The Big Red Boot

Who needs red bottoms when one can have the whole…damn…thang dipped in it?  Thanks to MSCHF [pronounced Mischief] shoe enthusiasts all over the globe can come together in hopes of copping a pair of kicks that’ll make them feel like BIG STEPPERS (no Kendrick) in their respective hoods.

Simply coined, “Big Red Boot,” the Brooklyn-based art collective’s latest cheeky product looks like something your favorite fictional cartoon character would rock. In fact, they’re the real life version of Astro Boy’s shoe of choice and Dora The Explorer’s sidekick, Boots, well…red boots.

The embellished footwear, retailed for $350 USD, features a TPU rubber shell and EVA sole unit. They will be made available on February 16th at 11am Eastern Time via MSCHF.com and the MSCHF app.  

Damn, too bad these joints aren’t dropping on Valentine’s Day. I bet y’all had some sentimental bars like: “this year, I finally got you some shoes that are as huge as your heart,” in the tuck.

Rowdy Sneaker Shopping

Rowdy Rebel recently went Downtown to meet up with Joe La Puma for a special edition of Complex’s Sneaker Shopping series.

During their unorthodox interview, the Brooklyn Drill master spoke about finally being out of jail, his basketball playing days, affinity for Air Jordans, comical unfamiliarity with Off-white and reuniting with Bobby Shmurda.  My favorite moment in this sitdown (well, standup rather) is when Joe mentioned the famed sneaker store on Utica Avenue in BK called “Sneaker King.”  Sh*t, I’m surprised he even knew about that spot (great research, my guy!).  

A few years ago, I lived a few minutes away from the aforementioned shoe shop, and I must say, it is clutch for limited releases. Shout out to “Get Set” on Nostrand Ave. as well! I’m not sure if they’re still open for business, but I did stroll down the old hood to take a quick flick for those who are not familiar with it:

Watch Rowdy ball out on some “boots” below:

Peedi Party

In Pop Smoke’s menacing yet hypnotizing hood anthem “Christopher Walking,” the late east coast rapper savagely questioned the street cred of his ops. Well, one person that certainly isn’t afraid of “going outside” is none other than Peedi. No, I’m not talking about the former Roc-A-Fella records emcee Peedi Crakk (que linda ma!), but like the legendary Philly spitter, the Brooklyn bred hustler is running amok through his respective state like it’s his own property. 

Name any percolating event that’s going down in the greater areas of NYC and Peedi, aka Peedi Piff, is most likely the person that’ll welcome you to the party. Peedi and I initially met at Nigo’s former SoHo hotspot more than 10 years ago where he would frequently slide through with his crew. Believe it or not, we had our first conversation about a month before I eventually dipped from the store in 2015.

Peedi is a massive socialite who is constantly attending the biggest parties so I wanted to check up on him to see how he’s coping with this unbearable quarantine lockdown. Since he’s constantly on the move, this is the perfect time to catch him while he’s literally forced to remain still.

Check out the transcript of our conversation below as we talk about his upbringing, party hopping and future endeavors.

FRENDY: What’s good homie! Is your name really Peedi or is it just an alias?

PEEDI: Alias.  I no longer use my actual name, everyone uses “Peedi” now. So it’s rare to hear any other name. 

FRENDY:  How did you even get that moniker?

PEEDI: Through a close friend of mine. I used to work at his father’s store. He said I look like Peedi Crakk one day and it carried on over into high school. 

FRENDY: Really? *Laughs*. I don’t see the resemblance at all—maybe it was because y’all had similar styles back in the day. If you don’t mind me asking, what is your real name?

PEEDI:  That's a secret *Laughs*.  I’m in the process of getting it changed legally as we speak. 

FRENDY: I respect that.  It’s dope that we’re both BK boys. What’s your background though?

PEEDI:  Mostly Jamaican background. I’ve heard I have Dominican in there somewhere though.  I haven’t met that side, so I stick strictly to Jamaican. 

