Maurice Hargrave 3/6/22 Maurice Hargrave 3/6/22

Braving the Cold w/ Ben Dehan

Earlier this year I had the oppurtunity to shoot some press photos for local Baltimore artist, Ben Dehan. The band consists of lead singer and vocalist, Ben Dehan, cellist, Lauren White, and drummer, Liam Frazier. With a self-proclaimed sound that’s somewhere between Machine Gun Kelly & Angels & Airwaves, these guys (and gal) make some killer music; their music reminds me of those early 2000’s pop punk and indie rock tracks you’d hear in indie films like Garden State (2003) or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008); big time nostalgia for this kid.

Unfotunately for us, it was cold as f*** this day (but shoutout to Lauren for coming prepared with the hand warmers!), which is something you’ll notice with the cooler blue tones in many of the photos; Nonetheless, Ben, Liam, and Lauren toughed it out with me and we came out with some pretty dope shots that I really think capture their individual personalities and band dynamic. It’s always a pleasure working with these cool nad talented people, and there will definitely be more collaborations to come. Until next time, enjoy the photos!

Also, check out Ben DeHan’s music at https://open.spotify.com/artist/6NOcwcPdofGYv0UfUojN09

and the Ben DeHan concert gallery here.

Maurice Hargrave 3/5/22 Maurice Hargrave 3/5/22

Self Portraits = Self Care [Archives]

One thing I've really struggled with lately is staying motivated to shoot. As any photographer who predominantly photographs people could attest to, people are very unreliable. Aside from the pandemic that has wreaked havoc on the world for the past year plus, many people are just flaky by nature. I don't hold this against anyone, but for obvious reasons, it can be very frustrating to someone (I'm someone) that just wants to make photos.

Trying to turn this negative into a positive, I've chosen to explore the other forms of photography that I've always neglected. One of those forms has been self-portraiture. Now, I have never been comfortable in front of a camera. Growing up I was always the chubby kid and was teased regularly, a story I'm sure we've all heard before, but nonetheless the kind of thing that takes a toll on a person; I’m no different. However, as I've grown into the man I'm still becoming, I've also grown in love and acceptance of myself. This is something for which I hold a great pride.

All the emotional mumbo jumbo aside, I got a pair of RGB panels a while back and figured I'd try them out on myself. Now, I am far from a lighting expert, but I had fun making these photos and really like the way they turned out. I tried a few color combos but the one that I ended up settling on was a simple red and blue. Using the red panel as a key light and the blue to light the background and give a little fill, I got a nice amount of depth and contrast that really make the photos pop in my opinion. Even the black and white images have a different/interesting feel to them, and lets be honest, I look pretty damn cool. So, shout out to self portraits for helping me see myself in a new light (pun all the way intended).

All this being said, natural light still is and always will be unbeaten in my book, but I'd be a liar if I said the possibilities of artificial lighting don't intrigue me. I'll definitely be trying out these panels in some different applications, so more on that to come. Now I'm sure you're tired of my babbling so that'll be all for now.

Photos below, enjoy!

Maurice Hargrave 3/5/22 Maurice Hargrave 3/5/22

Shopping for Shadows [Archives]

These photos are from a recent trip I took to the mall with my girlfriend. I don't usually bring my camera with me into indoor public spaces (malls, stores, markets, etc.), but here's to trying new things! I really like how these photos turned out. The ever shifting patterns of light and shadow painted over the bustling crowds and unmoving architecture definitely added an unpredictable element of drama and depth to the images; they're almost like scenes.

I've also been heavily into black and white photography these days, the depth and texture is unmatched in my opinion. I don't know what it is, but details just seem to POP amongst varying shades of gray. Don't get me wrong, I still got those dope colors, but my bias definitely shows here. Anyway, enough words, I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Til next time, enjoy the visuals!