a Ty Cole web log

Communication Arts FRESH

2012-01-10T13:55:00.007-05:00

In case you've been living under a rock there is this magazine called Communication Arts and it's badass. They showcase the best of the best illustrators, photographers & copywriters. So they have this section on their website called FRESH which showcases new artists, up-n-coming artists (commercial), etc.... And low and behold they are featuring yours truly! I know, I know, what's wrong with these people? I said the same thing. Anyway, before they change their mind and take me down I'm going to promote the shit out of it.

I really do not expect acknowledgments like this therefore this is a big deal for me. Not just anybody gets chosen for this and I can immediately think of people who are more deserving than me. Thanks so much to CA for putting me up on this pedestal, I'm truly honored.

CALIPER

2012-01-06T15:43:00.006-05:00

Hola! I've been slacking on the blog lately, my bad. So today I'm finally posting my personal shoot I did with Caliper Studio's fabrication shop. I had a loose idea of what I wanted to do, which was basically still lives of machinery and environmental portraits. I specifically wanted to shoot the machinery on black and I instantly loved the results. The old machinery has such personality and the design is just beautiful, especially the lathe. The guys (and gal) were troopers for putting up with me and I owe them a big one. We (Caliper and I) are talking of printing some of these out large format and having a little shindig in our hood (Caliper is based in Williamsburg, BK and I live just a few blocks away) and if that goes down I'll be sure to put the word out. To see more from this series please visit my website. They are all in the recent work section as of right now but will eventually end up in their own gallery under projects.

Burning Leaves

2011-11-26T08:20:00.006-05:00

Night Swimming Pool

2011-11-20T19:19:00.005-05:00

The pool where I learned to swim.

A GOOD START

2011-10-18T17:55:00.003-04:00

This past sunday I shot the first portion of a two part personal project at Caliper Studio's metal shop. Pretty stoked with the some of the images I was able to produce so I thought I share just a taste. More to come.....

Drill Press. @ Caliper Studio

ETSY Headquarters / HOW Magazine

2011-10-16T08:54:00.000-04:00

HOW Magazine just ran a story on Etsy and they used a few images that I shot of the Brooklyn-based company's headquarters. HOW is a great graphic design magazine. Check it out next time you're at the newsstand. The images were originally produced for Matiz Architecture and Design.

HOW Magazine

APA National Photo Contest

2011-10-16T08:37:00.000-04:00

I'm happy to announce that I was awarded the merit prize (3rd place) in the APA (American Photographic Artists) National Photo Contest for architectural photography. The winners can be viewed here. Congratulations to all the winners especially Tim Griffith, the 1st & 2nd place winner in the architectural category.

Update

2011-09-22T10:19:00.001-04:00

Don't have any pictures to post this time around. Just wanted to give you an update as to what I've been up to lately. Shot another NYU office space for MAD Architecture & Design. Went down to Philly for Rafael Vinoly to shoot their recently finished Transplant House for UPenn. Had the pleasure to work with Murphy, Burnham and Buttrick and we photographed the newly renovated rectory at St. Patricks Cathedral. Then to finish up that run I was asked by Dwell Magazine to shoot an AMAZING house out in Montauk for their Dec/Jan issue. Can't wait for that one to come out! It's the only magazine I have a subscription for and it was my first shoot for them.

I hope all is well with you and I'll be posting again soon. Stay tuned.

Greenport, NY

2011-09-13T21:24:00.006-04:00

This past weekend Felicia and I went to visit out friends, the super cool Jennifer Benton and David Nyce, out in Greenport, NY. Dave is an artist and furniture maker ((( www.davidnycefurniture.com ))) so make sure to check him out. If you don't know, Greenport is at the end of the North Fork of Long Island. We love going out to visit Jen and Dave. We eat and drink very, very well and the company is always a blast. It was actually a very tame visit this time around but still.... I took a few pictures and here is a small selection.

Benton/Nyce House

Amos

Millie

Bulldog liquor cabinet

evenin' fire

morning after

Reade Street Studio in the Hamptons

2011-08-26T18:24:00.002-04:00

These images are from a shoot I did for Reade Street Studio in the Hamptons.

Another from WE Design

2011-08-26T18:20:00.000-04:00

And here is another from a recent shoot with WE design.

WE Design © Ty Cole

Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects shoot

2011-08-26T18:17:00.004-04:00

Images from recent shoot for Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects.

Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects © Ty Cole

WE Design in Brooklyn

2011-08-26T18:12:00.003-04:00

Image from recent shoot for WE Design.

WE Design in Brooklyn © Ty Cole

ESPN the Magazine - Toomer's Corner

2011-08-16T17:39:00.006-04:00

I've been waiting for a long time to get an assignment in my home state of Alabama. Thanks to Jim Surber, the photo editor at ESPN the Magazine, my wish came true. Jim assigned me to shoot for the upcoming story (on newsstands now!) about the poisoning of the live oak trees at Toomer's Corner at Auburn University by a dumbass Alabama fan. For those of you not from the south, or sports fans, Auburn and the University of Alabama have the most heated rivalry in all competitive sports. Sorry you Yankees who believe your rivalry with the Red Sox is number one, it isn't so. I'm an Auburn fan. I'm not the best at keeping up to date but a fan nonetheless. I lived in Auburn for two years after high school. My dad, sister, uncle and brother-in-law all went to Auburn. I'd say half my friends from high school went to Auburn so this story hits home in more ways than one.The author, Wright Thompson, did an amazing job and I'm honored to have made the visual contribution to such a compelling, well written piece. You can read Wright's story here.

