October 2010 – Page 2 – Photogeek Blog

Roksolana invades New York City.

Beauty, Portraiture, Portraiture in natural light, Soft Lighting

My shoot with Roksolana (Lana for short) was both fun and heartfelt. As we were sitting in the office talking she told me about her recent move to Brooklyn from the Ukraine. Her love for modeling, art and New York City. There was a certain warmth and ease to her personality. I told her about my current town of Hoboken which she knew very well, being that she has been working with an artist there. I was very engaged. In speaking I couldn’t help but notice a pronounced scar on her chest. When I asked her about it she openly spoke about having been fitted with a pace maker. Something that seemed insane at such a young age. She told about the issues she had from a very young age. I immediately identified considering what I went trough with having a brain tumor at a very young age. It wasn’t as much as sad exchange as it was a triumphant one. Both of had overcome and adversity at a very young age and were living happy, full lives. As for the session that followed. She was so natural and instinctive. Few of the shots were posed. It was just the two of us conversing and exchanging stories. Exchanges like these are a major ingredient to why I love what I do. Here’s to you Roks.

P.S. Lana, if you read this. The reason I didn’t photoshop the scar out of the picture is I thought is was an important part of the story, your beauty and your experience,

The People you Meet

Beauty, Friendship, Portraiture in natural light, Soft Lighting

Photography has always been my way to meet the world. To introduce myself and get ot know people I may not be bold enough to otherwise. To say things I would never be able to say with words. One of the reasons I started this blog in the first place was to tell the stories about the unique people I had been meeting and to tell the stories behind the images. Photography and portraiture has allowed me the opportunity to meet the world.

Thursday I met a woman whose cultural background was as diverse as the places she’s traveled. A recent transplant from the West Coast Suzanne is a mix of Arabian, South East Asian and European. Not to mention that she speaks a number of languages including Cantonese, Mandarin and Russian. I learned so much in the short time we spent together. Being around people with such diverse backgrounds and experiences is so important to me. We talked about our favorite destinations and how I dreamed about my next possible travel spots. Places like Vietnam, Cambodia and Morocco. I may not have been able to go there yet but I’m happy to have met and photographed people who have.

Keeping it Fresh.

Beauty, Location Shooting

As noted in previous posts I’ve been doing my share of work at the gallery in downtown New York City. A great opportunity that offers it’s share of rewards and challenges. One of the challenges is when the themes and backgrounds all start to look and like and it starts to get mundane and repetitive. When you find something you love. Whether it be a person, place or thing. You tend to wear it out. Something I hope to avoid if at all possible. Aside from the gallery I’ve had similar finishes to sessions. Heading in the direction of Chinatown and using the same streets and alleys. Yesterday I tried a few new angles at the gallery and instead of heading East towards Chinatown I explored the surrounding streets of Tribeca just to the West.

At the Gallery.

Beauty, Portraiture

I’ve been a member of SOHO Photo Gallery for about three or four years now. Displaying new work month after month alongside the many talented photographers that belong to a COOP who’s membership spans worldwide. Though I hate meetings and may not have learned a whole lot from the folks that were doing this before I was born. I have taken full advantage of the opportunity. Early this year I decided to take advantage of the amazing space and light gallery has to offer. The buildings white walls, old architecture and little nooks and crannies give me lots of inspiration. Not to mention the surrounding streets of Tribeca and Chinatown. I’ve been conducting shoots while the gallery is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Thus far it’s worked out extremely well. I’ve been entertaining the idea of booking night sessions in the future. But for now it’s working out pretty well.

Tuesday afternoon I met up with actress/model Janet before heading uptown to a pre meeting with next Tuesday shoot. Janet is twenty six but her look skus much younger allowing her to take on younger parts that call for more maturity. Though she was very business minded and serious. I was able to get some really good smiles and even a few silly images. As for my meeting later that night. I can’t say enough. The sample images she had sent earlier did no justice to her beauty or personality. Looking forward to our shoot.

