Ryan Russell

Please join us in welcoming our newest Friend of Naneu, Ryan Russell!

Ryan is an internationally-renowned rock music photographer from the United States. Ryan grew up in the Deep South. We’re not talking about the vacation havens of Florida or the Atlanta you saw in a hip hop music video. We’re talking about Birmingham, Alabama – the gritty South that has long been known for steel mills, attack dogs, fire hoses and little else. Growing up in the infamous “Magic City” left a lot to Ryan’s imagination, what with hanging around downtown and soaking up the turn-of-the-century architecture and decades of urban blight, which further developed his talent of bringing energy and color out of ordinary scenes. With his unique style, Ryan embraces predecessors of southern culture like William Eggleston and Ernest Withers as well as personal influences like Glen E. Friedman and Charles Peterson to create a new, bold take on classic southern-gothic photography. Ryan captures the grit and energy of today’s American music scene much like Lee Friedlander’s Atlantic Records work during the 50’s and 60’s or Anton Corbijn’s work with U2 and Joy Division.

Although you wouldn’t guess it from meeting this southern gentleman, Ryan has photographed some of the most critically-acclaimed artists of our generation. From shooting the likes of Death Cab for Cutie, Paramore, Blink-182, Green Day, Tegan and Sara, My Chemical Romance, Josh Homme/Queens of the Stone Age, Underoath, Sonic Youth, Patton Oswalt and David Cross, to being printed in magazines like Alternative Press, Rolling Stone, Spin and Playboy or periodicals like The New York Times, The New York Post, The Chicago Reader and The Chicago Sun-Times, Ryan has also toured with the likes of Death Cab for Cutie, Paramore, Taking Back Sunday, Against Me!, and Mastodon, allowing him the opportunity for up close and personal access to these musicians and a chance to showcase their truly unique personalities through photography in a way that words alone cannot.

We are truly pleased to have Mr. Russell as a Friend of Naneu! To find out more information about Ryan, please visit his website at http://www.ryanrussell.net/.

Jim DeLillo

Please join us in welcoming our newest Friend of Naneu, Jim DeLillo!

Jim is an internationally-published photographer who specializes in travel, local color and editorial. Avidly working since 1972, Jim’s many years of experience have provided such esteemed international publications like Woman’s World Magazine with a refreshing break from stiffly-posed shots often found within them. His photojournalist, reality based, eclectic style spans travel, both domestic and abroad,  the wilderness, and ultimately outer space.  Did we mention that Jim is also an accomplished astro-photographer?

Anyways, you probably get the idea. Jim and his work is simply put, astounding. Jim won a Nikon.net Award for his series, “Children of Belize.” Other accomplishments include reaching the Gold Level (10,000 downloads) with iStock, Getty’s microstock offering.

When he is not making beautiful things happen with his camera, Jim is a Senior Project Manager at a major biotech company in New Jersey.

Please visit the following websites to get a better idea of Jim, his portfolio, and accomplishments:

http://jimdelillo.viewbook.com (Travel Portfolio)

http://www.demotix.com/users/jimdeli/profile (International Newswire)

http://www.istockphoto.com/jimd_stock (Gold Level Status >10,000 downloads)

Our friend Andrew James Benson has been keeping us digitally updated cultured here in Orlando, Florida over the past few weeks. Andrew is in the midst of a photographic journey across a vast part of this little thing we call Planet Earth. An expedition to be rivaled by even the most pickled sailors of the seven seas, his adventure consists of Austin, DC, NY, London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Geneva, Amman, Dammascus, and Dubai. Not your average Sunday bird-watching stroll through the park with Grandma. Prior to his departure, we shipped a sparkling new Military Ops Tango messenger bag to his doorstep so he could throw the world at it.

Andrew scripted up his unique gear list, and his thoughts on the Tango below;

“In one camera “pouch” I have:
Canon 30D with a 17-85 lens, 40gb Gobo Giga One Card Reader/Hard Drive, and batteries and charger for the camera
(I may pick up a prime lens from BH in NY and it should fit perfect with what I have)

In the other pouch:
Canon 550ex Flash, GTech 120gb Mini External Hard Drive, Giotto Small Rocket Air, Lens Cloth, AA Batteries, Mighty Mouse

In the interior camera compartment pockets:
Cables (CAT5, Firewire, USB)

In the Laptop Compartment:
15″ MacBook Pro

In the strap pocket:
Laptop power cable, Moleskin Notebook

In the “secret” magnetic pocket:
A rigid box ( 1″x7″x9″) made of matte board to hold some sample prints.

In the front pockets:
Pens and Sharpies, Fliers, Business cards

The other two thin pockets have been great for magazines and travel
documents.

It is at least 25lbs, easy. I am loving the bag and have been given compliments on it, especially from those I know that shoot. The bag is a breeze though, everything is very logical and functions extremely well for its intended purpose. It is incognito and slick. I love it, great job!”

You can view Andrew’s photo documentation by city, on his website. For those music lovers with a sharp eye… can you identify the artist in Andrew’s DC gallery? Half of a famous duo.Now, the mad scientists must get back to the laboratory to develop more Frankensteins to protect your gear.

Onward.