One of the strongest design teams that have been assembled in recent history within current urban culture has to be Jason Noto and Doug Cunningham at Morning Breath Inc.

Pushing the design borders out of what is accepted and safe, these two break all the rules, a characteristic that I always applaud and appreciated greatly. Their vision is unique in the design world I feel and they are only pushing harder to do “their own thing” in all cases.

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POSTED IN Resist Simple, Personal Projects | NO COMMENTS

Recently I was introduced by my best friend Dan to a restaurant in the West Village on Waverly called Joseph Leonard. At the time, a new spot that had just opened by restaurateur Gabriel Stulman, an associate & good friend of my friend Dan. We went for dinner that evening and I have to say that the ambience was incredible… small, cozy, “lived in” (despite being brand new), personal with delicious food and Tanqueray’s and tonics flowing (I may have snuck in a rum and a glass of wine as well, but don’t tell anyone). During appetizers, I realized that the owner, Gabe, and I had met before and shared a love for hip hop. Bellied up to the bar, for dinner, my seat of choice in any restaurant, not a fan of tables for some reason, we spoke at length about the state of affairs of the music industry and where we thought it was heading. While MOS DEF pumped through the speakers in the restaurant,  we reminisced about the good old days: Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick, and The DOC. The vibe was great, a classic night out in NYC. I think that the 3 of us closed the place down that night but agreed that we would do it again soon… a great meal, top beverages and intellectual conversation. 

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POSTED IN Resist Simple, Recent Shoots, Personal Projects | COMMENTS (2)

 Every year Jonathan makes a pilgrimage out to Trinidad to experience the pure joy that is Carnival.   Although I have never been, I feel like I’ve come close when I look at Jonathan’s images.  Here are a few of my favorites:

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	February 13th, 2008
	Signature Book
Over the last 10 years, Jonathan Mannion’s catalogue of work has surpassed anything he could have ever imagined. From iconic behind the scenes shots of the late Notorious B.I.G to shooting all but two of hip hop megastar Jay Z’s 11 album covers, his lens has documented some of the greatest artists in hip hop, R&B and sport, capturing awe inspiring images and inviting you into the personal world of celebrities and personalities you might otherwise not have access to.  All you have to do really is pick up a hip-hop album cover of the last decade and see Mannion’s name. He is also credited as the photographer of choice for a multitude of magazines, from XXL to the Fader - his work is everywhere.  From starting out photographing the then unknown to the now major superstars, Jon has been able to capture images that have now become synonymous with these artists and the urban industry.  Its definitely been a long time coming and by defining images of the ever-evolving urban culture, its time for Mannion to document his work and publish a selection of some of his most famous photo shoots and highlight some of the proudest moments of his career.  In a book that will include an in depth photo documentary of a selection of powerful portraits captured on Polaroid film which the artists themselves signed, autographed and left personal messages; the book will also include commentary and exclusive one-off interviews conducted by acclaimed Rolling Stones journalist and author, Anthony Bozza.  Check back soon for regular updates, on sale dates and general info.   POSTED IN Personal Projects | COMMENT (1)