5D | The People of Calgary

Back in the mix with Bobbie!

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Rob Moses Photography

Hey everyone! As you might have noticed I took an extended break from this blog. I needed to focus my attention on some other projects I had on the go. I have finally wrapped up a few things and now have some free time to get this baby back in action! So with that, here’s a conversation I had with this lovely woman named Bobbie :).

I hope I spelled “Bobbie” right!

Camera: Canon 5D mark iii & 50mm 1.4 ~ Settings: f/1.4 – 1/6400th – ISO 320 * VSCOcam C1

1. Where are you from?
Redwood Meadows.

2. Why did you moved to Calgary of all places?
Opportunity.

3. Do you like living in Calgary?
Yes.

4. What is it about Calgary that you like?
I like the dynamic quality of people here, people are generally happy and able to move with life, and people in Calgary are active.

5. What do you like to do for fun?
We spend a lot of time in the mountains.

Rob: Nice! Banff, Canmore and all that?

Bobbie: Yes, Kananaskis.

6. If you had to describe Calgary to some one, what would you say?
An energetic, entrepreneurial, young city.

7. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes 🙂

* I doubt Bobbie will ever read this, because it was AGES ago that I interviewed her. If you do find this Bobbie, THANK YOU! And sorry for the delay haha ;).

That Shaw TV Calgary Thing

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Rob Moses Photography

Hey guys (& gals), here is that Shaw TV thing I mentioned in the last couple posts! It was produced by Shiva Jahanshah (@ShivaJahanshah). We filmed this at the Core shopping centre downtown in Calgary. For people who have never been here, it is just what it sounds like, the major shopping centre in the downtown core :). We started off with a little interview and then they had do my thing and talk to some strangers. I think I sound a little weird in the very beginning, but what are ya gonna do haha.

Thank you so much for putting that together Shiva! We gotta get you on here one of these days ;).

Thanks for stopping by, Rob

Matthew – Loves Diverse Calgary

Posted on March 30, 2014 by Rob Moses Photography

I met Matthew the same day I met the last guy, Joe. In fact I talked to 3 people that day :). When I approached Matthew he was with a friend. I had asked both of them if they wanted to be interviewd, but only Matthew was up for it. 1 is better than none! Here is what Matthew had to say.

Camera: Canon 5D mark iii & 50mm 1.4 ~ Settings: 1/2500 – f/1.4 – ISO 320

1. Where are you from?
Originally from Calgary. You want to know my ancestors?

Rob: Sure!

Matthew: My mom’s Romanian and my dads Italian, so we have that ethnic background which is why I love Calgary, a lot. And I speak Italian.

Rob: Cool! So are you the first born Canadian in your family?

Matthew: Ya, my mom is from Romania and my dad is from Northern Italy, so ya it’s a cool mix. They love Calgary as well.

Rob: Ya it’s a good spot. So you’ve lived there all your life then?

Matthew: Yes I have, well actually I lived in Florida for a bit, it’s totally different. I’m not gonna lie, I actually like it here a lot more. The people are a lot better, a lot more intuitive and I feel like they are a lot smarter and a lot more diverse.

Rob: So you like living in Calgary then.

Matthew: Ya I love Calgary.

Rob: So what is about living in Calgary that you like exactly, besides great people.

Matthew: I like the environment. I like the night life, it’s cool you get to meet a lot of new people. And also the air, it feels a lot healthier and a lot more fresh. I also like the views.

2. What do you like to do for fun?
I like to play instruments. The music scene here is pretty good.

Rob: Cool, what do you play?

Matthew: I play the guitar and piano, although I am trying to produce in my off time. I also like the bar and club scene.

3. If you had to describe Calgary to some one, what would you say?
Defiantly not a hick town! It’s very different. There are so many different types of people here. You get a peace of everything, of every culture and every walk of life, so that’s what I love.

Rob: Great, me too! I’m with ya there.

4. Have you ever ridden a horse?
No I haven’t. (Laughter). People think it’s all about cowboys and it’s not haha.

5. Anything you’d like to add?
For people who don’t really know much about Calgary, it’s not really that isolated and it’s a modern city, so you’ll definitely like that aspect. Everything is here and you can try so many different things here and that’s why I would recommend Calgary.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me Matthew! 🙂

Alley Reflection

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

Here’s a street shot that I posted on my Rob Moses Photography blog 🙂 I’ll have a new interview up next.

