The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000

Adam and McKenna are engaged? Didn’t see that one coming. Actually—that’s a lie. From the minute these two met, they’ve had one of those relationships that seem to be hotter than first season of Gossip Girl. After months of disgustingly cute Facebook PDA-ing, Adam proposed to make things official in March of this year. If these two look familiar, it’s because they are. This isn’t their first go-round on the Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000 (see Movember). Adam, a fellow blogger himself, also has endeared himself to this photographer because he actually leaves comments on my posts! For these reasons and many more, I was delighted to make a few photos of these two.
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My good friend and frequent creative co-conspirator, Jill Marasigan, recently launched a design and event planning business, P31 Collaborative. Jill asked me to photograph some of the interior spaces that feature her handy work with the intent to use the final images as part of her professional portfolio. So far the collection includes a house in Queen Anne and a loft in South Lake Union.
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The conditions were such that I simply had to take some photographs. February Seattle was being treated to unseasonably spectacular weather, it was the weekend and I just adopted a new member into the Explosion family… a Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. After enjoying a literal boat-load of sushi on Friday night, I got a phone call from UPS around 9:30 PM saying that my new hunk of glass was at their Seattle hub. Sharat and I bombed down to Georgetown in the Explorer and picked it up just before Josh, the UPS customer service rep, called it quits at 10 PM. Since I knew Saturday was going to be as clear as Friday, I made up my mind to be at a particular spot in West Seattle as the sun came up. Sharat quickly translated my proclomation into reality by iPhoning an almanac: surise at about 7 AM. The best light of a sunrise occurs in the hour before the sun becomes visible. This meant getting to my spot around 6 AM, which called for a 5:30 AM wake-up time. On a Saturday. I know.

I noticed a lookout point on Admiral Way when I drove over to West Seattle earlier in the week to meet a couple of friends. The photographer bell went off in my head and I began thinking about how I could shoot it. Immediately I settled on shooting a sunrise because the silhouetted buildings with their lights might look great against the mountains and morning sky. With the convergence of the weather, the weekend and new gear—Saturday was going to be my moment of truth.

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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.
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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.
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Nick Kartje asked me if I would photograph him and his brother Pete. They wanted to make some prints to give to their parents as a Christmas present. Since I happen to think this is an excellent idea, I was more than happy to help out with the shooting portion of their gift. In true Explosion 5000 fashion, I hauled out a truckload of lighting equipment and recruited a trusty assistant (Gus) to capture the Brothers Kartje.

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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.
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