Bolten Inc. Interview Translated...

I recently did an interview with a Spanish publication called Bolten Inc.. It's a really nice interview, and unfortunately Google Translation slaughters it so here are my 12(+1) Preguntas Con Megan Thompson in English! (Click HERE for the Spanish version with Pictures.)

12(+1) Preguntas con Megan Thompson
by Rodrigo Rangel

Since photography and Rock met, they decided to stay together forever. And this is a story that specialized photographers must know very well. That is why we concluded that definitely Megan Thompson must have one of the most incredible jobs in the world. She is only 26 and begins to take on the world. Megan is from the small town of Bozeman in the state of Montana but she moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to follow her dreams and continue her career in the photo after graduating from Montana State University with a BA in Photography. A couple of months ago I found a picture of Megan, i had a look on her website and I was really impressed by ability of her to illuminate and guide, it looks so easy, but believe me it is not and if go deeper inside, the truth is that in the rock world in the image, body language and fashion can become very important, even sometimes more than the music itself. Megan's work createing unusual surreal environments, but above all her work is very fresh and it is unlikely that her photos bores you , on the contrary, in my case I became a bit addicted and wanted to see a little bit more.
Megan Thompson has worked with Hello, Astronaut, Saint Motel, Mark Hoppus, Tom Delonge, We The Kings, Astronautalis, The Used, Lorene Drive and many many more, her work has been published in major publishers such as Photo District News, Alternative Press, People and Spin. So she doesn't really needs a c.v. In this interview we had the chance to meet and discover that besides being a brilliant artist, Megan is a great person, with defined values and an incredible ability to see a little further. So without any further here, we leave them 13 questions with Megan Thompson.

1. When at work, Which part of the day inspires you the most?
The part when I wake up and have an inbox of emails waiting for me with new
potential clients. Right after that, would be the part where I find coffee and
become human again for the day.

2. How would you define your work? What are you looking for with it?
I just want to make photographs that the person in them will be remembered
for. I hope that I can make iconic photos that define musicians, actors, and
people in the same way that Sam Jones, and Annie Leibovitz are able to do.

3. Can you define the evolution of your artwork?
I evolved from being a very dark fine art photographer. I thought everything
had to be super moody and disturbing to be "Art". I still am drawn to darker
artwork and I love that style, but I've brightened it up a lot since moving to
LA and working commercially. I love being a commercial photographer, because my
work can be fun and exciting and completely random and it doesn't need to have
a specific reason or be making a statement to be that way.

4. In your art-making, do you experiment or your rather have an specific
method?
I'm pretty specific with my work flow, but every now and then I screw up a
layer or something and have an "ah ha" moment that changes everything. I don't
experiment so much with my paid jobs, but I do in my personal work a lot.

5. Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
I read a lot of messed up books that give me ideas. Chuck Palahniuk's novels
like Chokeand Invisible Monstersare super detailed and well written. I want to
make photographs that are that detailed visually. My sister, Amy Thompson, is a
big inspiration too. She's an amazing letter press printer and binds her own
books. She's the opposite of me artistically; incredibly organized and patient.
When I get frustrated or am over complicating what I'm working on I kind of ask
myself "What would Amy do?". It helps me to take a step back and not make
mistakes.

6. If you could ever meet one artist, living or dead, who would it be?
Salvador Dali. His paintings were always a huge inspiration to me when I was
in school. If I could trade my photo skills for another skill it would be oil
painting. I wish I could do that!

7. What music is exciting and inspiring to you at this point?
I'm really really into LA bands from my neighborhood right now. I love the
music that's right in my backyard. Favorites currently are Saint Motel (they
are going to be the next big thing I know it!), Castledoor, Army Navy, and
Links. All of them are based in Los Angeles.

8. One movie you could recommend...Why?
I think everyone should always revisit the movies they watched as a child.
Especially if you're a child of the 80's like me. Jim Henson creations like
Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal are favorites of mine. Movies like that are
probably why I'm so weird as an adult.

