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This is a place to post
my videos, some prose, and some of the pictures that serve
as
undergarments to the big finished suits. The low res images
with unfinished hems, the
pinhole that lets you peek into the side of the box, the
phone message you left just before
I got back.I like to swim with the new pictures when they
are still wet. Dream about the
pictures I am about to take. The absolute best is when
I pick up the camera – it always
feels like someone has just handed me the keys to a new
car…one that is full
of gas and has lots of power.My pictures would never has
existed unless I had built the
stage, turned on the lights, and told you how special
you are. Everything else is just a perfefctly
tied bow, a well plucked eyebrow, a spit shine. |
07.10.07 Israel June 2006 Flipbook
Every story starts with asking for something just out of reach. How doI get into this show,
it says, “sold out?” How can I photograph this incredible choreographer I just saw at Jacob’s
Pillow? How can I go to Israel before the baby arrives?
The medium format digital back I love to use is hand-made in Israel by Leaf. This past spring,
Ari Briggs (Leaf’s head of marketing) was in NY showing me a new back (the 75S) – VERY fancy,
very much something I wanted to use. When he asked me to test the back and let them know
what I thought, I said that I could only test it in Israel, where I had never been. I think he was
surprised that I wanted to come over – and in an act of great generosity he arranged for
me to come over in June.
My assignment was to push the back hard so they could see what problems might have been
missed in lab tests that a working photographer might encounter. Also, they wanted a series of
pictures that showed the Leaf family. and manufacturing facilities outside of Tel Aviv.
This flip book is not those pictures. These pictures are the ones I tookfor myself.
They were shot at the Dead Sea, and in the streets of old Jerusalem. The goldfish and the
some of the food shots were at the restaurant my taxi driver took me to that his uncle owned
in Abu Ghosh.
Had a feast there – pumpkin hummus and wonderful homemade stuffed grape leaves.
Then those kids who squirted me and my cameras with the hose and danced and posed all the while.
Alot of the shots cames from my last day – the arab market in Jaffa in the morning (the incredible
poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce at Dr. Shakshuka, the piles of remote controls and shoes…..
- also heard the percussion soundtrack playing there in a small booth), the afternoon with Arielle
Antoine dancing on the walls of Florentine, then to Lev Weissman’s to photograph his family
(Yossi juggling). That final night was spent having a classic shabbat with the Weissman’s
- the Yemenite shul and Shabbat dinner.- when all creative acts are put to rest and joy and family fills the air.
The flipbooks are taking on a life of their own. Working on several now at once that will be posted soon.
They are a hybrid of stills and video that fill big screen and iphone displays. All the pieces are
coming together in them – all the energy and movement and loudness and whispers. Feel like
we are now spending more time at the studio working in Final Cut more than Photoshop.
And yes, the baby is coming in November. We covered our eyes when the camera panned
down at the sonogram this past week….so no clue on the sex. Stephie takes my hand and
holds it on her belly to feel the squirming and the hiccups. And then we laugh and laugh
and laugh….at something just out of reach.
I MADE THIS VIDEO for a talk I gave at Photo Expo 2006 at the Javitts Center in NY.
On the panel was Allegra Wilde & Linda Levy from the Workbook, and Patrick Casey
from Marge Casey & Assoc. My idea was to show images from the past year only.
I also wanted to show the digital flip book we do with our software at the end of
every shoot. The music is the SONG “Dream Baby Dream” – by Suicide.
I moved back to New York five years ago, but still kept my dentist, the great Stan Golden, in LA. He used to be the tour manager for Bob Dylan, and when I started going to him, he had Dylan playing in his office non- stop. No matter how much you might like Dylan, it is too much with the whirl of the drills and scraping of teeth. So I worked out a deal – a 1000 song playlist (with no lyrics involving pain!) for his office in exchange for teeth cleaning. My favorite Stan artifact is the photo album of celeb gums he shows off like they are his children. This book is fillled with ultra closeups of the before and after pictures of gums and teeth of the rich and famous, and Stan is the proud father as he shows off his work. This is a
short clip from my last visit with Stan explaining to a patient why people hire me.
Shot Clive Owen in London a couple of weeks ago.
He is one of these 95% subjects – where 95% of the shots are perfect. Our friend from Nashville, Frances
(who married into London society, but really she fits in perfectly anywhere) brought her 5-month-old baby
Catherine to the shoot. Clive kept eyeing the baby from across the room (lucky girl), and finally picked her
up and showed her off. Now Catherine and Clive are featured on aprons, coffee mugs and calendars all
over Nashville. Here is the shot.
I got this email from my mother this morning:
I have been thinking alot about our phone conversation last evening. If I may offer my opinion..
I think you should follow your own inclination regarding your portfolio and showing your work.
As you look back on your career so far, you have been very successful. With that in mind, how
can someone, no matter how world- renowned they are looking at portfolios, asses your collection
of work and critisize? Makes no sense. You know that no one knows your work and can sell
themselves better than you. Your work reflects your personality, your love of people, and so
much talent. Your decisions have worked for you in the past..don’t feel insecure about them
now! You are the best judge..also your most severe critic!
So many people have gone thru you portfolio and put in their two cents..Your own judgment
is the best, in my opinion! (For all that it is worth)
Enjoy your success and continue doing the same honorable and fine work you have been doing.
Relax..and enjoy it!
You have done so much incredible work Your greatest work of all..of course..is bringing Stephanie
into our family. What love she has brought us all.
That’s my philosophy..given with much love.
Be safe,
A
I am going to break the last ten minute rule with this video -
just because we love it still. I had to give a talk at RISD a year ago to a photo class taught by my teacher there,
Wendy MacNeil. I was a little freaked out that I left RISD to be an artist, and I was coming back more immersed
in the commercial world than the students would understand. I put this video together the night before the talk.
Called some people and recorded their voice off the speakerphone at the studio. Put it all together in iphoto,
working all night and on the train north the next morning. Finished it as the train was literally pulling into the
station in Providence.
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