Suzi

I did something I hadn't done in probably over 5 years. A twist of the wrist, my body gets pulled back and I have to hang on a little tighter. Roll on the throttle some more and the breeze on my face gets stronger. In a matter of minutes, I'm on some back roads with nice soft hills and gentle curves, enclosed in a tunnel of trees. I'm still getting used to this machine, so my lean angles are conservative, as is my speed. But what lacks in motion, is still made up audibly. The throaty Kerker was loud, but not obnoxiously. It did let you know that there was serious power waiting to be unleashed. At least it did sound that way. As my confidence grew, so did the speed, so did the angles and so did the decibles. To really open it up, I got on the Interstate and rumbled up to 90 mph. Oh and there was lots of room left on the throttle.

Lots of rough spots, but I think manageable. I'll take ownership of this somewhat vintage beast. Almost 30 years old, this was at the time one of the big bore engines that dominated its day. Soon, the Suzuki GS 1000 will be mine.

Riding motorcyles was a serious hobby of mine thru the mid 80's to l999. I managed to put on over 75,000 miles on one bike, traversing to both coasts from the midwest. I only owned 3 motorcycles, but enjoyed them immensley. It really wasn't just a hobby, but a way of life in many respects as well. I made many great relationships that started with motorcycling. And the places I've gone, the adventures I've lived, will be remembered to my dying days. It is going to be great coming back.

Is this what it is like to be busy???

I've shot 2 jobs, 1 personal shoot, had 3 meetings, personal shoot scheduled for Tuesday, 3 more shoots scheduled and toss in a few more meetings next week as well. I'm really concerned about keeping my calendar up to date on my ipod so I don't forget anything. I'm not even thinking about all the processing I have to do from my Connecticut job, besides the stuff I shot in NY. Do I see a new computer on the horizon?

An odd thing happened to me today. I had to shoot film. I pulled out my one and only film camera body that I've held onto only for this reason. I shoot artwork for a few artists and many still require slide film to enter juried art shows. I had to buy a battery for it because it has been countless number of years when I last replaced it. I put a lens on it and hit the shutter. The sound was like a song I hadn't heard from in a long time. The auto wind along with the mechanical shutter took me back 10 years. Do I remember how to load this thing? The automatic gestures that go along with using a film camera did not come back easy. I had to make sure to concentrate every step of the way from loading, shooting and unloading film. We've all one time or another accidently opened the film chamber before rewinding the film! I made it thru 4 rolls of film with no mishaps. Now the L O N G wait. I have to drive to the lab, direct a Normal/Normal process time and process instructions and wait at least 3 hours before I see my results. In the meantime, my set back at the studio with my lighting and tripod position are gaffer taped to the ground. Better not kick the tripod leg!

Ode to the Photographer's showing at Throckmorton...

I photographed this today with the images at the Throckmorton Gallery still fresh in my mind...

Last Hours...

Check out was 11 A.M., but I was out by 9:30. My favorite morning spot had settled down to a nice pace, where I was able to relax and enjoy the moment. My only plan for today was to see, CLASSIC BEAUTY: Photographs of Female Nudes at the Throckmorton Gallery on East 57th. The show had not even been hung, but I was welcomed to view the prints waiting for their places. Along side the great Manuel Alvarez Bravo, I discovered another amazing photographer named, Valdir Cruz, a Brazilian spending much time in NY. If you can find, Nude Study "Mary Ann" 1989 NYC, your heart will go pitter patter.

If the patrons of photography want to see silver based prints, the galleries are most certainly showing them, I certainly can understand why. My view of film based photography has shifted after seeing this show. It has been some time where I was so affected by what was in front of me. Seems like this has occured many times on this trip... Rich, luscious, profound are how I would describe many of the photographs I saw early this afternoon. And though most certainly the same could be said for gicleé on art paper, there is a noticable difference.