When I get old… okay, really old.

Uncategorized

Last night I met up with Allison at the gallery for a pre shoot meeting. Allison and I have been trying to get together for some time now but conflicting schedules and last minute cancellations have plagued us from the onset. As we sat and talked about our ideas it was pretty obvious that not only were we on the same track but we were sharing a seat on the train that ran along it. The give and take was easy and conversation flowed. I asked a lot of questions and learned a lot about her. We talked about her Texas roots and where we saw our lives heading. Allison being a newcomer to NYC while I’ve lived in and around the area my entire life. I told her that though I loved New York and my current town of Hoboken. Someday I wanted to live an entirely different existence. How I saw myself living in a desert town somewhere in New Mexico growing a long beard, investing in some flowery shirts, selling all my socks and selling my art on the streets. Lofty goals, I know. But a man has to have dreams. Afterward we shared some vermicelli and summer rolls a few blocks east before we head in opposite directions. I really look forward to working with Allison and one day, finding a buyer for all those old socks.

Thanks Rosie.

Portraiture

As we sat and chatted over Summer Rolls and Rice vermicelli Rosie asked me “What do you want to do?” We had been talking about photography and marketing our work. Something I have forever struggled with. Her question was a good one and hit me like a bullet. I’ve been asked that question countless times since before I can remember. I can recall my Mother relentlessly asking me what I was going to do with the rest of my life since my Freshman year of High School. (Can you imagine the pressure?) Her question, as much as it may have rattled me was a very good one. As much as I want to emerse myself in every aspect of photography. I do need to focus on my strengths. As much as I love the idea of keeping myself busy with weddings, babies, travel and every other thing there is to photograph and inspire me. Portraiture is what I’m best at and what inspires me most. It’s where I feel I am at my very best. That’s not to say I don’t want or won’t do those other things. Just to focus on my strengths. Thanks Rosie. You finally got me to focus. Now if you can only get me to stop talking with my mouth full.

Accidents will Happen.

Canon lenses and equipment, Responsibility

I was the last car that had turned from Kennedy Blvd. onto the ramp that leads to 495. Looking dead ahead at the congestion caused by the onset of rush hour and the construction being done. I suddenly felt my skull rattle from what turned out to be the car that hit me at full force from behind. The force of the crash had sent me into the car in front of me. As I sat there partly in shock. the drivers of the vehicles that I was sandwiched between jumped out to inspect whatever damage had occurred and seemingly place blame. The older gentlemen in front of me (He looked as if he had just come off the set of a Grey Poupon commercial.) pointed to the non damage to his bumper. “Look at this!!!” he proclaimed. All while the man who plowed in to me raced to see if I was alright. I was shook up pretty bad. My skull and jaw felt as if they were vibrating out of my skull and for the moment I was barely reacting. As they exchanged information I slowly stepped out of the car. It was my first accident. They both looked at me and said “Maybe you should sit down. You don’t look so good.” I wasn’t bleeding but I was clearly rattled. It wasn’t like I had imagined it. No tow trucks or police cars magically appeared. Though I may have seen a few Geckos they were all imagined figures brought on by tons of steel deciding to act like Rams. We exchanged information and the one man explained what had happen and soon enough they drove off. I thought to myself “What the hell am I going to do?” “Wait here until a cop comes to berate me a write me a moving violation for something I didn’t do?” So I slowly pulled back into the lane and tepidly drove back home. What was first thought to be a slight concussion turned out to just be an. As I write this a few days later I still have some pain in my back, shoulders and leg, but I’m in one piece and it could have been a lot worse. It really makes me think of how careless we are with the things we should be focusing our attention on. People driving while talking on a hand held device. Ladies putting on their make up or better yet, texting. The average car weighs around 4,000 pounds. If you can’t be responsible and pay attention to driving. You should take the wheels off your damn vehicle and turn it into the office, movie theatre or beauty parlor you seem to think it is.