Nick Postorino and Sara Miller married at Wellspring Spa on September 10, 2011. Under perfect late summer mountain skies, they said their “I do’s” and invited us to celebrate with them into the night. In addition to being a guest, Nick and Sara asked me to photograph their wedding. Although I seldom put the Nikon down for the better part of 10 hours on that Saturday, it was one of the most fun events I’ve had the opportunity to shoot. Picturesque setting, wonderful old friends, exciting new ones and two very welcoming families made the day memorable. More than anything else, I hope these photos convey a story, a visual narrative, of Nick and Sara’s wedding. If it seems as though Nick, Sara and their guests are having fun—they are. From hair and make-up to vows to toasts, I doubt there has been a marriage that began with so much joy and laughter.

From the moment I arrived at Wellspring, near Paradise at Mount Rainier, I crashed the bridal party dialing in hair-dos, clothing and make-up. It’s always fun to jump back and forth between the bride and groom: the women sipping champagne with men swilling beers. Getting prepared for a wedding is a team effort for the bride and her troops; while the men casually ask each other if their tie looks alright or how to fold a pocket square. In the end, both of these groups looked stunning and made my job as photographer pretty easy.

Here Sara and her bridesmaids pay homage to Nick’s love of baseball.

I shot the groom’s and bride’s sides separately before the wedding. Nick and Sara elected to not see each other before the ceremony. While I was allowed to frequently cross lines between the camps, making sure neither caught a glimpse of the other while making these photos added to the fun.

With both sides dressed and groomed, the guests took their seats and the stage was set for a ceremony in a nearby clearing. Sara’s brother Jason served as the officiant. He delivered one of the most humorous yet touching ceremonies I’ve ever witnessed—something that no doubt suited Nick and Sara perfectly.

With the wedding ceremony complete, we wanted to make sure the bridal party and family got a chance to mug with the bride and groom. Even though it took several hundred shutter actuations to capture this, everyone was fun to work with.

With the formal bridal party and family photos in the can, Nick, Sara and I headed up to Mount Rainer to grab a few shots in front of the iconic mountain. We timed it perfectly. Just as we reached the lookout the mountain was being bathed in the glorious rays of dusk. As I glanced at the LCD on camera I couldn’t believe what I was getting—the photos looked almost surreal. The idea for this private photo session was all Sara and Nick’s, and I was thrilled to be shooting it. It was also nice to break away from the excitement of the wedding for a moment and have a chance to chill with Nick and Sara.

By the time we returned to the throng, night had fell and the reception was in full swing. Beer and wine were flowing and Nick cued an expertly selected wedding playlist. Toasts were made and glasses were hoisted, and before too long everyone was on the green grass dance floor celebrating.

Even the photographer found time to put down the camera and get in on the party. I have to give credit to Ashley for dutifully acting as my “second shooter” here.

These are just a taste of the photos from the wedding. Please head over to Flickr to view all 269 images from the event. Also, if you have 18 minutes, watch the slideshow below.

Prints can be ordered by visiting http://www.grandriverimaging.com/Explosion5000. Just enter your email address and Event Code 25862-nicksara. If you’d like help with ordering a print or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

The MOPLOSION 5000 Movember photo shoot is back! Last year we changed the face of men’s health by putting our mustached mugs in front of the camera, and we’re doing the same for 2010. The only difference is that this year we want to see YOU model with us. Seattle Movember Committee member Aaron Huber and I have planned a special photo shoot at Buckley’s in Belltown on Sunday, November 21st at 7 PM. The photo shoot is open to anyone supporting or participating in Movember. Bring your favorite mo-inspired getup and be ready to have an awesome time with me and the Seattle Movember crew as we make some hilarious pictures. Your cost is FREE! Several days following the photo shoot, I’ll post the images on the internet for you to use in your own campaign to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer and testicular cancer. You can RSVP via Facebook.

