Blog

Road Trip Down South

I've been working on a personal project along with my dad for over a year now.  We are slowly but surely making progress.  We are working on a film about Studio One, the recording studio where "Sweet Home Alabama," 38 Special hit "Hold on Loosely" and many more major southern rock songs were recorded.  

The man behind the sound is Rodney Mills, a Georgia native and legendary producer/engineer who has been making large footprints in the music industry for the last several decades.

We took a road trip to Mills' hometown of Douglas, Georgia to film him mixing a live show at The Martin Centre.  

South Georgia was as southern and as beautiful as I hoped.

On our way to Douglas, Georgia, we made a stop to watch farmers work in the cotton fields.

A cellphone photo of an old pharmacy in downtown Douglas, Georgia.

A man steps into my camera frame as I'm taking photos of lights outside of The Martin Centre in Douglas, Ga.

Producer and Engineer Rodney Mills mixes for country artist Winston Slade.  Mills produced and engineered Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Gregg Allman, and many more notable artist.

Producer and Engineer Rodney Mills mixes for country artist Winston Slade.  Mills produced and engineered Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Gregg Allman, and many more notable artist.

Country music artist Winston Slade performs at The Martin Centre in Douglas, Ga.

Country music artist Winston Slade performs at The Martin Centre in Douglas, Ga.

Producer and Engineer Rodney Mills mixes for country artist Winston Slade.  Mills produced and engineered Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Gregg Allman, and many more notable artist.

Chuck Camp, my dad and fellow filmmaker, poses for a photo at The Martin Centre in downtown Douglas, Georgia.

Featured
BC_100323_Speaker_Ousted-118.jpg
A historical week in U.S. Politics
KH_Knox_Tenn_WEB-110.jpg
Documentary in the making.....
Ivanka Trump: Campaigning in Georgia
John_Lewis_Web-106.jpg
U.S. Rep. John Lewis
McBath_Web-110.jpg
Democratic U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath Holds Town Hall
080119 black cowboys_Web-101.jpg
Black Cowboys - On Assignment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Campaign signs are displayed in a window as man enters the Cobb County GOP headquarters, Saturday, Oct.6, 2018, in Marietta, Ga. BRANDEN CAMP/SPECIAL
Politics as usual
Police Shooting Georgia
Gwinnett Police Officer Killed In The Line Of Duty
2017_Snow-104.jpg
SNOW - On Assignment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
120617 elx atl mayor web-123.jpg
Keisha Lance Bottoms Declares Victory As The Next Mayor of Atlanta

A Portrait of Dad

Laura (my wife) and I moved back to Atlanta from New Jersey in spring of 2012.  One of my favorite things about being back down south is hanging with my dad.  I try to take portraits of my dad as often as possible. He always laughs when I grab my camera and ask him to pose.

My dad laughs because just about every time I see him, I make him pose for a portrait. Photo by Branden Camp

Atlanta Mosque honors Muhammad Ali

With no assignments on the calendar this day, I set out to make some images for myself. It's very important that photographers keep themselves staying hungry and sharp. 

Members of many different faiths gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali during an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam in Atlanta, Georgia.  The light was extremely beautiful following the service that day.  My hope was to capture the rich culture and beauty that exist within this community in Atlanta.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Light shines on the face of Khadija Pegues, 13, right, as she holds her 2-year-old sister, Khatima Pegues, following an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Muslim men pray before an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S -Light shines on the face of a young boy at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - People gather before an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Muslim men pray before an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Imam Suleimaan Hamed closes his eyes during prayer during an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Muslim men pray before an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Children run past a Muhammad Ali shirt hanging on display at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered for an interfaith service to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S -Light shines on the face of a young boy at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

June 9, 2016 - Atlanta, Ga, U.S - Light shines on the face of Khalil Pegues, 9 following an interfaith service at the Atlanta Masjid of Al Islam mosque in Atlanta. People gathered to honor the late Muhammad Ali, who died on June, 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Small Towns - Personal Project

We all see the small brown sign that reads "Historic Downtown" when we enter most small cities in America.  This week I began visiting these cities and meeting locals.  Some of these cities are thriving while many are becoming vacant.

Artist Skip McNutt poses for a portrait at his studio in historic downtown Adairsville, Ga.  McNutt is hoping to use his art to bring business to small towns in Northwest Georgia.  If you visit historic downtown Adairsville,  a mural that McNutt and a colleague painted depicting the great locomotive chase is displayed on the old train depot.

Artist Skip McNutt stands outside his studio in historic downtown Adairsville, Ga.  McNutt is hoping to use his art to bring business to small towns in Northwest Georgia.  If you visit historic downtown Adairsville,  a mural that McNutt and a colleague painted depicting the great locomotive chase is displayed on the old train depot.

A Kingston resident walks his dogs past DeSoto Hotel, one of many vacant buildings in downtown Kingston.  Photo by Branden Camp

Kingston, Georgia resident Ronald Lee poses for a photo in downtown Kingston, Friday, May 13, 2016.  Kingston, like many small American towns, are becoming vacant.  Lee says that due to extremely low water pressure, businesses don't have sufficient water pressure to operate their businesses.  Photo by Branden Camp

Backstage - Macon, Georgia

Guitarist Peter Stroud, right, waits backstage as fans crowd around outside The Crazy Bull music venue in Macon, Ga.  Stroud is Sheryl Crow's guitarist and has played for artist such as Don Henley, Sarah McLachlan, The Dixie Chicks and Shawn Mullins).

There are few times in life where you get to hang out with people who have made an imprint in music history.  My dad and I are filming a documentary on Studio One, a recording studio that once stood in Doraville, Georgia, where numerous legendary hits were recorded and engineered by unsung hero Rodney Mills (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, .38 Special, Atlanta Rhythm Section, The Doobie Brothers, Gregg Allman and more).  For part of the documentary, we made a stop in Macon, Ga., home of Capricorn Records (Marshall Tucker Band, The Allman Brothers Band, Wet Willie, and more).  After filming a few interviews with PR man Mark Pucci, and Bobby Golden, guitarist for Stillwater, we pushed our way through over a thousand fans cramed into The Crazy Bull music venue.  While we were there, my dad leaned over and said, "That's Jimmy Hall from Wet Willie."  He began to sing they lyrics to "Keep on Smilin," which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Charts in 1974.  When Hall took the stage with Stillwater, you knew why he was a rock star. 

Members of the band Stillwater perform during their annual reunion show in Macon, Ga.

You may remember the movie "Almost Famous" where a young aspiring journalist followed a band called "Stillwater" who were touring and trying to become famous.  Though the movie had no direct relation to the real Stillwater, they really did become almost famous.  They had a song called "Mind bender" that charted in the Billboard Top 100 when they were signed to the famed Capricorn Records.  During the show Jimmy Hall and guitarist Peter Stroud, guitarist for Sheryl Crow, took the stage and performed with Stillwater.

Guitarist Peter Stroud walks backstage at The Crazy Bull music venue in Macon, Ga.  Stroud is Sheryl Crow's guitarist and has played for artist such as Don Henley, Sarah McLachlan, The Dixie Chicks and Shawn Mullins).

Jimmy Hall, of Wet Willie, sits in the green room at The Crazy Bull music venue in Macon, Ga. Wet Willie had a song called "Keep on Smilin," which reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Charts in 1974.  They had numerous other hits that reached the top 100 on music charts.

(L-R) Guitarist Peter Stroud, Jimmy Hall, of Wet Wille, Charles Camp, documentary producer, and Stillwater keyboardist Eddie Long wait backstage during a Stillwater reunion show in Macon, Ga.