FRENDY: Nice. I’m Haitian but I’m pretty mixed as well. Have you ever been to Jamaica?

PEEDI: Crazy, I haven’t *Laughs*.  Not as an adult at least. I used to have a fear of traveling alone and I would get asked to go by myself. I wasn’t down for that though *Laughs*. 

FRENDY:  That’s pretty funny *Laughs*.  How was your experience growing up in Brooklyn?

PEEDI: Different.  Growing up there was really aggressive for me. I started off in East Flatbush and bounced around through Canarsie. I loved it though!  Its high energy, fast pace. I got sent to live in Queens midway through school by my mom. She said it would be better living wise for me growing up. 

FRENDY: I totally agree with you on that. I moved to the East New York area of BK when I was seven—and let's just say it wasn’t sweet *Laughs*. Tough areas build character for sure though. Which part of Queens did you migrate to?

PEEDI:  Rosedale, Queens. I think at the age of 10. Prominently Haitian neighborhood. Real quiet—complete opposite of where I was in Brooklyn. That’s where I learned to speak Creole. Not fluently, just enough though. Haitian parents hate speaking English for too long *Laughs*. 

FRENDY: Ayy!  You’re an honorary Haitian then. I’m guessing you didn’t have to worry too much about getting into trouble there. How was High School like for you?

PEEDI:  High School was different from what I expected it to be. A lot of it was violent, mostly due to the crowd I was around. I went to Martin Van Buren. Queens wasn’t as crazy as Brooklyn to me. They for sure carried their fair share though. 

During my sophomore year in High school, I started going to the Bape store after 9th period to catch a pair of kicks. One of my closest friends was gang affiliated in high school.  A lot of the people I met at first were in gangs. Good people (some), the stigma still carries. By the time I got to my senior year I was in school by myself. At first it started out as a group of us that didn’t necessarily know each other in junior high. We just gravitated towards each other due to being at the same place. 

FRENDY:  As they say, “birds of a feather flock together.” I’m glad you didn’t end up in any serious jam. And yeah, I do remember you coming to the shop with a bunch of fly guys back in the day. I could tell y’all were “up to no good,” but still cool people though *Laughs*. Are you still close with the old crew?

PEEDI: Yeah, I think you are referring to when I would come there after high school. I used to go more frequent before then. I met those guys towards my senior year and transitioned into a new group of people to surround myself with. I still speak to them though.

FRENDY:  Besides the fact that you were the only one left in HS, What inspired you to kick it with a new group of cats that wasn’t as “troublesome” as before?

PEEDI:  I was focused on income always and... females. So that was huge and I got with like minded people.  We started to throw events together. 

FRENDY: Financial abundance and beautiful women, name a better duo? I like where your head's at.  Would you say that your new set of friends introduce you to the party scene?

PEEDI:  Yeah, exactly. And they did for sure!  They had me sneaking out of the house on school nights to go to “18 for girls, 21 for guys” college parties. Then I would sneak back home to shower, and go straight to school. 

FRENDY:  Was your partying interfering with school? As far as keeping up with HW and projects due?

PEEDI:  Not really.  Senior year I kind of breezed on through. I only had 4 classes and lunch so I was out before noon. I was being lazy that year. I passed everything though.   By that time I was over school and on a different type of time mentally. 

FRENDY: It was time to turn up and get it! How was your relationship with your parents during that period? Did they instill that go-getter attitude as a youngin’?

PEEDI:  No, most of the things I know have been self taught. 

FRENDY: Interesting. Well, that just shows you were aware enough to know where you wanted to be in life (no Donell Jones).  How often were you partying senior year in High School? Did you carry on the tradition throughout College?

PEEDI:  Not much.  A Thursday here and there. When I graduated I started throwing my own. 

FRENDY:  Nice, so freshman year of college you started throwing your own events. Do you remember your very first one? Were you nervous about the turn out? 

PEEDI:  Yeah, the first one we were more anxious than nervous. We knew people would come; we didn’t expect it to have as big a turnout as it did. 

