yes. Try to be unique, give people a reason to follow your work. If you only copy other photographers you wouldn't be unique. I love finding other photographers that shoot very differently than other photographers I've seen.

KEEP UP WITH BRANDON: instagram: @ibrandonsapp www.ibrandonsapp.com/

Y O U ’ V E TA K E N P H O T O S O F M A N Y POPULARLY KNOWN CREATIVES SUCH AS JACK JUNK, MADDI BRAGG, ALEXA LOSEY, SUEDE BROOKS, AND MORE. HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS? I pretty much met all of these amazing people through mutual friends, BUT, I did slide into Maddi’s DM’s the day before we met.

WHO ARE YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECTS TO CAPTURE WITHIN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS? I pretty much only shoot people as subject and I’ve found that my work with women usually comes out better than my pictures I take of men.

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MAKE A R T, BE ART photography by BRANDON SAPP

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featuring ALEXA LOSEY

photography by BRANDON SAPP featuring MADDI BRAGG

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Meet Sam Dameshek, an L.A. based fashion photographer with a love for the adventurous and daring. From Pacsun to Brandy Melville U.S.A., Sam has collaborated with some of the largest names in fashion and youth culture. Read Sam’s interview to learn more about his passion for photography, art, and living life to the fullest.

FAVORITE...

Song: Gnash: I hate U I love U (dapurr remix) ft. Olivia OBrien Band: Jack Ü Artist: A$AP rocky Book: The Giver By Lois Lowrey Movie: The Dead Poets Society TV Show: I don't watch TV Female Celeb: GiGi Hadid Male Celeb: Leonardo DiCaprio Place: Anywhere that inspires me to take pictures Drink: Coffee is the love of my life Quote: "Carpe Diem" - The Dead Poets Society Store: Topman Instrument: I envy people that play the guitar Movie Soundtrack: Taylor Steels's "Intersection" Animal: Dolphins are so rad Holiday: Christmas/Hanukah

RANDOMS… Last movie you watched? Project X Comedies or dramas? Comedies Big city or small town? Big City, but small towns sometimes What is your most worn item?

Black distressed Jeans, Alex Digenova jersey, Brixton Fedora or Polo dad hat.

What are your biggest pet peeves? Fake people Favorite place that you’ve ever traveled? New York Hot or cold weather? Am I the only one that wants cold weather when it's hot and hot weather when it's cold?

East or west coast? West Coast Baby!

Worst fears? Fear itself, losing my mom or one of my brothers, world anarchy, and failure to be the best I can be

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HYPOTHETICALS… If you could have one talent, what would it be? The talent of having absolutely no fear or resistance You have a free trip to anywhere in the world, where do you go? Either the Bahamas or NY during the fall If you could have any job in the world (without worrying about financial stability), which would you choose? Either photographer or professional surfer You have $1,000, what do you spend it on? My girlfriend, clothes, camera accessories If you could relocate to one place, where would you live? Los Angeles

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“[I’m inspired by] the beautiful world and the people around me. I see everything as a potential photograph now.”

HI SAM, THANKS FOR SITTING DOWN WITH US TODAY HERE AT MAD SOUNDS. TO START OFF, DESCRIBE TO US AN AVERAGE DAY OF SAM DAMESHEK: In chronological order: wake up, run 8-13 miles, guzzle some coffee, figure out my outfit, respond to emails, school, edit various jobs, scout locations, shoot scheduled jobs for either a brand produced shoot or something with a model. Try to jump in the ocean for a quick surf sesh with the fam (if there is time), eat dinner, get dappered up (again), find whats "happening" and have some fun! .... I live at a fast pace and I love it HOW DID YOU FIRST DISCOVER YOUR PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY? My interest for capturing my everyday was channeled directly into photography

W H A T P R I M A R I LY I N S P I R E S Y O U R PHOTOGRAPHS? The beautiful world and the people around me. I see everything as a potential photograph now.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE SHOOTING LOCATIONS? Walt Disney concert hall, the Brandy Melville alley way, down town LA, the secret pools in Laguna Beach, downtown Laguna. One of my favorite parts of photography but also one of the most challenging things is finding new creative locations. Scout! Scout! Scout!

W H AT I S O N E O F Y O U R F A V O R I T E PHOTOSHOOTS THUS FAR? Definitely my shoot with Scarlett Lietthold for Brandy Melville at the Walt Disney concert hall and in downtown LA. I put so much effort into the vibe I wanted for the shoot and a lot of planning into timing it so we had the right moody lighting!

WHAT DIFFERENT MESSAGES/FEELINGS DO YOU HOPE TO PORTRAY WITH YOUR PHOTOS? Anything from happy summer vibes to a more moody mysterious vibe. Depends on what is inspiring me when I plan the shoot!

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATIONS? Jorden Keith, Bryant Eslava, and Krissy Saleh.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT MAKES A 'GOOD' PHOTOGRAPH? Tones, mood, lighting, model, wardrobe, location, and the use of depth of field

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photography by SAM DAMESHEK featuring JC CAYLEN

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“You must believe in what you can accomplish! Set your goals both s h o rt t e r m a n d long term, and be determined to stay on tract!

Lastly…..practice!

Practice! Practice!”

YOU’VE TAKEN PHOTOS OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST BANDS IN THE WORLD, IMAGINE DRAGONS; WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO SHOOT PICTURES OF THE BAND FROM THE STAGE? It was amazing!! It was my first real concert, so to have that experience right from the stage was amazing! I am looking forward to shooting more musical venues and concerts!!

DO YOU HOPE TO PURSUE PHOTOGRAPHY AS A FUTURE CAREER? I am already there! I have been working professionally for quite some time. My business picked up so substantially that I started to realize that I was already thrust headlong into a career! I most definitely intend on keeping the upward trajectory!!

HOW HAS INSTAGRAM INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER/PASSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHY AND WHAT IMPACT HAS IT MADE ON YOUR LIFE THUS FAR?

Y O U ’ V E C O L L A B O R AT E D W I T H M A N Y SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BASED CREATIVES SUCH AS PHOTOGRAPHER MAX HADDADIN, AND YOUTUBE STARS MADDI BRAGG, JC CAYLEN, ALEXA LOSEY, AND MANY MORE. HOW DID YOU START WORKING WITH THESE HIGH ACCLAIMED INTERNET PERSONALITIES?

I would not be here if it wasn't for Instagram. I have met so many amazing people through the app and it has helped my photography business grow so much.

I worked super hard to establish a name for myself and then combined various connections with my talent to grab the attention of such people. Once I got in contact with them, I set up shoots immediately!

Work extremely hard! Set your standards and expectations of yourself very high! Being organized is key! I have an excellent manager who keeps my calendar, does my invoicing etc.

Memorize your camera! You should be able to set your settings blindfolded! You must believe in what you can accomplish! Set your goals both short term and long term, and be determined to stay on tract! Lastly.....practice! Practice! Practice!

IF YOU COULD COMPOSE YOUR DREAM PHOTO SHOOT, WHAT WOULD IT CONSIST OF?

LASTLY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG AND ASPIRING PHOTOGRAPHERS SUCH AS YOURSELF?

Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Cara Delegvigne

KEEP UP WITH SAM: instagram: @sam_dameshek www.samdameshekphotography.smugmug.com

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THINKING ABOUT YOU photography by SAM DAMESHEK

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STAY TUNED there’s more mad sounds on the way!

DO YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED? email madsoundsmagazine@gmail.com with a cover letter & link to your online portfolio not all submissions will be featured for publication

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