Random Chicago

Current Location: Chicago, IL until 8/26

Available for assignments anywhere in the area.

Maddie and I got Ice Cream

Jay Reatard for The New York Times

In the few years that I have been working as a photojournalist I have never actually received an assignment to photograph a musician that I not only had heard of, but was a pretty big fan of too. Last week I had the opportunity to go to Memphis, hang out with Jay Reatard at his home for the afternoon, drink a bottle of Prosecco at 11:30am, talk about music and the contradiction/beauty of making a living as an "artist", and barbeque. It was definitely one of those, "I can't believe this is my job." moments. Jay was really great to photograph despite his broken rib from jumping off a bar the night before. What a fucking rock star...

You can read Mike Rubin's article HERE.

Check out Jays music HERE.

Memphis Charter School for The Wall Street Journal

I recently got spend the afternoon with Andrae Gathings at the Power Center Academy in Memphis, a new charter school that was started there a year ago. I also got to come back to Andrae's home with his mother, Andrea, and little brother, Richard, where we just chilled out, drank cherry kool-aid and talked about health care reform. Pretty great little day.

You can read Anne Marie Chakers informative article HERE

And see a slideshow put together by Photo Editor Jon Protas HERE.

Tent City for The Wall Street Journal

The last couple of weeks have been absolutely crazy. I have shot so many assignments and am just now able to take a break and post a few photos. Last week I was asked to photograph the Tent City here in Nashville by The Wall Street Journal. I spent the day down on the river, smoking a ton of cigarettes and getting to know everyone and how they came to live there. There are a million different stories there as well as people that have been there anywhere from a day to a few years.

You can read Jennifer Levitz's story HERE.

And see a slideshow HERE.

Performance Day

More Rock Camp