Oh, one last thing. WAR EAGLE!!!

Caliper Studio - Nitehawk Cinema

2011-08-05T11:47:00.006-04:00

The great group of guys over at Caliper Studio recently commissioned me to document one of their latest projects, the Nitehawk Cinema on Metropolitan Ave in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The front facade is covered in LED lights in a pattern inspired by a topographic map. The actual movie theatre isn't just your run of the mill theatre either, they are a restaurant and theatre rolled into one. Plus there is a bar on two different levels. Good beer too, I'm a fan. Since I live only six blocks away from the location my wife and I recently viewed Woody Allen's new flick, Midnight in Paris. I'm thrilled that not only did one of my clients designed the place but now I have another reason not to go into the city! Long live Brooklyn!

Full disclosure: I summoned my inner Hiroshi Sugimoto for the symmetrical interior theatre shot.

Caliper Studio - Nitehawk Cinema

NEW IMAGE FOR PERSONAL PROJECT

2011-08-02T19:16:00.004-04:00

Here is a new image from a personal project.

Stairs in Chicago - Random image

2011-07-08T11:35:00.000-04:00

Stairs

Yotel NYC - GBH London

2011-07-05T13:03:00.001-04:00

I've been crazy busy of late, which I'm very happy about, and wanted to share one of the latest assignments. Gregory Bonner Hale, out of London, hired me to document the signage they designed for newest NYC hotel, Yotel. Yotel is inspired the Japanese pods hotels, it's pretty wild. The rooms aren't exactly pods but pretty damn small but very nice. The coolest thing by far isn't that you can check in via digital kiosk but the 12' robotic arm that will stow your luggage away for you. It's pretty cool. If you live in NY walk by, 10ave just south of 42nd street, and check it out.

Yotel NYC

Cloud Gate

2011-06-24T16:01:00.000-04:00

Unsuspecting posers at Cloud Gate. This object has to be one of the most impressive things I've ever seen. I want one.

Cloud Gate, Chicago, IL

New Posts Coming Soon

2011-06-16T12:54:00.000-04:00

This is my annual "I have't been updating my blog enough. I promise to post more often" post. New photographs, jobs and other cool stuff to come.

StrawberryFrog + MAD

2011-05-20T10:49:00.006-04:00

I recently photographed the very cool interiors of StrawberryFrog for MAD (Matiz Architecture + Design). StrawberryFrog is an amazing advertising agency and they do great work so make sure to check them out. This is the second industrial-style, open floor plan office space I've shot for MAD, they also designed the Etsy offices (they were called Hangar Design Group back then). Here are a few selects from the StrawberryFrog shoot.

StrawberryFrog

Excellent Reads

2011-04-19T16:23:00.008-04:00

This is something I haven't done as of yet on this blog, recommend a book(s). This year I have read two of, what have turned out to be, my favorite books to date. The first is Leonard Shlain's Art & Physics: Parallel Visions of Space, Time and Light. Check out this lecture by Dr. Shlain. The book touches on art throughout it's creation and parallels it with the physics of the corresponding time, and how they may or may not have influenced each other. It highlights many cases of how art preceded mathematical theory of certain types of physics as almost a prediction. I'm probably not doing it justice with my explanation but if you have any interest in art and/or physics this book will fascinate you. Dr. Shlain was a fascinating character himself. By trade he was a brain surgeon and has also written a few other books that are on my queue.

The second book is Bill Moyers & Joseph Campbell's transcribed conversation The Power of Myth. Joseph Campbell, as far as I know, was the leading expert on mythology. One of his main goals was to find the common thread of mythology in all religions and he does an amazing job explaining his life's work. Many people have said that this book is anti-religion but it is not, it is anti-literalism. He also references Carl Jung and Sigmund Frued, the famous psychologists in regards to the subconscious, or universal subconscious and how the same or similar myths are found in cultures that have never crossed paths. Another selling point is that Joseph Campbell was a huge influence on George Lucas' Star Wars. Campbell was Lucas' mentor and good friend. Part of the interview was filmed on Skywalker Ranch.

Both of these books have really changed my opinions on art, physics, religion, human behavior and so much more.

Over the Weekend...

2011-04-19T10:02:00.002-04:00

Orange County Government Center - Goshen,NY - Paul Rudolph, Architect

Quick Peek

2011-04-13T14:10:00.003-04:00

I would like to give you a quick peek into a current personal project I'm working on. I'm not going to disclose any specifics on the project but I did want to share a few images. Very excited about this one.

Yale Art + Architecture Building, New Haven, CT - Paul Rudolph, Architect

Pirelli Building (Now owned by Ikea), New Haven, CT - Marcel Breuer, Architect

Temple Street Parking Garage Lamp Posts, New Haven, CT - Paul Rudolph, Architect

Recent Commission - Murdock Solon Architects

2011-03-30T10:22:00.006-04:00

I was recently commissioned by Murdock Solon Architects to document a gut renovation on the Upper West Side. Typically most of my assignments are of modern design, as is Murdock Solon's, but it was a great pleasure to work with Kathleen Lilly on this one. Murdock Solon Architects do great work and you can check them out here.

