On the Road With Porcelain Black.
Porcelain Black poses for paparazzi cameras arriving at David Letterman in NYC.
Touring with Porcelain Black has thus far been a whirlwind of insane collaboration. This foray into the world of a female artist - who comfortably fits into multiple genres - has been an entirely new experience for me. Though I've had female clients here and there the bulk of my career has been documenting artists that are typically male and rock bands. It's a man's world as they say - that can hold true in music as well. Not to say there aren't incredibly talented women in this industry - they're everywhere. For every one of them there's at least two bands or male artists. Being female myself, working with Porcelain has been a dream come true. I've found not only a strong woman and talented artist, I've found a fierce friend. Our personal friendship certainly helps to fuel our creative relationship. We see pretty eye to eye on most things style and creative. So in this aspect we tend to feed off of one another.
Porcelain kidnapped me.
Porcelain Black on stage in Los Angeles, CA
She was passing through town when I was in Atlanta on the I'm Still Music Tour with Lil Wayne, I went to hang out with a friend in her camp. I brought my camera along for fun. Casually shot a few songs and some backstage stuff. I spent the day with her and our friend hanging out, shooting her set, and going to Travis Barker's after party. The next day I shot my friend an email with a few photos. That night around midnight I got a phone call asking if I was booked for the coming two weeks, no - but I needed to be in Los Angeles for the last two weeks of the month (April) - why? Less than twenty four hours later I was on a plane to New Orleans to do two weeks of the tour with Porcelain and then on to Los Angeles for the shoots I had already booked. I went back to Atlanta in the middle of June - after three months with Porcelain. Two weeks turned into three, which turned into a month, and a month turned in three. Ultimately I just switched out the clothes in my suitcase and hit the road again. I got kidnapped.
Porcelain Black on tour in Calgary, CAN
It turned out to work just fine for my other client to push back our shoot, and ultimately it featured Porcelain. As November approaches I've found myself in one of the best working friendships I've ever had. The visual implications with a female artist are innately broader than that of a man. For one thing - check out her hair. We've really enjoyed constantly reinventing ourselves with my camera. It's been an adventure that I'm grateful and happy to be a part of. Somehow in the middle of all of this I ended up moving back to Los Angeles, Porcelain and I working together has certainly played a role in that.
She's a bright (not as new as you think) new talent who shines brighter than most on her playing field. She's also one of the realest people I've ever known. She's humble and at her core, a good person. She cares deeply about those close to her, and she keeps them close. I'm looking forward to the next phase in our development together. Here's to more 4AM Britney Spears and Janet Jackson dance parties in the back lounge of our bus. Check her out - now (please).
