|
Carl Posey, a California native and student of the Academy of Art College in San Francisco found himself shooting for local magazines and exhibiting work in San Francisco? Bay Area renowned Galleries. After his first assignment for Spin magazine in New York City he moved there a year later. His first week in the Big Apple landed a shoot with Warner Music Groups artist, Del The Funkyhomosapien. You can ask many people in New York City, they remember Carl Posey? Hot 97 Music Radio subway billboard campaign, iconic portraits of artists like L.L. Cool J., Mary J. Blige, The Fugees, Lil Kim, Busta Rhymes and many more. One could not miss these striking black and white photographs shot in the studio with a white background - posted allover New York? subway stations from 1995 to 2000. They planted the ultimate mood of what hip-hop is all about, capturing the reckless and relentless energy of the featured artists. The portrait of the Fugees for example, depicts Praz, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, in a straight-forward, interlocking triad composition in which the three appear fearlessly self-assured, unfettered and ready for the future that has unfolded before them. In the following Hot 97 billboard campaign, shot in color in 1999, Carl used the available light in the environment and included techniques such as his signature combination of strobe and ambient light on location. Red Man is pictured in a deserted industrial landscape punctuated only by a chain-link fence against which he positions himself, contemplating the environment around him. While another photograph of Jay-Z exhibits a prophetic solitary figure on the Brooklyn Bridge. Varying in dimension, color, composition, mood and technique, the photographs bear a greater connection to an individual along a temporal path rather than placing the subject in a static, manicured focus. Some famous out-takes show Carl? ability to depict the subjects with the kind of sensibility which results from his personal contact with the artists. Former member of the Wu-Tang-Clan, Method Man is depicted between sets, sketching and playfully interacting with other individuals on the set, while another photograph captures Jay-Z in a rare, lighthearted studio moment. One of Carl? photographs of Biggie Smalls, later known as the Notorious B.I.G., which is intriguing in content and history. Taken in front of his mothers Brooklyn home, the black and white photograph pictures Smalls with his gun angled toward the head of his comrade while donning a hyper-mad expression. Carl - again - captured the reckless and relentless energy of this young hip-hop artist, bearing the truth about his own life and present conditions both on his music and his attitude. Carl, who has been shooting professionally for more than a decade, has made a huge mark in history of hip-hop photography. Biggie? portraits have been published in countless magazines and books. The Whitney Museum of Art ?he Black Male as one of the most prestigious. Carl has shot numerous album covers for record companies such as Columbia, Def Jam, Sony, La Face and Jive. Portraits of DMX, Naughty By Nature, India Arie, D?ngelo, Heavy D, and Public Enemy have been featured in magazines such as Vibe, Essence, Paper, Spin, The Source, Urb and many others. Segram? Captain Morgan Liquor advertising campaign, shot by Carl Posey from 1998 - 2003 catches your attention - once with colorful images, once with black and whites - of people catering in relaxed poses, having a great time in New York City night clubs and on the beaches of Miami. Carl? advertising campaigns for Jaguar? S-Type and XK-sport cars in 2001 and 2002 are other major successes, with their sporty-elegant images. They show great lifestyle scenes on the streets in NYC and Martha? Vineyard. The campaign for Jaguar? S-Type car in 2003 was shot in NYC? summer getaway the East Hamptons. AT&T, Reebok, Royal Sneakers, Lugz, Footlocker, all advertising campaigns Carl has been highly recognized for. One of the campaigns Carl is very fond of is the one for the United Negro College Fund, which was shot in 2001. It shows a variety of situations of despair & homelessness and aspiration & hope. This campaign received an image award for non-profit organization advertising in England. Carl? portrait range is big. He had assignments with civil rights activist Angela Davis and feminist writer Bell Hooks. His portraits of Henri Kissinger for Forbes Magazine and the noble cover shoot of Jonny Cocran and Vanessa Williams are classics. Unforgettable the striking black and white images of actor Don Cheadle and the unusual setting for the portrait of ?evil in a Blue Dress writer Walter Mosley as well as Carl? take on Chris Tucker. Carl Posey? portraits have been featured in Magazines such as The New York Times Magazine, The L.A Times Magazine, Newsweek, The San Francisco Bay Guardian, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Interview, Honey, New Yorker, Der Spiegel, Bolero, Annabelle, Fortune, Black Enterprise, XXL, One World, Success. Without a doubt, Carl Posey is an all-around photographer who has the kind of sensibility and heart to put any subject, in the suitable light, without neglecting the subjects own character and charm. Carl? own charm, energy and excitement always works to bring out the best in his subjects. He is willing to sacrifice almost anything to get the shot. He urges that environment and location are very important to him to graphically challenge the image and help create the mood. All the above results in that timeless quality of Carl Posey? photography. Carl has shot numerous album covers for record companies such as Columbia, Def Jam, Sony,
La Face and Jive.
Artist History2006 Franklin 54 Gallery, Contemporary Fine Art, 181 Christopher Street, New York City, Awards
NAACP/ A mind is a terrible thing to waist campaign 2001 |
|
||||||||||||