When you’re waiting for your turn to jump in front of the lens, hang out at Buckley’s in Belltown’s awesome bar and socialize with other mo-bros & mo-sistas. Buckley’s was gracious enough to allow us to have their back room to stage the photo shoot. In honor of their hospitality, please consider purchasing a beer or two while we’re getting our mo-tography on—nothing goes together like mustaches and brews anyway, right?

If you liked the video above (or caught it on Vimeo), please consider dropping by my Movember page and making a donation. Even $5 is cool! For the camera folks out there: the video was shot entirely on a Nikon D90 with the Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8 lens.

Last year we had a blast doing the photo shoot; and I’m really looking forward to getting everyone back together and meeting YOU at the 2010 edition. Check out the photos from 2009 for a taste of what you can expect. The photos created so much buzz that we were named “Mo Team of the Week” by Movember USA. Let’s keep Seattle at the forefront of everything mo this year—please invite your other mo-bros and mo-sistas to the shoot!

EVENT DETAILS:

• MOPLOSION 5000 Photo Shoot
• Buckley’s in Belltown
• 2331 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA
• Sunady, Movember 21, 2010
• 7-10 PM

RSVP via Facebook.

View Larger Map

The Interior Design Coalition of Washington (IDCW) asked me to photograph Seattle Fashion Week last spring. Several pieces from IDCW’s premiere event, Product Runway, were due to take a stroll down the runway. Having covered Product Runway before (and producing a short film on the event), I was delighted to hang out and rip off a few frames.

I arrived early to scope out the venue and check out some of the behind the scenes action. Amazing that all a goof like me needs to get backstage with a bunch of models is a press pass… but that’s a different story.

Apolo Ohno was the celebrity du jour on hand for this event. He rolled up to the Qwest Convention Center in a Lamborghini. I was asked by the event organizers to cover him “on the red carpet” like a paparazzi… so I channeled my inner Don Purnell and gave it a ‘big shot.’

Once the show started I was in full-on fashion show photog mode: crawling around on the floor, switching lenses on the fly and getting dirty looks from hipsters whose view I was blocking. The Product Runway garments showed wonderfully though. It was a collection of pieces from both the first and second “editions” of the competition.

For the uninitiated, Product Runway is a competition staged by the IDCW. It pairs design teams with suppliers from the interior design industry. The team is then charged with creating a haute couture outfit using only materials from their supplier; and the suppliers range from tile to carpet to office furniture outfitters. Teams for the third version of this outrageously creative fashion show are forming now, and the event is scheduled to take place on June 3, 2011 at Showbox SODO. More information can be found on their newly designed website: http://www.productrunway.com/. Be sure to check them out on Twitter and Facebook too.

For a few more photos, check out Flickr or the slideshow below.

Late this August I had the distinct honor of photographing the wedding of Jake Bryant and Holly Medvitz. Jake & Holly have been become great friends over the last several years, and I had a blast clicking away at their beautiful wedding. Jake met Holly at Bainbridge Graduate Institute where they were both studying for an MBA in Sustainable Business. It only seems appropriate then that the weekend took place at the Wellspring Spa which is located at the base of Mount Rainier. A hootenanny kicked off things on Friday night (with yours truly doing an earnest rendition of “goddam you half Japanese girls…”, you get the idea). The wedding activities kicked off Saturday afternoon and lasted well into early Sunday morning.

The entire guest list stayed two nights at the mountain paradise. In between “I dos” and toasts, we made good use of the two hot tubs nestled in the mountainside.

Shannon, a mutual friend of the bride and groom from grad school, prepared an assortment of gourmet cupcakes, including one that was the size of a pumpkin.

The perk of being “the photogapher” is that you get to witness the behind the scenes activities of both the bride and groom. Jake, best man Sharat and a few others sipped beers and tied ties in a cabin. On the other side of the compound Holly and her team meticulously perfected every detail in her dress, hair and shoes.

