THE BROOKLYN CIRCUS is Closed Wednesday August 1st and Thursday August 2nd. We will re-open on FRIDAY AUGUST 3rd 2007 with THE new Black look . . .
We told these dudes about being closed for two days and this is how they reacted, I feel your pain fellas.
Of course,we’ll keep you posted as we build out the place for the month long event, it’s The Brooklyn Circus way.
Stay Tuned . . .

Sharpening one’s artistic eye is a process many aren’t patient enough to endure. Photographer Brad Nelson has made it his business to pay attention to the smallest visual details in life, and capture them on film. With a portfolio including everything from editorial and creative to advertising images, Brad Nelson’s vision is a rare commodity. The Brooklyn Circus took a moment to look at the world through Brad Nelson’s lens. Get focused.

How did you form a relationship with the BKC?
When I first moved to Brooklyn from LA, I met a beautiful girl, Stacy Samuel, who is now one of my closet friends. She lived around the corner from this men’s boutique and knew Ouigi. She knew we would get along well and she was so right. To this day he is one of the best people I’ve ever met. Love you bro. I got to know him even more when I had this idea to start an inner city program to teach kids to skateboard. I knew they had all the usual sports, but I wondered whether they had the means to buy skateboards and such. So being from SoCal I have a lot of friends in the business. When I mentioned it to Ouig, he told me he had already been part of this program called STOKED, which essentially was the same concept. So I joined in and still try to put as much time as allows into the kids.

What path led you to a career in photography?
Honestly it fell into my lap. I was building hoses in LA and didn’t have my creative outlet. So when work was slow, one of my best friends called me to help him on a photo shoot for Evian water. That’s all it took. I learned everything I could that day and the following morning I bought a Nikon and ran. I haven’t looked back since that day. I remember my first real job in Photography was with a woman named Karen Knauer who had a studio in Santa Monica. She paid me $40 a day and I worked my ass off learning how the business worked, what film did, how to print light. It was an amazing opportunity for me and the money didn’t matter. The knowledge I have gained has made up for it in so many ways that the money couldn’t. Art is a powerful thing. Being able to express yourself, your ideas, your opinions on the world is powerful. Street art, fashion, crayola crayons… we all have to start somewhere and let that blossom into who we are… Visual references are just as important as where you were when you heard a certain song.

In general, what are your favorite subjects to shoot, and what draws you to these subjects?
Random everyday, spontaneous moments are my favorite. People just doing what they do. I do love shooting celebrities, but I’d choose to shoot real people in real settings first. Growing up in LA made the celebrity thing odd for me. Being around people in the business sort of turned me off to it, but I have to remember that celebrities are
people just the same. Urban landscapes are amazing to shoot as well. Concrete jungles.

What message do you attempt to convey with your images? Is there any particular attitude that you intend to evoke?
Not really a message. I just want to show people how I view the world. Most people see things, but don’t really see them. When was the last time you stopped to look at a fire hydrant? Most people just pass them by without a thought. But think of the capacity they actually have on the world. They save lives, structures and serve a purpose on hot days. And most dogs love them. I think we move too fast, so I like to take things in very visually. I have to remind myself to slow down when I walk through the neighborhood just to see
things I normally pass by…

Describe the difference in your creative process when shooting in studio, as opposed to on the street. Which do you prefer?
I really prefer location shots. It lends freedom to the work. Things can feel so less contrived in an outdoor setting. Studio is fun to do. I remember taking a break from photography for a year, years ago, and the first thing I missed was actually being in a studio. But I can’t be as creative in my workflow in studio…

Do you approach things differently when shooting for editorial/advertising projects?
You have too. Most advertising jobs are set by the Art Directors. The projects become their babies, so it’s hard for them to relinquish control. Not all, but they have very specific ideas that they need to convey. You can shoot variations, but it’s rare that you can stray too far form the concept. Editorial is usually much more free. A lot of the Photo Editors rely on me to come up with the ideas for whatever the subject matter is. But not always is this true. I Photographed Rosie Perez for TimeOut NY last year and they were very specific on where to shoot since the story on her was about the documentary she had done on Puerto Rico and living in Brooklyn.

Ultimately, what do you hope to achieve with your body of work?
Life. I get to follow my true passion and I have turned it into a successful career. I love the world, cultures and differences in people. So for me to be able to bring all these amazing things together and make a living doing it? Wow! I feel blessed. I think if I had to choose one thing that I would like to achieve it would be to help out the world in some capacity. Donate time for certain projects that help feed the world, or raise money through imagery that will benefit kids that don’t really have the advantages that I have. Let them see that there is more out there. Help them learn about their personal creative energy.

What can we expect in the near future from Brad Nelson photography?
Any tentative collaborations with the BKC? I am currently working with Ouigi on a magazine project. We are always on the same page, so when I sat down with him to see what he was doing with it, I was drawn in to it. I’m sure he’ll let you all know about it soon enough. As for me, I just finished up a project for COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. I photographed business people for their executive business program here in NYC. I am currently up for a few more advertising jobs and I’m packing to head back down to my spot in Cocoa Beach, FL to get some surfing in and chill with some good friends and see my lady. Hi Tif.

The mascots are in from the west coast for The BKc Black Out of Aug 2007 at The Brooklyn Circus. . .
Putting those bikes together in our hot warehouse almost made me BlackOut. When you see these beauties you’ll see it was all worth the hard work. Thanks Bay Area Gabe, for getting these beauties out to BK as fast as you did.

Yep! The Brooklyn Circus, experience is everything . . .

Who: The Brooklyn Circus
W/Creative Support from:
Rich Yung,Joya Candles,Solemates x Bkc Chicago,Kiser NY, Aztlan Lowrider Bicycle,
Free Gold Watch,Nudie,Cheap Monday & Private Stock.

What: The BKc Black Out of Aug 2007 at The Brooklyn Circus. . .
When: From Aug 3rd to August 31st 2007
Where: The Brooklyn Circus 258 Bergen St
(Bet Nevins and 3rd ave) Brooklyn Ny 11217
Tel: 718.222.9772
Hrs: Daily From 1pm-8pm

Why: The BKc is the new Black . . .

When great Design & Architecture meet Creativity, a Masterpiece is born, this is the perfect recipe to create an ill shop. Check it.//

pictures borrowed from www.thecoolhunter.net