Archives: VSCOcam

At the risk of over promoting myself… I wanted to talk about why being chosen for VSCO Cam® Best of 2013: Black & White is a big deal to me and how it relates to the Ride x Create vibe Kyle and I have been promoting for the last few years.

So… I’m not a photographer, but I do strive to develop better photo capturing skills.  When I first nabbed an iPhone (about a year after Kyle) I went picture taking crazy and polluted the internet via Instagram for a long time (I still do to some extent), but after watching Kyle really fine tune his iPhonography skills (and FOLLY started developing)… I saw the light.

“Argue for your limitations and soon they will be yours”. There is a lot of truth to that statement and something the resonates with me daily. When you have perceived limitations one of two things happen… you either give up (maybe because you don’t want it bad enough or you’re just really lazy) or you get creative and make it happen with whatever tools you have available (thanks Macgyver).  So… the tool that I had was an iPhone and away I went developing better perspective and understanding how light works.

I started searching for spots to shoot as I cruised around town. It had/has a very similar feel to searching for skate spots. Once I find a spot to shoot the creative juices start flowing on how to capture that spot. This happens most when I’m out shooting BMX (Chris Rost) or other like minded folks.

With all that said, at first I was using a lot of Instagram filters to “enhance” my snap shots and they were ok for the time being. Then VSCO happened. I saw Kyle Steed and Brenton Little #VSCOcam and check’ed it out. My initial thoughts were “These aren’t nearly ‘enhanced’ enough” HA!! I was very ignorant to the purpose of VSCO and didn’t even know it stood for Visual Supply Co. Neat right? As I saw my buds pushing some absolutely stunning shots I gave good ol’ VSCO a second look. I. Was. Hooked!!  Once you dive deep into the VSCO vibe, you never look back. They have developed a mobile editing app that will allow you to better develop yourself as a photographer on the go.

I start pushing VSCO, diving deep into its functions and before I knew it I started producing better photos. It was so rad! I would get on the phone with Kyle and he would say… “that was a good shot”. Simple right? It let me know I was on the right track, and If I wanted to get better I needed that affirmation of good or told it sucked. Oddly, no one has told me I suck yet. Not saying you haven’t thought it. Sometimes I think it.

The next step is to transition out of editing the photo at all and let the shot speak for itself. Now that… that’s hard with an iPhone (Editor’s Note: That was a perceived limitation), but I’ve been working on a #nonvsco hashtag project that only utilizes the “tools” vs. filters. It’s a fun personal challenge.

To sum all this up. It’s a big deal to me because I started out at sucking and pushed until quality started presenting itself. It also doesn’t hurt to capture a rad pro skater. Push your “limits” every. damn. day! Get the tool (photo taking device, skateboard, bicycle, etc.) that works best for you and dominate. If you suck at first… that’s ok. We all do. Get/Stay motivated and get better.

Go check out all the amazing folks on VSCO Cam® Best of 2013: Black & White. I’m so amped mine is featuring Collin Provost.

Time to go ride. Cheers!

RIDE x CREATE

Photo by JerSean Golatt

Y E S!!! I’m so proud of Kyle. Go check out his VSCOcam Feature!!  ALL photos taken with an iPhone and edited with VSCOcam. Yeah… it’s amazing and inspires me everytime I oogle at his work.

Limits… what limits! Go out there and kill it every. damn. day! Whether it be photography, cycling, skating, being a friend/father or mother/husband or wife… do it to it!

RIDE x CREATE

This weekend was the first REALLY cold ride of the season. It wasn’t that the weather was insane so much as the gloves I wore trapped sweat on my hands then froze them horribly!!  I started the ride with some slim fitting (which are still huge) snowboarding gloves that I thought would defeat the cold. After about an hour of riding my fingers turned to popsicles and I had to swap out gloves to the Giro Westerly Wool.  The Westerly Wool’s work great down to about 40’ish degrees depending on how long you’ll be riding, but not so much for the low 20’s on top of the mountain… and who knows what the wind chill was coming down; but the Westerly Wool’s did a hell of a lot better than those damn hand refrigerators I started out with. Two things I need immediately… a solid cycling purposed winter glove and face cover. Then I’ll be set.

Complaint sess over… Now, as mentioned in the previous post, “Early morning rides are peacefully eerie.” This Saturday morning ride was. AMAZING!!! I started out at Blevins Bicycle Co. and rode 6 miles north to the start of the climb. Facing headwinds close to 20 mph… it was a solid warm up for the chill I was about to face. I duck into a neighborhood to minimalize the wind until I get up to the climb. No one is awake yet. No cars on the streets. Just me, the wind and Old Man Winter. I jut my jaw forward to blow my warm stank coffee breath on my nose that helps keep Old Man Winter at bay.  Just getting to the start of the climb, the heat is kicking in and I know I’m totally good for the next slow 7’ish miles to the top.

As I climb, the fog is setting in. The frost is growing on the low bushes and brush. It’s incredibly beautiful and getting increasingly colder. With my popsicle’esk fingers, I pull out my iPhone and start snapping away. I had a lot of ideas of what I wanted to capture but couldn’t really move my nubs to take the photos, so I opted for only a couple spots I knew would be way rad.

The photo below is on the climb up via an old closed down portion of the road.  About 400 meters further up, everything is icy white. I start getting really amped.  Two spots cross my mind. The overlook at the top of the route and this relatively flat mountain bike trail that would be so good to ride and shoot in this weather. I prop my bike up against the wall… snap, snap, snap… take a look at how the three turn out and right after the third preview (with 58% “battery life” left) my phone dies due to cold… Old Man Winter killed my phone!!