9. Can you tell us one city or place on earth that inspires you... Why?
I'm from Montana and now that I live in Los Angeles, I appreciate where I'm
from a lot more. It's so beautiful there. Bozeman, Montana is really amazing in
the summer, and I would totally spend a month there every year if it was
possible.

10. What is your opinnion about this generation?
I think there's a lack of ambition that came about really recently. My
friends and I are all super hard workers, and eat and sleep our dream jobs to
make them a reality. So many kids are coming out of high school thinking that
you can just go out into the world and being "myspace famous" is enough. They
don't want to work for their dream career, so they just give up on it and
become jaded.

11. What makes you happy and what makes you mad?
I have a top five list of things that make me happy, 1.Songs by Queen; 2.
Songs with clapping as part of the percussion arrangement; 3. New sweatshirts; 4. Huge photography books; 5. Coffee... in any shape or concoction.
I try not to focus on the things that make me mad, but not being able to own a
dog because I live in a place that doesn't allow it is at the top of that list.

12. Do you have any exhibitions soon?
I do! I'll be showing my rock photography on March 13th at the Strange
Gallery on Melrose in Los Angeles. It's a group show of LA rock photographers,
and a big rock and roll concert! Plus there's free alcohol, so it will be a
great time.

13. When is Bolten Inc and Megan Thompson working together?
Good question. When are we?

Julien gets a Tattoo

I've been playing with the video on my 5D MkII more lately. I shot this last week while Julien was getting tattooed.

Hello Astronaut

A shoot in LA during a monsoon... not the best idea, but it makes for some really rad photos!



Hello Astronaut

Hi Mom and Dad

I'm still alive guys!

Soap box about weed

Before I start this rant, I want to say that I do not smoke weed. I have enough trouble staying out of my fridge without a lethargy inducing drug making me ravenous.

A Bag Of Weed - The best bloopers are here
So this is going on in California right now. In case you live under a rock and aren't aware, the state of California is in financial ruin, with a deficit between $12 and $42 Billion depending on who you ask. One of the proposed plans to fix this clusterfuck is to legalize and tax the use and sale of Marijuana. One of the arguments against this plan is that legalizing pot will lead to an increase in crime. While I don't myself smoke pot, I have at least a dozen very close friends who do. In the years I've known them, the only "crime" they've been accused of because of smoking weed, was getting caught with weed. None of them have ever gotten stoned and crashed their car into a minivan, hit their girlfriends, or stabbed someone. Those three acts were all real things that acquaintances have done while under the influence of alcohol however. Alcohol is legal. Not one person has ever overdosed from smoking too much pot. My freshman year I knew three girls who got alcohol poisoning. What I see as the problem with pot currently is that it is extremely easy to get, but to get it without a medical license, you have to deal with some seedy people. The illegal drug trade is what I see as the problem. If pot is legalized, and regulated, that puts a major thorn in the side of the drug cartels in Mexico. American prisoners incarcerated for marijuana cost tax payers approximately $1 Billion a year. Therefore legalizing marijuana would not only cut the prison population, and save tax payers billions, it also has the potential to generate billions in revenue if simply taxed. $1.3 Billion to be exact. So let's say that the California deficit is an even $20 Billion. Let's be generous to the conservative party and say that the pot tax could generate $1 Billion a year. We won't even figure in the millions that would be saved by not prosecuting legal adults found in possession of marijuana. That $1 Billion is money that could be saved for schools, after school programs, and the arts that Schwarzenegger has been forced to cut.
For me the bottom line draws out to this: I would gladly put up with a couple more pot heads out there if it means children in grade school get to have music class. Pot in California is already so easy to get, making it legal isn't going to drastically change the amount of users. I'm sure as hell still not going to smoke it. Making it legal is still not going to make it a lethal drug. Who knows it might actually make it less desirable. It's not that cool to rebel against your parents unless you can get in real trouble for it anyway.

Saint Motel of course...

Saint Motel is releasing the fancy boy promos we did back at the holiday shoot, so here's a special peek at them in all their boy band glory! Eat your heart out Boyz2Men! Big things in 2010!

