Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 12:45PM The Guardian publishes a quarterly guide to nightlife in San Francisco. This fall my work graces the cover. This was shot in North Beach on Broadway and Columbus. Please visit www.sfbg.com for the content. 
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 08:43AM The most recent issue of The San Francisco Bay Guardian's SCENE is on news stands right now and I hope you've had a chance to pick it up. Included are several great write ups of local businesses and people making San Francisco the eclectic mess of insanity it is. More importantly, as far as this blog is concerned, the center spread is a nice 13 inch tall 2 page spread from Brandon Joseph Baker. I was very pleased to be involved in this shoot. Mirissa Neff has done a wonderful job of putting extra emphasis into the visual content of The Guardian. I want to also give a special thanks to Silke Labson and Jes Wells of Meep.com, Marke and David and the models - especially Dexter and Lauren for keeping it all coherent with their styling and make up work! 
Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 02:16AM My hope this weekend was to get onto the computer, run some images through photoshop and update my current website www.brandonjosephbaker.com. Best laid plans and a wife intent on a speedy recovery (i don't blame her. that collar bone has been a pain in the neck for too long, pun intended). None the less after the fourth of july holiday i should have a batch of new images here and on my website for your viewing pleasure.
If you're in San Francisco this week please pick up a copy of The Guardian and check out the center spread of SCENE, literally where the staples meet. It's not quite a center fold and not quite a double truck but there is some big play for my image!
Sunday, June 8, 2008 at 04:31PM I have been working over the last 6 weeks on some new pieces for an art show on August 2. It's my first solo show at My Trick Pony, a gallery and custom graphic apparel store in San Francisco. 
I've been putting together some illustrations for the shirts. I've been running with the idea of abundant little monsters, a theme I've been toying with for several years. For the hung art on the walls I've branched out into a new medium, sculpture. I don't want to say too much as the final pieces aren't completely finished.I'm sure as things build I'll put more up about the progress...
THE DETAILS: the show is on August 2 at My Trick Pony, 742 Fourteenth Street, SFCA. Arrive sometime after 7:30, drink some wine or Jameson, enjoy the gummy bears and Oreos and then buy a t-shirt or splurge on some limited edition art for your home.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 07:52PM my most sincere apologies for anyone who reads (the past and future tenses of the verb "to read" as well) this blog. i have found myself in a bit of a crunch with time lately. there doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to get my hands and mind around the countless projects i've concocted and been paid to vanquish lately. of said projects this blog has fallen to the wayside. in a last ditch effort to finish what i've started here is an update on the things i've been shooting or working on lately.
earlier this year i shot some photos for a musician out of San Francisco named Chi McClean. the concept was to do some natural shots of him in his environment, playing some music, in the studio, ambient shots, etc etc. the usual stuff. he's a very laid back fellow and we thought that should reflect in the photos. the album hasn't been released yet but here are some of my favorites from the shoot. 
I also shot some images for The San Francisco Bay Guardian. They are publishing a special section called Explore SF which publishes May 28. It's technically May 27 but I doubt leaking images 8 hours before the issue hits the stand is going to be a problem, even though tons of people sit anxiously with baited breath to read this blog.
the first (and my favorite) neighborhood i shot was North Beach. North Beach can be a real CF sometimes with the tourists, traffic and general madness that surrounds outside dining. I shot at night originally but didn't make it there in time for "magic hour" as i had intended (i blame the MUNI). i returned one early morning at sunrise to find the blue and gold light washing cooly over the sleepy nearly vacant streets.
The shots from Hayes Valley and Nopa went well though I don't really think the later constitutes a neighborhood. NOPA stands for North Of The Panhandle. it's also a restaurant on the corner of Hayes and Divisadero that is technically north east of the Panhandle. This area used to be called the Western Addition or Upper Haight depending on your perspective and or race. The idea of naming every inch of our fair city and hotly debating the bounds of said neighborhoods is a favorite pastime of many residents here. personally it just pisses me off to no extent. NOPA is just new fodder to the fire, the neighborhood, not the restaurant which i've heard is quite nice. 
the Inner Richmond is an interesting place. there is a lot of Asian restaurants, stores and fog (of course i thought dark brooding images of empty streets blanketed in fog would publish well. instead i went on one of the few days of cloudless days). a really solid bookstore is there, Green Apple Books, though i rarely frequent it as it's west of Stanyan and i have a disconnect with traveling west of Stanyan unless it's for several specific activities- the beach with Samson, the park with Megan or to traverse the Golden Gate Bridge on my way to Marin. none the less the neighborhood is quite popular despite my lack of enthusiasm.
I've also been busy shooting a series of photos for Catholic Charities CYO Camp. It's been a fun project with a great art director, Matt Viglione. We have had several shoots on the camp property and in Occidental, a mouse fart of a town in Sonoma county.
We're headed back in July for more so check back then for more updates. I'm headed to Kansas City tomorrow to attend a wedding. I hope to update this with more regularity in the future but can't promise anything as I just got confirmed for a large chunk of time at the studio and i have a show at My Trick Pony later this summer. i'll be drawing little monsters for their t-shirts in exchange for a gallery show with a month to hang my art on their walls. if you're in the city or want to be around August 2nd please let me know and come out to the show. it promises to be a good event with a large turnout (plus lots of the sauce to get the evening rolling...)
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 03:29PM I shot some images for The San Francisco Bay Guardian's special section SCENE and it published today. Grab a copy of The Guardian today and check it out. I photographed at two of my favorite bars in San Francisco, The Homestead and Alembic. The Homestead has a wonderful atmosphere and very friendly staff who I love to purchase my favorite whiskey, Bullet Bourbon from. 
Alembic is a whiskey bar run by a wonderful guy named Daniel. His selection of whiskey and scotch is wonderful and they are great at pouring special concoctions to your drinking desire. The food here is wonderful as well. The cod with the Viex Carre is wonderful and you can't go wrong with a side of the fries either. Go out and get a drink and support your free weekly indie publications while you're at it.
Sunday, March 2, 2008 at 10:09PM Sunday marks the end of Noise Pop in San Francisco. I didn't get a chance to get to as many shows as I'd have liked due to a serious cold and several conflicting shooting assignments. I have however found time to get to some really great shows. The best was The Blacks at Great American Music Hall followed closely by The Okay at Bimbos. I'm a huge fan of The Okay and The Blacks are a new found joy thanks to an introduction from Sonic Spectrum out of Kansas City and Julie Schuchard at Tricycle Records.
Sunday also marks the beginning of my photo blog. I wanted to have a place to put photographs up immediately without adding to the galleries in my current website www.brandonjosephbaker.com or on myspace
So here it is. I'll save the commentary on the shows as I have a busy week.
THE BLACKS
THE OKAY
DELTA SPIRIT
BODIES OF WATER
PORT O'BRIEN
