#nick tk pinto

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1/97 “Behind The Design” : The Journey

If you’ve known me for more than 5 years you know that shoes have always been a passion of mine. I’ve always been a Swoosh fan over the Three Stripes, my first pair of shoes was a pair of Nikes that I even still have in the tin! Fast forward some years and I see Nike having a “Vote Forward” contest for artists to create what they see as the shoe of the future. With Air Max 1 and 97 being my two favorite silhouettes, the 97/1 automatically becomes my favorite shoe of all time. The classic design of the 1 sole mixed with the texture and style of the 97 upper is incredible. Then the corduroy upper was added, which I believe to be Sean’s favorite part. You can see in the images above where Sean and his team got their ideas from. Well after Sean gets his deserved W, the official release date is announced. November 23rd, 2017 in Richmond, Virginia at Need Supply Co. Sean has done so much for the culture, I had to give the love back. I asked my friends if they were down for a road trip, they said yes, then we packed up and got on the road.

TIMELINE

22:50PM - Jason and V get to my house

23:35 - we pack my Jeep and begin to leave South Florida.

2:22 - first stop because no one peed and I have been up for almost 24 hours at this point. (Palm Coast, FL)

5:45 - second stop to switch drivers. (Ridgeland, SC)

8:00 - third stop is to get a few more snacks and to switch drivers. One thing we never gave up on was “Skate Every Stop.” (Timmonsville, SC)

10:00 - stop to get some breakfast at the golden arches. (Dunn, NC)

12:20 - starting to drive through VA, seeing all of the fall colors. (Emporia, VA)

13:30 - first things first - Round Two RVA to hang with some of the homies.

13:45 - getting to see the Sean Wotherspoon Air Max 1/97 in hand for the first time. After time I learned that this pair actually went to the homie Haile.

16:30 - parked my Jeep out in the lot behind Need Supply and started making friends with people from all over the east coast; mostly heads from Richmond.

17:05 - first lines of the night start forming. not in front or next to the front door of NS, but by the back of the building near the back door.

17:40 - line starts to get really thick and is moving closer and closer to the front door. by this time the reps from Nike, and the one of the stores managers have come out. The store manager told us that forming a line is fine but they will not be handing out bracelets until the morning like the post said. cops started to confirm this but kept telling us that lining up now did not get you a shoe, etc.

20:38 - the line starts to get out of control and the cops try to re-organize the process. which at this point should have been already thought out and organized. the reps and managers come back out and get on board with the cops saying if we can't calm down the event is shut down and no one gets shoes.

21:59 - the line has still not calmed down and the cops are getting restless. Sean comes out of nowhere from the back and tells us all basically the same thing the cops were saying earlier. (see video)

2:06 - the line is basically one being at this point, leaving trash and waste in its wake. cops called for backup.

2:22 - near the front of the line (easily 100th or less)

3:30 - the store managers call out that they're giving out bands and the line doesn't matter. at this point a team of about 30 dudes from NYC rushed the front of the line near the door. during this process the cops got anxious and one of the store managers even broke down and began to cry.

4:00 - they shut the release down after giving bands to the 30 or so dudes from NYC with maybe a few residents from RVA sprinkled in.

4:05 - Graham interviews us and asks us what happened. We told him what happened and he used a little bit of it here: (https://youtu.be/cVWLIZRSjck?t=3m9s)

4:35 - the cops started to block off the store and the street with caution tape - after taking a few more photos and talking to a few other homies out there we all went back to my car and passed out until the early morning.

7:40 - waking up the next day I start to see people lining up on the opposite side of the street from the store. I get in line and start to see what the fuss is about. I talk to some of the people near the front of the line they said that the people who actually got bands were able to line up and pick their pair up and meet sean and get the entire experience. They weren't sure what they were going to do with the remaining pairs.

8:57 - hanging out with some of the homies from Round Two RVA - taking pictures of the mess and mayhem that happened the 24 hours prior.

11:34 - got in line at Round Two RVA for the opening. in line I was able to grab a grail of mine that I had missed out on with the original drop. Staple SBs!

12:35 - outside of Round TWO RVA after making a few purchases/trades and getting a little cameo shot by the homie Graham. you can see that here: (https://youtu.be/cVWLIZRSjck?t=13m40s)

13:00 - after skating around the city a little bit with Jason, we met back up with Haile and he gave us and exclusive tour of the new Round Two website gigs and where his studio is set up. (pictures by V)

13:20 - got back into my Jeep and began our journey back to South Florida.

16:50 - it wouldn't be right if I made it all the way back to South Florida before I had some Zaxby’s. (Hope Mills, NC)

20:43 - second stop on our way back, switch up the driver and pee break.

1:38 - third stop was probably to change drivers but at this point Im on about 4-6 hours of sleep

5:40 - getting back home and into my bed to sleep for a few hours before having to clock into work at 10:00AM.

9:58 - made it to work on time.

image cc: kickinitnyc

One thing I learned from this experience is that you should never give up. Always put 100% into what you want to accomplish, even if it doesn’t turn out how you planned it to. I got some time to hang with some of my closest friends. I was able to meet Sean and hang with some new friends, and even got to see the shoe up close before the drop. The shoe dropped this Monday (03-26) #airmaxday on the SNKRS app via a Draw, and at a few retailers like the homie Suraj’s spot SNEAKERROOM in New Jersey.