The bride, groom, wedding party and parents obliged me for a very thorough formal portrait session. Lighting geeks: I used a Bowens 500 w/s Gemini light with a seven foot Photoflex Ocotdome. Power was provided by a Bowens TravelPak battery system. Generally, I underexposed the background by 0.5 to 1 stops to create a little drama. I’ve posted a few here, but there are many more on Flickr. Check them out here.

Best Man Sharat Reddy proved he could be relied on with any task. From DJ’ing to toasting to holding flowers—Sharat had the wedding locked down.

The ceremony took place in a clearing on the Wellspring property. All the guests stood through the brief formalities which created a wonderful, intimate setting.

Dean proved that his sartorial sensibilities extends quite suitably to later summer mountainside nuptials.

I grabbed a few shots of Jake & Holly in a cool labyrinth on the property. Check out a few more here.

The wedding party: seriously a lot of fun to photograph.

Dinner was set up outside. Holly’s brother Ryan provided lighting design which complimented the evening as day transitioned to night.

Yours truly as captured by Sharat Reddy.

With dinner, toasts and a few glasses of wine in the rear view mirror; the best part of any wedding started: the dancing.

Sharat and father of the groom, Paul, discussing important, wordly issues. Or more likely talking about the approach shot on the 15th hole at Suncadia’s Prospector.

With much of the “traditional wedding photography” in the bag, I setup another strobe and a softbox for an impromptu photo booth. Caitlin and Fred kicked things off, and the nonsense escalated quickly. All the evergreen photobooth shots can be seen here.

A big thanks to Jake, Holly, the Medvitzs and the Bryants for putting together such a wonderful wedding. I am honored to have photographed it for yall. All 242 images from the wedding can be seen on Flickr. Or, just watch the slideshow below.

Digital photography is a blessing and a curse. How great is it that you can shoot over 1,000 pictures on one card, on one charge, at different ISOs and never have to reach into your bag? The obvious downside is that you’re also looking at serious time on the couch with your laptop trying to sort through all these stills. After shooting the Product Runway fashion show at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall last August, the counter on my camera was well over 1,500 frames. I guess I just “got into the moment” and blasted away. I had so many pictures that the best way to sort through them was holding down an arrow key while watching different scenes flash across the screen. Almost instantly, a little thought cloud appeared above my head that read, “this would look cool as a short film.” Over the next six months I kicked it around a little bit, borrowed some software, failed, thought about it again, bought some software and eventually finished the short video above. I haven’t counted, but I think there are well over 1,000 still photographs in the film. Also, please check it out a HD full screen version by visiting its home on Vimeo or downloading your very own copy here. It’s also on YouTube, if that’s your thing (or if you’re on an iPhone).

Product Runway is a unique competition for Pacific Northwest interior designers, suppliers and architects. Teams are formed several months in advance at a swanky event that serves as the competition’s kick-off party (the Explosion was there). Designers are paired with design suppliers, and the rules state that the team must design a haute couture piece culled exclusively from the materials the supplier works with. All the outfits featured in the show are made from things like carpet, tile, tubing, metal surfaces, etc. Given these constraints, the results are absolutely stunning. I was thrilled when my friend Jill, one of the directors of the event, asked me to shoot the show. Few things are as fun photographically as creating art out of other people creating art. Below are a few of my favorite stills from the evening.

The event was extra fun for me as I had three beautiful dates: my two lovely sisters and their friend Kelsey. They came in from Chicago and Michigan to hang out with me for the week, and being able to rock a fashion show with them was a blast.

Still want more? Check out my Flickr set to shots of every single model/outfit, red carpet coverage, and the after party!

In what is starting to become a New Year’s tradition, I traveled to Las Vegas on January 2nd to shoot the World Series of Beer Pong V. Being my second year on the job, I sort of knew what to expect, but I would have never guessed that Smashing Time would repeat as champions. Ron and Pop defended their crown, giving official notice to the beer pong community that they are THE team to beat. While watching Smashing Time decimate the competition was enthralling, I also enjoyed getting to meet the 800+ other participants. The Jay Leno Show sent a team; and international representatives from Canada, Japan and Ireland were among the contenders. The event truly is a cross section of life: DJs, frat boys, husbands and wives, teachers and even strippers make the trek to battle the world’s best players. With the tournament in its fifth year, it is obvious that competitive beer pong is just starting to hit its stride.