Tom Delonge

Tom Delonge photographed at the Forum during Blink 182 rehearsals for their summer reunion tour.

Binks
This is my friend Binks from I am the Ocean. I photographed the band while I was stranded in Salt Lake last month, and shot this as a light test. It's going to end up in the book I'm half working on of portraits of my friends.

Bryant

This is my roommate Bryant. He modeled some jeans for the Glamour Kills shoot yesterday so I made him hold still for a second and snapped a couple photos of him.

Brittany Flickinger for OMGee Magazine

My favorite from the shoot, but cut from the spread.
Photographed for OMGee Magazine
Hair by Catherine Horn

Blog-o-Tips and shit.

Here is my list of the top five things I think all of you aspiring photographers need to do.
1. The biggest glaring reason I'm writing this is because WAY too many of you are using Flickr and Myspace as your "websites" Get a real website, or nobody, and I do mean nobody, will take you seriously as a photographer. They're great networking tools, but nobody wants to sift through your spring break photos or wall comments about how drunk you got last night, or how hot you look in your profile photo.
2. Use your REAL name! I mean your full name. Unless your name is like Ursula Flaberfatz or something, and you want to be a wedding photographer, in which something like "Special Moments Photography" is appropriate. Using your real name will allow you to be recognizable, and people can remember a name. Nicknames are another thing. I got stuck with Megan Picturetaker about five years ago in Montana, so it's on my blog, and myspace, but not my website URL. Most of my friends have nicknames, and they do just fine because they've gotten to a point where people recognize their name just as much as their nickname. Sometimes your name is John Smith and you're screwed, so come up with a creative solution, like John Smith Media, or John Smith Images.
3. Get business cards... and put a GOOD photo on them. By good I mean one that reproduces well in such a small format. Live photos are sometimes okay, but for the most part I find them way too busy. The more simple a photo on the card, the more I connect with it and am likely to check out the site. At the same time don't put a really beautiful landscape on your card unless you're a landscape photographer.
4. Stop using your camera as an excuse to be a jackass at shows. Just because you have that shiny new Canon Rebel doesn't give you a license to walk out into the middle of the stage while the band is playing, unless that band has given you specific permission to do so! I can't tell you how many bands complain to me about kids with cameras getting in their way at shows. I've said this thousands of times, but no one in that audience paid to see you on stage, they paid to see the bands and you need to respect that!
5. Stop working for free. You might live in your parent's basement, and not have bills but the rest of us professionals are trying to eek out a living. It's totally okay to hook up your friends once in a while, but if you get a rep for working for free, it sticks. I know this as a fact because every time I go home every band in Montana expects a hookup because I didn't charge when I was starting out. Photographers that work for free drive down the market so that no one can make a living. Think about how much your time is worth, and go from there. It is a job, the only difference is that we enjoy what we do from 9-5.

These are all my opinions, so take them or leave them. This is just based on some questions I've gotten from my formspring.com account. Feel free to click and leave me more questions for more blogs-o-substance in the future.

A valid idea...

I'm seriously considering making "The economy sucks, LET'S TOUR!" my mantra in 2010. Thinking about it, well over 50% of my income goes to paying my rent and utilities each month. If I were on tour that wouldn't be an issue, I could reach as many bands as possible and just couch surf around the country. I guess I could get used to editing on my laptop, put my stuff in storage come March, and just skedaddle. Warped Tour is looking like a realistic probability this year, and I'm already planning on SxSW taking up a chunk of my life in March. In the fall there's a chance I'll be heading out with another tour to work on a book... sooo I guess the question is, why should I pay rent on somewhere I won't be?
Stay tuned crime fighters. I'll keep you posted. I'm currently hanging out in the resort location of the Salt Lake City airport because my flight home was canceled. It's not looking good for flying standby, so here's hoping some seats open up on Emily's flight to Helena.

Last Minute iTunes gift suggestions

So it's Christmas on Friday and you forgot to get that special someone something special. Oh and they live across the country. Oh and you only have about $10 to spend. Crap. What do you do? Well here are my top eight iTunes giftable album suggestions. Why only eight? Because I have to pack for my trip home to Montana... chah. This is also mildly biased towards bands I may have worked with... yeah.