WEBSITE REDESIGN

2011-03-12T11:50:00.004-05:00

When it comes to design I personally like simple and functional, and that is exactly how I approached my new website. I'm happy to announce the redesign of www.tycole.com. Now you have the ability to view the images larger than before, to email any specific shot to a friend or coworker and view larger thumbnails to browse the whole site when you are in a hurry. There will be some new work being posted please do check back soon.

BACK TO THE BASICS

2011-01-24T16:35:00.004-05:00

The other day I realized how much I missed shooting black & white after viewing some Steichen and Stieglitz prints at the Met. It really brings me back to the root of why I wanted to be a photographer in the first place. I woke up this morning feeling the need to just take a walk and shoot something, anything. Bundled up in thirteen layers of clothes (the windchill is 11º today) I headed out with my camera and the thought of producing some monochrome images.

NYU - M.A.D.

2011-01-21T13:33:00.003-05:00

Matiz Architecture & Design has designed a number of projects for NYU. Most recently completed were a classroom and a lounge area. Here are some select from that shoot.

Michael Andrews Bespoke

2011-01-14T11:54:00.005-05:00

When Felicia and I were married, I wore the most expensive piece of clothing I'd ever worn: a custom (bespoke) suit by Michael Andrews Bespoke. I gotta tell you it was worth every penny! I think every man should own at least one custom-made suit, seriously. Being a photographer, the opportunities to wear a suit are few and far between so I didn't fully understand the value of a well-made one, I just knew I wanted to look good for my future wife. Much to my surprise, I found this to be a real craft that's been around for centuries (how naive of me!) and I became fascinated by the process in which they are made: the fittings, choosing of fabrics/threads, hand stitching, etc. As some of you may know, I enjoy photographing craftsmen, so naturally I asked if I could come in and take some pictures. Michael was nice enough to open his doors to me. Here are a few selects from what I shot.

WWW.THISISTHEWHAT.COM

2010-12-14T11:36:00.002-05:00

I met Kate Osba, a photo editor at INC. Magazine, at an industry party earlier this year. It turns out we have a few very close mutual friends. She has an awesome photo blog and I'm honored she asked me to partake. Check it out. www.thisisthewhat.com

NEW WORK - CALIPER STUDIO

2010-11-24T15:12:00.002-05:00

Caliper Studio has commissioned me again to document another one of their awesome projects. This roof deck covered in sedum is beautifully nestled in a cavern created by large industrial and residential buildings and decorated with pop art sculptures. The skylights were designed and fabricated by Caliper Studio.

New Work - Hangar Design Group

2010-11-05T09:34:00.001-04:00

Tribeca Loft + Roof deck

Hangar Design Group / Aries Construction

New Work - SU11 Architecture & Design

2010-11-05T09:25:00.001-04:00

K_Residence, NYC
SU11 Architecture & Design

Beekman Tower - Frank Gehry

2010-11-01T11:48:00.003-04:00

My stock agency in London, Arcaid Images, asked if I had any images of the new Frank Gehry building in downtown Manhattan. I said no but I'm well aware of the building and if you give me a day I can get you some. Here are a few selects of the building. If you notice in my last post you can see this building to the left of the buildings in the foreground.

Outtake and Freedom Tower

2010-11-01T11:32:00.001-04:00

On the roof of a building while on a shoot in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan I decided to take a quick picture looking south towards the Ground Zero site. I could clearly see Tower 7, which they finished within a year or so after 9/11, so we (client & I) knew that after the Freedom Tower is built, ten years after the fact, that this roof was going to have a spectacular view of the new buildings. I like the image perfectly fine without the Freedom Tower actually in the photo (but I haven't seen the image with them either) but that got me thinking "what would it look like with the new towers?" So I put together an outline of where I suspect the buildings to be. I referenced renderings found online so this is probably not, actually I'm sure it is not, a perfect representation of the exact location but it's the general idea. Just to give you some context of how large they will be, Tower 7 (the glass building on the right hand side) is across the street on the north side of the site and is 52 stories high. Now, with that said I am 7 blocks away shooting with a very wide lens (17mm lens on a DSLR Canon 5d MK2 with a full-sized sensor) so it may not look like 52 stories in the image but trust me it's big.

New Work - Wine Spectator Magazine Cover

2010-10-31T11:56:00.003-04:00

Wine please, yes, thank you. I am extremely happy to have one of the images from my Wine Spectator photo shoot make it onto the November 30th issue's cover! Photo Editor : Alex de Toth

New Work - Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects

2010-10-31T11:43:00.002-04:00

Greenwich Village Townhouse
Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects

New Work - Reade Street Studio

2010-10-30T18:25:00.003-04:00

Duane Street Loft
Reade Street Studio

iPhone Pic

2010-10-19T17:49:00.004-04:00

Walking down Bleecker Street the other day I past this butcher store that was closed but the only light on was in the back. This place was begging for a slow dolly shot with dramatic music rolling down towards the back of the store. Gotta give it to Apple, the cameras in the iPhone 4 are pretty, pretty, pretty good (sorry but i've been watching Curb Your Enthusiasm).

GENE IVEY

2010-10-05T13:20:00.004-04:00

While stationed overseas during World War II, Gene Ivey, a fiddle player/maker (among other instruments: cello, guitar & stand-up bass), was asked to repair a fiddle that was destroyed. All that was left of the ruined instrument was the neck. With little resources, Mr. Ivey cleverly transformed an old spam can (I'm assuming a larger can than the one we know of today) to form a body and with more ingenuity, completed the rest with what he had at his disposal. The owner of that fiddle was a little-known baseball player named Pee Wee Reese.