More about this picture here: Alley Reflection.

Thanks for stopping by, Rob

Madison – Calgary Makeup Artist

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

One day not too long ago I was kicking around Instagram and I came across one of Madison’s pictures. That picture lead me to her feed and I started to follower her on Instagram. After seeing a bunch of great photos of her there, one day I commented that she should be on this site and if she would be interested in doing such a thing. To my delight she said she would! So after a few emails we sorted out a date and met up in MacKenzie Towne.

We met at the Second Cup coffee shop on High Street. I got there first and when Madison came in she ordered and then walked over to the table I was at. I got up to shaker her hand and she was going for the hug, it was kind of funny but it gets better. I thought, oh ok we’re hugging it out, cool. Then mid hug I proceeded to step on her beautiful shoes LOL. SMOOTH! This first interaction made me laugh so I thought I’d share it with you guys. Sorry about that Madison! haha 😉

Once settled, we hung out and had a wonderful conversation and got to know each other a little before we did the interview. Madison is very friendly and super easy to talk too. I really enjoyed the conversation we had and the photo shoot was fun too! Here is what she had to say.

Camera: Canon 5D mark ii & 135L – Setting: 1/125th // f2 // ISO 1250

* The lighting situation was a little difficult for this shot because it was raining and we had to shoot in this covered area with some bad lighting over top. I used a silver reflector to camera left to try and fill in some of the shadows.

1. Where are you from?
Calgary, Alberta.

2. Nice, have you lived here all of your life?
Yes I have.

3. Do you like living in Calgary?
I love living in Calgary.

4. What is it that you love about Calgary?
I guess the thing I love about Calgary the most is just family. I think when you grow up rooted in a place with everyone around, you fall in love with it for that reason I guess. And I think the beauty of Calgary, just hot in the summer and I like the cold in the winter, and I think most people would like it if they physically didn’t have to drive to work and they could just watch it out there window or go outside midday and like make snow angles or whatever they would do. (laughter).

5. Is there anything that you don’t like about Calgary? Or do you just love it all? Most people would have a problem with the winter, but not you 🙂
Ya, that’s definitely not an issue for me. I think that you should appreciate everything about where you are and so many people focus on the negatives. I think winter is beautiful and it would be better if I didn’t have to drive in it to get to work, one day maybe. I guess about Calgary, the one thing I don’t like is how separated sometimes it is.

Rob: Ya, like how spread out it is?

Madison: Ya, so like in a scence I loved when after flood, how everyone came together and it was amazing. I wish there was more of that I guess, as a posed to just individual communities. Because you go to a new community and your not really involved in it.

Rob: Ya I get that.

6. What do you like to do for fun?
I guess my career (make up artistry) is what I like to do for fun. Like with make up and making women feel beautiful with them selfs and confident, that’s what I love to do. And it’s funny, because I actually originally was going into accounting and I left accounting to pursue cosmetics. So I guess I was always interested in it and fashion, and now that’s what I do all the time.

Rob: Ya I couldn’t see you being an accountant (laughter). I just can’t picture it, you sitting behind a desk crunching numbers (laughter).

Madison: Ya you grow up and people ask you, “What are you good at?” and I was good at math, so I had a list of careers and I’m like, “Ok I’ll do that” and I went 2 years and I’m like “This is not for me”. And now I’m doing what I absolutely love and what I’m passionate about and that’s what matters.

Rob: Nice, that’s cool. You made the right choice.

7. If you had to describe Calgary to someone what would you say?
I would say, Calgary, it’s such a mix of people, which is great because you have almost every kind of culture, which I think it’s the coolest thing. Because it’s not just a stereotype, it’s absolutely everyone. So cultured, you learn so many things and I think you learn to appreciate people and just everything they have to off and bring to the table. It gives you the experience to learn different cultures and you take away what you want from it and then you can be a better person because of it almost. (In a joking sappy voice) That’s why I love Calgary. (laughter)

Rob: Nice, good answer 🙂

8. Have you ever ridden a horse?
I have, I actually went to horse camp when I was younger (laughter).

Rob: What! Horse camp? Ok tell me more about horse camp, I gotta know (laughter).

