08.30.07

So actually went out tonite and actually had a pretty good time. I had a pretty greatt dinner over at the Bellagio with the Triumvir guys. We had the buffet, I know buffet's are all about the variety, but this one had tons and tons of different things. Everything was pretty good, but I would defiantly stay away from the buffalo meat. I found it to be really dry and tough. I was really into the desserts they had.












After that I made my way over to Jet, where they had the Vapors BPM party which was pretty cool, till one of my friends couldn't get in, so I decided to take off, because they were being pretty lame at the front door.

After that I met up with the Franco Shade dudes at the Hard Rock where Joe basically was giving every one gambling lessons. That only lasted for a while, and then we headed off to the Franco Shade Sky Loft at the MGM Grand. which was pretty amazing. This was really the greatest hotel room I have ever been in. The pictures I took of it really can't do it justice, and I really really wish I would have shot more. It had a kitchen, pool table, crazy bath tubs, a bar, and pretty much a flat screen television on every flat surface in the place. I really need to come back to this place one of these days when I can actually afford to do it. I think it is actually larger than my house come to think of it. I think I want to cry, I never should have left and I think Tue from Franco Shade is about to have the best nite of his life... or maybe the worst.

08.28.07

So I'm out here in Vegas for the trade shows. I've only been to two of the tradeshows (magic and pool) and I'm already exhausted. For the most part everything I see here is pretty lame and made me want to vomit. It was really evident that all the trust fund kids and FIDM dropouts that started up their own clothing lines This was probably the best thing I saw at the tradeshows, come on, how street is this, no one on the street was more bad ass than Robocop. He even beat the crap out of the ED-209, which was a much cooler looking robot than he was and rocked alot heavier firepower. I know it becomes a licensing issue to use the Robocop likeness, so this company did the next best thing, they made thier own version. This, I predict will be the next new thing in fashion. Kanye West knew that this was the future, which is exactly why he enlisted the help of robot rockers Daft Punk for his latest single "stronger" and with the success of Michael Bay's transformers film, This robots will be all the rage this up and coming year in Milan.


I generally don't care where I stay when companies put me up in a hotel, but it's kind of rediculous when a four foot tall beaver is the first thing you see when you walk into a Vegas hotel, that is Circus Circus.It's even weirder when the second thing you seen hanging up in the lobby is a painting like this of the guys who built it.

08.26.07

So tomorrow I leave for Vegas. I really think it have been like my 8th time I have been out there this year. I don't know why Vegas has been such a hot spot for travel this year, but it seems like they are having alot more events out there that I am needed for than usual. I'm not really a Vegas guy at all, I don't drink, party, or gamble, so I think it's a little weird I get invited out there so often for shoots. Although this time, I'm not going out there to shoot, I'm just going to meet up with a bunch of clients as well as well as check out the gigantic LRG booth that will feature a bunch of photos that I shot for their up an coming lines.

Anyway, I pulled out this photo of Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy, because I shot this earlier this year when I was out in Vegas with the Gym Class Heroes for their music video shoot for Clothes Off. So I thought since I'm leaving for Vegas it would be cool to debut a new photo from Vegas. Any way, it made sense in my head, not so much now that I am typing it all out.

08.25.07

So today is the last day of the Warped Tour. The Warped tour and I have this love hate relationship. It's super hot, muggy and dirty, but every year, it calls me back. It really is a city of like a thousand people that moves it's location everyday. So you really grow close to some people and have some really great times. But, I'm glad it it's over, so I can recover for next year.

A good friend of mine, and friend of the arts, Marsea Goldberg is haveing an art opening at her gallery today that I wish I could go to featuring the work of the artist Bast. All of Marsea's shows at the New Image Art gallery are great, and the bad part of all the traveling that I have been doing is that I miss her shows. I already blew it big time when I missed out when Herbert Baglione showed there. I saw the work from that show, and it was really amazing. I'm super bummed that I'm going to miss this opening to, I really need to take some time off so I can go out and do all the things I use to do for fun. I really miss the gallery.

08.24.07

Pony recently launch thier new website featuring a bunch of photos that I shot for them. Here is a screen grab that I got from their website showing off some photos of their collaboration they did with Neff Headwear. I was recently down at the offices in San Diego where I got to take a gander at some of the new stuff that they have going on. It's pretty exciting to be apart of the resurrection of a brand like this, being able to mix my ideas and my style with a brand that has alot of heritage and history is really interesting. I have really been interested in under takeing something like this, and everyone over there seems to really enjoy what I have been able to bring to the table. Most projects I have been apart of have been with companies that are relatively young Pony goes all they way back to 1972 so they got alot of years under themselves. I'm obviously not really into all the stuff that they have been apart of during the 90's, but under the new direction and with a new CEO Kevin Wulff, I couldn't resist. Kevin has been apart of some really great things in the athletic footwear industry, and he really seems to believe that I can offer the kind of images that it would take to help build this brand in the direction it needs to go.

