Old School

While I was looking for the classic Animal tshirt online, somehow I was reminded of this photographer called Brian Moss, who had been shooting photos for Animal for a long time. I think my love for the brand of Animal is largely influenced by his photography.

His photos for Animal are always black and white. They give a sense of solidarity and loneliness, because most of the bodybuilders in the photos are in a basement-like gym by himself. It’s like there’s nothing else in the world except the dumbbells and barbells around him. It really draws you in as if you are the person in the photo.

I wish Brian has an online shop that sells his photos, either prints or high quality downloads, but all he has is his wordpress website that has mostly 1000x600 resolution pictures. I downloaded and printed a lot of them, so I can hang them somewhere in my apartment. Photo frames do not seem suit the vibe of these photos. I’d just tape them on the walls.

I know I’ll never be like those bodybuilders in the photos but just looking at them gives me more mental strength. It made me focus on myself, as if the whole world just disappeared, and only me, and the dumbbells and the bars. Just like the photos. Every contraction of muscles matters. Every stretch of muscles matters. Nothing else. Loneliness can bring pain, but in our world, it doesn’t matter at all. It even started to be enjoyable.