As my time is setting, I'm having epiphanies at an alarming rate. I have so much running thru my head that I can't think. I'm hoping that this trip will have taught me something, something significant to my development as an artist, a person. There is so much out there!!!

C Lin

2006-06-20
Knowing that I was going to be in NYC for about a month in advance, I made a call out to my network of internet acquaintances living in or going to be in the NYC area, to see if anyone would be interested in a portrait. My one and only response was from a singer songwriter living in Chicago. C Lin let me know she would be in NY and playing a few gigs in town. Today was our day. We met at Kenny's Castaways, a very old bar in the heart of Greenwich Village. It didn't take more than 2 blocks to find various great locations for this session.

It was great to work with someone who wasn't shy, knew how to move and had a good awareness of the camera. Rarely did I direct as I didn't have anything other than making this portrait to have a NYC feel.





Having had the opportunity and seeing some of the results of this shoot is a really nice send off from my way too short visit to the Big Apple. I'll have a few more hours of glory, then off to JFK for my flight home...

West Side | Times 4

I've seen a few of these parking arrangements around town. Do you think real estate is at a premium here?




I was on my way to the Hasted | Hunt Gallery to see some amazing photographs of Martin Schoeller. Huge 40 x 50 inch C prints hung in frames displaying the face of Angelina Jolie, Jack Nicholson, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton among many others. My favorite is of Christopher Walken. The Big Head series is worth seeing in you happen to be in NY.

Just as I start to settle in on transportation here in NYC, I'll sadly be leaving tomorrow...

2006-06-19

I've walked more miles in the one day than I have in weeks! Early afternoon got me out of my nice air conditioned room and out into the heat. It doesn't look like it is going to let up with possible thunderstorms coming tomorrow. More humidity... but I took the 6 all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge and walked half way across. I realized that with the abundance of other people walking as well, I was not going to get the solomn photograph of the bridge I had envisioned. I walked on back without even pulling out my camera and managed to find the 2, 3 , 4 line.

I wanted to walk Greenwich Village. I got off at 14th and 8th and had absolutely no idea where I was. I decided to walk west towards the Hudson and wing it. I really had no idea that this neighborhood was really a neighborhood. I love all of the buildings, stacked right up next to each other with their "stoops" in the front for their entrance.



Tree lined and quiet and a pace I could really be a part of. I still had no idea where I was, but I did in fact make it into the Village and circled my way back towards 8th and 14th by way of Bleeker. My legs thru various points of my walk were in true pain. I don't know exactly what shin splints are, and since I don't run, I don't think I have that. However, the pain being described with shin splints was what I was feeling. If I rested a few minutes off my legs, I felt better and was able to move foward. At some point, the pain was gone entirely, only being over taken by pure exhaustion.

Early evening brought me back to my breakfast joint where I was able recharge a bit with a fruity drink of some sort, really good though. I came back to the room just totally exhausted. I realized I needed to eat. I found this great italian joint and got a mediteranian salad and 2 slices of tomato, mozzarella and basil pizza. OMG was the pizza delicious!

I know I could find somewhere to go on a Monday night in NY, but I am just too wiped out! I bathed, and am washing cloths now. I found that the laundry room is a point where I can connect to someone's network. Bed will be an inviting place for tonite!!!

Yes, It's Hot

So it is, but this city moves on. Sunday night travelling back from the East Village to the East Side near midnight, there was still only standing room on the 6. I didn't have to wait more than 5 minutes for the train to come either. No matter where you are, there are LOTS of people out and about. I could stop by several places to have a drink or get some food.

My café of choice near where I am staying is just hustle and bustle. The number of people out walking past my window is 10 fold from yesterday. There is a crew across the street setting up 10x10's and 20x20's with lights everywhere. You can tell the New Yorkers from the tourists because all the tourists are stopping to gawk. The New Yorkers are on their merry way not even noticing...

AvantJazz...

