Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge, 4x5 Pinhole

'I have made all my films for my children with the exception of my first film because my oldest daughter wasn't born when I was making the film about the Brooklyn Bridge'..........Ken Burns

Modern Technology

Reworked Image

It is great to be making and processing images with the technology that we have at our disposal today. There are so many choices at our fingertips to make our images conform to what we see in our head - and I am not talking manipulation per se - just having the ability to make changes in a short period of time that would have taken hours in the darkroom - and PS, it is done with the lights on. And there are always those who complain vehemently against new technology but it is here to stay......Hey, it happened when Dylan went electric and music is still around...it is happening now with the iPhone right down to those who believe images should only be processed on the iPhone or iPad...I get it but why stifle your art with limitations - the very meaning of being creative is to use whatever it takes to get to the final image in your head....OK, I am done now....this is not the theme for today...

The image today is circa 1972. It sat in a shoebox grave for many years - I simply was unable to make the print I saw in my head....and then several years ago I got into Photoshop.....still took awhile to figure it out but I finally got this image to a place that resonated for me...Ha to move bit and pieces around inside the image but in the end was able to make the save....

Original Tri-X Image

The original was made using a Nikon F Series Camera and tri-x film moved into the digital world using an Imacon/Hasselblad scanner..

New York, Gallery Show and Workshop

I am proud to announce an iPhone New York City Gallery Show and Workshop, both being hosted by Foto Care. The show will contain landscape images from Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Death Valley, Zion National Park as well as Rock and Roll images shot on film, scanned, and processed using my ipad...hence the name: 'Music, Iphone and Other Neighborhoods'. Images will be printed on canvas as well as more traditional substrates.

The gallery show will be followed by a weekend workshop covering all aspects of iPhone/iPad from capture through printing.

Big Yellow Taxi

Big Yellow (Water) Taxi

Late last night
I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot.......Joni Mitchell

Another image form the other day - this time a big boy camera image.....The bridge in the foreground is the Williamsburg and the distant bridge is The Brooklyn.....

Bachman Turner Overdrive

Bachman Turner Overdrive

This image of Bachman Turner Overdrive (BTO) is from mid-seventies in New York City - most likely the Academy of Music which was on 14th street. 

BTO were originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Acording to Wikipedia Randy Bachman and Chad Allan were formerly with The Guess Who and Neil Young apparently suggested they use Fred Turner as the vocalist. 'Takin Care of Business' and 'You Ain't Seen nothing yet' were probably two of their biggest hits.

Judging from the grain structure in this image it was most likely made using Kodak 2475 High Speed Recording Film - a favorite for ISO's of 3200 and more...It' main use was surveillance film back in the day. Personally, I always loved the grain...maybe a bit more detail but....

The Cure, Robert Smith

The Cure, Robert Smith, Beacon Theater, NYC

 Wow, last minute Sunday plans and went off to photograph The Cure at The Beacon Theater, New York City. I always like photographing at the Beacon - great sight-lines, and, as with most theaters, a great shot from the balcony (which I forgot to do yesterday)....

This band has been around since the late 70's, part of the post-punk and New Wave movements in the UK. They have been given credit for stating 'gothic rock'  in the early 80's....During the early 90's they were often called the most popular 'alternative' band in the world.

Robert Smith, The Cure 

Robert Smith is the lead singer, guitar player and main songwriter in The Cure. He was also in the band Siouxsie and the Banshees.

Peter Gabriel - Genesis

The :Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Genesis

This image from the mid 70's Genesis tour for their concept album, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway......Photographed at The Academy of Music in New York City....

Poco

Poco, Academy of Music, New York City

I am not quite sure which version of Poco this image is from but my best guess is the 1973-1976 line-up which included:

Timothy B Schmit - Bass
Rusty Young - Pedal Steel, Dobro, Banjo
George Grantham - Drums, vocals
Paul Cotton - guitars, vocals

This photograph was taken at the Academy of Music in New York City.

Image made with a Nikon F Series Camera, Ektachrome Slide Film


I was lucky enough to be included in an article about Tour Managers in this months issue of Elmore Magazine. The link is below - note that the article starts on Page 12..It was written by a up and coming young music writer, Melissa Caruso...keep your eye out for her byline.....


http://www.onlinedigitalpubs.com/publication/?i=79123&page=1

New York Subway Impression

New York Subway

So much goes on in the subway system in New York City....everyone moving quickly and directly to wherever they may be going. For someone not from NY this can be a daunting experience but as a New Yorker the subway provides the most direct, quickest form of transport for getting from one place to another...most just keep their heads down and keep moving forward.....this image is what my camera saw as I walked up the stairs at the West 3rd Street station in Greenwich Village....

This image is from my 'No Look - Point and Shoot' series.....

Coney Island Cyclone

Cyclone, Coney Island

This is from the 'Point and Shoot' series.

Back in the day I always carried a Canon Anniversary film camera as I walked around New York City. MY film of choice was Tri-x at ISO 400. Never really looked through the viewfinder - just shot from the hip....call me old fashioned but I do miss the film days...I pulled out that old Canon the other day and just might put this into the travel gear bag....scanned film just has that look about it....you get all the benefits of shooting film without getting your hands wet....

A couple of subscribers have asked my what travel bags I use. There are several depending on whther I am traveling by ground or in the air...

1. Kiboko Bag - lightweight, great zipper pulls, major storage, good handle placement, fits the body well. The only thing I would change is to have a computer compartment for air travel....

2. Think Tank International Rolling Bag: Perfect carry on size for air travel. Plenty of space inside and with the low dividers you can place a laptop on top of the gear. They also make several cable management see through bags. Pack all cables in these see-through bags and it becomes much easier to get through airport security. Also, with this bag, you can set a backpack on top and wheel through the airport. The only drawback it that the pull handle is a bit flimsy - one has to be careful...not sure why an expensive piece of gear like this has a cheap handle but it does...

These two bags are my air travel set-up....when traveling by car I find the Kiboko and a computer bag are all I need.....There are times, when traveling by car, I bring a small camera bag when I need to move a few pieces of gear to a specific location -