Madison: Ok, so it’s actually camp Chief Hector is what the camp’s called. You do horse back trips and it’s like a 5 day trip and it’s like an excurtion almost so you have backpacks that you carry and you like camp up and build tents and fires and everything. You tie your horse up.

Rob: YOU!

Madison: (laughter) Ya I did this.

Rob: I can’t even picture that a tiny bit. You with a backpack on a horse going camping (laughter).

Madison: I did do this. I lasted and I made it up all the mountains we had to climb and ya. It was good. Horse back riding is so much fun. If I had more time, I’d like to play with that a little more, because it was really fun now that I’m thinking back on that. I did like that, I think I just like animals though.

Rob: Nice.

9. Anything you’d like to add?
Hmm… I don’t know. I guess really we are talking about Calgary and honestly I think it’s one of the best places. I have been to a lot of the US and even a little bit of Western Canada, I can’t say I’ve went more eastern, but it’s just the most excepting and I find culturely diverse areas and I love that about it.

Rob: Nice, thanks for doing this.

Madison: No worries, I love doing stuff like this.

* The most fun I had out of all these Calgary strangers so far 🙂 Thanks again Madison, it was nice to meet you.

* You can find Madison on Facebook HERE.

Shane – A New Calgary Journalist

Posted on September 1, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

One day last week I posted a tweet on twitter saying how I needed to go out and find someone for this blog. I quickly got a reply from Shane volenteering to do it! So with that we arranged to meet on Saturday and we did the interview. Here is what Shane had to say.

Camera: Canon 5D mark ii & 135L – Settings: 1/1000th // f2 // ISO 100

1. Where are you from?
Well I jokingly like to call my self a minority in my own land, as I was actually born in raised in Calgary.

– Rob: Haha nice, that’s a good one.

2. So do you like living in Calgary?
Well for the most part there is always something to do in town. But the one bummer about living in Calgary is sometimes when you rely on public transit, if your trying to get from suburb to suburb you need to make sure you leave early, because it’s going to be awhile. But transportation issues aside Calgary is a great place to live.

3. What is about Calgary that you like? or Don’t like? You choose.
Well what I particularly like about Calgary and what I don’t think we really get enuf credit for on a national scale is the street festival scene here during the summer. There is always something to do during the week. A lot of people get together. There is always a central theme and that kind of thing. And my self being a web producer for a music magazine, I partiularly dig the Sled Island Festival, and what I like about it is, you may not have heard about much of the artists, but that’s kind of the point, discovering new music.

– Rob: What was the name of the publication you where just talking about?
Beat Root Magazine, we are an independent music publication.

– Rob: And is that local to Calgary?
It’s local and we have an edition in Vancouver as well.

– Rob: Ok cool, and you just gave me this other publication that you where involved in, the Calgary Journal. How did you get involved with these guys?
Well it’s kind mandatory to write for the Calgary Journal because it’s the Mount Royal University Journalism program. So if you want to get that $25,000 piece of paper you kinda have no choice but to write for the Calgary Journal, it’s just the name of the game with that program. A lot of journalism programs have community news papers that they just run in house. Consider it kind of a showcase of young journalists work and there growth if you will.

– Rob: And is it this that led you to the music magazine your working with? Or how did that come about?
Your on the ball actually, my job a Beat Route Magazine kind of fell on my lap. When I was a news intern at the Calgary Journal, at the time our production manager Brad Simm, he’s also the publisher at Beat Route Route Magazine and he knew I was pretty savvy in terms of working with digital media and being the word smith that I am, so he offered, I took it and 2 and half years later I’m still with Beat Route.

– Rob: Nice. You also have a blog, I checked it out quickly. What kind of stuff do you got going on there?
Yes, Pronounced Floog. Well regretfully I haven’t written anything there in about a month. It’s just a personal blog, I don’t have a lot of high hopes for it. It’s just intended for my twitter adiunce and facebook friends, that kind of thing. Sometimes I write a little bit of humour and other times I write opinions.

– Rob: Or impressions perhaps? (I saw a video of one on his blog before the interview)
And voice impressions, Metallica (Shane starts screaming loudly and we are standing beside a gas station in public! haha) YA, YAAAA, OUWA!

– Rob: haha Ok your freaking me out! (laughter) I’m just kidding.

4. I also noticed on your blog you had a picture of your self with a camera, so are you a bit of a photographer too then?
Well I see your a Canon guy, but you’ll hate to hear I’m a bit of Nikon guy.

