On Assignment: Harlingen, Texas

"Morning Formation" by Wes Aldridge

I went to the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, Texas, this morning to get some shots of the cadets in marching formation practicing for graduation on Saturday. The sunlight wasn't really breaking through the clouds, but that was alright because it made for a great silhouette shot.

A replica to the Iwo Jima monument is on the MMA campus and luckily, this is where the formation was being held. Today, I post this photo in honor of Joe Rosenthal, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Associated Press photographer who shot the original image of the men raising the flag at Iwo Jima. Joe passed away in late August of this year, but as this replica proves, the image he captured will live on forever.

Wexx Studio

"To Begin" by Wes Aldridge

Today it begins. I moved into a photo studio/apartment today... Wexx Studio it shall be called.

Some of my greatest friends, Matt and Scooter, came and pitched in a big hand. Thanks fellas. But, as usual, it was mom and dad who came up to be the ultimate moving crew.

This was the end of the move in. I conned the two of them into posing by the awesome brick wall that will become a cornerstone of Wexx Studio. Dad, looking proudly into my lens, all decked out in his Georgia Bulldogs gear. Mom, looking off to the side at the miles of boxes that need to be unpacked. These are good people. They're the kind of folks that volunteer to help you move on a holiday weekend and don't complain about it. Good hard working, honest people that will put a barrel of elbow grease in, even after they've got nothing left to give. I wanted them to look in this shot exactly how they looked, no frills and prepping. I wanted to show that. I love them like nothing else.

One With Nature

"Doe" by Wes Aldridge


"Buck" by Wes Aldridge

The heavy cloud coverage blowing in from the hurricanes off the coast haven't allowed for much sunlight to do nice exterior shooting on this seasonal romp. But, sun aside, here are a couple of nice ones I snagged today.

These photos make me think about the folks that hunt and kill these beautiful creatures for sport. I can't understand it, sorry hunters. I mean I felt a connection with the buck and doe when I took these photos. It was late in the day and they were grazing in this field. I myself was a little hungry for dinner too. I stood there and got within 20 yards of the two. They didn't mind me being there because I wasn't firing a huge gun at them. I was simply going about my business admiring their beauty and they were having some grub. I would snap a frame and the shutter would break the silence and catch their attention, not startle them, but they would just look at me as if they were saying "cheese" for the camera. It was all-in-all a very harmonious encounter.

Bear E Goes To Play

"Bear E" by Wes Aldridge

Well, this one was a little too raw for most, so yeah, here's an edit.

Bear E big. Bear E strong. Bear E crazy. Bear E wild. Bear E like salsa. Bear E like cerveza. Bear E no like Joker. Bear E no like MACE.

Still funny, just not as insane.

Another Day, Another Shot

"B Money" by Wes Aldridge

Well, Brian and I went to do an assignment on a horse whisperer today. It was very interesting. This man could take some of the most extremely wild horses I've seen and make them completely docile. This is a shot of Brian, not the horse whisperer himself. We were searching for the perfect location for his portrait and found this spot. Brian ended up getting a pretty awesome shot of the fella and some neat shots of me as well.

Finished and back

"Pong" by Wes Aldridge

After a long and gruelling seven day shoot in Asheville (not to mention 12 straight days of working, haha), I have returned home. I am quite delirious because for some unknown reason, I haven't slept in the past two nights. I thought I would post something cool, but very pointless that I shot. Now, its time for a cocktail to help crash out. Early 7:30 shoot in the morning, and the cycle goes on.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina... the end must be near

"The Altar" by Wes Aldridge

This is the main alter in the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Asheville. I really am terribly exhausted and I have nothing to say, but I wanted to post this one.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina... still

Today our Asheville adventures led us to the Town Pump Tavern. In all my years of patroning bars, this is my favorite by far. I described it best to Mark as this place being a place where Hunter Thompson would come in for a beer. I will be back here. Here are some shots from it that I want to share.


"Outside" by Wes Aldridge


"Tavern Flag" by Wes Aldridge


"Jessica" by Wes Aldridge


"Bulls Eye" by Wes Aldridge


"The King" by Wes Aldridge

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina... Day Four

"Lifeless" by Wes Aldridge

This is a shot from Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, NC. This place is where Thomas Wolfe and O'Henry are buried, so its pretty interesting. But, I actually enjoy this shot much more than the literary idols graves. So, here is what I like.

On Assignment: Asheville, North Carolina

"Mountain Music" by Wes Aldridge

Today was pretty good, busy as hell, but pretty good. We are working on the Asheville Visitors Guide. Its a pretty big deal publication for our company.

I was fortunate enough to do a portrait of an incredible, multiple Grammy-winning Appalachian musician and storyteller named David Holt. This guy has played with some big timers... one of the most notable is Doc Watson.

