Turning 40 before I do.

My career was kickstarted back with the help of the Chicago Reader. For those of you who don't know the ways of Chicago, the Chicago Reader is the most bad-ass weekly politics and entertainment rag in these parts, and it's free. They celebrated their 40 year anniversary with a party at Chicago Urban Arts Society and asked me to show work I've shot for the them over the years.

Chicago Urban Art Society: Chicago Reader 40th Anniversary from Nick Brazinsky on Vimeo.

When I was just a wee shutterbug in Wicker Park, I started shooting weirdos for the Reader. After the first documentary assignment, they never gave me documentary again. They liked my work but knew I was too much the control freak to let things play out without having some directorial say in the matter.

For the party, I showed pictures of R&B Legend Syl Johnson kicking back in his house, a black cyber dominatrix in white hot suit and some female mud wrestlers tackling each other.

The party was a riot and ended with a mad dance party DJ'd by the equally bad-ass, Flosstrsdamus!

Your hydration choices are Gatorade or beer.

For photographing a portrait of a Walnut wood bicycle and its builder, I considered possible locations to shoot: the park, riding in the street or in the wood shop were all reasonable, but bored me to tears. So instead I indulged my affection for shooting at gas stations. I told Seth Deysach to meet me at the Ameristar gas station on Diversey and Pulaski, a shining beacon among dirty northwest side taco shops and funeral homes. I was honestly surprised he agreed.


Seth Deysach of Lagomorph Design

It was hot as Hell that day so I negotiated to use the gas station by buying from its owner, bags of ice and enough Gatorade to hydrate a whale. In exchange he gave me rein over his station as long as we didn't get hit by traffic.

It was late summer so of course I wanted to soak in all the vitamin D I could before winter, so I slathered up with SPF 50 and shot in the bright, hot sunlight. When I shoot I'm high on adrenaline and can be unfazed by the harshest elements, though I could see my subject was melting, so I moved us under the giant canopy shading the pumps. We could now all relax and shoot while dodging the cars of paying customers.

And if you are paying attention; No that's not Gatorade in his hand. The ice was for the High Life I got for Seth at the next door liquor store. Boy can drink beer on a hot day!


Fall 2011 cover of CS Interiors

Nocturnal visitors

THIS is the what.

A great New York photo editor, Kate Osba has this wonderful blog called THIS IS THE WHAT about photography and photographers. She interviewed me for a story posting today on her blog.





http://www.thisisthewhat.com/2011/10/10-minutes-with-saverio-truglia/

Visitors.

58 portraits each shot in 60 second sittings at open studios in my building October 14, 2011.

2011 APA Awards-Best of Show

You needn't remind me that reading while driving kills, but I was stopped in traffic when I peeked at my iphone. I was thrilled to learn that I was awarded the 2011 APA Awards-Best of Show.



My best of show image, PanAm-Pull, was entered in the Fashion category. You can see the individual category winners here.

I shot this picture as a campaign for Pan Am Brands, the company which sells those iconic travel products, and the namesake of the new TV series, Pan Am. You can read about the production and see behind the scenes here.

The APA awards were judged by a rock star panel of taste makers and taste breakers in the advertising, arts, and media fields. As part of my award package, I'll finally own that iPad I've been jealously bashing since it's invention.

The highlighted are official sponsor resources I use on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to using some new ones .

(Thanks corporate bro's.)

Client: Pan Am Brands
Art Director: Brice Cooper
Wardrobe styling: Heather Brooks
Hair & Make up: Cindy Shute
Talent: Ford Chicago
Assistants: Michael DeMarti, Sarah Linder
Retouching: Tim Blokel