photogeek23

GO reunion @ ABC No Rio

There is something very special about the friendships and people I met in the 80’s and 90’s through the NYHC scene. Friendships made in front of clubs like CBGB’s. (gone) In the basement of Some Records. (gone) and those early shows at ABC No Rio. There was something about the music that brought all these misfits and creative individuals together, make them bond and (not to be clique) but for lack of a better word…. become family. Plain and simple most of the good friends I have today (more than twenty years later) are the friends I made going to those Sunday Matinee’s at CBGB’s and the early basement shows at ABC. When my friend Freddy sent me a message about the GO reunion is wasn’t as much about seeing the band again. It was about seeing friends. (some of which just happened to be in a band.)ABC is a shit building that has been on it’s last legs long before Punks ever set foot in it. The people who fill it are what makes the place such a landmark. The people who come to shows and donate, the people who work tirelessly to keep it open and keep it filled with art and creativity. Speaking of creativity there were some really good bands in support of GO including ABC originals Hausi Pungo, Awkward Thought, DBCR and others. It was great seeing so many old familiar faces…. Mike and Aaron from GO, the guys from Hausi Pungo and Citizens Arrest, Bill Florio, Tracy, Freddy Alva and so many others. The bands all put on great sets and were both well received and equally supported. During GO’s set Mike noted that it was ABC’s 20th birthday as far as Punk Matinee’s were concerned which was followed by him lighting a birthday cake, having the crowd blow it out and eat it. Priceless. A good time was definitely had by all.

Other Observations:

The singer for DBCR has the biggest eyebrows known to man. He reminded me of a cross between Dr. Evil and comedian Dave Attell. Awkward Thought singer John Franko wore a hood and ski mask throughout their entire set.

Sunday Session: Legion of the Sonne

Music

Today I had the pleasure of working with the local Jersey Metal band Legion of the Sonne. The band were totally cool and a pleasure to work with. I would say they completely renewed my faith in working with bands and musicians again. Dave, Bryan, Paul, Rafael and Alexis were all amazing guys. Laid back, funny and open to all my ideas. What I originally had planned to be a quick one hour lasted almost three. I was just having such a good time that I wanted to give them more options and flexibility. The shoot took us through a couple of areas in Hoboken and back to the studio. They helped with moving furniture around and even cleaning up. The band seemed to enjoy the experience and really enjoyed the pictures. They have a demo out and have some shows scheduled in the upcoming months. You can get the dates at http://www.myspace.com/legionofthesonne

Taking a moment to reflect.

Uncategorized

As I drink my coffee and get ready to head out to face the day I feel that I need to take a moment to reflect on the last couple of weeks and while I’m at it, maybe the entire Summer. Meeting and making new friends. Seeing family and old friends for the first time in years and enjoying new experiences with the people I love.

Around this time last year I really wasn’t sure what the future would be. Hospitalized for a stroke that seemed to have no reason or explainable cause or root. The only certainty seemed to be a long road of rehabilitation ahead with no certainty for full recovery. If there’s anything I’ve learned early in life it’s that doctors don’t know shit about people. Sure the know anatomy and medicine but they don’t know what’s important. The heart and soul. After two months of hardcore physical and occupational therapy (not a year and not in some lock down facility like they wanted) I was in better shape and state of mind than I was prior to the stroke. Being able to pick up my camera and hold it for the first time was something I will never forget. Getting back to work felt like being born again. It was a feeling I can’t even put into words.

I’ve done a lot of work I can be proud of since then. I’ve learned and grown along the way. I’ve also become a lot more comfortable with myself and who I am. That alone has helped me become more open and honest with others. I feel like I’m on a good journey and I’ve made a promise to myself to stay on course.

Search for the great lobster.

Uncategorized

As we stood in and endless line to order our lobster at Abbott’s last night we began talking and getting friendly with the people just ahead of us. A very nice group of older folks who were vacationing in nearby Mystic. When we told them we had spent the day driving up from Hoboken, New Jersey the one woman asked “Oh what are you doing while your out here?” When I replied “We’re here for the lobster.” and we were planning on driving back home afterward. She looked at us with widened eyes “You drove five hours just for lobster? You must be crazy.” I reminded her that like life itself the journey is just as important if not more than the destination. And that if you can withstand a five hour car ride with a loved one. Your relationship was pretty safe. After two hours of both waiting in line and to have our food prepared we feasted on the best lobster I’ve ever had the pleasure of cracking open. Abboott’s isn’t as much a restaurant as it is a shack but the food is worth the long drive and endless line. We made a few stops along the way. There was the craft fair in Mystic and the beautiful Riverside town. The weather was perfect and I couldn’t get over how friendly everyone was. The only unfortunate thing is we skipped going to the aquarium which would have been a lot of fun. Kayuri claims she drove about half the way but I would bet good money that it was I that was behind the wheel for most of the trip. We had made plans to go to the Jersey shore the next day but were dead to the world and didn’t even leave the apartment until about 9:00p.m., I’m sure we could have found good lobster in our own area but there’s something special about getting out of the every day. I hope there will be lot’s more road trips before the year is over. I’ve definitely got some in mind.

