european vacation (1994)

Church Interior, Paris

If I do put this up for sale, first question will be: Which Church is it?

It would be nice if I knew but how do people do it when they come back with thousands of negatives - or captures - and ten years later they can tell you the name of the Church. At any rate I'll just say "a rose by any other name would still smell..." or something like that.


Paris, Park

But let's take a little time to visit the country that American's love so much. My time in Paris was heaven. I lived for two weeks in a tiny room in Pigalle? section - or wherever the cheap rooms were. I had a hot plate and bought my own stuff at the local bodega - and cooked in my room. I had one meal in a restaurant. I'm sure I missed most of the tourist hot spots. I would just walk out of the hotel and just like in NYC I'd wander around.

The morning light in Paris is special. Sometimes, usually around the beginning of Fall in New York when there is that nip in the air and a light mist - I feel like I'm back in Paris.

Bronx Mural / Grand Central 2006

Bethel, Bronen's

i'm on webster ave. have managed to track down the old music store where i used to rent my trombone. bronen's used to be near Fordham but they've moved a few times. Bronens (since 1915) is boarded up. On the corner to my left, standing in front of a bodega are six teenagers - black - wearing white tee-shirts and white rags on their heads.

I'm sitting in my sister's black toyota. As I step from the car wtih the m3 around my neck I see them sizing me up. Not out of corners of eyes - but straight glare. Straight glare means - what the f--k am I doin' here.

I don't care and don't return the stare. The cat spit up hairballs at 3 a.m. and kept me up for hours - so I'm just as irritable as they seem to be.

As camera comes to my eye to photograph the old store, two teenagers approach from both sides and they're on cells. I swear they're talkin' to each other.

I would like to be able to explain that I don't care about them - I'm just an old white guy that's come over to photograph the place where he rented instruments as a kid. It brings back memories of my mother. My mother was a real musician - piano and later cello. I used to go with her to pick up the cello.

One of the teenagers stops in front of me and says in a friendly way: just don't take pictures of us.

Me: Oh, no problem. I'm just photographing the music store.

Him: Music store?? Man that place been shut for years. It's a real shame. I used to get my horn there.

Me: I used to play the trombone when I was a kid --

Him: Oh, man - the trombone! That sucks!

Me: I hated it. I always wanted to play the trumpet. I used to live around here, y'know. Up on University.

Him: Man - musta been a long time ago.

Me: Yeah, like 45 years!

Him: Cool. Listen - just watch yourself around here - lot's of shit goin' on.

Me: Thanks. I'll be out of here in a second or so.

Him: OK. Too bad about Bronen's. I used to like that place a lot.

fixing the M3

I am having trouble with the M3 with slower shutter speeds. I noticed it first when I was shooting the infrared stuff - but now I see an uneven curtain pull at speeds of 1/60th or slower - sometimes. Anyway the camera needs a thorough going-over.

Any advice as far as a repair shop for old Leicas? I guess I'd sort of prefer if they were in NYC and I could drop it off and pick it up when ready.

The other thing - the M3 will not focus as close as modern Leica lenses are able to focus. I think this can also be fixed by a repair person.

Boy on Rock, 2006