We spoke to JP Calubaquib better known on Instagram as @crumbsinmystache and he shared with us the story behind two of his favorite photographs taken in Chicago.
Truck & Fog
Sony A7iii - Zeiss 35mm - F1.4
“This photo was taken on the morning of Christmas Eve. It was at around 5:30 a.m. when I woke up in my friend’s bed. I was dog and apartment sitting for her while she was away. I saw a thick layer of fog outside. I instantly got my ass out of bed, threw on a few layers, grabbed my camera and went outside for a walk around the neighborhood. Shooting early morning fog is one of my favorite times to shoot because we don’t get many foggy days in Chicago. Especially fog this low and thick. Out of all the shots I took that morning, this was the most unexpected frame and was actually the last one. Something about the layering of the lights in the neighborhood highlighting certain features. Such as the beams that hold up the green line ‘el’ track or the fence with barbed wire. Combined with the parked pick-up truck covered in condensation made this feel cinematic to me. If I wanted to be an egotistical asshole in my opinion on my own photography to which all of us are to some degree, this scene felt timeless.”
Single Cover Photo for Ano Bank$
Sony A7iii - Zeiss 35mm - F1.4 - (2) Godox AD600
“Chicago-based artist, Ano Bank$, hit me up and asked for a photoshoot. Not only did he ask me for a photoshoot but he asked me to style him as well. He gave me a styling budget and I said ‘we’re going to the thrift store.’ The theme of the styling was shaped around two elements that we had readily available — a pair of Louis Vuitton chopsticks and weed. I had to keep in mind that we were shooting this in my living room with my white leather couch that was passed down from my parents who had it since I was eight. The shirt and pant combo felt like something a suave artist on ‘MTV Raps’ would wear in the 90’s. I had sunglasses that went well with the outfit so the look made sense to me. The scene was set to look like he was having a very expensive supper while the sun was setting on the west side of Chicago. While the lighting is geographically correct, my apartment doesn’t allow for that light to appear as I’m in the rear unit of my building that faces west. We also happened to have shot this at night. To replicate golden hour, I used a two-strobe setup. One strobe was set behind and high with an orange gel and the other was directly to the side as a fill light with no gel. Thus, the photo was made.”
JP Calubaquib is a Chicago native with eight years of professional photography experience. He initially picked up a camera as a way of therapy when he lost vision in his right eye at 21, after being sucker punched at a party in college. Most of his work reflects the experiences of his youth. JP, a first-generation Filipino-American who found himself in anti-cultural circles playing the drums in punk bands and doing a lot of illegal activities with his fellow delinquents. Not much has changed in JP’s life. He still finds himself in the music scene shooting artists such as Machine Gun Kelly and Kid Cudi. He also still hangs out with a number of delinquents but those folks are his peers working in the creative industry. You can usually find him picking the crumbs out of his stache.