Taking it 'Easy' with Scotty Stopnik at Cycle Zombies Garage.
When you’re fortunate enough to have brand ambassadors like Scotty Stopnik and the Cycle Zombies, it’s never a chore to spend a day hanging out for a shoot.
For one, the Cycle Zombies Garage in Huntington Beach is the man cave to end all man caves. An eclectic mix of all things motorcycle, surf and skate. And the company is never bad either. Scotty, Taylor and their Father Big Scott are some of the nicest and most accommodating people you’ll ever likely encounter. It’s not uncommon for the boys to drag out the BBQ at a moment’s notice and entertain the masses. No such formalities required on our recent visit though, we were here for business.
Albeit a very relaxed working schedule. Our mission was simple – Introduce Scotty to the new newly released styling product Easy Hold and get some photos of the product amongst the surrounding visual pleasantries. To do this we called on the services of photographer extraordinaire Eric Warner. Eric is our go to man for pretty much anything we shoot in Southern California.
You may have seen his work from past campaigns such as '‘For Those who Groom and Zoom”, “The Matt Pomade Campaign” and "Uppercut Deluxe Welcomes Mason Dyer" to name just a few. First order of business was to offer our host Scotty a haircut. The man behind the barber chair was former Uppercut Deluxe employee, turned-barber Brad De La Cruz. Brad, like the CZ boys, is no stranger to life on two wheels, and we’re told most of the time he spends on his bike is on the back wheel only. (Don’t try that at home kids) Brad dishes out a quick tidy up with his scissors and shapes Scotty’s signature mid-length throwback haircut.
The oil -stained floor underfoot is soon covered in a light dusting of sun-bleached locks and we are ready to style. Next up is a crash course in Easy Hold garage grooming. Easy Hold is a product that’s just about as simple to use as it comes. So with this in mind we hand Scotty a fresh tin of Easy Hold. We offer no explanation or guidance and watch as the process of discovery unfolds.
His approach is simple, but exactly as it should be with this product. He scoops out a generous amount of product onto the index finger, spreads it evenly across fingers and palms before working it into the hair and following with a comb. Scoop, Spread, Style, it’s that easy.
During the extensive product testing we did with Easy Hold you can achieve such a variety of looks through different application techniques. For a slightly more textured version of the same look a quick use of the fingers could have been used. Or for the most structured look using easy hold apply to damp hair and comb into place. Day done and the shots in the bag, Scotty had one more test he wanted to put the product through.
