flash & fuse, issue #01: the pilot edition

Creative Director: Daniel Riff

Written Content Editor: Eden Halevy

Curated By: The Brothers Riff & Co.

Publisher: Blurb (http://www.blurb.com/)

Website: www.thebrothersriff.com

Content Contributors:

- Thomas Mesiarik

- Mitch Perritt

- Tyrikus Cunningham

- Daniel Riff

- Drew Smith

- Floyd Small Jr.

Copyright © 2015 Flash & Fuse, Affiliate of The Brothers Riff & Co.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in

any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or

mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case

of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses

permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed

“Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.

The Brothers Riff & Co.

116 Citadel Drive

Conway, SC 29526

347-244-5508

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Flash & Fuse

Issue #01

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Curated by:


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Mission Statement:

Flash & Fuse is dedicated to empowering artists through publication.

Each month we showcase a handful of talented artists whose work

we find inspiring, unique, and innovative. A percentage of all digital

and print sales go directly back to these selected artists. In turn

these proceeds are then used to supplement their creative

processes. Harnessing the power of community and crowd funding

we will act as an incubator for creative visionaries and watch as they

spread their wings and soar.

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Thomas Mesiarik // #08

Mitch Perritt // #10

Tyrikus Cunningham // #14

Daniel Riff // #18

Drew Smith // #20

Floyd Small Jr. // #26

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Thomas Mesiarik

W ebsite: axiom photos.tum blr.com

Em ail: [email protected]

Instagram : @zim labs

http://axiomphotos.tumblr.com/

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Thomas Mesiarik

W ebsite: axiom photos.tum blr.com

Em ail: [email protected]


http://axiomphotos.tumblr.com/

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"As an artist, I connect with infrared photography on a larger scale than

other mediums. It takes conventional photos and techniques that rely

on the visual spectrum of light, and skews them into a totally new and

abstract art form. Trees become snow white beings, the skies take on

a brilliant deep color, and an almost tangible silence fills the image. It's

an ethereal world that can only be seen through the eye of a lens.

Photographing this way makes me re-think what I see with my own

eyes, constantly searching for new windows into this ghost-like realm. "

- Thomas Mesiarik

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Mitch Perritt

W ebsite: www.zim labs.com

Phone: 843-457-3343


http://www.zimlabs.com

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Mitch Perritt

W ebsite: www.zim labs.com

Phone: 843-457-3343


http://www.zimlabs.com

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Eighteenth Century Meets Twenty-

first Century

If you have not met the legend Alice

Flagg, pay her a visit, she is waiting. We

visited Alice as we scouted her historic

cemetery. Christian Caglione of Myrtle

Beach South Carolina observed a

heavy gravitational pull as she stood to

the left of Alice’s plot. I walked over and

then moved away quickly as what

Christian had felt, came upon myself. It

was a heavy sense of “void.” It was a

tangible feeling. I walked away pulling my

emotions & senses back together as I

had felt something drain them away.

But what really made this location

interesting was the charter bus tour that

unloaded as we began to shoot. Oh, I

must not forget the holiday service that

began in the on-site chapel as we

arrived. Picture us, dressed in head-to-

toe black and the 100+ senior

citizens…well, you know.

Mind you, an old shovel that barely fit

into the cars trunk was intended to be a

prop for this look - but avoiding the

holiday service and the bus tour were

challenging enough. We didn’t think the

shovel, all black and senior citizens

would be a good mixture. We left the

shovel in the car.

Penelope Island

“You own this island, Penelope!”

“Everyone here works for you.” “This is

YOUR beach that YOU own!”

I wanted to speak Christian Caglione

into a mindset that would create an

image of flow, with a story and a voice

of its own. Earlier that morning she

asked me to guess the name of her car.

I replied “Penelope?” - It turns out I was

right! We ran with the concept of a

“Penelope” as this was just too crazy to

ignore. We brainstormed traits of a

“Penelope”, figured a Penelope would

have her own island, and her own sassy

attitude, and let that live out through the

images and the art.

Lessons Learned

• Only shoot public locations early in

the morning, as to avoid crowds (bus

tours and holiday funeral ceremonies.)

• In my experience the weather is

usually clear in the early morning

(sunrise) and has tendency to worsen

later in the day. (It stormed shortly after

we finished this shoot - as did two of my

shoots the prior month.) But perhaps it’s

only this crazy Myrtle Beach weather we

are known for!

As an artist, I believe it is important to

inspire people. I do not believe anything

else is important.

-Editorial Photographer Mitch Perritt

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Tyrikus Cunningham

W ebsite: www.tyrikuscunningham photography.com

Phone: 706-436-9785

Instagram : @phlyfotographer

http://www.tyrikuscunninghamphotography.com

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A Photographer's Evolution

As an aspiring photographer currently

based in Myrtle Beach, SC, I found my

love and appreciated for my craft during

my senior year of high school. After

taking hundreds of random pictures, I

found where my heart lies – with the art

of photography. Throughout the years, I

have developed a strong passion for

photography; whatever my subject may

be, and I enjoy doing it all. I don’t think a

day has gone by without me picking up

my camera.

W ith each photo I take, I try to capture a

different perspective. I want my style to

speak for itself. I want my fashion

photography to embody a vintage

theme; a classic feel. I’ve always been

a fan of the arts and appreciated artists

who are able to creatively display the

beauty of nature as well as the human

body.

I have always felt that my work rides on

the safer side of things. I never wanted

to show “too much.” As I get older, I want

my work to creatively grow as well. I was

a little hesitant on doing shoots that

would seem provocative or crude, but I

want my audience to see the human

body like I do; as an art form. Not

something to be sexualized. As I began

to study the different types of art and

the work of other photographers, I

began to see things differently.

