The Story Behind the Photographs
A few weekends ago I did some pro bono work with Columbia University’s School of Journalism for their Social Media Conference. Conferences always attract an array of very interesting people – young, old, rich, poor, people there to learn, people there to teach. It’s never a dull moment. Here are some of the “characters” I met. It’s amazing what you can capture in a session that averaged about 45 seconds. Had a Fantastic time meeting everyone! Shown below in the order they were photographed.
I don’t know many of the American Idol contestants. I rarely watch the show. But for some reason I had heard of Scotty McCreery. Not sure why – he’s a country singer (I don’t listen to that genre), he won last season’s American Idol (I didn’t watch it) and he lives in Garner, just outside of Raleigh (I’ve never been there). So, when I got the call to photograph him at his high school (Garner Magnet School) I was thrilled – I love new experiences. Photographed on location in the library of Garner High School for TeachersCount, we took portraits of Scotty alone and with his teacher/mentor Derek Goffena. I also had a little help from the high school yearbook staff and my assistant Elizabeth Larson and stylist Claudia Gunn. Here’s the poster:
Didn’t see the variety in cats that we saw during Day One, but interesting never the less. Met a variety of owners though…
Here are some highlights from the day. In order of appearance: Pixiebob, shorthair Oriental, longhair Oriental, Bombay, and a Balinese.
On location with Animal Planet photographing cats. Here are some of the day’s outtakes. In order of appearance: Abyssinian, Birman, Korat, Siamese, and Sphynx
During our road trip to photograph Scotty McCreery (American Idol fame) in Raleigh we stopped for lunch at Watkins Grill – a classic diner built in the 1920′s. Great menu, fantastic food (not fat-free), better atmosphere (Civil War generals’ photos hanging on the wall), and very nice owners. I think everyone living in Raleigh, at one time or another, makes it to breakfast or lunch. It’s the place to be seen.
Owners Judy and Rhonda
What I love about photography the most is having the opportunity to learn about new things. I didn’t know very much about the Russian Orthodox Church here in America, so when they called and asked me to photograph The Metropolitan it was my chance to further educate myself.
Here’s some interesting info about the Church and Metropolitan here in the US:
- Started when, in 1794, eight Russian Orthodox monks traveled to Alaska (then part of Russia).
- By the late 1800′s, due to the large immigrant population from Europe and the Middle East, the Church grew and spread to other areas of the United States.
- There are now estimated between 27,169 to as high as 1,064,000 members of the Church in the United States. I’m not sure why the numbers vary.
- The Metropolitan is the head of all the bishops in the Americas (US and Canada).
- The metropolitan is elected by the Holy Synod at an All-American Council. There are no age or term limits for the metropolitan, and he may retire at any time, but usually does so only for health-related reasons. He is similar to the Archbishop in stature.
Other than lugging equipment through and on the Subway (always a fun ordeal…), there weren’t any obstacles to over come on this shoot. We shot at his residence. Rearranged some of his furniture and set up the lights. As with many official portraits of clergy, the Metropolitan stood with a very stoic look. He is, in fact, a very friendly and pleasant person. As I usually do after the shoot is finished I ask if he wanted any less posed shots. He said “I was just in Florida with alligators and got some shots with them.” I asked if he blessed the alligator before holding it. “No”, he said, “I blessed myself.” I don’t blame him.
The Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church in New York
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the best for a wonderful New Year!
I’m slowly starting to shoot B&W film again – getting back to where it all started. I have a Mamiya C220 just waiting to be held, but have resisted because of the cost factor in getting it all developed, printed, scanned, etc… A few photographer friends suggested sending the film to Richard Photo Lab in California. If you’re itching to get back into shooting film I highly recommend using them. You ship the film (35, 120 or sheet), they return the negatives with contact sheets and a digital scan of each negative. All for about $20. Here are a few recent B&Ws – shot on location at Fanelli Cafe in SoHo, NYC.
Had a bit of fun a week ago shooting with Beth Caldwell (a photo editor with Animal Planet) on the streets of New York City. We took a break from our location in Central Park and walked to an adjacent street. The wet pavement, the crowds, overcast sky – the entire scene was screaming CSI. So we set up a mock advertisement showing Beth with her husband Fletcher. We didn’t need the long dark overcoats or guns. The attitude says it all.
It is an absolutely beautiful day here in NYC – 65°, bright sunshine and people are walking around without jackets. Quite unusual here on the east coast. Today reminds me of a mid-September day my wife and I spent on the North Fork, Long Island at Corey Vineyard: clear skies, a nice soft breeze and a tall glass of red wine. It was a great way to end the summer.