Good luck, and Have a Nike Day.

[hellacaskets]

Nick TK Pinto

[nicktkphoto]

w/ ADDICT II

Part I

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Instax Vol.3

This next group of images is coming from a trip to visit one of my best friends in Washington D.C., Julian. Thanks to Julian I was able to take the “not-so-touristy” tour of the capitol and the surrounding areas, got to see multiple states at one time by hiking up a mountain, and even got to check out a few museum across the city.

Overall the trip was well worth it, and I would definitely go back again. 

I will shoot film forever. 📸

(more sets like these coming soon!)

The rest of this set can be found here.

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Vision Nationwide: Eden

This is a look at a shoot I had a bit ago with my good friend, Benjamin Jean from Vision Nationwide. We took a journey through barbed wire fences and old “no trespassing” signs to a forbidden land to work on a solo project, Eden.

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Queue: KITH x Coca Cola

Having never been to a release from a major brand before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Clearly having as much experience as I do, my friend suggested to get to the store right when it opened. I disagreed and told him, “we should get there at least an hour or two early, this brand is huge.” Luckily, both of my friends agreed with me and we headed out around 8-8:30 in the morning. When we were pulling up, we thought we were encountering what seemed like a pretty short line. After standing in that line for some time, I realized that this wasn’t going to be over any time soon. The first picture shown below is what the line looked like when we first got there. It was just going passed the entire KITH building, then shortly after the store opened it seemed like the line began wrapping around other blocks behind us. Even so, it looked pretty organized from an operational standpoint. They were letting five people in at a time and communicating through walkie-talkies. The unfortunate thing about releases is that there are people who just walk up to the store and already know people and are able to get in and out with what they want. Regardless of the start of my first #hypebeast experience, I wasn’t going to let that deter me from having a good time.

After getting inside there was another (much smaller) line in front of the cashier. The entire collection was on display for you to check out the pieces in person. That section was just for viewing though – you had to know what you wanted and hopefully they had your size when you got to the counter. Being limited to one item per person (1 tee / 1 crew or sweater / 1 hat), it was hard to choose. Quickly picked up a crew neck, a tee, a denim hat for my friend, and all of the pins they had. With them having already sold out of the item I wanted, I asked if I could get another t-shirt and the cashier said, “no, one per person.” Luckily, there was a couple behind us in line that really wanted something specific. The guy said to me, “if they don’t have what I want, I’ll get the shirt for you and you just shoot me the cash.” I jumped at the opportunity right away, and even offered them both Coke Floats for helping me out! Long story short, the three of us enjoyed some Coke Floats together at the bar.

One of the coolest parts about this collaboration and drop, is that they turned the KITH Treats section into a Coke Float bar (pictured above). This way, after you spent hundreds of dollars on super rare and exclusive clothes, you got the chance to relax with a coke float at the bar. Overall this has been an eye opening experience, being on this side of the line for the first time.

Some tips for the next time:

Get there hella early. 2-3 hours before opening depending on the brand or release.

Be patient. Don’t give up and leave the line early because of the chatter you hear.

Take your time when you’re inside. You’ve already waited hours, make sure you get what you want. 

Last but not least – Have fun with it.

I’m hella excited for the pieces I did get, and I’m glad I was able to get some things for my friends. If you weren’t able to get anything this time around, don’t fret. Other people are selling the collection on eBay for almost triple what they’re worth.

Be a trooper and stand in line, its worth it.

www.kithnyc.com

[hellacaskets]

Nick TK Pinto

[nicktkphoto]

Vision Nationwide: Denim

Here are some of the images from my most recent shoot with Ben from Vision Nationwide. Thanks to some close friends we were able to use this workspace, giving the shoot the feel of a “denim shop” or “denim workspace”. I went into this shoot kind of blind, but I think with some collaborating and a little thinking on my feet, we were still able to get some really nice shots.

Ben is always been an awesome dude to work with, listening to what I have to say and giving a lot of great input and feedback. Im still waiting on a few more items to call my own, but you should for sure check the site out and get some items if they're still available. www.benjaminjean.com

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Destination: Portland, OR

I have been wanting to finish this post for some time now, I have just been hella busy with work and getting back into the swing of things. With this trip being about 5 days or so I wasn't able to do THAT much, but I was still able to have a ton of fun! I was able to go on a couple of hikes, went to a music festival, saw some live comedy, and ate at a bunch of great coffee houses and eateries.

I wasn’t able to take pictures of some things I did, due to certain press passes not getting approved in time, but I was still able to have a great time and still snag some great shots with my iPhone. (which can be seen HERE)

The images above are from when I had first gotten to Portland. Mostly walking, using Uber or the Trimet to get around. Stopping by this awesome coffee house, Good Coffee, to get some fresh tea before starting my journey. Its a really different experience to be able to go from being downtown to traveling 20-30 minutes and being at the top of a waterfall.

