Chatting about nothing in particular

Right now I’m really frustrated with work.  I’ve only been here a month but I get upset that I’m not a superstar photographer in Delhi.  That the work isn’t pouring in.  So what the heck am I doing here if I’m not killing it?  Maybe I suck as a photographer.

Coming from NYC, working for and with the best and constantly being busy, I just thought, yep, that’ll happen here, no prob.  But I fail to realize that it can take time to build business relationships from scratch and overall find my photographic voice.  Although frustrated and feeling down, honestly, I’m lucky.  I could still be dreading every Sunday night because I have to go to the office (which I did 10years ago working in dot-com).  Or I could be on the train every morning and evening pissed off and fighting with all the folks here who jam into the Metro and will probably crush some poor passenger one day.  Instead I can and will make a good living as a photographer.  I work for myself.  I make my schedule, as hard as it is to stick to.  Through work I’ve gotten to travel to Europe, the Caribbean and around the States staying in nice hotels I’d never be able to afford on my own.  I can spend the next three hours catching up on magazines - that’s actually part work.  Yes, we are lucky as photographers.

Part of the reason I moved to Delhi was to travel, work on my own projects and to begin building my “voice”.  But somehow I got stuck in this notion of OMG, I should be working.  I’ve always worked.  Where’s the work???  Really, I just need to chill and enjoy the ride.

I found this video from Zack Arias which was great for when you’re feeling like a hack.  It’s from a year ago, but still relevant.

I’ve been here for three weeks but I’d say the first week was a blur since we moved twice, I didn’t sleep, eat or take pictures. Now I’m used to the dirt, dust, haggling, lack of efficiency, the constant parade of characters and can always eat southern India, particularly from Kerala.

More images from India - Feb 2010

Yes I have been quite the slacker updating this blog.  Sorry folks.  At least I have a great excuse.  Outside of being crazy with work, I am moving to India this Tues.  Four days from now.  Adam’s working there; he’s revamping the Caravan, an English language literary magazine.   Move, not move, arg, my life and work are here in NYC.  Oh, what the heck - let’s go!

We’ll be in Delhi.   Wahoo!  I’ve never been and I’m going in blind.  But I can’t wait for the shooting opps!  Ok, my plan is to continue my street food project, shoot portraits and possibly get some freelance work.  I think I’m gonna totally rock it there.  I mean, NYC experience, I’ve worked with top people.  I wonder if they shoot PhaseOne there or just the 35s…

Anyway I ramble.  Before leaving I was able to get one last shoot in - for Edible Manhattan, a foodie magazine.  I’ve been wanting to shoot for them for a while and was stoked on the assignment.  I shot Roni-Sue of Roni-Sue Chocolates in Essex Market.  She makes divine chocolates and has a thing for bacon.  Bacon dipped in dark or milk chocolate.  Bacon-maple lollipops.  Ba-Corn (popcorn with bacon bits).  And the Fuster Cluck.  Bacon, Special K cereal, peanut butter and bananas.  MMMMMM.  It’s in the current Jan/Feb 2010 issue out on now.

Off to pack.  See ya in the sub-continent!

Alright kids, if you’re in NYC (or LA Sept 11), watch for me in The September Issue, the documentary of Anna Wintour’s making of Vogue’s 2007 September issue, the largest one ever - 4lbs!  I don’t have a speaking role, but you do see me on set in Paris with David Sims and Grace Coddington!

I’ve been really bad about posting the last while.  We were finishing up the season, so work was crazy until last week.  Here’s a brief run-down of July so far:

