• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

April 9, 2012

Shed The Light

Last time I did a showing of my work, I sequestered myself in the darkroom for 3 weeks straight, printing up a storm of 11×14 warm toned black and white photos.  Everything was in place, 17 photos framed and hung, invitations to luminaries sent.  Left on my to-do was head home from my shoot, doll up and walk over to the trendy locale.  Easy enough… Mental note, stay focused and present driving.   So when I was 5 blocks from home, was in slow-mo disbelief as I was cut off by this burgandy hunk-of-junk tailspinning me & my car into the middle of the street.  Damage: yes.  Totalled car.  Me.  Despite my pain, was pleading & crying to the cops watching my car towed away that I couldn’t possibly go to the hospital… in two hours I had one of the biggest events of my life, how could I spend it in the emergency room??  Promised them I’d go later.  Once home, was hysterical crying to my friend who said “Do you want tonight to be about your accident or about your photography”?  Whimpering ”photography” we decided to not to tell anyone but my closest friends at the onset of the evening.  Amazingly, they all helped me generate a firestorm of excitement about my work.  As people showed up I was getting hugged so magnetically by everyone, grimacing inside but trying to use all the goodness around to help heal me.  Okay, that and a lot of red wine helped the situation too.  The party lasted past last call and the minute it winded down my pals took me directly to the hospital.   All in all, the exhibition was a huge success.  I sold photos, received great press & reviews but overall, it took the wind out of my sails and haven’t thought about doing another until now.

The urge has been laying dorment and now inspired to shoot a personal project.  Destination unknown.  Actually, I know the location for the exhibition already which keeps me on point but excited to see the where the content of the project leads me.  Is it cliche to say I will follow the light?  Probably.  Despite the unknown, excited to share images as I go along this photo journey.  Normally, I wouldn’t shed the light on anything until it’s completed but want to share the ride with you.

At night the street next to my building is lit with Midtown Tunnel exit signs and taking that as a sign to start, even though the signs say “Stop” & “Do Not Enter”, that doesn’t apply to me, does it?  Going to shoot some people here as well.  Here are a couple initial springboard images…

February 17, 2012

Whitney

Proud to say, Whitney Houston was one of my first professional photo shoots ever! I was the Garden State Arts Center’s (now PNC Bank Ctr) Photo Assistant to Herman Gerechoff. Herman was an old-school “Weegee” style press photographer who knew everyone, smoked in the darkroom despite my pleas, and happened to be good friends with Whitney’s father John. Typically we’d divvy up the concerts to shoot. Me: the cool rock shows like Billy Idol, Heart & The Allman Bros. Herman covered old fogie shows like Frank Sinatra, Dylan, & the Three Tenors. For Whitney, we were shooting side by side.

Concert photographers get the first 3 songs to shoot, check gear backstage, then watch the show or hang backstage. Not a bad gig… Great thing about being the house photographer is that you’re always in the fourth row, aisle seat, front & center, the run of the show. Up close and personal is how I felt watching Whitney perform. Although, I couldn’t shoot more than a few songs, Whitney gave so much to her performance that she’d sweat and sweat and then sweat more. That girl was drenched… NOT a pretty picture, but she rocked the house and looked like she was having a blast. Herman and John were proud Pappas just beaming all night.  I have such great memories with her songs attached to them.  Her talent will be missed.

February 8, 2012

ReVamp

Revamping it’s image, JC Penney’s Ron Johnson of Apple announced it’s new look to partners Martha Stewart, Cindy Crawford, The Olsen Twins and Nanette Lepore at Pier 57.  Production Resources, Inc. produced the etheral event.  Click here  to view the video of photos.

January 18, 2012

Buzz on The Street

I’ve first had the pleasure of collaborating with Jennefer Witter to photograph top real estate agent Jacky Teplitzy for a Mann Report cover shoot.  Jacky had a broken leg in a cast, confined to a wheelchair in a lot of pain. Jennefer & I came up with a gorgeous gameplan to photograph Jacky in a swanky evening gown at the tony Pierre Hotel and our beautiful cover became the talk of the town.

Now, Jennefer is the star of the show, her boutique PR firm, The Boreland Group is featured in The Street running with one of my photos.

Jennefer had a meeting with her client, the talented architect Scott Spector of the Spector Group.  Incredible daylight streaming into the office illuminated the stylish conference room.  Even though I got my shot in minutes, I had to take advantage of the space begging Jennefer to indulge me with few more minutes, a few more shots.  It was worth it.

December 7, 2011

Times Where?

Photographed M&T Bank’s brand new Signature Branch in Brooklyn and my image glowed upon the great white way.  Click my fresh work section to view photos of the new branch, in addition to the old vault photos which was a trip being in.  The downstairs of the original bank had been flooded and in disrepair as they were building the new branch. The safe deposit boxes looked like they could tell hundreds of personal stories in contrast to the shiny new ones next door.