Nestled outside of Ider, Alabama is the studio of 83 year-old, Gene Ivey. I found Mr. Ivey by chance while viewing an Alabama Arts Council documentary on craftsmen. I knew Ider was on Sand Mountain because my whole extended family lives or has originated from there. Turns out my cousin's father-in-law, Virgil Trotman, is a close friend of Mr. Ivey's and then come to find out they are related somehow too. So, in a roundabout way, I'm related to Mr. Ivey through five marriages, seven times removed or something like that. On a cold call I contacted Mr. Ivey and told him I'd like to take some pictures of him sometime and that sometime being the following Tuesday. He told me to stop on by, in a very welcoming and experienced voice.

With my mother accompanying me, we stopped by his studio around 1:45pm. I like bringing my mother along on personal shoots while in Alabama because she is just as curious as I am about the person I'm photographing and she helps move the conversation along when I'm stuck in technical mode without an assistant. When we arrived, Mr. Ivey was sitting on the other side of a stand up bass he was building. The floor was covered in mahogany sawdust and the studio smelled of fresh cut wood. He was alongside another nice man named Wootten (forget his first name). He introduced himself, last name then first. My mother asked if he was related to McCoy Wooten, my uncle by marriage. He said no and that he knew of the family but that he spelled his name with two Ts. The two gentlemen were extremely nice and welcoming which took the edge off, considering we are walking up to two strange men and thinking were interrupting their day and being an annoyance. I even said a couple of times, "I don't want to keep you from your work now." Their reply: "It ain't going nowhere. We work when we feel like it." I guess they didn't feel like it because we stayed there for about an hour and a half.

Mr. Ivey, by all accounts, has to be, as my mother puts it, "the most humble soul I've ever come across." I believe I'd have to agree with her. His voice is so soft and southern that you automatically feel guilty about your past discrepancies and you hope, by the grace of God, one day you are as pure and innocent as you believe this man to be. We bombarded him with questions about his origins: "how young were you when…", "when did you…." and he answered all of our questions and then some. After telling us the story of the fiddle he constructed out of a spam can, he asks us to follow him into this office, a room off to the side where I cannot imagine any actual office duties were performed. In this room I look around and see two guitars hanging from the wall, an old tv on top of a dresser and a boom box covered in saw dust (as was everything) sitting next to a trophy with a gold-colored plastic musical note on top. Mr. Ivey pulls out a picture frame from his desk and shows us a collage of four pictures of himself, all taken around the same time. In the photographs he was holding the very first fiddle he'd ever made, and underneath the images was the hand written date of1945. After we commented on the picture and noticed his face light up with pride, he pulled out an old case, opened it up and inside were four beautiful hand-crafted fiddles. Upon seeing the fiddles, as I knew she would, my mother asked him to play for us and he did so, right after explaining to us where the horse hair on the bow originated from....something about it not actually being from the tail of a horse. (I was in technical camera mode at that moment.) He played a short line from Amazing Grace and then another, if i had my guess, a gospel song. I wasn't familiar with it but it sounded great. I love old timey/bluegrass music and I suppose it stems from somewhere deep down, a connection to the generations who came before. We eventually made our way from the office and back out into the studio where I prepared to set up a shot next to his work table along the wall, beneath a window. I set up a light to come in through the window to imitate sunlight. On the table were three unconstructed fiddle backs which he told us were numbers 153, 154 and 155......his 155th fiddle he'd ever made. I actually thought this was not a lot coming from a man who was 83 and had built his first fiddle over 60 years ago but after speaking with him and seeing how he works, I can bet you one of those fiddles has more soul and love poured into it than 155 fiddles assembled in a factory.

To see a short video of Mr. Ivey, which I did not shoot, click here.

NEUROLOGICAL - HANGAR DESIGN GROUP

2010-08-13T14:47:00.005-04:00

Hangar Design Group recently finished a project where they converted a townhouse into a seven story doctors office. The copper facade is sick, love it. They commissioned me to document it for them and here are some of the images from the shoot. Stand-by for video.....

Ad+D and Denis & Charles Jewelry

2010-07-22T20:37:00.003-04:00

Recently my co-conspirator, good friend and designer of all "Ty Cole" branding, Erin Bazos, mastermind behind Ad+D (Art Direction + Design) came to me and said, "I have a jewlery shoot I'd like for you to do." Of course I said "bring it on." I love shooting still life. Not sure if it is the "controllability" (is that a word?) but I really love doing it. It brings out the obsessive compulsive tendencies that I don't really exercise in my day to day life, same for my architectural shoots. Here are a few selects from that shoot. The jewelry is designed by Denis & Charles Jewelry.

ABSOLUT BROOKLYN

2010-06-16T11:44:00.004-04:00

I'm very proud to announce I recently shot the advertisement for Absolut Vodka's latest city flavor, ABSOLUT BROOKLYN. Absolut is known for their award winning ad campaigns and I am honored to be among the list of great photographers who have shot for them in the past. Absolut Brooklyn is a collaborative effort between the vodka company and director/brooklyn-ite, Spike Lee. You can check out Spike's movie, featuring Lemmon Anderson (great poet), in association with Absolut here on facebook.

