Commercial Enterprise
Mel.D Cole
Mel D. Cole, (36) is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of turkey burgers and an avid Buffalo Bills fan that hails from Syracuse, NY. The self-taught lensman has made his home in and around the boroughs of NYC by consistently capturing all the city has to offer from the glamorous to the gritty.
Picking up the lens over eight years ago, he has found himself at the forefront of the NYC photography scene thus making resounding noise internationally via his website Villageslum.com.
He has become known as the “house photographer” for the legendary Roots Crew and has been pinpointed by Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson as his favorite contemporary photographer. Cole’s vision has caught on with a variety of media outlets and personalities (print/online) having shot for Heineken, Nike, Puma, Wieden+Kennedy, Shepard Smith, Epiphany NYC, URB Magazine, Respect Magazine, Vibe Magazine, ID magazine, Burton Snowboards, mogul Sean “P.Diddy” Combs, Etnies Skateboard, RapRadar.com, Magma (Japan), 10Deep, and countless other lifestyle brands, musicians and music outlets.
He has recently completed a 10 month brand ambassador sponsorship program with Heineken. During this time Cole, had his 1st exhibition in L.A where Heineken was the sponsor.
Cole has also become known for his collaborations with Etnies, Flud Watches and Leroy Jenkins Ltd.
In the fall of 2012 He was also featured in Levi’s 1st shoppable video.
Cole obtained his BA in Multidisciplinary Studies (Cinema and Cultural Studies & African American studies) in 2001 and he currently calls Jersey City, NJ home along with his beautiful dog, Dutchess.
Portraites
I found this photographer Mel. D Cole online as he photographs a lot of events and famous celebrity’s. Up and coming hip-hop and grime artist such as Fetty-rap, Tyler the Creator, drake and many more. He does a lot of live music events and awards this is where he gets the opportunity to photography all of theses famous artist. I wanted to include him in my artist research as he is the only independent photographer that still aspire to surprise people in his work he wanted people to look at his work and think it is not the same cliché event photography like everyone else. His work has a lot like a camouflage feel as if he is just apart of the crowd or the behind the stage crew. He does not like to stand out in his images but as a person he is a very creative fun loving person that just wants to inspire people with his artwork.
I also like how Mel.D Cole does some political meaningful images that send messages to the general public. He did a series of images of the well-known Disney character Minnie Mouse as a human mascot in middle of New York as a controversy as she was stood half naked next to other Disney mascots. It was apolitical message toward the media on how social media is changing our societies and how the younger generations are seeing this as a mascot.