08.23.07

Here are a couple of pics that nabbed off of Mark
The Cobrasnake's website. These pics were from that Uffie party from the other night. Mark and I
tag team alot of events together for RVCA. He
also has some pretty sweet tees prints for him by
them as well. Aside from him, I don't know many
photographers personally that travel as much as
I do. It's actually quite comforting to know that
when I am on the road there will be at least one
person out there that I'll know. I know looking at
these pics no one is feeling sorry for me.

08.22.08

So I was perusing the interweb today, and I stumbled upon this flyer for the upcoming Pony and Vapors party at ASR, with Flosstradamus, Stretch Armstrong, and DJ Fashen. I shot these pics for my buddy Colin at Pony a while back, so it was pretty cool to see that they are using them for this, But what is really funny about this, is that the red,white and blue kicks in the photos are the actual shoe that I am wearing right now.

08.21.07

So today those purveyors of street fashion Hypebeast did a post on their daily fashion blog about the Triumvir look book that was just released where they just happened to mention yours truly as well as our homies, 530 media lab. It was pretty cool of them to do that. I'm actually pretty stoked that they mentioned me on the site, because that's a site I actually go to quite regularly.

08.20.07

Uffie, Skeet Skeet, Gina Turner, and Dan-O, yeah it was a pretty sweet night. Even though the party didn't really go off the way it was planned it was super fun and I got to meet up with a ton of friends that I didn't know would be there. Uffie is super sweet! Hopefully we'll be doing some stuff in the future.

















Today was also the premiere of the show Yo Gabba Gabba on Nick Jr. which is directed by my friends Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. I've known them both for many years, and I can safely say they are some of the most creative and hard working people I know. I've already seem some samples of the show, and it looks simply brilliant.

08.19.07

Well, i'm going crazy, thats it. I got back from SLC on friday, and since then, I've gone to 4 shows, and done 2 photoshoots. I really need to slow down. Even though I do feel a little nutty. I am pretty excited about some photos that I shot recently for Torsion when ever Nick and I get together, we produce some some pretty amazing pictures. I can't wait till they debut at the Project Tradeshow in Vegas in a couple weeks. Here's a little teaser photo from the shoot. We've got even bigger plans for after the trade show.

My pals from the band Melee were in town for a bit, and I got the chance to see them over preform some of their many hits over at the the Irvine Spectrum as part of a free concert series they have going on over there. After the show and a quick signing, well all rolled over to our usual spot for sushi, Honda Ya over in Tustin. Where not only did I get to feast upon some pretty awesome rolls, but I got to decorate thier lovely merch gal Casey with some of my custom made accessories. I figured since so many wardrobe stylists and photographers are using paper like news print and shredded stuff, as well as aluminum cans and other recylclable goods in the effort to "go green" in there shoots, took the idea a step further and styled the gorgeous Casey here in what I like to call "Used chopstick couture"


I'd like to thank her for support and her belief in my contribution to my efforts in my fashionable "go green" effort. It was quite a festive evening over at Honda Ya, where we were all able to feast upon a cavalcade of delights from the orient, which even included to Chris' delight sausage fries! My only disappointment was that gizzard nor sacred heart was available that evening, oh well, there is always next time!

08.17.07

So today is my last day out here in sunny Salt Lake City. It has been really great, I had and amazing time thanks to every one over at Skullcandy, and to Justin Benee and Stevie Bell. Everyone was super cool. The guys over at Skullcandy gave me this crazy gum called Stay Alert, apparently the military made this chewing gum with caffeine in it, that absorbs into your body super fast. It really worked, it was nuts. Something I did learn though was that:

I've learned my lesson

08.13.07

Today Neff called me up to let me know that the new Neff Headware just ran in the latest issue of Transworld which i'm pretty stoked about. I'm actually flying out tomorrow nite for another photoshoot for him with Justin Benee and Stevie Bell out in Salt Lake. I love it out there. Everyone is so nice, and it's really scenic. Park City is pretty fun to, I'm sure it's going to be super hot out there.

08.10.07

This is it! my favorite pair of shoes to drop this year! Which just happens to be made by one of my favorite sneaker brands, Creative Rec. I stopped by their new LA office today, and Rob knows that I have been eyeing these ever since I saw them at the Project Trade show in Vegas earlier this year.
These kicks are really amazing. They may just be my favorite Recs. to have ever come out. Thanks so much to those guys, they are seriously some of the best dudes I know (although everything that I just said is totally true about them, I am also totally trying to butter them up, because I know that I am going to be wearing these ones so often, I am defiantly going to need multiple pairs).

