OutdoorType

So this is bigger news for both Heather and Kyle, but I got to play a small part too so here’s the scoop…

Check out today’s Washington Examiner (PDF) for Heather’s column about Kyle’s awesome photo of Michael Stipe. After you read all about it you may proceed down to Adams Morgan and see the photo with your very eyes!

The lastest Ten Miles Square show, I’m With the Band, opened last Thursday at Dahlak. Go see it to “view the work of three talented, DC photographers who combine their passions for music and photography to capture the spirit and energy of local artists and headliners alike:”

Kyle Gustafson
Martin Locraft
Nestor Diaz

Dahlak
1771 U Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
(On the corner between Florida Ave and 17th Street)

Kyle Gustafson has been used in several major publications including the Washington Post, Toronto Star, the Sun (UK), Heat Magazine, Twist Magazine, as well as DCist.com, NME.com, Rollingstone.com, Pitchforkmedia.com, and Huffingtonpost.com

Martin Locraft has been featured in DC Magazine, and his work has been seen on DCist.com, OnTap, the Onion, the GW Hatchet, and Arlington Connection

Nestor Diaz has had images in SPIN.com, Rollingstone.com, RVA magazine, Pitchfork.com and DCist.com

Oh right, and so where I come in to play is the byline photo of Heather that was used in today’s article. This is a photograph that we took right after hanging DCist Exposed 2009. Flashpoint had this couch like thing in the middle of the gallery and Heather humored me when I asked that she stand up on it while I snapped a few shots. The ones from the ground up weren’t coming out like I’d imagined so I grabbed a wobbly chair, stood up on it, and grabbed a few more shots. This was one of the very last taken and worked out a lot better.

DCist Exposed
February 20 – March 7, 2009
Opening reception: Friday, February 20, 5 – 9 p.m.

DCist, a popular local blog, presents an annual juried photography show, DCist Exposed, designed to encourage the work of professional and amateur photographers. The exhibition showcases new talent as the artists reveal the city through the eyes of the people who live and work in the DC area. The show is community-based and works are affordably priced to develop the next generation of arts patrons. Exhibition Press Release [PDF, 104 KB]

Emerging collectors are invited to join us for Emerge Exposed, March 3, 7 – 9 p.m. featuring a panel of experts sharing tips and ideas on how to begin collecting art. Co-hosted by DCist, Flashpoint and the Pink Line Project.

Gallery Hours 

Tuesday – Saturday, 12 – 6 p.m.
OR BY APPOINTMENT

I’m pretty psyched to be participating in this show for the third year in a row. I hope everyone can come and and see all of the fantastic photos!
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Got a date for Valentine’s weekend? Spend it with the ones you know you REALLY love: Artomatic.

From Feb. 13-15, Artomatic and Pink Line Project will be presenting three hot dates of art and music in Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Riverfront neighborhood — and you won’t even have to take us out to dinner first. (Candy and flowers optional).

Start your night at the tent on Half Street, between L and K Streets, S.E., near the Navy Yard Metro (take the Half Street exit at the Metro station). Follow your luck to the events at Velocity Condominium, Axiom at Capitol Yards and Onyx on First.

Be sure to stop by the photography exhibit curated by Ten Miles Square:
Erin Antognoli, Amber Baum, James Calder, Chris Chen, Jason Colston, Max Cook, Brett Davis, Angela Kleis, Brian Knight, Marie Kwak, Amber Wiley, Pat Padua, Barry Schmetter, Alexandra Silverthorne, Matt Smith, Paivi Salonen, Steve Strawn, Sanjay Suchak, John Ulaszek, Brandon Wu, Josh Yospyn.

Hours
Friday, Feb. 13: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 14: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 15: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Here’s some more details to get you in the mood. Hope to see you there!

Happy Thanksgiving! After the parts where Sam talks about exploring space, this might be my next favourite dialogue (Condensed a bit… Had to remove the also funny exchange between CJ and Toby about the Jamestown Mayflower Daughters of the American Revolution Preservation Soceity):

SAM
Well over three and a half centuries ago, strengthened by faith and bound by a common desire for liberty, a small band of pilgrims sought out a place in the New World where they could worship according to their own beliefs… and solve crimes.

TOBY
Sam…

SAM
It’d be good.

TOBY
Read the thing.

SAM
By day, they churn butter and worship according to their own beliefs and by night, they solve crimes.

TOBY
Read the thing.

SAM
Pilgrim detectives.

TOBY
Do you see me laughing?

SAM
I think you’re laughing on the inside.

TOBY
Okay.

SAM
With the big hats.

TOBY
We are writing a very important Thanksgiving proclamation.

SAM
And possibly a new action-adventure series.

This scene sets up a later, rather more poignant scene, between the President and Charlie…

MRS. LANDINGHAM
How’d it go?

CHARLIE
I think I’ve got it this time.

MRS. LANDINGHAM
Well I wouldn’t get your hopes up, dear.

CHARLIE
Nope, this is a very good knife.

MRS. LANDINGHAM
He’s very particular.

CHARLIE
That’s one word for it.

MRS. LANDINGHAM
I heard that!

Charlie enters THE OVAL OFFICE.