FRENDY:  Pleasant surprises are the best.  Did you throw the event in Queens or the city?

PEEDI:  [In] Long Island at a place called Rapture Lounge at the time.

FRENDY:  Let’s run it back a little. So during the latter years of High School you started heading out to Bape. Was that your first introduction to Soho or were you aware of the glamorous downtown area before?

PEEDI:  I’ve been to Soho before that in high school.  We would go walking around looking for garments.

FRENDY: I must admit, you were fresher than most since I saw you the very first time at Bape. We never had a full blown conversation but I felt the cool vibes. Soho has changed so much, from the stores all the way down to the type of individuals that kick it over there. What do you miss most about the area?

PEEDI:  Man a lot—Bar 89 for one . So much has changed in fashion and social media. I believe it was only MySpace and Facebook back then. I miss going to SoHo and eating at Wendy’s over by Broadway, I miss Atrium. There’s a bunch of experiences that have been taken away changing the aesthetics of the vibes of soho. Running into random people. 

I miss the old Bape squad, a lot of them went to Old Westbury. So I met them there, a few of my partners went there so that college was like a hub for us.  We spent a lot of “Thirsty Thursdays” at Old Westbury. Attending a few of their parties. A lot of our core came from there. I had to use that college back when you had to go to college to be on Facebook.  Now I’m just in and out of Soho.  I spend most of my leisure time in the LES. 

FRENDY: I hear you.  Which college did you attend? Or did you decide to skip it altogether?

PEEDI: I didn’t have the at home support it took to get to college. Long story. I tried York [and] they owned my pockets. I was too popular by then to focus so I stopped going. 

FRENDY: Trust me, I know exactly what you mean. I couldn’t finish school [Brooklyn College] because of financial reasons. The only thing that matters is one’s motivation to succeed and persistence. All things are possible when there’s belief. When did you first realize that you could utilize your popularity into a business opportunity?

PEEDI:  Out of high school.  That’s the first thing I used social media for. That’s why people knew me. 

FRENDY: What did you usually post? Your outfits or just the events you attended? Were you strategic about them…

PEEDI: I only promoted our flyers. There’s always a formula you use especially when something is good.

FRENDY:  That's a fact. You hardly post on Instagram now. What caused you to suddenly shift it to mystery mode?

PEEDI:  The content on the internet [is] flooded with garbage. Lies. The internet just got nasty....I also noticed when people miss you they pay attention to you more. You can overflow people with your thoughts, opinion, style etc. if you give it to them in increments, it hits harder. It’s like when you are always with your family vs when you’ve been away from them for a while, the love that is shown is different. People appreciate you more when you are not as accessible.

FRENDY: What do you consider as nasty *Laughs* ? 

PEEDI:  Just an overflow of nothing going on. Borderline porn in some cases.  Not knocking it, I just don’t want my sauce mixed in with that.

FRENDY:  Although you aren’t posting as much, those who personally know you are aware of your infamous party hopping.  How many events do you go to on a given night?

PEEDI:  Not even sure, it can vary honestly. I’ve had nights I’ve gone to three events and four clubs, and even done after parties. I started drinking red bull with whatever I drank after a while to keep up.

FRENDY:  What is your most memorable party thus far?

PEEDI: I would say between Kevin Durant's birthday party of 2019 and Rihanna’s Fenty after party Fashion Week the same year.  Both [were] crazy!

FRENDY: Sounds bananas, for sure. How do you get into these exclusive shindigs?

PEEDI:  Knowing where it’s at.  Whether it be through email, friend, or word of mouth. A lot of the time I know the people at the door through networking or they remember me from my past when I’ve thrown events. I connect with many different people. I've done so many different jobs and been in different situations in life.

FRENDY:  How are you dealing with all of the social distancing that’s going on right now in New York due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

PEEDI:  It’s calming.  It’s also slowing money—especially for those seeking new employment and other business ventures. I rather us be safe, but I am also ready for it to be over and continue on with our lives.  We are due for an intervention. 