We traveled to his mountain home and he had a great view from a porch swing looking into a vast wooded area. David brought out a beautiful steel guitar and banjo for the shoot, amazing instruments to look at and even more amazing to hear him playing a concert for two in the mountains. I worked the angles and lighting for the shot, but it was wonderful because it was a private concert for me in this man's natural element. It was natural and authentic, a sacred moment in my photographic career. This was another one of those moments that it really pays to be a photographer and love what I do.

Statue at Brooks

"Spring" by Wes Aldridge

Well, I am bored as hell right now. In Asheville, NC, and tired as hell after a day full of shooting starting about 6 a.m. Yeah, I love this photo. There isn't much skill involved or anything like that, I just like how it looks. It is from Memphis, Tenn., at the Brooks Museum. Enjoy.

Fashionably Red

"Jill" by Wes Aldridge

Everyone, meet Jill. She had an amazingly red dress. We had a session in a destroyed building. The clash of elegance and decay. I think its beautiful.

On Assignment: Memphis, Tennessee... Beale Street

First things first... Memphis in the summertime is hotter than Hell. My assignment tonight was to shoot some of the night life action on Beale Street. I walked up and down the street for two hours shooting the touristy stuff that I needed, no problem. Then I decided that I needed to have a personal assignment: Find a resounding echo of the Memphis Blues.

My ears ended up following the raspy voice of a Delta Bottom Man, a slide guitar and a dancing bass line coming from the Blues Hall Juke Joint. I walked in and fell in love with the place. The music of "The Dr. Feelgood Potts Band" felt real and perfectly in place. I shot away. Eventually someone started buying beers for me. I made friends and had a great time listening and shooting great music.

Tonight was incredible and I have fallen into love with Memphis. The smells of BBQ on the street and spilt beer on the sidewalks and music coming from every alleyway and summer sweat trickling down my brow. It was a good night to be alive and with a camera in my hand. I went to Beale Street and found the blues.

Here is a serious of shots.


"One" by Wes Aldridge


"Two" by Wes Aldridge


"Three" by Wes Aldridge


"Four" by Wes Aldridge


"Five" by Wes Aldridge


"Six" by Wes Aldridge


"Seven" by Wes Aldridge


"Eight" by Wes Aldridge


"Nine" by Wes Aldridge


"Ten" by Wes Aldridge


"Eleven" by Wes Aldridge


"Twelve" by Wes Aldridge

A Kiss Is A Kiss

"Stealin' Some Sugar" by Wes Aldridge


"The Reaction" by Wes Aldridge

I am actually in beautiful Ft. Collins, Colorado, shooting an assignment this week. I don't feel like posting anything I've shot from here. But I feel like sharing and I go to some recent photos. Again I post some of the B&W shots from our family mountain getaway. I keep coming back to these shots as I feel more comfortable to share them with you. These photographs are among the most precious possessions of mine. They are memories of beautiful times where the whole world stands still, the times that I shared with the ones that mean the most to me. We don't see Spain or Italy or France, but plane tickets to far away places couldn't bring about moments like the ones captured in the frames above from the mountains of Georgia.

My parents, two very animated and lively folks, always show their hearts. They aren't concerned who is watching. They breathe in deeply the sweet breath of life... and live it.

"Stealin' Some Sugar." I think that to be an appropriate title. My sweet mother, out of the blue, lunged at my father and stole a kiss from him. In the following frame my mother adjusts her too-cool Aviator shades (very proud of what she so stealthily accomplished) and laughs a joyful laugh as my father reacts oh so silly to the unexpected flirtation. They are such hams, you couldn't possibly understand until you've stayed a weekend in the Aldridge home in Tunnel Hill, Georgia. And if you haven't, well, I sure they would welcome you, because folk like us don't meet too many strangers.

I can't look at the last three photos I have posted with dry eyes. These are our memories, immortalized. There must be something special about catching a moment. Once again, the light capturing box has served me well.

Watching

"Folks" by Wes Aldridge

This is another one of the shots that I scanned in to digital format from black and white Tmax 400. It was a moment that I walked up on during the vacation with the family in the mountains. My mother was asleep with her head resting on my father's shoulder. Catching a moment like this makes being a photographer the most beautiful thing in the world.

Have a cold one

"IceBox Tunes" by Wes Aldridge


"IceBox Tunes" by Wes Aldridge

Ya know, unless you are a photographer or my brother or mighy cocktail consumer, you probably can't really grasp the true value of this photo. Not that I think it is too intelligent for the comprehension of "normal folk." It more so has to do with the extreme bizarre nature of it. This is actually a piece of slide film that I had been waiting 2 weeks to get developed. I don't think it is a masterwork by any means, but it turned out pretty cool for a piece of tungsten-balanced slide film exposed without using a light meter and light-painted with a flashlight. My brother (photo subject) and I had the great idea for this shot around 4 a.m. one morning after a long night's dance with Jackie D. and JagerBombs and lots of guitar playing. Anyway, I ended up converting this one to B&W because I think it had some nice monochromatic tones.

Ok, so I added the color slide too. I like it as well.