As I damn my phone and Old Man Winter, I contemplate riding the MTB trail anyways… then the thought creeps in, ‘I only have one spare tube. I had a double flat last wooded ride. My phone is dead. No one is dumb enough to hike this today. I will die.’ So I turn around and start heading down the mountain at a very uncomfortable chill level.

Long story longer… I make it back to Blevins, change out of my newly acquired UPNESS kit and coverings. Drink a cup of coffee and share my freeze story with the fellas.

The leaves have fallen. The cold has set in. Early morning rides are peacefully eerie. I truly dig the melancholy vibe of this season.

I hope you’re soaking up this goodness in your neck of the woods.

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Le VSCO

The cycling community is strong from sea to shining sea! I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Jeremy Dunn several weeks ago in good ol’ Portland during the Chris Igleheart shoot out of Velo Cult. He’s a clean cut good lookin fella. With a smile on his face and beer in hand, I walked up and introduced myself. Jeremy and I have had a small amount of interaction via social media (thanks for keeping us social internet), so It was really good to meet in person.

With that being said… I contacted Jeremy after I got back to Alabama and expressed I’d love to check out some Rapha gear, test it and put together a review. I only mentioned the Rapha Merino Arm/Leg Warmers so I could show off our newly acquired FOLLY kit throughout the winter. He said he’d get me set up… and that he did. Merino Arm/Leg/Knee Warmers as well as this bad ass Merino Hooded Top. Due to his generosity I wanted to take this review to the next level and bring in Tyler Brown to ride and shoot Rapha’s goodness.

This is easily the most stylish piece of riding apparel I own. The temperature was in the low 40’s with a wind chill pushing to the mid to high 30’s. As you know (or should), Merino wool does its job well. It does not stop the wind but holds heat. The section in the center of this top is wind proof with wool underneath. This helps keep your core temperature up and your body does the rest by distributing that heat to your fingers and toes. Neat right? Yes I agree.

But don’t worry, this top isn’t stylish at the sacrifice of function. When it gets cold, windy and dark… it has you covered. There are couple hi-vis features that will keep you seen. One up top to secure the windproof hood if you’re not in need of it. The second is with a rear pocket to house your phone/wallet/flask.  If you choose to go stealth, you can stow the pink accents simply by unbuttoning them. The rear pocket hi-vis tab also has the Rapha logo that is reflective.

When I first put the Rapha Hooded Top on… I thought out loud, “this is the Cadillac of hooded tops”. It really is. The top hugs you well but does not limit mobility.

I sincerely dig Rapha.  To sum it up… this top feels/looks/performs so good. And I’m a BIG fan of Merino goodness.  Go to Rapha and check out other features and photos of the Merino Hooded Top. I promise you won’t be disappointed that you did. And when you pick one up, we’ll share in the glorious comfort, style and function that is this top.

Make sure to follow along on our Instagram with #follyinrapha . I’ve already posted a few snaps of the arm/leg warmers and Hooded Top. I’ll continue to do so as the opportunity presents itself.  

(Editor’s Note: Big THANK YOU to Tyler Brown for his time and skill shooting these photos. He was kind enough to let me pick the ones I liked and put my own edit on them.  He shot with a Fuji X100S. I uploaded the shots to my iPhone and edited with VSCO. All editing was performed via iPhone 5. Argue for your limitations and soon they will be yours. Cheers!)

RIDE x CREATE

Yesterday was a very rad day cruising the couple blocks of city Huntsville, AL has to offer with Chris Rost. No matter how big or small your arena… there will always be solid spots to ride and photos to be had.

I get amped on cruising and finding photo spots. As I continue to understand photography and what’s going to look good (when to shoot, where to shoot, who to shoot…),  It’s very similar to finding new skate spots or revisiting old ones but with a new way to hit it up.  For example, you can shoot the same spot with a dozen different outcomes in the same way you can hit the same skate spot with a dozen different tricks. It all depends on the perspective and imagination you bring to the table. The creative element is there in both scenarios. What’s really amazing is riding with guys like Chris. I explain what I think would be cool to capture, he elevates it with his BMX riding ability and dreams come true.

(Editors Note: All shots are taken with an iPhone 5 and edited with VSCO. Argue for your limitations and soon they will be yours.)

Lets ride together.

RIDE x CREATE

Chris Rost

Johnny Pacheco

RIDERS BE RIDIN!

From time to time I like to show off… this is one of those times. All shots you’ve seen Kyle and I post are taken with an iPhone 5 and processed using VSCO.  If you’ve yet to download VSCOcam to your mobile device… you should do so now. It’s a great editing tool to enhance yer already rad perspective.

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I hope you enjoy! Get motivated! Use the tools you have and create the radest of rad.

RIDE x CREATE

It’s never a bad idea to take the road less traveled.

First round of snaps for the Levi’s x VSCO #commuter project.

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I hope you enjoyed.

All #commuter snaps are taken and edited with an iPhone using VSCOcam and the LVI / LV2 Levi’s edition presets (if you haven’t added VSCOcam as your photo editing app of choice… you really should). 

Never not inspired.  I hope you are to.  Make sure to tag your snaps on Instagram #commuter to show your support for the Levi’s x VSCO collaboration.  I’ll also be tagging my commuter shots with #commuterscommute if you would like to check out my take on this very rad project!