* Beginning of July: come back from London.
* 7/7: Work in NYC.
* 7/8: Stupid early flight (6:30a) to LA for a Nike shoot.  Fly out red-eye that evening back to NYC.
* 7/9: Arrive at JFK at 6:30a, pick up the rental and drive out to Montauk (scouting another job along the way).
* 7/10 - 7/12: Shoot in Montauk at an amazing house above the beach with a private entrance down to said beach.  One day this will be me…  We drive back to Montauk on the evening of 7/12.  Get back home at 1a.
* 7/15: Drop off portfolio for review at a major NYC magazine.
* 7/16: Get up before the crack of dawn to meet at Milk by 4:30a, then drive to Montauk.
* 7/16 - 7/17: Work in Montauk at Camp Hero.  We’re essentially on the beach for two straight days in blazing heat.  I am now super tan, slightly burnt and a bit lightheaded from the sun.
* 7/17: Drive back to NYC.  We miss the turn onto the 495 (Long Island Expressway), and because we’re in a commercial vehicle, a cube truck, we’re stuck on 23, a local road, ALL the way back to the City.
* 7/18: Work in NYC.
* 7/19 - 7/20: Another job in NYC.  It’s editorial and we are in the studio 14hr the first day and 15.5hr the next day.  Finally walk out of Milk at midnight.  The boys (assistants are still there finishing breaking down the equipment).
* 7/21: Wahoo!  Leave for JFK at 5:45a.  Man, I LOVE getting 3hr of sleep.  Fly to LA.
* 7/22: Shoot another Nike job at Smashbox in LA.  Fly back that evening on the red-eye.
* 7/23: Finally pass out at 8a.

While the season is done with my main photographer, I’m still working here and there.  Can’t complain about work.

And for the reason of today’s post.  I’ve added 5 new images to my site, including Robert the Schwinn guy.

Hope you guys had a great Fourth!   Mine was pretty mellow - no parties and no work (for once!)  - just cleaning up the house and getting some pesonal work done.  I was a slacker last month about postings; I was slammed a good portion of the month!  Spain, then back to NYC for three days, then Ohio, back to NYC and straight work.  Then last weekend, I went to London.  Anyway, I’m back until Tues, then it’s LA-Montauk-NYC-Montauk.  And that’s just through the middle of July!

Good thing I had free time this weekend because I FINALLY got around to retouching a beauty image from the Urban Chic story and a portrait of Robert, the Schwinn Man.  Robert lives in the neighborhood and is obsessed with Schwinns.  If you’re in NYC and have been to any parade or big bike event, well, you’ve probably seen the Schwinn guys.  They’ve decked out their bikes with TVs, multiple colors, figurines - really awesome these bikes.  Here’s a video of Puerto Rican Schwinn Club.

Robert’s got over 200 bikes kept primarily in two of his houses.  When I first met him, he gave me a quick tour of one basement jammed with bikes and parts.  A lot of bikes he keeps unassembled because of space constraints.  Generally, the bikes are older and restored; some stay “antique” looking (His bikes are also used in film/TV, so they’ve got to fit a variety of decades).

When I showed up for the portrait, 8 of his top bikes were lined up, and a couple more waited across the street.  This green cobra Schwinn is one of my favorites.

And this is Robert, the Schwinn Man.  Click on it for a larger version.  For some reason, it won’t get any bigger in the post.

Hey all!  If you’re looking for my Rebiya Kadeer portraits from the June 7, 2009 issue of SCMP Sunday Magazine, for some reason the links are not working and I can’t find the article on the site anymore (was up as of this past Saturday).   I did receive a copy in the mail so will scan and post it.  So cool - the portrait was the opening and full page!

Also, I’ve returned from Ohio and will be working on an image from a shoot I did last Saturday.

Morning!  I’m writing this from set in A Coruña, Spain.  Big news!  I’ve two images in yesterday’s South China Morning Post’s Sunday Magazine (Hong Kong’s largest English newspaper) - an environmental image and a proper portrait of Rebiya Kadeer.  You might remember, Mrs. Kadeer is a political activist and face of the Uyghur people.  Online, the images don’t get that big, but the newspaper is posting me a hard copy of the magazine, so hopefully the photos ran at a decent size.  You can click on the images though and they open up a little larger.  

I would’ve posted this yesterday had my laptop not died.  We kept smelling something burning on set and then in the afternoon I saw cloud wisps by the top right of it (near the power button).  And the battery stopped charging yesterday.  And it turns off randomly and may or may not boot on the first try.  At least it’s not the shoot computer.  Luckily, we’ve two towers, and 2 other 17″ Macbook Pros here.  

Dude, you can never be too prepared.  

Anyway, A Coruña is in the Northwest by the ocean.   It’s been rainy and cold - very San Fran like in weather.  The last two days ‘ve made it a point to eat as much jamon as possible and dinners were Galacian seafood blowouts.  

Talk to you when I get back in a few days!

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Dude, only Vogue’s Anna Wintour can get the daily hair styling and $200,000 clothing budget.  Oh, and how many times can Morley Safer of 60 Minutes say “bitch” to her?

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