Black and White Photography of New York

7/29/2006

Can You Identify

the location of this statue? Extra credit if you know who is on the horse. Extra extra credit if you know who the lady is. Hint - it is in NYC.

7/28/2006

This was taken on my first trip around the globe.

A few seconds after this wave hit, we were washed overboard and I found myself fighting not to sink into a water spout. It was a spout that must have been a half-mile across. But my efforts were futile and soon I was spinning down, down, down.

When I came to - I was washed up on a beach. Half dead, I came to - and was approached by a big green lizard which said: Didja know that you can save 15% off your next score with Lizard King insurance?

The lizard then began to dance around in a wild frenzy, and finally said that his name was Jim Morrison Jr.

As I spit sand, I knew that I must have entered the parallel universe that is Australia - and that this was the son of the mighty Lizard King himself. I had always suspected that everything would be weird in Australia - but I didn't know just how weird.

Then as I was still gasping for air - a band of gypsies holding looking-glass mirrors swarmed around me and in an instant I was hog-tied. Someone was saying that I should be tossed on the barbie. This scared the hell out of me until a beautiful woman approached and said that her name was Barbie.

As she bent down to kiss me - I heard her mutter, "No rest for the wicked tonight."

nature

I was transported by raft down a strange river with bow bridges until we arrived at the Temple of Art.

They hauled me over to the temple of art where the sacrifice was to take place.

nature

I was shocked to find my images scattered around on the floor and being trampled on by critics. Nine lights were floating. I asked my captors what they were and was told they were spirits of baseball players that had been using drugs in the sixties. Chief amongst them was Dock Ellis.

Untitled

Uniforms

7/27/2006

Hurry Up

1994

Published by DAVE BECKERMAN, The most trusted, the most fair and the most balanced, name in blog photography.

Anyway - this shot always makes me chuckle. I think it's because I used to do the same thing all the time. A kid I knew when through the trouble of cutting a hole in his jacket so that he could walk around like this without bumping into things; and got into big trouble with his mom when she found he had destroyed his new jacket.

No Rest For the Wicked

Billboards go up and down so quickly in New York that I can't keep up with them. 23rd and Park Ave. South. I still don't know what this one was promoting but I have an idea.

Alive With Pleasure

Rollei TLR, 1998

Ad Center

The woman sounded so hopeful when she called to ask me to take part in a survey, that I just couldn't say no. I usually just hang up. But as the survey went on and on the word Microsoft was used a couple of times and I began to make sense of it. They wanted to know if I had received junk mail from Microsoft about a new advertising service called Ad Center.

There must have been 40 questions, mostly to rate various features on a 1 to 10 scale.

Eventually they got to the free form part of the survey where they ask what your business sells and I said 'photography.'

Could you spell that for me, she asked.

That was startling.

P-H-O-T-O-G

Hold on a second she said while she slowly typed it.

R-A-P-H-Y

Oh, that how you spell it.

Then some more questions. What could Microsoft do to incent you to join this program, she asked.

-They could give me a free trial for a month, I reply.

And once again - what business are you mainly in?

Photography.

I'm sorry sir, could you spell that for me again.

P-H-O etc.

Thank you, sir.

And what is the highest level of education you reached?

Graduate School.

I'm sorry, sir. Is that graduated college, or post-college?

Post. That's post college.

Very good, sir. Only a few more questions...

Good.

Sir, our records show that the Microsoft Ad Center mailing went out to you. What would you say is the main reason that you didn't see it?

I throw all junk mail I get in the garbage.

Thank you sir.

Thank you.

7/26/2006

Spooky Theater

One day, around the time that 42nd street was being Disneyfied (cleaned up) I walked by this place on 42nd street that had been a strip joint. Maybe they were trying to fit in with the scare the kids theme with this display - but it didn't work. Even though I can read each word on the sign to the left, I have no idea what it says. I sort of think it's some voodoo curse. (Pentax 67)