FRENDY:  Facts! Speaking of money, how does one go about actually making money from throwing events? The amount of tickets sold or profit from the bar?

PEEDI:  It just depends on what you negotiate like my man Lenny S. says *Laughs*.  There’s always a contract involved.  You negotiate it. 

FRENDY: Diddy is notoriously known for throwing the most popping parties on planet earth. Has he influenced you at all in the way that you run your business?

PEEDI: Not at all. I have noticed how he host his events and seen similarities in the way I conduct myself when people are around people.  The live energy. Honestly, the party thing occurred because we were capitalizing on our popularity. The use of the women we had around us. 

FRENDY: I feel you. Effortlessly doing what you do best to make ends meet. Are you still throwing parties with your core group of friends or are you now working with marketing agencies?

PEEDI:  Right now, I’m aiming to get into film. Everyone has their own thing going on. I am hoping to curate my own events in the near future with some brands I have created relationships with. 

FRENDY: Producing films or actually acting in them?

PEEDI:  Mostly producing them. This first project I will play a role in it. I like off screen titles. One thing I’ve learned from back then the attention from people is a lot and can be overwhelming so I’m aiming for behind the scenes. 

FRENDY: Some people crave attention, but don’t know how to act when it's sizzling under the microscope. 2020 started off a bit shaky. What are you doing to remain focused during these trying times?

PEEDI: Man!  Honestly, the world is shaken the way I see it. We both have grown up and, I mean, if you look back at how vast the world has changed and the ups and downs. This will be corrected. 

I am always creating mentally. Keeping myself sharp. A guy I met recently that works for Disney said something to me that stuck. He said to never not keep your mind busy. Even if it’s not your field. Get it on a platform and create. Once you do that it’s evidence to show to companies. So I am mindful of what I put out. I joke a lot that helps me too. I know what I want. Also I have done a lot so remaining focused isn’t even a task. When I’m out I’m usually working a room. One thing I’ve noticed in the entertainment field [is that] a familiar face will always be in 1st place.

Before You Get A Boyfriend (Music Video)

Brooklyn-based group Phony Ppl has been making their rounds in the music industry since 2008. They’re still here entirely due to producing genre-bending sounds with heartfelt lyrics.  After taking a three-year hiatus, the eclectic quintet has released a new project titled, mō'zā-ik , which certainly proves that great art cannot be rushed.

One of my favorite cuts from the album, “Before You Get A Boyfriend,” displays Elbee Thrie’s, Phony Ppl’s lead vocalist, rapping and singing ability as he is declaring his love/lust (yeah, he isn’t quite sure what it is either) for a shorty before she finds another boo.

Check out the single’s climactic visual below:

Jansport's Desert Collection

Serious cojones were needed in order to rock a fresh JanSport bookbag back in my middle school days.  Yes, owning one of the iconic American apparel company’s bags automatically made you “the man”, but it also came with a hefty price of having to always be on guard against menacing classmates who were ready pounce on your unattended prized possession. (especially if the bag was decorated with multi-colored strings on its zipper.) Well, Jansport has returned with a new capsule in hopes of reigniting the grandeur it once possessed.  

Inspired by the sandy desert mountains, their Fall 2018 Desert Collection consists of the SuperBreak backpack, the Fifth Avenue waist bag and the Half Pipe FX mini.  Constructed with soft leather and suede, the bags are available in “mistral grey”, “vintage brown” and good ol’ black.

The Desert Collection is now stocked at NYC’s Extra Butter and will be sold at Jansport’s official website on October 28th.  Check out its lookbook below:

Car Test: Flatbush Zombies

"I can't speak for everybody else, but I don't want nobody in my pocket, nobody in my mind, nobody telling me what to do," says Juice from Flatbush Zombies after Elliott Wilson inquired about his rap group's decision to remain independent.  I couldn't agree more with what the wild-bearded spitter stated—why would an artist want to be handcuffed to a major label when there are a number of ways (in this digital age) that he/she can "pop" independently?