Mario and Luigi.
Think tossing a ping pong ball into a cup is difficult? Try battling through 14 levels and only being allowed to move in two dimensions. Respect.

Strategy.
In sports, it is often said that defense wins championships. This team appears to have selected the “Oops… I Did It Again” strategy.

Remembering years past.
Do you remember World Series of Beer Pong IV. I barely do—thank goodness for blogs.

Alliances.
In an effort that even Madeline Albright could be proud of, the Garden State and the Empire State decided to put a stop to the bloodshed and join forces for the World Series of Beer Pong.

Wingspan.
Scientifically speaking, leaning is the name of the game. Shortening the distance between the point of release and the target makes perfect statistical sense, even when you’ve had four or five pitchers of Bud Light.

Team Slogans.
Drunks 4 Hire remind us that ‘shit’ and the amount of clothes you’re wearing have an inverse relationship. Party on, Wayne!

Kilts.
Suiting up for a beer pong match is all about comfort and freedom of movement. Choosing clothes that restrict you might cost you the match. The logical progression of this philosophy is to avoid wearing pants… but how to achieve this in public? Simple. The Scots (another nation known for seriously enjoying their libations) figured it out years ago: the kilt.

Badgers.
If there is a competition that involves drinking beer, you can almost certainly count on Wisconsin to send a delegation.

Strippers.
These young ladies are the representatives from Team Sapphire. Ever wondered who might work at 70,000 square foot gentlemen’s club? Look no further. (The place even has skyboxes—what?!).

Intimidation.
Being a pro beer ponger means vigilantly defending your rack. Never let your opponent have a free shot. And if you’re girlfriend is available to talk to some smack, hoist her up and let her run her mouth too—all is fair in beer pong (provided you follow the rules).

DJ Whoo Kid.
Having a-list beats to get your pong on is crucial. The folks at BPONG.com recognize this and recruited G-Unit’s official DJ to keep the Flamingo rockin’ during the three days of game play.

Team Portraits.
One of my favorite aspects of shooting the World Series of Beer Pong IV was meeting all types of colorful characters. For WSOBP V, I wanted to shoot some of these folks on white seamless with quality lighting. I flew from Seattle to Vegas with 130 pounds of gear shoved into three bags and setup shop on Day 2. Check out this photo to see the setup. After getting the lights set with Josh’s help, one of the first teams I photographed were the WSOBP II Champions, We Own Your Face. Despite the menacing graphic on their uniforms, these guys could not have been nicer. I’ve included several more portraits in this post, and the whole project is on Flickr. Also, check out the video below for a quick run down of the gear and a few of my favorite shots.

Greenman.
No one showed more enthusiasm for having his portrait taken than Greenman. No one also smelled quite like Greenman. The suit did little to mask a potent mixture of beer, sweat and God knows what else. Regardless, The Explosion 5000 salutes you, Greenman.

Chauncey and Big Ben.
Even though Joey D couldn’t afford to keep Billups around, Mr. Big Shot and Ben Wallace reunited at the World Series of Beer Pong. Goin’ to work, yall.

Tables, Beer, Balls and Cups.
The more the better.

Ink and Hair-dos.
Nothing says you’re ready to decimate your opponents like a cobra tattoo and a fucked up haircut.

The Irish.
Fellow beer loving nation, Ireland, entered a team into this year’s WSOBP. Despite being nearly impossible to understand (heavy accent + heavy drinking + loud music = mainly communicating with hand gestures), these guys kicked ass. For all the Irish readers of the Explosion, you should be proud of your boys. They very diplomatically demonstrated your county’s ability to pong with the world’s best.