I realized that as an artist, I have to be

confident in what I want to create and

what I want my audience to take away

from my work. W ith that being said, I

finally mustered up the courage to make

something happen.

Fortunately I have a gorgeous friend,

Gabrielle Dys, who was willing to pose

for this photo set. W ith her natural

beauty and her level of comfort, we

were able to make my vision come to

fruition. I wanted to pair the model with

the serenity of nature. Everything flowed

so naturally – the way nature often

does. W ith this shoot, I was able to find

my comfort zone. It also helped me to

develop my style of photography.

As time progresses, I can see my work

expanding; becoming a living, breathing

thing. This will be my primary focus as

2015 takes off. I am very excited about

the upcoming projects that I have

planned. There are no limits in the sky!


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Daniel Riff

W ebsite: www.thebrothersriff.com

Phone: 347-244-5508

Instagram : @danielriff

http://www.thebrothersriff.com

A Learning Experience

The art of photography is a constant

learning experience. Every photo taken

is a step closer towards figuring out how

to accurately capture a unique vision

that has taken shape in the mind's eye.

The best way to learn and grow as a

photographer isn’t through a text book

alone, but through the application of

those skills and additional hands on

experience. Getting out in the field and

facing the technical and creative

processes of photography head on

allows for a more productive and

beneficial learning experience.

Mistakes that are made become

lessons to be applied later on down the

road. This process of learning from

mistakes is an integral and necessary

part of maturing as a photographer and

as an artist.

So, what’s the best way to get hands on

experience? Create and develop

personal projects. Keeping a notebook

on hand to physically write down and

document your ideas is crucial to this

process. Keeping a journal makes it

easier to develop your idea over time.

As an added benefit the action of

physically getting an idea down on paper

helps spark the brainstorming and

creative process.

Projects can be as simple as attempting

to master a certain style of photography,

such as low key portraits or the use of

“Rembrandt” or Baroque style lighting.

This style is exactly what I was

attempting to develop through the

creation of a self-portrait and fashion

photography series. In turn, I now have

a much better grasp on modeling with

light as well as the technical aspects of

working with studio strobes and speed

lights. The black background and low

key lighting effects combined with

Baroque style lighting adds a dramatic

tone to the images while bringing the

eye and attention of the viewer

immediately onto the subject. It is the

perfect style for self-portraits allowing

the photographer the ability to focus in

on what’s important and get across

exactly what’s intended.

So remember, developing and executing

personal projects is the best and most

efficient way to grow as a photographer.

Constantly create self-projects and

keep in mind that the more you shoot

the more you’ll learn and the better your

photographs will become.

- Daniel Riff, Creative Director

Drew Smith

W ebsite: www.thebrothersriff.com

Phone: 410-404-7968

Instagram : @genuine_dream er

http://www.thebrothersriff.com

Kanna (Explore)

There’s this euphoric wonderland

located almost as far north as anyone

can go, where mountain ranges run into

oceans and sunlight warms your soul.

It’s an experience, of sorts, unlike any

other country in the world from its

language, outlook on life and jaw-

dropping landscape. Iceland is

considered to be an ideal location to get

a taste of something new and create

new memories.

I had the pleasure of traveling to Iceland

for three weeks during this past holiday

season. As a young traveler and

aspiring photographer, I felt at home

engulfed by a culture who shares the

same passions as me. The people all

speak English, which helps a great deal

for new worldly travelers, but prefer their

native tongue; Icelandic. The relaxed

atmosphere expressed by the cities,

towns, and villages along the coastlines

made it a comfortable and memorable

trip. Icelanders exude a sense of pride

for their homeland and are always willing

to show you the outstanding sights and

natural phenomena it has to offer. I am

fortunate enough to have six friends

who call Iceland home and who were

willing to show me the insider view of

what Iceland ahs to offer.

I was able to hike mountain terrain,

adventure to whaling stations, see

glaciers, and witness the unbelievable

sunsets behind the never-ending

mountains.

The snapshots I took don’t compare to

the sights I saw while over seas. If you

have questions or just would like to

know more about Iceland from a fellow

traveler, follow the contract information

provided. I will always be willing to share

with anyone, especially newborn world

travelers like myself.

- Drew Smith

Street art by uknown artist in downtown

Reykjavik, Iceland

W ebsite: floydsm alljr.tum blr.com

Phone: 843-330-9825

Instagram : @pbf_sm all

Floyd Small Jr.

http://floydsmalljr.tumblr.com/

"I feel as if Charleston’s true colors show best through a camera lens. There is

this unexplainable honesty I have found that can only be captured by looking over

stills of the streets. I realized my interest in taking photographs of otherwise

rather mundane subjects when I pushed myself to go deeper and shoot the

beauty missed by the naked eye. Meandering the streets of this historic town, I

found my muse in the Spanish moss hanging in the city squares. I love Charleston

and all it has to offer, but I can’t wait to get out there and experience the rest of

the world. In the mean time, I’ll embrace my home." - Floyd Small Jr.

Creative Director: Daniel Riff

Written Content Editor: Eden Halevy

Curated By: The Brothers Riff & Co.

Publisher: Blurb (http://www.blurb.com/)

Website: www.thebrothersriff.com

Content Contributors:

- Thomas Mesiarik

- Mitch Perritt


- Daniel Riff

- Drew Smith

- Floyd Small Jr.

Copyright © 2015 Flash & Fuse, Affiliate of The Brothers Riff & Co.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in

any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or

mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case

of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses

permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed

“Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.


116 Citadel Drive

Conway, SC 29526

347-244-5508

flash & fuse, issue #01: the pilot edition

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