My first afternoon was spent in a relaxing uneventful bliss. It was swealtering hot in the mid 90's and humid. I managed to walk a few blocks to get drenched in sweat. Maybe a trip entitled like the song, "Autumn in New York" has to be put into the works. I stayed in air conditioned comfort of either a nearby café or my room. Today climbs only to the upper 80's, but no less humid, no doubt.

I hit the subway towards the East Village, then walked across to Alphabet City. I met Setsuko at Esashi and had an incredible sushi meal. We got the treatment as Setsuko knew the sushi chef. Across Houston to Norfolk we walked to the Angel Orensanz Center where Vision Arts XI was taking place for the last night.


Whit Dickey Trio: Whit Dickey (dr), Daniel Levin (cello), Matt Moran (vibes)



Setsuko's husband, David S. Ware was closing out the show with his amazing quartet. I don't even know the name of the first song, but it could bring tears to your eyes if you weren't guarded. The music continued with a most captivated audience. The experience is so much deeper when there is appreciatation as a collective.




lf to rt | Matthew Shipp, William Parker, David S. Ware, Guillermo E.Brown

After the show, I met the band and felt crutched in emoting my appreciation for such an amazing exhibition...

some photos, many more to come...

Portland International Airport.


Ridgefield CT.


In Ballard Park across the street from where I stayed.

Update

I've been without an internet connection for 2 days. This must be a record for me in quite some time. My gig went fantastic over a period of 2 days and a total of about 8 hours. All I can say about the event is that I am in complete awe at how some people live...

I'm on the corner of 44th and Third Ave in NYC. I arrived about an hour ago, via another limo ride. I did feel really uncomfortable getting out, in front of the Vanderbilt YMCA that will be my home for the next few days. Actually it is very nice, with lots of people from around the world staying as well.

I'm feeling like I need to be doing something and can't seem to concentrate on any one thing. NY has so much energy in the air. Every 5 seconds or so, another intersting person walks by on Third. East Indians, Asians, Europeans... I can't count how many gorgeous women have walked by. I must have heard at least 5 different foriegn languages walking the 3 blocks to get where I am. Young and old, poor and affluent, it really is amazing.

This evening I'll have dinner at Esashi, a Japanese Restaurant with my cousin and her husband. After that, we go to Angel Orensanz Foundation For The Arts to hear some serious AvantJazz. I am so excited about this evening I can't stand it. I've got a few hours to burn before I can check into my room. Lots more walking until then, but this damn backpack is filled with camera gear and computer.

2006-06-16

Having to have a safety net of arriving a day earlier than when the gig is supposed to start has allowed me the luxury of somewhat of a vacation! I finally got a good amount of sleep, awakening around 8:00. I seemed to have made that adjustment to local time, because if I really thought about it, that is 5 A.M. my time. Anyway, I enjoyed a nice brunch on the front porch of the very quaint Inn I'm staying at. I got to read the NYT, most importantly the Arts section as to what is going on over the weekend. I won't be there until Sunday, but I'll be filling up my time. I'm in the very spot where I had my breakfast earlier. If I knew trees, I could tell you about more than 7 of them from what I can see sitting here. Across the street is a public park with manicured grounds. I'm hoping to shoot there in the morning. It takes the space of maybe 2 city blocks, lots of trees, a beautiful flower garden, a lazy gravel pathway, all surrounded by more rock and stone bounderies with wrought iron fencing on top.

Today I got moved to a suite, sort of a Martha Stewart mini mini apartment. I've got views to the South and West, mostly thick trees and greenery.

CT.

So if you can't sleep on the red eye, the flight can suck big time. I managed to doze on and off, getting no more than I image 20 minutes sleep at a time. And having direct TV on board is a huge distraction, as everyone is watching something... The second you open your eyes, you end up seeing at least 4 screens from where I sat. Bowling for Columbine and various sports shows were on. I wasn't sure to be happy or not when the sun started coming up. I realized that I hardly got any sleep, but time must have past a few hours for the sun to be rising. I for sure didn't get any sleep at that point...

