The Andy Aupperlee Explosion 5000

Nick and Sara are getting married this Saturday. As he was one of the first people I met when I moved to Seattle nearly 5 years ago, I was honored when Nick asked me to handle photography at his wedding; and after getting to know Sara over the last few months, I can safely say this is going to be a fun event. As part of the pre-wedding prep, Nick, Sara and I huddled up on Monday night to shoot a few photos. In little more than three hours, we shot in three locations and racked up over 500 shutter actuations. The above photo is from the final set: the kitchen. Sara is particularly adroit in all things baking, and Nick lacks no shyness in having a bite or two. While they were no doubt hamming it up a little for the camera, I have a feeling this scene is not an atypical one for either of them.

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Carrie Bancroft is a Seattle entrepreneur extraordinaire. She runs Withinsight Technologies, a tech + marketing consulting company that “makes your organization look bigger, better and brighter.” Withinsight tackles everything from marketing to branding to web design and optimization, with top-notch project management to boot.

In addition to running Withinsight, Carrie moonlights as an Associate for Bancroft & Company, the Bancroft family’s management consulting business. Finally, her favorite “non-work” activity involves planning events you won’t easily forget. Considering this array of professional stances, I was thrilled when she asked me to create a series of portraits to represent her persona at each of these businesses.

Thanks to Urban Light Studios (the location for this shoot), we were able to work with an actual lion! The fact that he is dead and long since stuffed does little to diminish his role as king of the jungle.

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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.

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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…)

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.

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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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