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- Bryan examining a wine bottle at a local liquor store. It’s not his usual taste.
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- He moved on to looking at hard liquor, more his style.
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- Here is Bryan showing off his guitar to a worker at the store. He had left it standing on its own as he shopped around. He was quick and happy to open the case and show his favorite guitar.
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- At the register. Beside him is a close mutual friend, Pheobe. Bryan, Pheobe and I together often form a crew on the weekends.
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- Breaking a sweat: Bryan is of a large stature and often feels hot moving around.
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- Preparing his favorite drink, Jack Daniels Whiskey – on the rocks.
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- Bryan cooling off with a cold glass of Jack Daniels, sweat on his brow as he takes his sip.
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- Here Bryan is playing a few chords for a friend at a party.
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- Bryan likes to discuss music with friends. Here he exchanges a few words about the music with a friend after playing for her.
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- Bryan is no stranger to playing by himself. Here, at the same party, he is now by himself but continues to play. The only listener he needs is himself.
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- At a party in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. Bryan and I went to the roof. He enjoys photography himself and experimented with me intaking shots. He prefers to spend his time in smaller groups with those he is familiar with, than downstairs at a crowded venue.
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- The Manhattan skyline looms nearby. After standing for too long, Bryan needed to take a seat.
My environmental portrait is on a close friend, Bryan Karundeng. A man of large stature, Bryan once had cancer as a young teenager. His troubled past has on occasion led him to indulge in drinking, an issue he is very open with. His habits are better tamed today, but he still has a taste for Jack Daniels on the rocks. He plays music, though does not perform on stage very often. He hangs around with many “scenesters” on the Staten Island music scene. He occasionally goes to shows in Brooklyn or Manhattan, especially to support fellow musicians from Staten Island. Though, he does not always pull himself into the crowd at parties and events. He tends to pull himself aside with close confidants to talk, hangout, play music for them or “Jam”.
Despite his aversion to crowds at parties and shows, he is a very friendly and open person. He loves to strike up conversations with people, especially about music. He has a passion for instruments and their qualities and enjoys discussing the ins and outs of particular guitars or ukeleles. It is not uncommon to see him calmly and contently playing music by himself at a party, strumming just loud enough to hear himself over the music.