The Ladies.
Co-ed competition is one of the best aspects of the WSOBP. These ladies do more than keep the dudes honest and break a few hearts, they also win games. Try explaining to your frat bros that a girl-girl team knocked you out of the WSOBP… ouch.

Guns.
Rip your sleeves off, ’cause it’s beer pong time.

The Old F U.
They say a picture speaks a thousand words—I happen to think this one clearly conveys at least two.

Jim and Pam.
Beer pong at the office? Great idea. I’m telling my boss tomorrow.

Japan.
For the first time in WSOBP history, the Japanese made their way from across the Pacific to battle it out on the tables.

Good luck charms.
Whatever works, ladies.

And if you can’t borrow some cleavage, improvise. Just rub, toss, rinse and repeat.

Who can argue with a tank top?
That settles it… I’m wearing my “Sexy Photog” hoodie to WSOBP VI.

A Lifetime Sport.
Just like skiing, tennis and golf… beer pong is something you should be able to enjoy, no matter what decade you were born in.

SCBP.
Peter Rusch and the SoCal Beer Pongers were in full force at this year’s WSOBP.

No look shots.
Some beer pongers are so good, they don’t even need to see it to believe it. Kris Fraser of perennial contenders Not Even Close confidently looks away as he sinks yet another clutch shot.

A Hostess with the Most-ess.
Leah D’Emilio came back to anchor this year’s television coverage of the WSOBP V. Leah’s ability to cut through the the beer breath and get the real story always impresses—a true pro.

The Gangster Lean.
Complete with chalice and corn-rows, SCBP Founder Peter Rusch shows what it takes to be a WSOBP contender. For this year’s tournament, Peter separated from his long time partner (his wife) for a shot at beer pong glory. While the partner switch up did not ultimately lead to the $50k crown, WSOBP fans hoping for a soap opera will be disappointed: the Rusch’s are still happily married.

Play-off Superstitions.
Defending champ Ron of Smashing Time said that his weird haircut helped him win last year’s tourney. He either had an unfortunate incident with farm equipment between day 2 and day 3, or is carrying on his tradition of doing up the do for the final day.

Defending Champs.
After their debut on the televised feature table, Ron and Pop were kind enough to sit for me and make a portrait.

Technique.
It’s the Air Jordan of beer pong.

Crack kills.
Especially in New York.

Shhh.
Even though the boys from Iowa were eventually silenced, they put together another respectable WSOBP run.

Rest up.
Three solid days of beer pong can be grueling, not to mention all the distractions of Las Vegas. There’s no shame in catching a quick catnap in between rounds.

Pre-Shot Ritual.
Dunking, foot twisting, tossing, fore-head pressing… these are all techniques employed to avoid:

Missing the cup.
It’s something that happens to everyone. If you have trouble consistently hitting the cup, have a talk with you doctor to see if you’re physically capable of engaging in beer pong activity. In the rare case that you and your partner miss the cup for four hours or more, just call it quits. You suck at beer pong.

Show your colors.
The Californian contingent proudly displayed their bear. The Canadians waved their leaf. The Texans brought their star and bar. Even Maryland displayed what is possibly the coolest state flag ever.

Bruce Buffer.
For the second year in row, Bruce Buffer of the UFC announced the final round of the World Series of Beer Pong. Bruce is one of the classiest showbiz people I’ve ever met—love that bro.

Ready to strike.
The final round is all about seeing your opening and taking it—something Smashing Time know a little bit about.

Comebacks.
After dropping the first game of the final match to Since Sliced Bread, it looked like Smashing might be down and out (literally).

Winning Shots.
After three games, Ron and Pop closed out Since Sliced Bread and repeated as champions of the World Series of Beer Bong.

Check presentation.
BPONG.com and World Series of Beer Pong founders Skinny, Duncan and Billy present Smashing Time with a check for $50,000.