This is just one of the many thought-provoking questions asked by Mr. Wilson during an interview with the Brooklyn Rap trio on his new show, Car Test.  Not familiar with the Tidal original series?  Well, each segment showcases the respected Hip Hop journalist riding around with a musical guest as he listens to and discuss their most recent body of work.  The program's latest episode, featuring the Zombies, is the first that was taped in New York City.

While cruising through my old stomping grounds of Flatbush in a dollar van (true BK heads know about those), Meech, Erick Arc Elliot and Juice previewed their phenomenal sophomore album, Vacation In Hell.

Check out the bumpy ride below:

Headstone (Official Music Video)

Brooklyn-based Rap trio Flatbush Zombies are back from the dead to deliver the visual for their killer new single “Headstone.”

Directed by the group’s longtime collaborator Luke Monaghan, the clip features the three weed-toking amigos in their stomping grounds of Flatbush, Brooklyn doing what they do best alongside close family and friends. The song will appear on FZ’s forthcoming album, Vacation In Hell, which is scheduled to release on April 6th.

Check out the cinematic music video below:

Meech, Erick and Juice will be taking their talents on the road this year as they’ll be playing Coachella and appear in their very own “See You In Hell ” North American tour. 

Peep the tour dates above and head over to TheGloriousdead.com to cop your tickets!’

The Silent Shooter

Timothy Smith is a man of few words, but he has a sh*t load of captivating flicks to make up for it. Like most of my creative comrades, the Brooklyn bred lensman and I met at BAPE NYC - where we hardly spoke, yet had great mutual respect for each other.

I haven’t seen Timothy in about five years, so it was a pleasant surprise when he followed me on Instagram last month.  What shocked me even further were the glorious editorial shots featured on his feed, which he photographed himself. I am not in any way, shape or form attempting to downplay Tim’s artistic prowess, but I was Stacey Dash clueless about his exceptional photography skills.  As I mentioned earlier, we never had a conversation that lasted more than one minute - let alone discussed his interest in the visual arts.

This Original Stories series has provided me with the perfect opportunity to have a sitdown with the silent shooter to find out more about his background, passion for picture taking and path to success in the photography industry. Check out our dialogue below:

FRENDY:  It’s a pleasure to finally have a thorough convo with you after all these years *Laughs*. Why didn’t you tell me about your love for photography back in my early BAPE days?

TIM:  I was in my early stages, still insecure about my work. Not very confident in showing my work to others, and also still finding my voice. Like, all of my early work was of cats, street style, carts, landscapes *Laughs*. I was all over the place.

FRENDY:  I respect that, you’re excused *Laughs*. Where were you raised in Brooklyn?

TIM:  I grew up in the East Flatbush/Brownsville area. At the age of 11/12, my grandparents lost our house so I moved over to Queens to live with relatives for a while. When I first moved to Queens I stayed in Ozone park in my great uncle’s basement, then bounced around from Laurelton to South Ozone Park, then eventually landed back in Brooklyn.

FRENDY:  Crazy.  I lived in East Flatbush for most of my life as well.  Which schools did you attend growing up in Brooklyn and Queens?

TIM:  Yeah, it’s funny, you used to actually go to the gym with one of my best friends from childhood over in the BRC I think? I know you guys used to work out together, but I can’t remember where. Well, I will say this, I was fortunate enough to go to “good” schools. I attended Saint Catherine of Genoa in Brooklyn, then I finished my 8th grade year in Saint Teresa in Queens. For high school, I attended Christ the King over in Middle Village.

FRENDY:  Damn, it’s really a small world. Ok nice, those are definitely great schools to attend.  Were you always into photography growing up?

TIM:  *Laughs* Yeah, real small world. My grandparents made it a priority to send me to catholic schools because they believed it was much safer and a better education. I remember not having any lights or heat because my grandparents would have to pay 4 months of back owed tuition, because they truly believed I could do something when I got older.