My Limo picked me up after a phone call and on the ride to Connecticut I went. KG was a well groomed, well informed gentleman that knew the art of conversation. Most importantly, he knew when not to converse. As I again dozed on and off, he never once interrupted my cat naps. But we managed to talk about how gas prices suck and how the president is managing to really fuck things up for everyone. He insists that the world is stuffing money in the pckets to a handful of people, the Bush's being 2. We talked about the difference between South Side and North Side baseball in Chicago and how D. Wade was going to take the Heat back to Dallas for the series.

So now I sit on the front porch of the Elms Inn in Ridgefield, CT. Hilly and meandering roads passing multi-million dollar homes, horse stables and century old stone fences line either side. I think if I were ever to be filthy rich, I'd be more of an East Coaster rich guy. I'd at least have the guise to be of old money, living in a huge old colonial with trees lining the quarter mile driveway. No bling, but lots of classic taste. I'd be kicking it in a 1960's silver Mercedes convertable...

Reality check... OK I'm sitting on the front porch of the Elms Inn in Ridgefield, CT. I can't believe I can't find a freaking wi-fi connection. I went to the local library, but they said I had to have Internet Explorer, otherwise they couldn't help me. Bill Gates I'm sure is laughing somewhere in the background. So, I write this in text edit and won't be able to post until I find a connection. Besides that, I' just barely able to keep my eyes open. I need to go to bed!!!

NYC Bound

I love the Portland International Airport. On the entire main level, there is wi-fi. Everywhere! Right now I'm reading a full signal and connected without any frustration. The only thing I could complain about is not having a seat in a chair with an ac outlet nearby. I'm drawn to sitting on floors anyway, so I sit along a wall, in the vast terminal E as other travelers meander by.

I haven't done a red eye before, or least I can't remember, but so far, I'm digging this. No one is in a rush, getting thru security was a breeze and I'm calm, like everyone else seems to be. I guess things will pick up as flights in the terminal start to depart. I've got another hour and 15 minutes before mine is scheduled to leave.

The thought of getting into NYC at 5 A.M. however I am not digging. When I was younger, I travelled a lot. It would be no problem for me to adjust almost immedietely to the local time. However... I'm not looking forward to getting into NYC at 5 A.M. my time. Ha-ha, a sign just went up... it is from Jet Blue Airlines. It says,
"Buh bye red eye
Hello shut-eye"

I just saw on my boarding pass I have 36 channels of Direct TV programming. Is that a good thing?

Shortly before I got this gig, I made a goal for myself to get the hell out of Dodge, at least 2500 miles. I'll make it with over 300 miles to spare, a least by googlemap standards. Having this opportunity to travel, I had to make some me time, especially since it is NYC. The extra days there have all ready turned into some opportunity for me. All ready I know I'm going to see a world class exhibition of some fine art photography. I know I'll be seeing some world class jazz musicians playing for the last time, together as a unit. I'll be meeting another musician from Chicago, who will be meeting me somewhere in the meat packing district to shoot a portrait. All these opportunities have some off the cuff. I love serendipidy.

A Photographer's Quest for Perfect Light

OH HELL YES!!!
Perfect Light

NYC Opportunities...

Only in NYC. I was communicating with my cousin, who is married to David S. Ware the amazing avantjazz artist who started making HUGE sounds back in the day when he played with Cecil Taylor. Out on his own, he formed a band in the late 80's which in 2001, the jazz critic, Gary Giddings says,
"Let's be bold: the David S. Ware Quartet is the best small band in jazz today." On the 18th of this month, I'll be attending the very last performance of this of this specific band. Over 15 years they have created ground breaking music. I get to attend their last. Thanks Setsuko!

VISION FESTIVAL XI: The David S. Ware Quartet

Movies... to see

One I have seen and recommend highly...