Fridays Session

Beauty

This past Friday I had a fun session with Denise and Kelly. I had asked Kelly if she would help me out on a little project I was working on and she was cool enough to indulge me. I might Kelly a few years ago through my friend Denise so it was a no brainer that she’s be coming along. As of late I have been using a black seamless background almost exclusively but sometimes worry that it might be a little too stark. I had seen a number of pictures of Kelly on her facebook page wearing some colorful dresses. That combined with her beautiful red hair would pop against the black and somewhat harsh background. I also wanted to get some cool, dramatic black and whites. Having Denise along for the session was great and helped add to the fun atmosphere. Towards the end of the session Denise snapped a few shots that were really nice. We’ve been debating which ones were actually hers but I’m willing to take her down for copyright. Thanks to both of them for making the beginning of the holiday weekend a blast.

The core of my heart.

Beauty

Sebastianne came into my life at the age of three. At the time I had become close friends with her mom KC. Through the years KC and I remained good friends and I watched Sebastianne grow and mature. Even as a baby I was impressed and even amazed at what a smart and well behaved kid she was. She always seemed mature beyond her age. She was very special to me and along with her mom was there for some of the most important times in my life. As the years went by both KC and I moved out of Manhattan and saw less of one another. There were holidays and the occasional get together. They remained very special and loved throughout. A few years back I was having a special dinner with some friends on the lower east side and invited KC to join us. We were already in mid celebration when KC arrived with a friend. As I stood up to give her a hug I asked “Who’s your friend?” It turned out to be Sebastianne. In a short time she had morphed from a cute child to a woman. She was the same sweet, beautiful kid. I couldn’t get over how much she had sprouted. Fast forward to last week. I was in the middle of a session when the phone rang. I didn’t pick it up due to the fact I was in midst of photographing a beautiful woman. Later that night I checked my phone and didn’t notice the 914 area code. Once I checked the message I was still a little unsure. The message was very basic just mentioning her name and to call her back when I got the chance. When I did call back I realized right away who it was. My sweetheart Sebastianne. We talked and made plans to get together before she was set to start high school today. So yesterday I went up to Harlem and picked her up from the train. We went out for lunch at Gobo in the village and had a chance to catch up. She filled me in on her Summer and what she’s been up to. There are a handful of people in my life that occupy space in my heart. People you would do anything for at the drop of a hat without any questions asked. She is without a doubt one them. After lunch we headed back to Hoboken and did a laid back , impromptu photo session. Sebastianne is a really smart gifted kid. She loves to read, learn, writes, including her own songs. She’s beautiful but not the least bit self involved. A lot of kids her age hit that rough patch where they think everything is lame and stupid but she’s so balanced I don’t have the least bit of worry about it. Later that night we watched the movies I let her pick out at Blockbuster (Pink Panther I and II) and laughed ’til it hurt. This morning I drove her home and to her first day of High School. Sebastianne, I’d wish you luck but I know you’re going to synch it. Love you always.

Return to 5 Pointz

Uncategorized

I had a little time on my hands yesterday and was looking for a little adventure. So I jumped on the train and headed from Chinatown to Long Island City to check out what was new over at Five Pointz. I’ve blogged about the place before and it’s stunning graffiti. One of the great things about the block is that the block is forever changing and evolving with new pieces and murals going up all the time. When I was growing up in nearby Jackson Heights I was exposed to the culture at an early age. There were plenty of graffiti crews and individuals with a wide array or styles and talents. Most of them were looked at as vandals and criminals and a lot of it was in all honesty crap. Yet so many had real talent and originality. Often taking it to the next level as artists and graphic designers. I always wished I was a better artist. Don’t get me wrong. Photography has made me very happy. But to be able to create something like that using pure imagination and talent is amazing. If you get the chance to go there I highly recommend it. Take the E train to 23 Ely and walk two blocks south. That’ll get you an eye full. Oh and stay the hell away from that general store by the train. 1.40 for a can of soda should be punishable by death.

Il ya une raison que j’ai été à l’écoute à Serge Gainsbourg toute la journée.

Portraiture, Uncategorized

Learning, growing and giving thanks.