I had a great crew on this job and couldn't have done it without them. Behind the scene photos to come... Here is a few people who made this ad happen:

agency : tbwa / chiat / day

senior art director : Jin Park

associate creative director : Meghan Figueroa

art buyer : Julia Menassa

producer : Leah Siegel-Picus

set designer : Liz Englehardt

hair/makeup : Kathleen Brown

casting : Nina Day Chaudhari

also a special thanks to : Brian Bloom, Travis Drennen and Alex Smith.

Colorado - Image from the archives

2010-05-28T09:55:00.003-04:00

Fumbling through some images from last year I came across this one.

Etsy Office in Dumbo - Hangar Design Group

2010-05-27T19:03:00.005-04:00

Ever wonder what it would be like to work at Etsy, the creative online marketplace? Maybe these images will give you some insight. Hangar Design Group, great client/friends, designed the their offices in Dumbo, Brooklyn so they asked me to take some pics of the place. Talk about being surrounded by creativity, all the time. Here are some images from the shoot.

Sol Lewitt - the Conceptual Artist

2010-05-27T18:52:00.003-04:00

On a trip to Dia Beacon museum two years ago I was introduced to Sol Lewitt, not literally but introduced to his work, and I must say I wasn't blown away by any means. However, over the past two years his name kept coming up in random conversations with people whom I respect. Mr. Lewitt needed to be researched because I knew there was something I was missing or not paying attention to, and there was... I checked out his retrospective monograph from his exhibition at the MOMA and I could not put it down. He is known for staying out of the limelight cause he said "it's not about the artist, it's about the art". I think, because art is for everyone and we can only benefit from it, well, atleast some of it. It's about the greater good, not the individual, which I believe, is a big part of his work. Another major point I have taken away from his work is this, and this is a quasi-quote "through logical experimentation you will end up with past results, with illogical experimentation you will end up with unique results" That is not verbatim but you get the idea; if it doesn't make sense at first it's OK, it will or it won't but you will not know unless you try and that's how you learn and grow as a person and artist.

Felicia, my wife, and I went to D.C. recently and visited the Hirshhorn Museum (DC is freaking awesome cause all the museums are free!!!) and Lewitt's Wall drawing "A Cube without a Cube" was there. It is my favorite wall drawing, for now.

Sol Lewitt has already started to affect the way I approach a project, or art for that matter, and I highly advise you to do your research. Disclaimer: None of the images below are mine. I did not shoot them. I'd credit the person who did if it were available.

Conversations with Mies van der Rohe

2010-05-18T14:42:00.003-04:00

Lugwig Mies van der Rohe is probably my favorite architect. Wanting to do more research on him I checked this book out from the library. Only halfway through it and I'm already enamored. Granted the book is on architecture but like all great philosophies the lessons learned can apply to just about anything. Highly recommended.

PERIPHERAL ARCHITECTURE

2010-05-18T10:44:00.008-04:00

My intent with these photographs was to feature prominent architecture that I/we pass by everyday and only catch them in a glance while racing to our next destination.

Guggenheim Museum. New York.

New Museum. New York

STILL LIFE

2010-04-29T09:29:00.003-04:00

Recently I've had the urge to shoot some still life images and that has lead me to compile ideas to start a still life portfolio. Here are a few images I've shot to get the ball rolling. There are definitely more on the way.

Gradient Design Studio - Ben Krone

2010-04-20T11:15:00.001-04:00

My latest commission was from a young architectural studio, Gradient Design. Ben Krone is the man in charge and he is doing some very cool work. He comes from SHoP Architects (they are the ones that were awarded the Barclays Center in Brooklyn) and they are one of the hottest firms around right now. Ben hired me to photograph his latest project in Tribeca, a full renovation in an old factory building. The white stairs are Ben's original design and very well done. Fabrication was by Caliper Studio.

New Albany, MS - Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects

2010-04-20T10:35:00.007-04:00

I recently got back from a stint down South for work and play. Work: A client of mine, Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects, recently completed a project in New Albany, MS. You ask "Why New Albany, MS?", well, Ted Porter, one third of the arch. firm, is originally from New Albany. I actually have a little history there myself, which includes Ted. He gave me my first paying gig when I was in college at the Art Institute of Atlanta to photograph his mother's house, which is pretty awesome. The house recently completed is very modern and sticks out like a sore thumb in this town of 8,000 people, a very cool sore thumb. See some pics below from that job.

While below the Mason-Dixon line I also ventured over to Atlanta to meet with an art buyer, Chris Buda, at BBDO. Chris has a great reputation in the business and turns out we have a few mutual friends here in NY. Hope to work him some day. After my meeting I had lunch with my old college professor, Phil Bekker. It was great to see him too.

PLAY: After all the work stuff was finished I went back to Alabama to stay with my sis in Birmingham and Mom in Decatur. Finally got to meet my new nephew, Owen. See image of Me, my dog Ike, my two nephews Owen and Cole.

Gertler Wente Architects

2010-03-02T16:45:00.009-05:00

Rutgers lecture hall shot 02.16.201

RECENT PRESS

2010-02-16T11:13:00.003-05:00

Since L.Bascom Gallery has gotten off the ground last week it has already gotten some press. Which is great! The two places so far it has appeared is designformankind.com and desiretoinspire.net. The first is an art blog with some really cool posts on the art scene, super cool. The second is mainly interior design and you can see a lot of really nice spaces. Please check out both.

