How I Got the Shot With Dan Alavi Flicks of Respectable Street
Nick Mele Looking Through the Luxe Lens
MAY
5.2 BROCK BUTLER AND FRIENDS 8PM
5.3 NATTALI RIZE AND EARTHSTRONG 7PM
5.4 MICHAEL LEBON 2PM
5.9 JON ZEEMAN BAND 8PM
5.10 BETHANY AND AMANDA 3PM
5.10 UNLIMITED DEVOTION 8PM
5.11 THE NOUVEAUX HONKIES 2PM
5.16 VERN DAYSEL AND THE BURNING BREEZE 8PM
5.17 JJ RIVERA 3PM
5.17 CLEMENT AUBREY AND FULL AH VIBES 8PM
5.18 JOHN PATTERSON TRIO 2PM
5.23 SPIDER CHERRY 8PM
5.24 UPROOT HOOTENANNY TRIO 3PM
5.24 TASTY VIBRATIONS 8PM
5.25 ANIMO CRUZ AND JAKOB TAKOS AND THE CONNECTION 2PM
5.30 THE RICCA PROJECT 8PM
5.31 MICAH SCOTT 3PM
5.31 DAY LILY 8PM JUNE
6.01 SAMANTHA RUSSELL 2PM
6.06 AJEVA 8PM
6.07 BIRDMAN’S CLAMBAKE 3PM
6.07 YACHT LAVA 8PM
6.08 VICTORIA LEIGH 2PM
6.13 THE SUPERVILLIANS 8PM
6.14 JEFF LLOYD 3PM
6.14 FAT SPLIFFS 8PM
6.15 MICHAEL LEBON 2PM
6.20 FUNKIN’ GRATEFUL 8PM
6.21 THE NOUVEAUX HONKIES 3PM
6.21 JOEY CALDERAIO AND THE FUTURE BUDS 8PM
6.22 JOHN PATTERSON TRIO 2PM
6.27 THE RICCA PROJECT 8PM
6.28 TASTY VIBRATIONS TRIO 3PM
6.28 JOHNNY DREAD 8PM
6.29 BRETT STASKA 2PM
PUBLISHER
Dustin Wright
MANAGING EDITOR
Ava Bourbeau
EDITOR
Darien Davies
DESIGN
Richard Vergez
WRITERS
Ava Bourbeau
Darien Davies
EVENTS
Danny Wright
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dustin Wright
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOGRAPHY
Brian Hall
Brianna Fournier
Alfonso Duran
Andrea Sarcos
Devin Stephens
Devin Dewane
Nick Mele
Jesse Glendinning
Todd McVey
Rachel Fleischman
Henry Bliss
Zach Guinta
Mike Jurewicz
Jakob Takos
Dan Alavi
ADVERTISING
561-449-2263
THANKS
…to our advertisers who make this local mag you’re about to enjoy both possible and free. As you’ll notice, we’ve worked hard over the years to curate our sponsorships with businesses we know you’ll enjoy. They’ve become an integral part of our mag being one cohesive piece and we can’t thank them enough.
Please support us by supporting them.
THE COVER
info@theatlanticcurrent.com :
Henry Bliss
Are you even an analog photographer if you shoot film and then develop your photos at a national drugstore chain? Studies say no.
An original home of 1-hour film developing in South Florida — Hey! It’s even in the name — this family-owned printing hub is a watering hole for local analog-heads for a reason. For more than five decades, 60 Minutes Photo has been known for its exceptional work and mom-and-pop roots.
Richard Hutchings, an entrepreneur at heart, started the business when photography became more accessible to hobbyists. Photographers frequented their four locations — from Boca Raton to Jupiter — for developing film and printing photos, and the business saw huge success.
However, as the art and the cameras evolved with the digital age, 60 Minutes Photo, like many other labs, was put under strain. The business survived to today partly because of their willingness to adapt by adding services geared toward digital photography, but they never gave up on the art of film photography. These days, they operate out of their Jupiter and West Palm Beach locations.
They still offer a full range of film services, including converting any format of photo into a digital file, and the quick turnaround for developing film that they’re known for.
Two generations later, Hunter Hutchings, Richard’s grandson, is now at the helm of the establishment after being passed the responsibility of the family business from his father Harold, and uncle, Jim.
their family memories. It’s rewarding to hear from our customers that they’ve been driving past our signs for as long as they can remember, some who have shopped with us for years, some who have visited for the first time and can’t believe all we have to offer. I’m always seeing familiar names come across my desk. We have a great batch of regulars who are always happy to mention they are so glad we are still here, even some of the winter visitors who claim they have nothing like us where they are from,” Hunter said.
We suspect the photography industry will keep changing, but 60 Minutes Photo has nailed the balance between adapting with the times and maintaining their roots. They have the latest technology and tools for modern photography, but also machinery for analog photography that is no longer even in production. Not to mention, they are adaptable to any and all requests that come through their doors. Whether you’re a professional photographer wanting a print made, or you’re wondering how to transfer photos off your old digital camera, 60 Minutes Photo is ready to help.
DAIKAIJU
These two photos are from Daikaiju’s recent show at Respectable Street. They are phenomenal to see live! They set up their kit on the floor instead of on the stage and the crowd just packs in right up next to them, forming this little pit. Communicating with just gestures and musical notes they command the crowd. Quite a sight to behold. During the show, usually toward the end, they set the cymbals of the drums on fire and from that fire they light a guitar ablaze. We won’t speak on the legality of this… Anyway, the first shot of the bassist on the left throwing up a peace sign and the lead guitarist on the right was shot with the Fujian 35mm lens. The f/1.7 aperture is decent enough for low light, but the manual focus makes it difficult to nail that perfectly accurate focus. The second photo of the fire is one of the ones I really love how it turned out. For this, I used my fisheye lens, but instead of using flash like I normally do, I opened up the aperture to f/2, the widest it goes, turned
my ISO to 6400, and focused as best as I could. I love how there’s so much going on in this photo, the expressions on people’s faces, the fire, the crowd, so many little scenes in one grand moment.