See an image you’d like to use on your Facebook profile or blog? Cool! Check out my terms of use or email me at andy@explosion5000.com. I have many more images on Flickr. Check out the slideshow below or visit the set here.

How are you doing on your New Year’s Resolution so far? I have a couple photography related resolutions that are coming along pretty well. All of my work is backed up on at least two drives in an organized fashion (thank you LaCie). The other is well under way (see below). And yes, Seattle Athletic Club, I promise I’ll be by soon. But I digress… Last Thursday I brought the Explosion to Office Nomads for their January open house. My friend Alexandra, who is their community cultivator, asked if I would shoot portraits of their guests. The theme was to be loosely based around “new year’s resolutions.” We originally talked about shooting on white seamless, but I when I scoped out the space the night before the party I realized I just had to shoot against that green wall and chalkboard. Coincidentally, the chalkboard played perfectly into the theme.

This is Alexandra of Office Nomads, which is a co-working space in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Several of my friends work at spaces like this, and I was eager to check one out for myself. Basically, you rent a desk and can drop by whenever you like. While working at home in your boxer shorts does have its advantages, you miss out on actually interacting with humans. Office Nomads provides self-employed consultants, code monkeys, artists and basically anyone without a regular office the opportunity to conduct business in a work positive environment that has all the benefits of a traditional workplace (phone, internet, kitchen, lounge, conference rooms, etc). Pretty cool concept—and even cooler people. The one thing I kept hearing from all the “nomads” is how much they love the cross-fucntional and somewhat accidental networking and collaboration that takes place. I’m sold.

And Alex’s resolution… I think it’s pretty self explanatory.

It seems like Justin is already well on the way to knocking out his goal. Full proof is here.

Does switching to Code Red count? How about transitioning to Diet Mountain Dew? To be fair, the direction I gave immediately before taking this photo was “give me your ‘oops-I-drank-too-much-Dew-face.”

Nothing wrong with that. Carry on.

Just in case there wasn’t enough green in this photo for you… gotta love the “Emerald” City.

This picture inspired the following picture…

Which gave rise to this concept….

Waffles anyone? Eric informed me the he makes waffles every Wednesday for all the Nomads. He invited me to stop by and sample some of his home, er office cooking. I’m there!

Considering Judy is The Stranger Party Crasher, I’d call this an appropriate resolution. Look for a column on this party in The Stranger soon.

Because being more “you oughta know” doesn’t really work as a new year’s resolution.

Fellow photog Dan isn’t making much progress on his resolution.

If anything is unclear about this photo, just ask.

I think I speak for all of Seattle when I say, “dear God, I hope you’re not kidding.”

Four servings a day yall!

Do you think Sharat has a chance of being cast for next season’s Jersey shore? (Remember, he is from Brooklyn).

Susie and Alex demonstrate that the boss/employee relationship is alive and well in 2010.

Here’s a shot of the setup. For more info, check this Flickr image.

I was even asked to get in front of the lens and write a resolution on the board. Don’t know what I’m talking about? Check out my Facebook page for details. I hope everyone that reads this blog will consider helping me out with this one.

Check out my set on Flickr or watch the slideshow below for these photos and few extras.

Last night The 806 hosted the second annual GQ Christmas Party. The tradition began last year when Ryan Nguyen & Ryan Wheatley organized a small gathering of well-dressed, close friends. I was unable to attend I was on an assignment in Washington DC. For the 2009 edition, the Explosion 5000 came out in full force. We built a photo booth in the garage and loaded up on props from Archie McPhee’s. Add a few cocktails into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a real photo explosion.

Ben and Mira were among the first to venture into the booth. According to Ben, it’s nothing new for girls to chase him down with mistletoe and try to pull some antics. If he looks like he’s used to this, it’s because he is.

Although Matt is in excellent shape and has decades to go before having a white beard, it did not stop Christie from hopping on his lap with a few Christmas wishes. From the look on Matt’s face, I’m not so sure if Christie has been good this year—you’ll just have to ask him.

