Who I Am & Where I Live
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Name:
Eric Coleman
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City:
Highland Park, California
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Country:
United States
My Life & Work
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Bio:
L.A. born artist Eric Coleman began taking pictures at the age of twelve. His youthful hobby led to a career as a professional photographer in which, over a 10-year period, Coleman has grown to be an innovator with a unique style of photography. Coleman deepened his appreciation and enthusiasm for photography while attending The Royal College of Art in London. There he was able to cultivate his distinctive style of visual communication while honing his craft with top level professionals.
He gained his first editorial commissions while working as a freelance photo assistant for some of the most acclaimed photographers of our time such as Peter Lindhberg, Melodie Mcdaniel, Steve Heitt, Robert Erdman and Rankin. Coleman has honed his skills in a diverse range of fields such as fine art, photo journalism, fashion, landscape and music photography.
Eric Coleman partnered with L.A. based photographer B+ to form Mochilla, a production company that has grown to produce several films, music videos and music albums. As an Executive Producer and Cinematographer, Coleman spent the last three years working on “Brasilintime: Batucada com Discos” a film that explores the shared relationship between hip-hop and Brasilian music.
Coleman has exhibited his photographic work at the Transport Gallery in Los Angeles, Commonwealth Gallery in Virginia and the Royal Academy of Art Gallery in London. His photographs have graced the pages of numerous publications including InStyle, ReUp, Fader, Teen Vogue and many others. He shoots for record labels such as Stones Throw, Warner Brothers Music, JazzySport Japan, etc.
He has photographed actors and artists such Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Terrence Howard, Fergie (Black Eyed Peas), Madlib, Hill Harper, Christina Milian, DJ Shadow, Ernie Barnes, Faith Evans and MF Doom. Eric Coleman has produced popular photographic campaigns for many apparel manufacturers such as Vans, Elements, Elwood, Aesthetics, Alphanumeric, Live Mechanics and many more.
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Quotes, Notes & Etc.
Mochilla is a production company formed by photographers Eric Coleman and B+ in 1997. The pair were working on a music video for DJ Shadow (High Noon) near the Teotichucan pyramids outside Mexico City. During a conversation with the Mexican producer in an attempt to explain their philosphy of shooting they stumbled on the Spanish word for backpack - Mochila.
In 1997 backpack was an almost derogatory term for independent hip-hop. Backpackers kept their rhyme books or spray cans with them at all times and this required a bag. The bag would be slung across their backs so that they would be mobile. “If the equipment doesn’t fit in the backpack we wont shoot it” became the defining rule in the formation of Mochilla.
It was part practical adage (both photographers being committed to a practice that prioritizes engagement over production scale) — part nod to the group of film makers called Dogma started by Lars Van Triers. Twenty years later Mochilla has produced multiple music videos, many music documentaries, several ad campaigns, twenty mix cds, two remix albums and more than one hundred album covers and it continues to grow.
The pair were instrumental in Banksy's Oscar nominated documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Both Coleman and B+ have taken their respective fields to new heights selling films to the Sundance Channel, being distributed by Ninja Tune, touring Europe several times, executing campaigns for Levis, Adidas, Dickies and Vans. They have shown their work as Mochilla on five continents. They both have successful solo careers but their continuing collaboration is housed at Mochilla.
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