I think these photos are a good example of something I think a lot of people learning photography forget or fail to learn; depending on the type of photography you’re doing, your photo doesn’t always need to be perfectly sharp and perfectly in focus. The most important thing to me in the moment I took these photos was capturing the moment. You only have a split second to get the photo. Why fiddle around with getting the focus perfect? Get it as good as you can and snap that photo. Once the moment ends, it’s gone for good.
WOODY
I took this photo this past Halloween at the venerable, the ever present, the hallowed Respectable Street! My typical setup for when I’m in a crowded place like Respects is the TTArtisan 7.5mm f/2 fisheye, a Godox TT350F, and a Godox X3F wireless flash trigger for off-camera flash. I set my flash to TTL mode, usually with about a -1/3 underexposure set so the flash isn’t too strong. I keep my aperture between f/8 or f/11, f/11 being the tightest the aperture can close down to. At these tighter apertures and the depth of field, or what is in focus, can cover around 1 foot to infinity… so basically everything is in focus. The higher the ISO when using TTL flash metering the lower the strength of the flash can be, which helps use less battery and also decreases the cycle time before your flash has to charge up to be ready again for use. With this setup I just keep scanning the surroundings for something interesting and
when I see it I sneak up, hold up my camera and flash, and take the photo. Zone focusing, what I described with the tight aperture and crazy depth of field, can be faster than autofocus, especially on this ultra-wide lens, which due to the crop factor of aps-c sensors is an equivalent of an 11mm focal length on a full-frame camera. It really is a perfect setup for run-and-gun photos in super tight spots like clubs and parties. The most important part that makes this setup work is the flash. You don’t need to use off-camera flash like me, but you need the flash to be able to use a tight aperture like f/8 so everything is always in focus, especially for low light scenarios. There’s this one saying I heard that always comes to mind when shooting with this gear, “f/8 and be there.”
@man_the_danalog
Nick Mele Looking Through the Luxe Lens
BY DARIEN DAVIES
It’s a bit of a kaleidoscope love story between fact and fiction. A sprinkle of Alice in Wonderland and New York Fashion Week, and a tingling sense of feeling like you’re going to get in trouble if you get caught looking. Like peeking through the peephole on a door you didn’t know existed.
Welcome to Nick Mele’s decade-long euphoric world of lifestyle, fashion and fine art photography. Dress in luxury, take a seat, and make yourself comfortable.
“Most of my work is environmental portraiture. I like to create scenes and imply a story. I think the environment is just as important as the subject and it’s their interaction that creates the narrative. I like lots of detail and a level of symmetry, said Nick, 42, who describes his style as irreverent, whimsical, timeless and natural. “I get inspired by stories, movies, comics, other artists and other types of art. I get inspired by my family and all of the quirky characters I come across in my daily life. I try to document the world how I see it, but sometimes it’s more about
how I want to see it. Occasionally, I like to blur the lines between reality and fiction while trying not to sacrifice believability.”
Assuming you have a pulse, you’ll experience the exact same feeling that Nick does when he takes a photograph: instant gratification. There’s just that certain something about his photographs that lead to wonderment, inspiration, and goosebumps — and quite frankly, a bit of f-ing jealousy. Honestly, he even makes smoking cigarettes look cool again. If you weren’t interested in plaid, wallpaper, or alligators before now, the regal life just might be calling your name (or hopefully someone’s name from whom you can benefit).
“I always loved art growing up, but it wasn’t until high school that I traded a pen and paper for the relative instant gratification of photography. In
a pre-iPhone, pre-Instagram world, photography was a way for me to document the world around me. Despite that proclivity, I fought very hard against making it a career,” said Nick, who typically captures friends and family members in locations that require very little staging. “I dabbled in photography right out of college, but it was hard for me to see a path to success in the arts. I spent most of my 20s splitting my efforts between many different pursuits, hoping that one thing would stick. I even went back to school to get a masters in business. I finally decided to give photography 100% of my focus when I ran out of any other attractive options. It was less of an ‘ah hah’ and more of an ‘ah crap’ moment. However, it was that newfound focus and motivation that began me on the road to success.”
While each image might be successful in its own right, he’s specifically referring to his multitude of career highlights, or professional snapshots, if you will. These include his first big commercial fashion job for Sam Edelman, his first coffee table book (“A Newport Summer”) with a major publisher, and his art exhibit and window display at Bergdorf Goodman in New York. He’s also created and sustained collaborations with brands that have helped shape his career and work, including The Colony Hotel, Lilly Pulitzer, The Kips Bay Decorator Show House, and Brunschwig & Fils, to name a few.
Taking a snippet from his online bio, Nick “has become known for spinning tales of surreal characters in dreamlike domestic spaces,” which is exactly what it feels like. His photographs actually exude a feeling of illegality, as if you’re looking at someone’s most casual and raw mo-
ment without them knowing, but you can’t avert your eyes as it would be rude.
“I truly believe that the ultimate picture of my career will be judged by others and that the best laid plans for a great photo often go awry,” said Nick, who states that every photoshoot is a mixture of pre-planning and spontaneity. “I think I gravitate more to locations than I do to specific people, and there are a ton of iconic locales in which I would love to create scenes. For me, it’s really about accessing places that most people wouldn’t get to photograph and then creating images that most people wouldn’t expect to see.”
Nick captures a world where we’re all mad and nothing’s impossible, and it’s captivatingly “curiouser and curiouser.” It is truly a wonderland, indeed.