I was delighted to see Brian and Sheena bring the party to The 806. I’ve often said that the success of my parties can be measured on 1) If Brian Stewart shows up and 2) how long Brian stays. We must have thrown one hell of a party because Brian held it down with us until well after midnight.

The real credit for the success of GQ Christmas goes to this man. Ryan Wheatley was the creative force behind the evening, rallied the troops, sent the invites and cooked up 6 pounds of New York Strip roast. Although the meat was medium rare, the party was well done (sorry… couldn’t resist).

B Cox and B Rowe made a memorable appearance, the latter coming as Pimp Santa. Only a Kalamazoo native could pull that off with such style.

What would a party at The 806 be without Sharat and Caitlin? Not only were we graced with their presence, Sharat brought along his super fun roomates, Justin and Alex; and Caitlin upped the “hot mess” factor on the dance floor factor by inviting Kim, Brian, Paige and Emily.

Ryan Nguyen, the third resident of The 806, was in prime form last night too. Jini and Ryan put on quite a memorable performance—it even went “Classic Nguyen” at one point.

Zack dropped by the photo booth to spark things up with Christie.

And of course yours truly get in front of the lens for a few shots. Nice job taking handling the camera on this shot, Caitlin!

Thank you to everyone who came out and made GQ Christmas at The 806 a success! It was some of the most fun I’ve had all year. For more ridiculousness, goofy hats, over the top poses and fun, visit my Flickr page, or watch the slideshow below.

After nearly four years in the Pacific Northwest, Tom Bartlett is bolting clear across the country for the other Washington. The one with Michelle and Barack. From the very beginning of my time out here in Seattle, Tom has been a great friend. From the jama-jam, to Oktoberfest, to checking out bands like Kay Kay and Fleet Foxes—Tommy B has been there.

As Tom is leaving for DC after Christmas, we all gathered last night to send him off in style. The evening kicked off with a potluck hosted by Ryan and Katie at their new West Seattle pad. I concocted a double batch of the now famous white chicken chili, however I left the “final assembly” stage of the process to Katie. I prepared the chicken and vegetables on Thursday night and had the remainder of the ingredients and Crock Pots delivered to the Connors. On Friday afternoon Katie integrated the pieces and let it cook on low for 5 hours—perfection.

Before we left to meet up with more folks in Ballard, I insisted that the group sit for a portrait. And of course—I was planning on lighting the thing. I opted for my lightweight “strobist” setup: a Nikon SB-800, LumoPro LP120, two stands and umbrellas. Since my PocketWizards were being fussy, I triggered both strobes optically using the pop-up flash on my D300 (set to manual at 1/32 power). I positioned one light and shoot through umbrella on camera right, facing the group on the left of the frame. I put the other light behind the group on the left and pointed it at the love seat gang. I took a few test exposures, chimped to get the histogram lined up in the middle, set the timer and ran to my position. Boom—instant group photo.

Although he’s trading coasts, we all know we haven’t seen the last of our good buddy. Tom: If you happen to go international, I’m sure there’s a pretty good chance the Explosion 5000 will have to issue a report live from the scene. It’s going to be exciting to see what you get yourself into—best of luck!

(A few more Tom B shots on Flickr.)

BONUS: Here’s one more group shot to send to your grandparents.

This is Movember, the month formerly known as November. Movember is a month long celebration of all things mustache. Specifically, men are encouraged to grow out the legendary facial hair style to raise awareness about prostate and testicular cancer. The man pictured above, Aaron Huber, organized a team of about twenty of us to participate in this year’s antics. Mo-bros join the team by setting up a profile on the official Movember website. Mustache fans can donate to individual team members by visiting his or her Mo-space page. The Movember organization partners with The Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG to make sure the donations help “change the face of men’s health.”