Studio Lighting

About a year ago I got a My Space message from my friend Justine in Boston. She told me she had always liked my work and enjoyed keeping up with my new pictures and adventures. BUT, yes there is always a BUT. She said the lighting in my studio shots seemed predictable. Had I ever thought of going darker and maybe adding more drama? Hmmm, she was right on target. My lighting was predictable and to be honest boring. It all came down to one thing, Fear. When I worked for other studios the lighting was either set up for us or when I was setting up and taking down the studio every day there was blueprint I was expected not to stray from. If there was ever a problem there was someone in the studio (a manager or owner) to fix it. When I went on my own I had no backup. No one to call when things went wrong. There was a certain fear of failure involved. So I never strayed far from the blueprint. When I got that email from Justine I really started to think. Why let fear of failure ever stop you from learning and growing. I really wanted to take the kind of pictures I saw my favorite photographers taking.

So the next time I had a model over to the studio I told her. “We’re going to try some new things today. We’re probably going to make some mistakes. Hopefully they’ll be good ones.” The results were great. She loved the shadows, contrast and overall dramatic effect they created. It was like being reborn. I started experimenting with different configurations. Moving the lights around and using one light instead of two, three or even four. I’ve been really happy with the results and I see a lot of growth and progression in my work and even confidence. I’ve gone from being afraid of making mistakes to looking forward to making and learning from them. It’s also helped me in gaining confidence in the studio. Something I lacked since deciding to go on my own. Thanks Justine, you gave me the little kick in the ass I needed.

Friday Flashback

Nudes

Melissa 3 My first paid portrait session was an interesting one to say the least. At the time I had recently moved to a neighborhood on the West Side of Manhattan called Hell’s Kitchen. I was really interested in photography and had recently been given a manual Nikon film camera as a Christmas present by my boss Hank. I had been shooting bands for years with various point and shoot cameras and had grown tired of it. One night I was photographing this band at a really crappy club somewhere in Jersey. Shortly after the band finished its set this beautiful woman came up to me. We started talking and she asked if I had ever worked with any models or done any head shot type work. I totally lied my ass off and told her “yeah, I’ve done my share.” I gave her my card and a few weeks later we got together and mapped out what would be my first paid photography job. The plan was to drive to the Delaware River Gap where we’d do a series of nudes and semi nudes in the woods, the water and throughout the mountainous area around the river. I was so green. I had no idea what I was doing but I was confident and excited. I was also clueless. I agreed to do the job for a measly hundred dollars and would give up the negatives. A rookie mistake I would regret but never repeat.

On the day of the session she came to pick me up. Finding a parking space right in front of my building seemed like a miracle until we came back downstairs to see her car had been towed. She had failed to read the “No Parking” “All violators will be towed at their own expense.led to read the “No Parking” “All violators will be towed at their own expense. I felt horrible but for some dumb reason partly responsible. So off to the towing garage we went (with her wearing nothing but pajamas nonetheless) We got to the garage on the nearby West Side Highway and paid the $250 towing fine. Then on the same day she had to go down to City Hall to pay a ticket. (with her wearing nothing but pajamas nonetheless) All the while she was a trooper and took it all in stride. We made the most of the rest of the day shooting pictures by City Hall, the Bull down by the financial center and down at the ferry station. All the while being followed by tourists and random pervs with cameras. (with her wearing nothing but pajamas nonetheless) We decided to reschedule and start fresh the next day.

The weather on that particular day was beautiful. As we arrived at our location the sun was soft and a comforting breeze welcomed us. We started out following the paths but soon found a waterfall and climbed the fence to get our first shots. She was so natural and simply breath taking. I was waste deep in water when I took those first shots. After a few minutes we climbed back over the fence and headed up to the top of the waterfall. As I began to climb the fence I put my bag on the top of the wooden fence. As I started to lift myself up over to the other side the bag tipped, fell and went right down the fall to the top ledge. My heart sunk. Everything besides my camera was in that bag. My keys, my money, my wallet, the film. No matter what… I had to get that bag back or die trying. I carefully made my way towards the edge of the fall to see my bag secured to the landing below and unfortunately out of reach. We looked at each other puzzled but I knew there was only one thing to do. Walk back down and somehow climb up the waterfall. Now this wasn’t the waterfall you see Harrison Ford dive off of in the movie “The Fugitive” but it sure as hell seemed like it to me. I waded through thewater and started climbing.

Untitled 9_2 My model looking down on me yelling “James, be careful. Please!!!” Rock by rock, ledge by ledge I finally made it to where my bag was wedged and was able to grab hold. As hard as it was getting up the fall. It was harder making my way down with a sopping wet and much heavier bag. By now a small crowd had gathered on a pathway behind me and were even cheering me on to a degree. I swear I had William Shatners voice in the back of my head narrating his then show “Rescue 911”. It was a truly surreal moment. As I made my way to the bottom the crowed let out a small cheer and clapped. I made my way back to the trail and to my surprise the film had been protected and only the clothes inside and my wallet were soaked. I walked back up the path. Gingerly climbed over the fence and finished our session. It was the easiest hundred dollars I ever made. I’m still mad I gave up my negatives but managed to keep the prints in pretty good shape.