my retrospective

I've covered most of the interesting shots from the past 15 years. I learned a couple of things from this review:

a) That Delta 400 film was bad news. It is a skinny negative and hard to get into the medium format film carrier without all sorts of cursing. If under-exposed, it looks absolutely awful. The early rolls (when the film first came out) - all turned purple. And it is definitely grainier than other 400 films.

b) Cameras: Whether you've shot it with a 4 x 5, or a 35mm - if you didn't "get the shot" it doesn't matter what you shot it with. And for me the odds of "getting the shot" are increased exponetionally with a 35mm camera.

c) Especially in the beginning, I shot the same things so many times it's nauseating to look at. For example, I had a fixation with photographing a group of people crossing the street towards me. I knew what I wanted, but I never got it. About ten people crossing, about 15 feet away - all doing something interesting, and none of them noticing the camera. I don't know what put that idea in my head but I must have about 1000 shots with this premise - all of them boring.

These fixed ideas are all over the place. Sometimes they eventually pay off with one good shot and then I never go through it again. But flipping through sheets of negatives I hear myself saying - oh man - not that idea again! On the other hand - I guess that any sort of art is mostly about some obsession, otherwise, why bother?

d) Of all the cameras that I used over the years - the only camera that did not give me one good shot was the Pentax 645 which I used for about six months. I have no idea why. I got more shots with the Pentax 67 than the 645.

Now it's back to making some new negatives.

Marathon, 59th St. Bridge

books

Man, I should've thought of that. This morning I was watching the news when a couple came on to plug their new book: The Bridges of Central Park. (Sounds like the Bridges of Madison Avenue). There on the cover is the Bow Bridge and the book is comprised of historical and current shots of the various Central Park Bridges. The twist is to show historical pictures of the bridges, then how they are today - and fill it in with some historical info. Available in bookstores tomorrow.

I can just see myself being interviewed:

Host: What a great idea! When did you first decide to do this book on the Bronx?

Me: It was back in the 90's, actually.

Host: The 90's! Let me just remind you that it's now 2025! Are you saying that you've been working on this book for over 35 years?

Me: Book? Can you repeat that question?

Host: (Slowly) Are you saying that --

Me: Oh, yes, I remember! Yes! It's taken me a long time. But actually I only worked on the book for a year or two taking the photographs. The rest of the time was spent figuring out the order of the pictures!

Host: You're kiddin'? Right?

Me: Every few months I would take the pictures out and re-arrange them. But I was never happy with the order.

Host: Amazing! Are you happy with the order of the prints now?

Me: Mostly... (reaches for glass of water and takes long gulp - some dribbling and some of it gets on the book in my lap). Do you have a shmata, Miss?

Playtime

Grand Central Interior

An old '4x5' negative. I know the time will come when people will ask: "negative? what's that?"
It may be here already. And then the long explanation that will end up with something like: "oh, it's like one of my new mega-square cards, dude. i didn't know you had so many pixels back then. that is awesome!"

Amongst Us!

Yes - the camera is on the ground. (Seemed like a good perspective at the time). It reminds me of a cheap sci-fi movie from the 50's. But it's New Years Eve, 2004 in New York.

[The more I look at this, the more I like it. I don't like my title though. I think I'm going to keep it as the top post in the blog until someone can give this a fitting name.]

Radio City Music Hall, 2004

Doughnut Shop, 2001

we don't need no stinkin' photographers

"Fujifilm says that the S6000fd can give precedence to the faces in an image, ensuring that they come out looking crisp and well lighted. The camera can pick out up to 10 faces in a scene and is not thrown off by eyeglasses. " From today's NY Times

I think that's more faces than I can pick out in a scene. Now, all they have to do is figure out which face has the most dramatic look, which can be done by programming the camera for Happy Photography, Depressed Photography, Ironic Photography etc.

Meanwhile, Kodak, Sony and Apple Computers have combined to create a new technology called, Master Photography Program (MPP). Although not officially announced yet - the rumor is that MPP will be emulate a number of well known photographers. So far, from what I've heard they have Ansel and Edward Weston programs and more are on the way.

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.