– Rob: I dont have problem with Nikon.
You don’t have a problem with that, ok that’s good. I know there’s a bit of a rivalry going on there. But anyway, I suppose I’m a bit of an ameture photographer. My specailty would have to be action photography. It’s pretty simple, it’s just f8 and you go from there. Just shoot the hell out of the event and hope for the best and usally get something good.

– Rob: Haha Spray and Pray I think they call it.
Is that the term?

– Rob: Ya haha.
Alright, I learned something today on my end too.

5. Alright so what do you like to do for fun?
For fun particularly I enjoy a game of pool it’s sort of thinking mans game but it’s a lot more socailble then say chess. You can drink a beer and just shoot the stuff with the guy your playing with. So I enjoy pool. I need to get better at it, but when I can I also enjoy fishing as well. And my Final Fantasy days are over at this point in my life, but I do play some PS3 once in a while.

6. If you had to describe Calgary to some one, what would you say?
Well it’s huge, to say the least. But it’s a very homely city for it’s size, it’s very neighbourly, the people are nice and it’s kind of one of those city where you can leave your jacket in the bar to go to the bathroom and not be to worried about it being stolen from you and that sort of thing. It’s a very friendly city that way. And we do have a really thriving arts and culture scene in Calgary, but like I said before I don’t think we get a lot of credit for it on the national level, because you your self probably discovered while doing your blog, there is more to us than just cowboys, stampede and our fossil fuel economy.

7. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Does pony count?

– Rob: Ya I’d say a pony counts, it’s kind of a horse, a small horse haha.
Ok close enuf haha. I was a small lad at the time.

– Rob: There you go! So it’s all relative then?

8. Anything you’d like to add?
Just keep up the good work with your blog. It’s a very fascinating concept. I mean not only are profiling, just telling some great stories of people, just for being them selfs and that kind of thing. And we are watching your growth as well as a new Calgarian who discovers more and more. And there is just a lot more to us than Stampede.

***

That’s it for Shane, you can find him on twitter at @sflug. Thanks for volunteering to talk to me Shane! 😉

Lara Presber – Calgary Fashion Designer

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

Last week I was kicking around twitter looking for Calgary fashion designers and I came across Lara’s profile. I followed her and we exchanged a few messages regarding her work and my photography. It wasn’t long before the idea to have her on this blog entered my mind. I told her about the project as best I could in 140 characters and she liked the idea and agreed to participate.

I met Lara at her studio downtown the following day. She’s got a great spot in an old row of buildings in a rather central location. When I arrived we hung out and chatted for a bit about Calgary and a few other random things. The conversation was easy and natural, so much in fact I had to interrupt the conversation to get the interview going before I had all the answers to my questions before I had the chance to ask them. Here is what she had to say.

Camera: Canon 5D mark iii & 135L – Settings: 1/500th // f2 // ISO 400

1. Where are you from ?
I am from a lot of places haha.

2. What would you concider your home ? Is Calgary home ?
I’ve spent the most time in Calgary than any where else that I have lived.

3. Where else have you lived ?
Well I was born in Saskatchuwan, but I grew up in Calgary and then since I’ve lived in Pakistan, Boston, Milan and I studied in Paris for a little while.

Rob: Nice! So your well traveled.

Lara: I like to travel, ya.

4. So Pakistan, how did you end up in Pakistan from Calgary ?
It was with my family when I was in high school. My father took a job with CITA, the Canadian International Development Agency. So our whole family moved, it was supposed to be for a year and then we were evacuated due to the Gulf War.

Rob: WHAT! “Evacuated”!?

Lara: Ya, but it was good. It was when I was 17 and I think that’s such a pivotal time in life to do something so. . . crazy.

Rob: Wow.

Lara: It was like, you know they talk about those moments which change your life? Like that was just, I don’t know, just flipped the switch of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it.

Rob: That’s crazy! Really cool.

5. Then you were off to Boston ? How did you end up there and what were you doing in Boston ?
I went to school in Boston and I studied architecture there. I was there for a total of 10 years. I just wanted to stay and pay off all my student loans while I was in the US and get my architect licence, because you know everything in the US is in feet and inches and if I took the test there it was in feet an inches, where as if I took it in Canada it was in metric. I know the metric system, but designing buildings in metric is very different as in imperial. So ya, I spent 10 years there.