8. Goodnight Sunrise- "Stop, Drop, and Roll"
This EP makes me smile. Perfect for anyone you know who loves a good pop song with a little heart. It's also less than five bucks so you can't go wrong!

7. The Jakes- "Shake my Hand"
Simply put this EP is completely infectious. Seven perfect little songs for your loved one's digital stocking. $6.93 is all this album costs and I recommend it to anyone who loves a good indie rock pop song as much as I do.

6. This Providence- "Who are you Now?"
Who doesn't like dreamy tracks sung with an Aussie lilt? Buy this for your ex girlfriend that dumped you. Maybe she'll get the message.

5. Astronautalis- "Pomegranate"
For the dignified indie rapper in all of us. I got this album when it came out and it still hasn't left heavy rotation in my iTunes player. Andy has a way with words and rhythm that I've never been able to put my finger on. Trust me, even if you don't think you like hip hop, you will LOVE this.

4.We the Kings- "Smile Kid"
If you're bundling a couple albums together you might as well pick up "Smile Kid" for the Goodnight Sunrise fan on your list. This album's catchy and intricate, and if you buy the special edition on iTunes you get a free music video!

3. The Used- "Artwork"
Crunchy, dirty, growling, mean... what else would you expect?

2.fun.- "Aim and Ignite"
The only band on this list I haven't photographed, but not for lack of trying. This album is perfect. Their live show is perfect. It's all just perfect! "Aim and Ignite" gives me faith in music being good again. More bands need to do this right here.

1. Saint Motel- "For Play"
It shouldn't surprise you that Saint Motel came in at #1 in this list... even though it wasn't really in any particular order until this point. This EP wins because it gives you THE MOST bang for your buck of any EP in iTunes history. How you ask? It's the first album ever to feature a music video for each song on the EP. So not only do you get six fantastic sexy songs to dance to, you get six visual treats to feast your eyes on. If you get one EP on this list get this one. Do it.

Watch this.

This is ridiculous!

Blake & Sierra

I took some photos of Sierra and Blake from Versa Emerge while they were out here in LA writing for their new record. They are such amazing kids! I love hanging out with them, and can't wait to hear their new songs.

Oh Byron...

Going through old batches of photos making space on my hard drive and I stumbled upon this photo I shot of Byron. I made him stand in for the models during the Hide&Seek Clothing shoot in October. It makes me smile. One day I'm going to make prints out of all of these random photos of my friends, and cover my wall. Might go on my to do list while I'm home in Montana for two weeks avoiding snow and driving.

Stefan Toler

Stefan Toler
I met Stephan almost exactly a year ago in Palmdale California while he was playing a show with his old band Lower Definition. We'd been talking about doing promos for a while, so I drove out to see them play. He's since left Lower D to focus on school and moving in a different direction musically. He drove up from San Diego last week to hang out and take some photos. At the end of this shoot I made him sprint up our back alley like he was in the movie The Sandlot. The fact that he remembers that movie made me feel not quite as old.

Sleepy...

Today was a long day but a fun one. I photographed Call the Cops out of my house. I haven't done that for quite a while, but we made it work out really well. I'm excited to get started on editing them. After the shoot we went to one of my favorite Mexican places down the street and filled up on enchiladas and margaritas. I don't think I've laughed that hard at tour stories in a long time. Then we made it back to the house and ended the night with an acoustic singalong that we broadcast on my Stickam account. I forgot to take a screamer with the band so I'll have to make sure to do that at their show on Thursday when they play with Sugarcult at the House of Blues.
Tonight I'm taking it easy and catching up on some portraits I did of Stefan Toler last week and editing down the three hundred live photos I did of the Syncope Threshold last Tuesday.

Happy Birthday Andy...

Schemes...

Bleubird and I just finished up a very special video collaboration. I'll be releasing the magic on Sunday, so stay tuned to the blog, facebook, twitter, and other social networking for the debut.