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You kinda need the visual for this one and the ability to believe that though a highly educated woman and the White House Press Secretary CJ has never, ever seen a news piece about the President and his turkey pardons…

C.J.
Well, I’m gonna see what’s next for me in this week of unendurable Thanksgiving nonsense.

JOSH
Okay.

CAROL
Hey C.J.

C.J.
Hey Carol.

C.J. walks into her OFFICE, not noticing the turkey on her couch and the turkey on her desk. She’s looking over some papers and starts taking her coat off when she notices the birds.

CAROL
Oh yeah, the turkeys came.

Donna runs up from down the hall.

DONNA
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait… I’m coming! [enters] I didn’t know you were here yet.

C.J.
I am.

DONNA
The turkeys came.

C.J.
So Carol said.

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Leading up to the Big Day on Thursday I bring to you some of my favourite scenes from pretty much my favourite TV show, West Wing. Here’s a great bit between President Bartlet and his personal aid:

BARTLET
This time of the year there should be a hotline you can call with questions about cooking turkey. A special 800 number where the phones are staffed by experts.

CHARLIE
There is.

BARTLET
What do you mean?

CHARLIE
The Butterball hotline.

BARTLET
[pause, takes off his glasses and stares at Charlie]

Butterball has a hotline?

CHARLIE
Yeah. It’s an 800 number, the phones are staffed by experts.

BARTLET
Are you kidding me?

CHARLIE
No.

BARTLET
God, I’m sorry, I love my country.

Here’s a note from Heather about Friday’s opening and how you can still see the show through next Sunday!

Huge, huge thanks to the 700+ of you that came out on Friday to Fight Club for our opening reception. We know you waited in a long line, we know you plowed through 10 kegs in 3 hours, we know some of you got drenched late in the evening, and we LOVE you for suffering through and making it a party for the record books.

Fixation is up at Fight Club through next Sunday, Nov 23, and open everyday from noon to 7 p.m. (and free). You’ll need to come in the front door at 1250 9th Street. Wednesdays are skate nights, so the gallery will be open late and you can watch the boys do their thing in the bowl.

We’ve got pics from Friday up on the Ten Miles Square facebook group (feel free to add your own), and remember you can contact me  if you’re interested in purchasing anything from these fine photographers.

Nation’s Triathlon, originally uploaded by Brian Knight Photography.

For the TMS: Fixation show that opened last night, each photographer was required to write an essay describing the subculture explored in their work. My four photos, Swim, Bike, Run, Crash focused on the weekend warrior athletes and thus my essay tries to suss out what exactly drives these people.

What force drives a man to spend thousands of dollars on a machine made from the lightest space aged materials, wear a suit so tight that no part of his anatomy is left to the imagination, and don a helmet straight out of a sci-fi western? What glory is so great to cause men and women to dive into one of the most polluted waterways in the country? What need is satisfied for the thousands of people who gather in the soupy summer evening for a 10K race? What flashes through your mind when one slight mistake suddenly hurtles you through space and time in a manner not meant for living creatures? And what obsessive preoccupation is served by trekking out to remote places to capture such events with a camera?

In this city of suits and ties on one hand and crime statistics on the other, there is an alternative lifestyle of weekend warrior athletes driven to compete simply “because it is there.” I cannot fully answer the first four questions, except I know that I spend more money than I should on my own gear in hopes that it will help me perform just a little bit better. I’ve spent plenty of time in and consumed copious amounts of water from that same river in pursuit of my own recreational needs. I lined up in the same oppressive summer heat hoping to capture a series of shots showing the beauty and grace of athletes in motion. And I’ve put myself in more than one “oh shit” moment when I know something very bad is about to happen and am powerless to stop it. I cannot tell you why we do any of these things except that when it works, when you get that image you want, when you cross the finish line, when it all comes together, you forget the pain and suffering and only want more.

What?! You were not one of the 500+ 700+ people who came to the show last night? That’s ok, even though you missed a great party you can still check out all of the amazing photos this week. Doors will be open Noon(ish) to 7PM(ish). If you really want to add to your viewing experience, come Wednesday evening and watch the skaters too!

Nation’s Triathlon, originally uploaded by Brian Knight Photography.

ING Capital Criterium, originally uploaded by Brian Knight Photography.

Spent the last two Sunday’s hanging out downtown covering races.

On the 14th I teamed up with Dan Hicok Photography to shoot the third annual Nation’s Triathlon. Several thousand people swam in the Potomac and then biked and ran past monuments, museums, and Federal buildings. As a result I ended up taking several thousand photographs and am still working on the final edits though I did manage to post a bunch to a teaser gallery.

Yesterday found me hanging out on Pennsylvania Ave again this time shooting the ING Capital Criterium for DCist. The highlight was an 85km race that saw professional cyclists from around the world fighting for the $50,000 prize purse. I tried to be a bit more disciplined yesterday, but still managed to shoot over two thousand photos (something super easy to do considering the race course was only a 1km loop, meaning I saw the pack 85 times in two hours – avg speed was 24mph). Still have a lot more photos to edit, but the teaser gallery for this race is here and you can look for them to show up today on DCist too!