Photo Subject: Unknown

"Frank's Photo" by Wes Aldridge

Strange vibrations during a night of photography in Nashville. My friend Matt and I decided to do some night exposures, so we started searching for interesting and run-down industrial sites to shoot in the downtown area. We found our first suitable location for the night and set our cameras up on tripods. We hadn't shot 3 frames and then we heard a strange rustling sound coming from a garbage dumpster about 20 feet from us. We thought little of it at first, but then there was a scratching sound and heavy, shallow breathing. Curiousity grabbed hold and we went to explore.

One of the sliding panels was open and I peered over the side for a closer look. A thin shaft of light from the full moon fell on a pair of yellow eyes that stared blankly up at me. I thought it was probably a homeless person that might have fallen and gotten trapped in the dumpster.

"Hey fella, are you ok in there?," I asked.

No reply.

Again, I said, "you alright in there?"

There was a small rustle and then a battered blue hand reached up toward me. I said, "Jesus, Matt, this fucking guy looks like he is hurt. We need to get him out of here and to the hospital."

Matt looked at me like I was insane. I wouldn't say he was afraid, but we were both pretty sketched out by now. I leaned over the dumpster and took hold of the hand and started pulling. The hand was cold and limber, and I as I pulled it into the light, something made me question "what" I had my hands on.

The head popped up and that crazy red hair and scabbed white scalp scared the living hell out of me. The eyes were bulging and the mouth looked like it had been beaten with a crowbar. I didn't know what to do after seeing all this, so I let instinct take over and I pulled it out on to the sidewalk. It started making a soft purring sound. Yeah, this wasn't a human.

Matt knew exactly what to do. He ran to the Jeep and grabbed a hand full of orange slices and a crimson backdrop and strated setting up a light... it was portrait time.

"Frank," I said, as I held the orange slice up to his nose. "This is some good stuff. Wanna try some?"

I called him Frank because it seemed as good a name as any. At a time like this, names don't really catch my attention, anyway. I needed to take a picture, and fast.

Matt grabbed a box and I sat an orange slice on it. Frank crawled over to the box and sat on it, enjoying his orange slice all the while.

"Un-damn-believable," Matt whispered. "The strange bastard digs orange slices."

I took a shot and Frank started staring up at the strobe light. He was astonished, and that was the pose I wanted. I snapped one more frame and then he started glaring at me. Things had taken a turn for the weird.

Frank made an ear-piercing screech and jumped down on all fours like a wild cat of some sort. I turned and ran and he came after me. I slipped after getting about 10 feet from him and hit the sidewalk. Frank leaped into the air straight for me and I knew I was done for. Out of the blue, Matt appears with a 2x4 and cracked Frank directly in the mouth with a mighty lumber jack swing. The clown from hell hit the ground and rolled off into the darkness. Needless to say, we grabbed the gear jumped in the Jeep and put the pedal to the floor.

On Assignment: Corpus Christi... luck

"Wading" by Wes Aldridge

So, don't be fooled by the pretty picture... today still sucked weather-wise. I was on my way back to the hotel after shooting an assignment about 45 miles from Corpus Christi. The drive was long and dull and I was pretty exhausted from shooting inside an iron-working factory. Suddenly the black sky split open and sunlight showered down.

At this point, I was desperate to shoot something that looked nice, anything, I would have settled for anything.

I caught the glimpse of a steeple rising over some trees and slammed on my brakes and darted off the main highway. I couldn't believe my eyes... I saw this beautifully restored German church founded around 1908 named Old St. Anthony Catholic Church. I came to a rolling stop and and leaped from the car snapping frames furiously. I must have shot 20 different angles on this church in about three minutes. But the last frame I shot is the one I like the most. I got down on the dirty parking lot and balanced my elbows on the edge of a mud puddle to get this reflection. Yeah, it looks like the church is sitting on the edge of a pond or something, but oh no, that is a standing puddle on top of Texas asphalt. I got the shot and then the sky ate the sun once again. I guess I got lucky for a few minutes today.

On Assignment: Corpus Christi

"Split Timber" by Wes Aldridge

This is a shot from the minor league baseball game I shot yesterday. I thought it was pretty neat to capture the instant that the bat split in two.

On Assignment: Corpus Christi, the rain keeps pourin'

"Alien" by Wes Aldridge

The rain fell like a sonuvabitch today. It was yet another gross day for exterior photography, and folk that just wanted to stay dry in general. Enough of that, you get the picture.

I did get to shoot at an aquarium, though. I love doing this. You can really create artistic and photojournalistic pictures in these beautiful places. And if you could have watched me walk through the place, it was pretty funny. I would become mesmerized by beautiful tarpon and angel fish and stand in awe side-by-side with groups of young children. I find these places incredible, just like a child does.

Anyway, this is kind of an abstract shot of some jellyfish floating about in a tank. I stayed and stared at these forever, it seemed. Its as if they were a fluid part of the water. Beautiful and very mysterious.