Several weeks ago I talked to Aaron about ways to raise awareness of Movember. I offered to take portraits of the folks on our team, post the photos and throw up a blurb on the Explosion. On Tuesday night the MOst MOmentous MOs (our team’s name) got together for a photo shoot at Aaron’s place. I constructed a full blown photo studio to capture the essence of the “mo.” Aaron and I encouraged our mo-mates to dress up for the evening, but I never expected the passion I witnessed on Tuesday night. The props, costumes and utter ridiculousness that ensued would even make Tom Selleck blush. What follows below is the evidence of this “Mo-plosion.”

Mo-mate: Adam
Always the party starter, Adam was first up in the photo shoot. In between swigs of PBR, Adam ambitiously showed off all kinds of cheezy golf-pro-esque looks. If you’re digging this look, donate to Adam by visiting his Mo-space.

Mo-mate: B Cox
Brandon, AKA B Cox, brought the thunder. Since I grew up in Michigan, I was totally comfortable photographing B Cox and his piece (that is, his gun). In fact, I’m not even sure if that’s B Cox—it totally could be a 1980s version of my awesome mustahce’d Uncle Gary on Opening Day. If you love firearms as much as Brandon and I do, consider donating to Movember via his page.

Mo-mate: B-Rowe
B-Rowe (born Brian Rowe) was probably the toughest to mo-tograph. Not that he was camera shy or anything, it’s that he was literally bouncing off the walls. He did the White Trash Nation proud with his earnest portrayal of a Duff drinking hick, but as you’ll see later, he only got more mo-diculous. Donate to him now or donate to him later, but once you see what he did to his body, you’ll be completely mo-pelled to throw some change his way.

Mo-mate: John
Somtimes mos just like to kick back and enjoy a frothy beverage. John is demonstrating here how the mustache works as a “second flavor taster” (a term coined by the 1980s and 1990s mustached version of my dad). Donate to John here.

Mo-mate: Mike
Holy twelve sided die! Mike really brought the creep. The great thing about Movember is that even a good looking, non-threating bro like Mike can transform himself into an utterly skeezy character. I think at one point I gave him the direction to pretend he was looking through a peephole into a ladie’s restroom. I think we can all agree he delivered!

Mo-mate: Brian
As fun as the mo can be, it also has a badass side. I would not want to mess with this dude in an alley or at a Guns ‘n Roses concert. If you find this intimidating, you can donate to Brian here and pray that he doesn’t come and kick your ass Chuck Norris style.

Mo-mate: Aaron
Need a used car? Look no further. Not only did Aaron organize the MOst MOmentous MOs, he hosted the photo shoot and had time to get extra skeezy. If you’re not in the market for a 1985 El Camino (Aaron sells only the best), at least consider throwing this grease-ball a bone and donate to Movember.

Mo-mate: Mo Sistas
Mo bros would be nowhere without their mo sistas. If anyone really has to be “understanding” about the decision to grow a mo, it’s the ladies in our lives. Alli, McKenna and Annie are all about supporting Movember. Two of them have even stopped shaving their legs this month—way to go, gals! If the dudes here are just a little too Freddie Mercury for you, consider donating to Alli or Annie.

If I haven’t convinced you by now that Movember is worth your consideration, this should do it. Inspired by the theme of the month, B Rowe shaved a mustache into his chest hair. He did this during the photo shoot. I try to keep the Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000 safe-fer-yer-office, but I highly suggest you cruise over to Flickr to see B-Rowe give the camera a few different looks.

Big thank you to everyone that modeled, helped with gear and hung out during the shoot. In addition to the folks you see on camera, we had another half dozen Movember fans shaving B-Rowes chest, calling out motivation to the models and drinking beers while we worked to “change the face of men’s health.” I had a blast shooting everyone and I’m stoked to see what we can do in the final weeks of Movember. If you enjoyed this post, please cruise over to mine or anyone’s Movember profile and put your MOney where your MOuse is.

If you are still craving some MOre, check out my Flickr gallery or watch the slideshow below. There are a total of 50 mo-tacular photos for your entertainment. If you’re interested in how I photographed this mo-plosion, check out this setup shot.