Last Life on the Universe -

and this one was highly recommended to me...


Lovers of the Artic Circle -

a letter to a friend...

G,

I'm reminded of a carriage house I lived in back in Chicago in the late 80's. It has been to this day my most favorite home to live in. It had a deck right out my front door, a 2 car garage underneath where I kept my car and 2 motorcycles. I had a little hibachi grill on the deck and because to the west of the deck was the back of the "main" house, afternoons into the evenings was absolutely gorgeous because I never got the direct sun light that heated up during the summer months. Inside was just 3 rooms, which consisted of a very large kitchen/dining area, living room and bedroom. The bathroom to the place was also very large. It had a sliding door closet, where I ended up setting up my enlarger and developing gadgets, etc... I had a stainless steel sink that I made to fit above my bathtub to soup all my prints and film. It was the only pain to printing, having to set up that sink.

It was evenings similar to tonite where I decided to get started on working a selected image and create, and print into the morning. My carriage house was its own building, no neighbors to piss off because of my pacing back and forth, loud jazz playing on the radio from station WBEZ. Neil Tesser, then Larry Smith opened up so much new music to my ears. I often shut down as Larry did around 4 A.M. In and out of the "darkroom" to the kitchen I paced, to view my latest test strip, then photograph....

Those days to me will always be heartfelt because of the creativity that exploded out of me and into me. I led a carefree life, without headache or heartache to deal with. Opening up a new file, late into the evening, [my daughter] sleeping in her bed, new music playing out of itunes and me in front of my screen working on a beautiful image... I'm making fond memories for myself and I'm realizing it in real time. The desire to create and keep on creating has suddenly become much more important, the desire to seize, much more important...

Thanks,

Ted

North Light Continued...

A Sad Day...

Arnold Newman, Portrait Photographer Who Captured the Essence of His Subjects, Dies at 88 - New York Times

Throckmorton Gallery | NYC

My timing to see 2 really important exhibitions in NYC was impeccably horrible as Graciela Iturbide's show closes the day I would be able to see it and then the opening to...

CLASSIC BEAUTY: Photographs of Female Nudes

Photographs by Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Lucien Clergue, Valdir Cruz, Fritz Henle,
Flor Garduño, and Edward Weston

June 22 - September 2, 2006
Throckmorton Fine Art Gallery

opens the same day I leave. I emailed the fine, fine folks at Throckmorton Fine Art to see if I could somehow come in before the opening and was ecstatic to find in my email today...

"Dear Ted,

Spencer and I will be out of town but Luke Leonard will be here
and he can show you the exhibition. Please call him in advance to set
up a time.

Thank you so much.

All the best!

Regards,

Kraige Block, Director
Throckmorton Fine Art"

The thought of seeing original works by Edward Weston, Manual Alverez Bravo, and Lucien Clergue is making me want to leave for NYC now. I'm also interested in seeing the works of the 2 artists I am not familiar with.

With this as my kickstart, I'll have to do more research to see what else is happening in the Big Apple as my day slowly approaches.


by Manuel Alvarez Bravo "La Buena Fama Durniendo
(Good Reputation Sleeping, 1938)"

PAW

Picture a Week was a series I started towards the end of last year. I started that exercise to keep myself behind the camera and shoot as often as at least once a week. Obviously I haven't kept up with PAW, but I have to say in my defense that it has worked to get me going in regards to thinking about photography and paving a direction for me to travel.

You'd think as a photographer, I'd constantly be shooting. But in my case, it doesn't work out that way. I don't take things that I have to shoot for granted, but it is not as imperative as the things I want to shoot. Personal work, or work as an artist to me is what measures my growth.

PAW has put me on a path for my self. I have been shooting not as often as once a week, but I'm still shooting. Subject matter is still all over the place and I think in time I'll focus and will come up with a series to maybe even have an exhibition. That is new territory, but I'm begining to find it intriquing. So the roads less travelled are taking me to new places.