6. You go there (Boston), then you do some more studying in Milan and Paris, so why did you move back to Calgary ?
Well I was gone for about a dozen years and I think you just reach the point where you just can’t rent anymore apartments, lease anymore cars and have temporary work visas and I just really wanted to come back to Canada. I wasn’t sure where in Canada, but I was ready to come back. I think you gain so much perspective and such a greater appreciation for your country when you spend so much time from the outside looking in.

7. I probably should have mentioned this earlier, your a fashion designer, how did you get into that ?
It was something that I always wanted to do and growing up in Calgary becoming a fashion designer seemed really unattainable, it seemed impractical and there really wasn’t anybody here to act as a mentor. So I thought I would be practical and just become and architect, because I was interested in both. So after practicing architecture in Boston for 10 years I kind of reached a pivital point where I thought, “I don’t think I like this anymore, I want to try something else,” and I wanted to try fashion and just either do it or not do it and kind of put it to bed. So I took a one year spabatical from architecture to study fashion and it felt really good. So I came back to Canada and launched my own line and continued to practice architecture and now I kind of do them both at the same time.

8. So back to Calgary, what is it about Calgary that you like?
(laughter) That’s a hard question. I think the one thing I really enjoy about this city is the potential. I mean how often do you live in a city with a critical mass of over a million people where the design market isn’t fully saturated. So I think up until this time it’s been really frustrating that everything has just been kind of mediocre, but now that we have so many people from different countries and from different parts of Canada, the expectations of what good design should be, or a good restaurant or good fashion is so elevated that’s its opened the doors for so many people like my self to really grow and expand and experiment.

9. What do you like to do for fun?
Haha I don’t have any extra time for fun. (laughter) No, in the summer I like to ride my bicycle, I like to be outside. We were just talking about winter, in winter I hibernate, I’m not much into winter sports. Ya probably just kind of be outside and enjoy nature.

10. If you had to describe Calgary to some one, what would you say?
Oh that’s a really hard. (pause) I don’t even know. . . (pause). I have no idea.

Rob: No idea! ?

Lara: I don’t know it’s like what I was saying earlier. It’s always just kind of been this very business focused city and now it’s kind of exploding with people wanting to put greater value on experiencing culture. The culture here has exploded recently too and again it all comes back to enjoying life, I think. The City is for example, has re-done a lot of the paths and implemented all of these bike lanes and 10 years ago no one would have ridden, other than couriers no one would have ridden a bicycle in downtown Calgary. So it’s nice to see it (Calgary) kind of growing up into a bigger city.

11. How can people find your work ?
Well they can come by the studio. That’s one way. We have a beautiful store front right on the street. A lot of the time people stop and peer in while we are working and wonder what we are doing. But also I have a website for both architecture and fashion, so people can find me online. (www.LaraPresber.com & www.StudioPresber.com)

Rob: And I know you’re on twitter, because that’s how I found you.

Lara: Yes I’m on twitter and facebook.

Camera: Canon 5D mark iii & 135L – Settings: 1/400th // f2 // ISO 800

Rob: So where can people find you on twitter ?

Lara: Easy, it’s @LaraPresber and same with facebook it’s Lara Presber Clothing.

12. Ok great, so that’s about it. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes I have.

13. Anything you’d like to add?
No (laughter).

Rob: Alright that’s it.

Lara: Come on, everyones ridden a horse in Alberta.

Rob: I have NOT ridden a horse.

Lara: Well you have only been here for a year and half.

– Thank you for taking the time to talk to me Lara, it was fun! 🙂

Holly – These Kids Love Holly Days

Posted on July 10, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

Today’s post was a rather easy one for me to get together. 3 days out of the week my 2 boys (Joshua & Cameron) spend their days at a day home that Holly runs. Last weekend we had Holly and her son over to hour house for dinner and over converstaion the topic of this blog came up. Holly liked the idea of the blog and was happy to participate. Here is what she had to say.

Camera: Canon 5D mark ii & 135L – Settings 1/250th // f2.2 // ISO 100

1. Where are you from?
Calgary.

2. Have you lived here all of your life?
Yes I have.

3. Do you like living in Calgary?
(pause). . . I do.

Rob: You do?

Holly: Ya haha.

Rob: You don’t sounds so sure about that. (laughter)

Holly: For the most part I do.

