Sports Fashion, Culture + Capturing It All
Kanye West recently explained to Sway and his Shade 45 listeners and viewers that Hip-Hop and fashion are synonymous. His comments regarding fashion were overshadowed by his famous (or infamous) rant where he shouted, "You don't have the answers Sway!" repeatedly. Nonetheless, Kanye West touched on the coalescence of music and fashion impacting culture.
Professional sports also have a major impact on fashion and culture, especially in the NBA. And I would add that music is inherently intertwined within it all.
I have had the delight of working with some brands that have successfully merged basketball and fashion. Sway's interview with Kanye West reminded me of one recent shoot in particular, with k1x Brand, for two reasons. Firstly because Kanye's comments made me think of the apparent marriage between basketball and fashion. Secondly, Sway agreed to model a hoodie for k1x and I photographed him.
This shoot presented everything I love about photography. The challenges of creating compelling images at a plethora of locations at various times throughout the day (for several days) kept me sharp throughout. I love a good challenge.
Niels, Tith, and Bea from k1x were an absolute joy to work with. In addition to collaborating on creative ways I could help them bring their vision to life, we were able to talk basketball, fashion in general, our favorite cities around the world, and, one of my favorite topics, food.
This shoot also gave me the opportunity to work with some terrific models, some of whom I've known for many years and some I met for the first time.
Despite the long hours and the requisite challenges that come with every shoot, I can't get enough of it all. They say if you do something you love, you'll never work a day in your life. That's the feeling I get with every shoot. From the planning stages to location scouts to hairy logistics to shooting, post-processing, and delivery—I love it all. I just have so much fun creating all along the way.
I'm including some of my favorite images from the shoot here on the blog. I hope you enjoy them.