08.09.07

Well, I really have to thank Marcus at Paul Frank for this one, being the homie that he is, and understanding that I am a complete weirdo and have been wearing the same style of sunglasses fro quite some time now, he really helped me out when I found out that they had stopped making my particular style. You see, I totally freaked out when her relayed the news to me and seeing that I was quite distraught, he put in a few calls and found a bunch so I should never have to go out and find new glasses ever again!









The look book that I just shot from triumvir
was just released, which is really cool. Bart and all the guys from the 530 media lab did a really great job of laying everything out. I'm not really sure whom they are distributing them out to, but I'm really glad I nabbed a couple of them. triumvir's Elvgren shirts are also coming out tomrrow, I got a chance to take a quick glimpse of them, and they look really great.

I normally don't really do head shots or anything like that, but on occasion, I have broken down to help out a friend, or an damsel in distress. Now, I don't really ever do them for free mind you, they always cost something. I may charge more, or have someone do something just a tad humiliating, it just depends on my mood. But, any way, I recently was asked to do some shots with a dear friend of mine, I of course considered it and eventually caved, but I did happen to walk away with this little gem of a photo, which to me made the day totally worth it.

08.07.07

I can tell you from experience, jellybeans and thai food don't really mix, well... the coconut ones aren't really that bad, but the bubblegum ones will defiantly get you.

08.06.07

So every once in a while here at photos ala quang instead of writting some boring stuff for about what we did today, or brag about what swag we just got from an event we went to, we'll post an email up and answer questions that people have for us. This one comes from Ashley Atlanta, lets see what inquiring minds want to know . . .

Dear Photos ala Quang,

My name is Ashley, and I read about all the places that you go to and shoot, but
I was just wondering if you do all the things that you say you do, where are all
the pictures, I never really see web updates on the site or anything, just curious,

Ashley Atlanta


Dear Ashley Atlanta,

We really appreciate the fact that you are an avid visitor of the site and we really do apologize for the lack of updates. You see all of us here at Photos ala Quang have all sorts of different jobs and the only one here learned in the art of the construction of world wide web sites is The Mysitc.
The Mystic has been an extremely loyal employee for many uninterrupted years. So, we felt that it was time for him to take a vacation. So being that none of us really knows how to do what he does, we are just kind of have to wait for his return. We are not really sure what he is doing, but from what we understand is that he is vacationing somewhere in Africa. He says that he is having a good time, well, he said that he was having a REALLY good time, I'm not really sure what that means, but he did send us a few of his vacation photosmaybe you can make out what he means by that. But anyway Ashley, don't fret, updates are coming soon and they are going to be awesome.

I'm not really sure why he choose Africa, but from the photos he is quite close with all the tribes people. The Mystic is a super nice guy, I'm sure they all became really fast friends!

08.05.07

Well, this weekend was a total blur. It was awesome. Amy Winehouse, LCD Sound System, TV on the Radio, Silversun Pickups, The Faint, Blonde Redhead, The Plain White Tees, Motion City Soundtrack, Kings of Leon, The Roots, and Perez Hilton all came by to chill. I have really too much to say, and honestly I am too beat to say it. It was awesome, and seriously, the people from the Hard Rock Hotel are the best. these are some pics that pretty much sum up my weekend.

08.02.07

I'm in Chicago now at Lollapalooza working on the ck in2u music lounge in the Hard Rock Hotel with the guys over at the BMF media group and Blender magazine.

I haven't been to Chicago for a few years now. I use to come here at least once or twice a year when I was on the road with The Aquabats and help them out with their shows at the Metro. I was originally going to just go out to Chicago to go to Lolla, shoot a few pics and go chill with a friend out there that I had been meaning to see for a long time, but Brad from Skullcandy hit me up and asked if I could help him out in the Music Lounge. I've worked with Brad so much this year and really all those guys over at SKDY have been so great, how could I really refuse the offer.

08.01.07

So I am getting everything prepared for my trip to chicago tomorrow. I'm heading out there for lollapalooza which is pretty exciting. I really doubt I'll get to catch any of the real show. I generally get sent out to these things and end up shooting all the behind the scenes shenanigans. Which is really more fun for me anyway. In preperation for all of this though, I had my pals over atAlpha Fotoworks cook me up a batch of new prints to show off. it had been a real long time since I have had any, so I figured it was about time. To pick up a few.



I also needed a print of this photo to give to Jonas Bevacqua of LRG that I shot recently in NYC. I'm always pretty nervous about when my stuff goes to print. I make sure all my equipment is calibrated and all that, you just never know if everyones else's are. But the guys over at Alpha have never failed me and they always seem to really hook me up. Well, anyway, I got everything back and it all looked really great. Especially my photo of Wil Francis of Aiden. I really like it much more printed than on the screen, as well as my series with James Kyson Lee and my portrait of the Dirtbombs. It was really interesting for me to be able to go back and look at all my work. It really makes me think of how far I've really come along.