The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000

Recently I had the opportunity to photograph my good friend Chris Young in his military dress blues. Chris is seeking a promotion to officer and needed to have a fresh headshot to include with his application. Having known Chris since I moved to Seattle in 2007, I’ve grown to admire and respect his dedication to service in the Oregon Air National Guard. He’s told me some fascinating stories about being in Iraq and the intense war games his unit competes in to sharpen their skills. Since I’m more accustomed to seeing Chris on a snowboard or grabbing a Miller Lite, I was stoked to have the opportunity to photograph him in uniform. This shoot also served as the perfect kick-off for my Explosion 5000 In Ur Face project (details on Facebook). (continue reading…)

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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Barack Obama Victory Rally. Broadway & Pike, Capitol Hill.
Seattle, WA. November 5, 2008.

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Ryan and Brett. 806 N 49th BBQ. August 23, 2008.
Nikon D300. Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens @ 12mm.
Program Exposure. 1/30 sec. @ f/2.8. ISO 1600.

On Saturday night we had a few friends and coworkers over for a little BBQ. I unsheathed the D300 for several minutes to capture one of the first parties we’ve thrown in the new place. In homage to one of my favorite blogs, Hipster Runoff (careful with this one at work, yall), I created several animated GIF files. Also, you will probably find this post more meaningful/authentic if you pump some Girl Talk while you read, srsly.

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