Funny thing is I always wanted to be a photographer because of Spider-Man! I used to think Peter Parker was f*cking amazing. I used to get all my Spider-Man toys and create “movies” with cereal boxes as video cameras *Laughs*. Cornflakes boxes to be exact!  It wasn’t until my grandmother passed that I really thought about taking photography seriously. I literally spent my student refund check in 2012/2013 to buy a canon 7D, to actually shoot short films, and record myself reviewing video games.

One day I took a photo and all of the feels of being Spider-Man came back to me all at once. So I decided to sell my car to fund my photography addiction, I took an internship back home the summer before I graduated at Management Artist in Chelsea. It was legit the best experience of my life being around all that amazing photo work, it trained my eye very quickly to distinguish good photography from bad photography. It was an amazing summer, I slept on a living floor the entire time and enjoyed everyday of it!  

FRENDY:  Which college did you attend after Christ The King?

TIM:  I attended Saint John's University for one semester, then got kicked out because they didn’t believe my financial situation, regarding to financial aid. So pretty much even with a partial scholarship I couldn’t afford it. Then I took some time off and went to Nassau. After a while, I decided I had to leave because if not I would have gotten in so much trouble and other dumb shit.

So then I went to a small HBCU in North Carolina: ECSU and got my Bachelors. After getting my degree, I came back to Canarsie because my mom ended up getting breast cancer and I wanted to help out the best way I can, and to build a relationship between us. After that, I finally got home and applied to grad school for photography and ended up attending School of Visual Arts in NYC.

FRENDY:  Wow. First off, is your mom alright now?  Also, what kind of trouble would you have gotten yourself into at Nassau? I don’t see you as a troublemaker.

TIM:  Oh yeah, she’s fine now! Thanks for asking. Not really me getting in trouble at Nassau, it was more so I was still hanging around all my friends that always did dumb sh*t. Like I’ve never been a tough guy or whatever, but I’m also a very loyal friend, plus my house was always the hub for all my friends. So I just remember one day playing call of duty and looking around at what my friends we’re doing and was like “bro, I gotta go.” It’s all good though, they always said I shouldn't be about that ‘life’ and they respected my decision.

I would like to give a special thanks to one of my best friends/brother, Fred because when he saw I was serious about photography he gave me a f*cking brand new 5D mark II with flashes and lenses. Like, that's the type of bond me and my friends have - I'm still trying to figure out a good gift for him *Laughs*.

FRENDY:  That’s the definition of true friendship right there. Were you studying photography when you were schooling in NC? Or you started taking photography classes while attending SVA in the city?

TIM:  SVA.  I did a broadcasting class in NC and tried to get funding for a short film, but it never worked out *Laughs*. I did have three extremely amazing teachers; Professor Bright, Professor Washington, and Latoya Monique. They definitely helped me shape my creative vision by giving me the freedom to experiment as much as possible.

FRENDY:  How’d you enjoy SVA?  What did you do after receiving your Master’s in Photography there?

TIM:  SVA was cool, I made some really good friends there. If I had to be honest, you don't really need school in order to become a photographer. I learned so much in my first year of freelance, and assisting.  So right after getting my Master’s I assisted some amazing photographers like; Bon Duke & Yulia Gorbachenko. I still help Yulia out from time to time, but more the most part I’m completely freelance.

FRENDY:  Yeah, one of my great friends, Erick Hercules, is doing his thing without any schooling. Hard work, of course, is the cause of his success in the photography field.  So you said you’re a freelancer, how did you get connected prestigious publications like Vogue Italia, WWD, Vulkan Magazine etc.?

TIM:  Yeah, hard work and networking is the key to photography now - especially with social media being so important. Yeah completely freelance, so I pretty much do all of the leg work with getting jobs etc. Although I finally have an agent, and she has been awesome so far. She actually has been more of a therapist if anything so far *Laughs*.