A COOL SHOUT OUT - NICK RAY McCANN

2010-02-10T11:02:00.008-05:00

I received an email yesterday from Nick Ray McCann letting me know he posted something on his blog about my work. Turns out he assists another photographer who I used to assist, Stephen Wilkes. Stephen turned him on to my Hair project. When I shot that project I was freelancing with Stephen, that was about two years ago, little more. Anyway, Nick said some very cool things and his blog is pretty cool too. He posts these inspiration posts of other people's work he digs and it turns out we have very similar tastes.

L.BASCOM GALLERY

2010-02-09T20:34:00.007-05:00

I am very happy and excited to announce that limited-edition prints of my work can now be purchased at an online photography gallery, L.Bascom Gallery. The gallery is exclusively online so the prices are very modest and the editions are large, so plenty to go around. Prints by photographer Christina Richards will also be available for purchase. She is a great friend and wonderful photographer. Our styles compliment each other so the website looks really nice, I think. So, what are you waiting for? Go buy some prints for your significant other, they'll love it!

LATEST JOB

2010-02-02T17:00:00.005-05:00

Hey everybody. I've been extremely busy lately with side projects (which I will be announcing very soon) but I was able to squeeze in a photo shoot for Caliper Studio, the same firm from my Genetic Stair post. I love the work Caliper produces and it is a pleasure to work with them. Actually this assignment was part 2 of that job but this time the apartment is furnished----and when I say furnished, I mean FURNISHED----with furniture, yes, but that does not deserve the emphasis, the art is the wow factor here. The tenant is an art collector with whom i share the same sensibilities, so it was a treat for me to be around so much creative paraphernalia.

You can see more images here.

CONCRETE LAMP

2010-01-15T18:45:00.005-05:00

FOR THE PAST NINE MONTHS OR SO I'VE BEEN DESIGNING AND BUILDING FURNITURE WITH AN ARCHITECT FRIEND, BRIAN GREEN. WE'VE WORKED AFTER HOURS AND ON WEEKENDS ENDLESSLY AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW WEBSITE WE ARE LAUNCHING WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. HERE IS A VIDEO OF US TAKING A CONCRETE LAMP OUT OF IT'S MOLD, JUST ONE OF THE MANY DESIGNS WE'LL BE INTRODUCING ON THE WEBSITE. THE SECOND WE HAVE OUR SITE UP I'LL POST IT HERE.

NEW MEXICO

2010-01-15T18:26:00.005-05:00

These are two images I shot recently while in Albuquerque, NM for the holidays. On this trip I came to the conclusion that out west is my favorite place to shoot. The textures and colors of the landscape are just amazing.

IMAGE FROM BIG SUR

2009-10-30T09:15:00.010-04:00

I WAS GOING THROUGH IMAGES FROM BIG SUR, CALIFORNIA AND CAME ACROSS THIS ONE. I'VE BEEN TRYING SOME NEW RETOUCHING TECHNIQUES AND THEY WORKED OUT VERY WELL ON THIS ONE.

*SOMEONE RECENTLY ASKED ME WHAT THE DIFFERENCE WAS BETWEEN THE BEFORE AND AFTER AND I PREVIOUSLY ONLY HAD THE AFTER POSTED HERE. SO, BEFORE AND AFTER YOU WANT, BEFORE AND AFTER YOU GET. IF YOU CAN'T TELL WHICH ONE IS WHICH, WELL, I DIDN'T DO AS GOOD A JOB AS I THOUGHT. 1/15/2010

ESPN the Magazine - Mary Wittenberg

2009-10-26T18:43:00.008-04:00

This is the third time I've shot for the good people over at ESPN the Magazine. (Man, I wish I was cool enough to call myself "TY COLE the Photographer", everytime I write ESPN the Magazine I think about that) Anyway, I shot Mary Wittenberg, the CEO of New York Road Runners. She is THE person behind the New York Marathon and all the other races in New York. Mary is extremely nice, as was her staff. My scanner didn't do that good of a job on this image so please excuse the crappy picture, it looks alot better in person.

RECENT COMMISSIONS

2009-10-16T11:55:00.013-04:00

I am going to start posting more of my commissioned work just to keep you guys updated. The following images are from select jobs of the past month. I also just shot something for ESPN Magazine this week which I'll be posting after it runs.

Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects
Orient, New York

Hangar Design Group / Raw Studio / Phelps Construction
Boy's & Girl's Club - Wayne, New Jersey

Ryall Porter Sheridan Architects
Southampton Pavilion

Gertler Wente Architects
RCN NY Headquarters
Reade Street Studio
Little Red School House

UNITED NATIONS BUILDING

2009-10-01T08:49:00.007-04:00

I've been working a lot of recent but haven't really shot anything for myself. So last night I decided I needed to wake up early today and go take a personal picture. Nothing fancy just something to get the personal creative juices flowing. Architecture has been on my mind a ton recently, not just architectural photography but architecture in general, especially BIG architecture. Most of my architectural assignments are to photograph smaller projects; houses, lofts, office interiors. Don't get me wrong I love doing this for living but all architectural photographers have a burning desire, atleast I think so, to shoot BIG architecture. I'm still waiting on that call from Rem Koolhaas, Herzog & de Meuron or Frank Gehry to document one of their projects but persistence is the key, until then keep cranking. Back to this morning, I woke up early and drove over to Queens to shoot the U.N. building with the sunrise. I choose the U.N. building because the east elevation has a glass facade so I knew the colors of the sunrise would illuminate it leaving the rest of the skyline somewhat dark and muted. Here is the result.