4. What is it about Calgary that you like?
(pause). . . Well I have never thought of this (laughter). I haven’t thought about this ever! I like that my family is here haha. And I like the weather, it’s bipolar. (laughter) I like the mountains, that you can see them. I think the Calgary Stampede is ok and I like that that you can run a business here pretty well and that’s about it.

5. What do you like to do for fun?
For fun I like hiking and I like to hang out with my family. I like to sing karaoke and I like to stay in touch with some old friends.

6. If you had to describe Calgary to some one, what would you say?
I would say that your gonna like it here and it’s very expensive (laughter).

7. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes, my mom owns some.

8. Anything you’d like to add?
Umm, Have a great Stampede everybody, YEE-HAW! 😀

DJ Jimmi Riggz – Calgary Turntablist

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

I met Greg (aka Jimmi Riggz) at the 10@10 hip hop night I went to last month. After Greg’s set was over he made is way over to the bar and my table wasn’t far off. So I jumped up started to chat with him and told him about this blog, to my surprise he said he had heard of it! I asked him if he would be up for a quick interview and he was down. My conversation with Greg had a lot of laughs which made it one of the most fun interviews to date :). Here’s what Greg AKA Jimmi Riggz had to say.

Camera: Canon 5Diii & 50L – Setting: 1/8000th // f1.2 // ISO 10,000
*Note: I could have put the iso down for this particular shot, but I was shooting in many different lighting situations quickly due to the stage lighting and other lighting in the venue, so I just left it at 10000 to ensure sharp photos.

1. Alright so what’s your name ?
My real name is Greg and my stage name is “Jimmi Riggz”.

2. So where are you from ?
Originally I’m from Dundas, Ontario and I moved out here 6 years ago and I’ve been in Calgary pretty much ever since.

3. Why did you move to Calgary of all places ?
Well originally I moved to Jasper and then it was like, your not going any where, your having fun but your going any where. (laughter)

4. Do you like living in Calgary ?
Ya, I like it for lots of reasons. You know obviously works good and then the (hip hop) scene’s pretty good for the most part. And I like it because it’s close to mountains and all that jazz. So like if you wanna get away for the weekend your just an hour or 2 away from dope spots.

5. So what do you like to do for fun ?
I like skateboarding, I like DJ’ing, I like just getting out camping, whatever, exploring seeing new things and chill’n.

6. So if you had to describe Calgary to someone what would you say ?
I would say it’s a good spot. If you want to get away from your whereabouts and want to meet likeminded people it’s the perfect spot to go because 90% of the people you meet are not from Calgary and at some point in their life, in all our lives we have the same thought of “Hey I need to get out of here”. So in that way when you meet someone you almost have something in common with them right away. So you meet a lot of nice people who at one point in their life where in the same mentality as you, which I like.

Rob: Hey that’s so true, awesome! I love it, I love it.

7. What else do you think the city has to offer for someone just coming to the city for the first time ?
Well theres great opportunities, I mean if your looking for work there is plenty of that. There’s good schools, there’s U of C, there’s SAIT . . . (pause), Ummm, I don’t even know the rest, I didn’t even go to school here man (laughter).

8. So how did you hear about this night and how did you get involved with it ?
Well I heard about it awhile back and I don’t know, I got at Beni cuz I seen videos on youtube and whatever and just heard it was a good place to meet people, network and I don’t know, some real (hip hop)heads that are into music here so I thought why not check this place out. Then I was talking with Beni and they don’t get very many turntablists through here so he was on board to have me out, so here I am.

Random Guy: Yo! You put on a good show buddy!

Greg: Thanks man, thank you.

9. Alright that’s cool, so is there anything else you’d like to add ? Like do you have a website or anything like that people can find you at ?
Naw.

Rob: Twitter ?
Greg: Naw haha.

Rob: Anything ?
Greg: Naw.

Rob: Nothing! ?
Greg: Haha naw I don’t, I’m old school. (laughter)

10. Well have you ever ridden a horse ?
No.

Rob: That’s it!
Greg: Alright. . . I almost did! can I put that?

Rob: Haha ya, how did you almost ride a horse ?
Greg: Well I was supposed too, but then it just never happen. We were up at the ranch and then it just never happen.