Let's tackle magazines first.  Every magazine I shot for, so far, I’ve been denied about 100 times when I first started.  I had to constantly practice and figure out my vision. Then finally after harassing everyone I finally got through, and now magazines would reach out to me for work. That’s how I’ve been able to shoot celebrities, etc. The best word a photographer can hear is “no,” because it drives you to get better and it lets you know that there is still room to grow.

So yeah, once you get your vision and your skills up, people will gravitate towards you for your style which is very important.

FRENDY:  Yes, an artist’s style, no matter what field they’re in, has to be unique to stand out. I’ve heard “nos” all my life, which is why I’m doing my own thing in the writing world. I’m blessed enough to have met some great people along the way who are helping me materialize my vision.  All we can do is be kind to ourselves and move forward with grace.

TIM: Exactly and you’re doing fucking amazing right now, like legit you’re killing it!  I would also say one more thing: I encourage people to surround themselves with good energy and like-minded individualds. Like, for example, my queen Dominique Drakeford (melaninass.com) is hands down my best friend ever, she supports my visions, goals etc, and we can always just sit back and talk about dope sh*t.

My friend from college and artist Malcolm Rolling (www.725studios.com) was the one who actually trained me to think like an artist, and encouraged me to be one. We would legit not go to parties and sit in the room and study light and catch up on art history - that sh*t was amazing and very pivotal to how I think now. My brother Jameel Murray who taught me how to endure the journey and to realize that no hard work goes unrewarded. (Fun Fact: before his mom passed away, we were months away from being legal brothers by adoption.)

FRENDY:  Thanks my man, I really appreciate the kind words. Who’s your favorite celebrity to shoot?

TIM:  Oh man, thats a funny question *Laughs*. So everyone offered a unique experience: YG took me by surprise because of how down to earth he was - still hella gangsta though. Omari Hardwick has become a mentor/big brother figure to me, we still talk to this day. Mack Wilds and I spoke about f*cking Street Fighter, he legit has an Akuma tattoo *Laughs*. Bobby Brackins was super chill, and Marianne Mirage was super fun with great energy. Oh Yeah, Ozuna was also cool, even though he had like an intense security squad.

FRENDY:  Do you ever get starstruck?

TIM: Beforehand sometimes, but never on set because my job is to connect with them and bring out the best emotion possible for the image. They are used to everyone treating them a certain way because they are famous - most of them actually just want to have a regular convo with regular human connection.

FRENDY:  Makes sense, for sure.  How often are you shooting for publications?

TIM:  Around three to four times a month.  Honestly, as a professional photographer you spend more time out reaching and securing clients than shooting. Compared to everything else I have to do, shooting only takes up 20%.

FRENDY:  Are you particular about shooting on location? What do you look for in a setting?

TIM: I do actually prefer shooting on location, only because it keeps budgets lower for certain clients. The studio gives you maximum control over everything. I think to be successful you do need to be well versed in both.

FRENDY:  What are you currently working on Photography wise?

TIM: I’m trying to secure a few campaign and lookbook jobs, also thinking about doing a photo project based on people in brooklyn.  I’m working out the details, but I'm looking for funding for that because I want to have an exhibition and have the kids in the neighborhood get involved, get them exposed to the arts.

FRENDY:  You mentioned earlier that you aborted your short film due to funding. Are you willing to complete it at this stage of your career?

TIM:  Ah man! Yea totally - I actually just got the most expensive piec. I brought a cinema camera recently, and now working on the rest. I’m starting to create the storyboard for it and hopefully can start producing by the top of 2018. 

FRENDY:  Would it be a spoiler to tell us what the short is going to be about?

TIM:  Yeah, all I can say is it will be a relatively short fashion film. Two to five minutes long and it's inspired by Nocturnal Animals.

FRENDY:  Where do you ultimately see yourself in this ever expansive photography universe?

TIM:  Living photo legend, decent cinematographer *Laughs*, director, and running a non-profit for underprivileged kids to get into the arts in an early age.