DWELL MAGAZINE - OCT 2009 ISSUE

2009-09-08T09:56:00.016-04:00

I am very happy to announce that I have an image in Dwell Magazine this month. Dwell has been one of my very favorite mags for over the past seven or eight years. I remember when I was in college at the Art Institute of Atlanta I sent the Editor-N-Chief (of Dwell) an email stating that I wanted to be an architectural photographer and what do they look for in a photographer and all that good college student question stuff.

It not only makes me happy that I am in the magazine but the subject matter of my image has a whole other special meaning. The image is of a small house built by architecture students of Rural Studio in Greensboro, Al. Its not just important that the image came from Alabama (my home state) but that the house was built, along with three other students, by one of my closest friends, Drew Coshow. Drew and I met when his family moved to my neighborhood when I was probably 6 years old. Since then Drew, his brother Jay and I have been best friends. They are truly the closest thing I have to brothers. So to be published in Dwell Magazine for the first time along with one of my best friends is, as you can imagine, pretty freakin' awesome.

The article can be found online here.

*Image on the front cover is NOT mine. Very cool image and great photographer but I cannot take credit for that one. Hopefully soon though :)

Manhattan / Brooklyn Bridges

2009-08-27T11:19:00.007-04:00

I shot these images within my first couple of months living in New York, sometime in 2003. I've kept this collage posted in my office since. Not sure why I'm sharing this with you but I stare at it all the time and now you should too, at least for a couple of seconds. I still love to shoot 4x5 and do so every chance I get, mainly for personal projects though.

RANDOM IMAGES FROM OUT WEST

2009-08-06T12:59:00.012-04:00

Muir Woods, California. Its crazy being in the presence of something that is 2000 yrs old. It was my first time to be up close and personal with a Redwood. And I, for some reason, love taking pictures of people taking pictures.

Pacific coast north of San Francisco.

Felicia, my wife, looking beautiful as always. Big Sur, California

Big Sur, California. This place is amazing, highly recommended! Stay at the Big Sur Inn, we didn't stay there this time but definitely next time.

THE RAKEHELLS

2009-07-17T11:36:00.010-04:00

RAKEHELL ('reyk`hel)

noun
A dissolute man in fashionable society.

adjective
immoral; dissolute

BUT THIS IS THE BAND....

These images were captured at a bar in Chinatown. If you ever have a chance to catch a show they are awesome! I see big things in store for these guys. I don't get to photograph bands too often, or people for that matter, but when I do I really enjoy it.

Caliper Studio - Genetic Stairs

2009-06-02T09:35:00.003-04:00

I recently came in contact with an architectural studio that happens to be five blocks from my house in Brooklyn. Not only are they an architectural firm but metal fabricators too. They do amazing work and are extremely nice guys (they like to drink beer which always a plus in my book).

Last week they commissioned me to photograph their latest project, the Genetic Stairs. This thing is amazing. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Architectural Detail - Baltimore, MD

2009-05-03T11:38:00.001-04:00

Hooper, Colorado

2009-05-03T11:18:00.002-04:00

On the way to the Great Sand Dune National Park I stopped in this little town (little is an understatement) called Hooper, Colorado. Almost all the seven streets in the town are dirt, it's pretty awesome. I kept thinking to myself "why would someone live here?" and then immediately thought that they would say the same thing about living in New York. Different strokes different folks. Here is an image from that town.

Great Sand Dune National Park

2009-05-03T10:43:00.006-04:00

Visited the Great Sand Dune National Park while in Colorado last month. Here are some images from this surreal place. See more images from this trip here.

Billboards

2009-03-06T09:14:00.001-05:00

Jersey House

2009-01-15T12:33:00.001-05:00

5th Ave Shopper

2009-01-12T13:42:00.001-05:00

Pedestrian Collage

2009-01-12T13:40:00.002-05:00

Shoot with Glenn MItchell-Thwing from Shear Genius 2

2008-09-05T13:28:00.012-04:00

As some of you know I am from Decatur, Alabama and it seems that we have quite the buzz happening in the small town. Recently a Decatur native was a contestant on the Bravo network, the show Shear Genius. This talented hair dresser/entrepreneur unfortunately didn't win but she does have big plans for the future. She is coincidentally married to a childhood friend of mine and it turns out she knew of me (being a photographer) and of course I knew of her but we had never met. Glenn was in town the other day filming the finale show for Shear Genius and asked me to shoot her headshot so here are those images. You can check out Glenn's website here and her spa's website here. Be looking out for her, she is well on her way to putting Decatur on the map.

Shoot with Colin Kane

2008-09-05T13:15:00.012-04:00

The images here are from a shoot with an up and coming comedian in New York named Colin Kane. I've been working Colin for over two years now shooting all his photography for his website and any promotional material. He hosts his own show at Carolines on Broadway every tuesday night and also at the Village Lantern on Bleecker St. other nights of the week. If you are looking to have a lot of laughs you SHOULDN'T see this guys show! Playing, playing.... He is funny as hell and the other comedians he performs with are awesome too. You can check out Colin's website here.

Shanghai, China

2008-08-02T22:32:00.003-04:00

Went to Shanghai about two months ago and haven't had the time to go through my snapshots I took while just walking around getting lost. To see some of the images click here.

Brakish Trees

2008-06-29T14:10:00.006-04:00

While at Orange Beach, Alabama on the Gulf Coast I photographed these trees living (or not living) in a field of brakish water. Hurricane Ivan came through the gulf coast in 2004 washed the ocean water in from the beach about 500 yards killing all the plant life in the processed. The results four years later are these trees.