These last few images are actually from three different parks. The first one I tackled was Multnomah Falls. It was a long hike up to the top of that waterfall, and it was well worth it. Being able to walk in the water right before the falls, which was super cold, looking over the edge. Something you really need to experience at least once in your life. Skipping the two days where I went to the Project Pabst Music Festival along with seeing Norm MacDonald and Fred Stoller live at a comedy club. SIDE NOTE: Seeing A$AP Ferg, STRFKR & Ice Cube & NWA live was an awesome experience. Probably was one of the first festivals that I’ve been to where I wasn't working and I actually enjoyed myself. I then tackled another hike at Forest Park, which wasn't as structured as the first hike, where I felt I may have gotten lost a few times. I did make it out though, and got an uber back to the city.

Overall this trip was really eye opening, and truly helped me understand that being comfortable with being on your own is really important. Im not one to usually be on their own, so this trip really helped me understand that. I did do a lot on my own out there, and to be honest I wouldn't mind moving there. Enough feels from me. Get out to Portland if you're looking to explore not only the city, but eat at some awesome places and hang with some really friendly people as well. Trust me.

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Untitled.

Its been a few months and Id like to thank everyone for coming here and reading the words I write and checking out the photos that I take. Thank you all for the feedback you guys have been giving, its really helping to strengthen my writing. Some of you may have wondered this, some of you may have not, but I feel like I should tell you why the name of my blog is Untitled. Its really just a placeholder for where I’m at right now, but here is the definition:

un·ti·tled ˌənˈtīdld/ adjective adjective: untitled 1.(of a book, composition, or other artistic work) having no name. 2.(of a person) not having a title indicating high social or official rank.

After I read the definition over and over, to be honest, both of these descriptions fit me. Nowadays having a high social or official “rank” or status is desired more than being actually happy with yourself or with someone else. Its not about how many followers you have. Not about how many likes you have on a post. Its about making sure you love, feel, and enjoy the act of living. Lately I’ve realized how important that is.

Don't get me wrong, I do love checking out other artists work. I have a few mainstream and underground artists that I follow. I like shooting and creating content for me and my creative vision, if others like it thats awesome! If you get inspired to shoot because of something that Ive shot or spoken about, thats awesome! Its about spreading the creative and positive energy, and using that to our advantage.

Okay, enough of me rambling on, Ancient Aliens is on in the background while I write this. Thinking about how we may be related to “aliens” while I try and be serious with you guys for a second. Anyway, Im going to Portland soon, Im super excited. I can't wait to show you guys what I do and all of the adventures I go on. More on that later...

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Instax Vol.2

I got around to scanning more of my Instax photos. This last batch is a little scattered, but it fits my state of mind lately. Everything was taken in the moment, really whatever caught my eye, no gigs or anything.

The top two images were shot while staying at this awesome Airbnb in New York, Spanish Harlem. Had a lot of fun up there, always nice to go back to the homeland. The next shot means a lot to me, the picture of my dogs Powder and Lady. Even with Pow being much older than Lady, they became great friends once Lady knew when it was okay and when it wasn't okay to mess with Pow. The last three shots are from the last few months, skipping a beat here and there, always remember the good times.

With new thoughts and feelings on the horizon, its always good to stay positive no matter what. Knowing that this journey, aka your life, is about learning and about growing. Not saying “you could do better,” but becoming stagnant is not okay, at least not with me. There are points in your life where it calls for a reset, a change of scenery, a change of surroundings. This is one of those times.

The rest of this set can be found on my here.

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Photoshoot BTS: Max

The last time I was shooting down in Miami was for Art Basel at the end of last year. With how often everything changes down in the Wynwood area, with this not being my first time shooting down there, its fun to use the new surroundings to our advantage.

Check out some of their new stuff on their Soundcloud!

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Instax Vol.1

With mediums changing often in the photography world, sticking with what you love and not following the wave is key. I have been shooting with my Instax 210 for a few years now, collecting piles and piles of images. I thought what better way to show you guys, my blog!

These images below are from a few gigs I had not too long ago. Some are from a few lookbook shoots that I did for some local brands, the others are from shoots that I have done with a few friends of mine.

The rest of this set can be found on my here.

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Benjamin Jean - Lookbook: 2016

Benjamin Jean Lookbook 2016

Shooting with these guys for the second time, first was for their dress line in a high-rise on South Beach. It was a little bit of a change of scenery for their second drop, but fits the brand very well. The owners of the ranch were kind enough to let us use the entire property for our lookbook shoot. The humans who take care of the horses were very kind as well.

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Photoshoot BTS: Ambrose - Selfish Cover

Here is a behind the scenes look at the cover shoot for the new single from Ambrose, Selfish, currently available on iTunes.

Preview/download the single HERE!

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.

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Love Envy Lookbook: 2016

Love Envy Lookbook 2016 Blake Minto / The Archives

Shot this during the beginning of the new year for the refresh of Blake Minto's Save The Arts line, as well as the release of his new line, Papi. One of my favorite features of his designs is how the design pops over the color. Working with Blake and The Archives for the past few months has been a great experience, meeting and working with a bunch of awesome new people.

The rest of this set can be found on my 500px.