Rob: Haha why ? Why didn’t it happen ? You got scared ?
Greg: I dont know, I think we got drunk. (laughter)

Rob: Haha ok, well that’s good. You don’t want to ride a horse drunk. (laughter)

Greg: You don’t have to put that in haha.

Rob: No I’m definitely gonna put that in! (laughter).

Thanks taking the time to talk to me Greg! And that guy who interrupted the interview was right, you put on a good show! 😉

Ryan – 10@10 Hip Hop in Calgary

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Rob Moses Photography

A DJ friend of mine (Mista Wilson) set up an introduction to Ryan through his friend Marie. I met Marie and Ryan in front of the Ubu Lounge a little before people starting showing up for a hip hop night that Ryan and his friends put on. Ryan told me a little bit about the night and showed me around the venue quickly. After a quick look around Ryan and I went back to the street to conduct our interview. Here is what he had say!
* A few more photos from the night follow the interview.

Camera: Canon 5Diii & 50L – Settings: 1/320th // f1.2 // ISO 400

1. Where are you from?
I’m from Calgary

2. Have you lived here all your life?
I was born in Calgary

3. Nice. Do you like living in Calgary?
Yeah, I enjoy living in Calgary.

4. What is it about Calgary that you like?
Well, like, even with a lot of other Canadians too who are like born and raised somewhere else, like, there’s a lot of nostalgic feeling for the place where you were born, and the place where you are familiar with , like most of my friends. For me that’s Calgary.

5. What do you like to do for fun?
I like to listen to music, watch sports, chill with the hommies.

6. So you are putting on this night. Why don’t you tell me a bit about the night that we are at? How did it start?
It started as an idea from my boy Rock Media about creating a night where we invite 10 local hip hop acts down to do quick sets and kinda like a sign up and open mic format. And it started with that and the way it grew from that point which is just kinda natural within itself.

7. How long have you guys been doing this night?
I believe this is our 24^th month or 22^nd month? I’m off on that one so I don’t know

Rob: Around there!

Around there, if that (Laughter)

8. So has it always been done here?
Yeah, it’s always been done here at the Ubu Lounge here in Theatre Grand.

9. How long do you plan to do this night? Is it gonna be a long standing thing?
Um, you know at this point…It’s not even the foresight, you know. We never even thought it’d be this long. At the same time, it’s hard to envision local hip hop without it.

10. So what else is happening in the City as far as the hip hop community goes?
I don’t know, but from 10 @ 10 being a hub, it’s kinda nice to see like, as you invite more artists down to perform, it’s different artists meeting other artists, and different visual artists meeting other visual artists or photographers meeting artists as well, ya know. And then seeing the collaborations even from the events. Seeing, you know, an act from one month, with an act from a different month doing a song together and your seeing kinda like those kinda fruitations of the culture. It’s showing more growth and you know than whats within the realm of my reach. Cause there could still be great stuff being created anywhere, but if I’m not hearing it is it my hip hop or no?

11. So how do you get the acts?
People who attend kinda see what we’re doing and how it’s being done. And they send us an e-mail at 10at10showcase@gmail.com or they hit us up on twitter @10at10calgary. And then we ask them to send us a set list some links to their media and they we just kinda go through the email list. And we do try to give everyone an opportunity to perform, so at all levels we encourage people to send music in.

12. Alright cool. So if you had to describe Calgary to someone what would you say?
It’s hard to describe, because I’m not even a travelled guy too much. I travelled a little bit and it really opened up my eyes about what the world is like. But Calgary’s just like, Midwest, big city with small town hospitality and that’s pretty much it.

13. Is there anything else you can think of that you’d like to add, that people might want to know about your night?
Since the conception of this, we’ve actually ran this free of charge for almost over a year and a half now. So it’s just here to develop the hip hop community of Calgary. We’re just creating a place where people can practice their craft, promote their craft, and diversify their collaborations coming out of their own art. So come on down. Tell your friends who are talented, we don’t have to all be bedroom rappers and producers and not you know, create something as a city.

14. Cool, last question. Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes I have ridden a horse.

Alright, that’s it!

* Thanks for taking the time to talk to me Ryan! I’ll see you next month 😉 Also, thanks to DJ Mista Wilson & Marie for the introduction to Ryan. I would also like to add that I stuck around for a couple hours to check out the night and it was super good and had a lot of cool people attending. 10@10 is definitely worth checking out!