Billboards

2008-06-29T13:58:00.004-04:00

While driving down the interstate going back to Alabama I thought about the billboards along side the road. I thought it was ironic that such an attention grabber was next to a place where it is taught that you shouldn't divert you attention away from what you are doing, driving 75 mph. And then I thought what an odd "thing" to put out in nature. Even though its does serve a purpose you can look past that and just see this object, very strange. It is basically visual white noise. So had this idea to photograph them at night and overexpose the actual sign and expose for the landscape around. I ended up with a white rectangle as my light source and eerie landscape.

Robot Movie

2008-05-10T13:17:00.002-04:00

Project that I'm working on with a couple of
really smart people that built this robot. More
to come.....

Pedestrians

2008-05-07T13:11:00.005-04:00

The other day I was gettin cabin fever and needed to go out take some
pictures. So i grabbed my Canon g9 snappy camera, in which I'm still not
100% sold on the thing, and took out into the city with the idea of finding
these spots of sunlight the are created from the buildings. When I found this
light I waited for pedastrians and these are some of the pics from that day.
I think I'm going to make a series out of this cause I like where its goin'.

Miwa Gemini+ Aaron Burns

2008-04-26T17:06:00.008-04:00

Miwa and Aaron are musicians from living New York and occasionally play together. I contacted Miwa to set up a shoot cause I thought she would be an interesting subject and she is. Miwa asked Aaron to come along last minute and good thing too cause he is a great subject as well. We shot at a bar in the lower east side below delancy called Fontana's. If you get a chance check out Miwa's website, its pretty kick ass and so is she! miwagemini.com

She travels quite a bit so be on the look out if she is coming to your town. She won't let you down.

188 Ludlow

2008-03-01T18:47:00.005-05:00

Here is my most recent architectural job with Ryall Porter Architects. The space is a lobby of an apartment building in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan.

High Heels with Training Wheels

2008-01-27T15:37:00.000-05:00

The other day I heard this saying "high heels with training wheels" or atleast that is what I thought I heard. So, of course, I went out and bought a twenty dollar set of training wheels, which I need to sell now if anyone is interested, and one of Felicia's shoes and with a little photoshop magic I have a pair of "High Heels with Training Wheels." BUT, the consensus is that I need to use a different pair of shoes. SHIT!

Couple of images from Mimi's house

2008-01-09T15:43:00.000-05:00

Been meaning to take a look at these images I shot at my grandmother's house while home for Thanksgiving. What's great is that I could of taken these photographs twenty years ago and they would look exactly like they do here.

Nore Davis : Comedian

2007-12-17T18:05:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of pics I shot the other day for a comedian, Nore Davis, for his promotional material. Nore is an up-and-coming comedian in NYC. He frequents Comic Strip Live on the upper east side and can be seen at the Village Lantern in Greenwich Village every once in awhile. He is a funny dude, if you get the chance go see him and support young artists. Here is his myspace page: http://myspace.com/noredavis and you can catch some video of him here: http://www.famecast.com/noredavis.

Percy : Mason's Bend, Alabama

2007-11-08T16:40:00.001-05:00

This is Percy. Percy lives in Mason's Bend, Alabama in a house that Rural Studio (http://www.ruralstudio.com) built for his family. While taking just snap shots of his house he decided to participate. There are more images to come from this trip.

Equestrians

2007-11-07T15:34:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Coshow, a very close friend of my family, is an equestrian and I thought it would be pretty cool to photograph her and some of her friends that ride. Well, I did and here is one of the pics. This is one of Mrs. Coshows friends.

"THE TROUSE"

2007-11-07T15:08:00.001-05:00

So I've got some images to share. I'm down in Alabama shooting and visiting everybody including my friend Josh. For awhile now Josh has been telling me about the new house he just bought and how cool it is. I finally got to see it and it is a lot of space and has a few acres with an old red barn and a pretty cool work shed. Another thing the property has is a second house/trailer that is directly behind his main house, the one he lives in. A little background, the houses were owned by an old lady who passed away a little over a year ago. The trailer/house in the back was being rented by two guys. When the old lady's body was discovered the two guys were on their back porch, drunk. So the cops came out there asking a bunch of questions just doing their jobs and come to find out that they both had warrants out for their arrest and they were taken away the same day the lady passed away. So in one day both houses were vacated and no one has lived there since. This trailer/house, which is actually a trailer but they built onto the back of it making it a trailer/house which Josh has dubbed "The Trouse", has turned to shit. There is rat shit everywhere and holes all in the floor, so of course I photographed it. Here are some of the pics.

Outtake..

2007-10-12T13:45:00.000-04:00

from a shoot I did for the hair project.

NEW "HAIR" PROJECT

2007-10-12T12:24:00.000-04:00

Check out my latest project: http://www.tycole.com/hair. This series is a little different from the rest of my work and I'm really excited about that. Enjoy.

Ummm.....hi?

2007-10-11T19:04:00.000-04:00

So this is my very first blog. I've never been a blogger or a forum person, its all new to me. Actually I have no idea why I'm setting this up. I think because I can post new work (photography) that's not going to make it to my website. And vent about everyday frustrations of life. Maybe not frustrations but thoughts about, well, probably photography, I don't do much of anything else.

I hope this doesn't turn out stupid.