Thursday, November 13, 2008

MUJA MESSIAH PATRIOT ACT


SHOT AT THE PHOTOGRAPHY CRIB - NOW WE CALL IT "STUDIO 145"

CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD

Solid Gold, Minnesota local 80s revival - "Who You Gonna Run To"

These guys are as good in concert.

Friday, November 7, 2008

AFFILIATE JOB OPENING: NON-PROFIT MARKETING

Hannah Brazee Gregory of Shoestring Creative Group | the non-profit's agency out of Gardiner, Maine - my homestate - is looking for a Minneapolis affiliate for marketing and creative.

NEW BIO TOBIN

I have updated my portfolio and am proud to declare myself just as 'risky' and 'untested' as Barack Obama, but instead like....for photography. I suppose I prefer those labels over 'unispired' and 'stale.'

Here's the new bio, which can be found at the new address for my advertising portfolio:
http://portfolio.tobinrussell.com

BIO
Tobin Russell Brogunier

Tobin comes from New York City by way of Oberlin, Ohio and San Francisco, California. He was born in Maine, where he learned to respect people for the value of their character.

After a couple of published articles inspired an unnamed Los Angeles ad agency to launch a national campaign for Nissan trucks, it became clear that, although his work was good enough to be ripped off, his ability to broadcast his work over the din of NYC trustafarians was limited. Tobin researched his options. Because Minneapolis has a young, savvy agency demographic and a lively dialogue with 'middle America,' Tobin decided this would be the right place to launch his advertising career.

He goes by Tobin Russell. If you want to use the French surname, please pronounce it 'bro-gun-yay.'

Tobin's photography is challenging because it relies on context. It's an ambitious blend of irony, humanity and beauty. While individual images can be very compelling, what is truly compelling are the stories he is telling and how he is telling them: Stories about fundamental and universal human themes. Stories about consequence, experience and achievement. Stories about adversity, about community, and about perseverance.

While America offers tremendous opportunity, for many Americans life is a celebration of triumph over many great challenges. Tobin's work is about being fully, 100% American even when the story is not the myth of an effortless lifestyle America has sold the world.

Tobin's stories find something beyond islands of individual achievement and attainment of fantasy lifestyle. His photography offers a context, a world, a breathing community of contrast, interaction, inspired by the bravery of everyday heroes. Without this story, America doesn't work; with this story, America joins the world.

As Robert Weider is quoted in a DDB blog entry, "Anyone can look for fashion in a boutique or history in a museum. The creative person looks for history in the hardware store and fashion in an airport."

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

WORKING GOTV 2008

GOTV = get out the vote

Bouncing between Obama office on Central in Northeast to the Clean Water Action 'get out the vote' for Minnesota: endorsing Obama, Franken (super tight race with Coleman), Keith Ellison and local Minnesota House races - so it's a more direct get out the vote than Obama's got.

But the Obama machine here: Someone has knocked on my door every day since Sunday. I have received several phone calls from the campaign to volunteer and GOTV.

It's been a blazing week beginning with the phone banks last Tuesday at Clean Water where Jenna works, moving into an almost full day door to door for Obama on Friday, another evening of calls Monday and all day today at Clean Water Action: There is a tremendous amount of on the ground action going on in Minnesota right now.

There are at least 3 out of 5 very tight Congressional races, one exceedingly tight race for Senate and one really f-in important race for president. The phones are ringing off the hook.

I'd say sorry to bother you, but I'm not. It's that important.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

YOU SUCK AT PHOTOSHOP

Perhaps one of the funniest YouTube videos I've run into.


My Damn Channel » You Suck at Photoshop: Season 1 » You Suck at Photoshop #1

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

"O" IS THE BOMB-A


i've seen a lot of homemade versions and I've never failed to recognize it - that's an amazing achievement in popular culture!

It is well designed, can be easily replicated and turned into folk art, inspires variations and riffs on a theme that is easy for other people to catch onto. The lessons of Karl Rove's politics as product were not lost on exactly ONE democratic presidental candidate. And he learned well, bless his heart and mind.

- Hopemonger '08

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

MPLS PHOTO PARTY

just launched a new party at the studio, booking THURS FRIDAY SATURDAY: find it on myspace.com/mplsphotoparty

ONE relentless Nordeast photographer in his studio + you getting high on yourself in tight clothes = you just booked MplsPhotoParty

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Epicly Later'd

http://www.epiclylaterd.com/contents.html

I don't know why I like it - the titling of the site and sections is brilliant perhaps - but it is simply a great site. I think a kind of Asian looking dude runs it and once I saw the Yashica T4 listed among a bevvy of other cameras I love in his list of camera loves. It struck a chord.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

BECAUSE I CARE




Main Street in Northeast Minneapolis.

Joe says it's an old Minneapolis Public Library awareness campaign. I like it.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Nerve and Arkitekt


taken 9-11 at the studio for publicity. these guys are serious about going all the way. Nerve and DJ Arkitekt are playing with Muja Messiah in St. Cloud on 25 Sept.

Friday, September 5, 2008

FREE SPEECH PEN


Courtesy of Ted Hall

Name: Steve Anthony.
As shown: Ironic hell-raiser.
Full disclosure: My mother's brother.

Their father, Robert Anthony, was career pro at this stuff.

Kare 11 has both video and text coverage me uncs in Rice Park.

While I did see a "Protest the Protestors" tee on a surprisingly young hip dude, local media has been good about covering the protests.

I mean...it does affect traffic!

Shot by Ted Hall as I was navigating myself out of the traffic snarl of Lowertown St. Paul yesterday, before McCain resumed the "DRILL BABY DRILL" mantra of pure hilarity.

----- ----- ------
NOTE: It's been fun and thanks for joining me. There might be more, but not 'officially' for RNC 2008 - it's over baby! (Except for those people in jail from Day 4 - it might be over Saturday if they're lucky)

You're debt story here: I resume publishing Creditland Magazine Online and my Publisher's Blog for the magazine.

I resume my show at Salon du Nord through end of 2008. Opening night TBA

I resume being professional photographer. Come'n'get me. I got some good sh^t