Category — Brooklyn

Here are three shows opening tonight and tomorrow.

Visualizing Climate Change: The Work of GHG Photos, a show affiliated with the New York Photo Festival, opens tonight.  GHG is shorthand for greenhouse gases and this show intends to document the cause, effects and attempts at controlling climate change.  Check it out - I’m planning on going.

If you work in Times Square, you can also view the show at the Port Authority (42nd and 8th).  Wish I had know that since I walked by there last night coming from my friend Claudia’s MFA thesis exhibition.

Visualizing Climate Change: The Work of GHG Photos
The Henry Gregg Gallery
111 Front Street Suite 226
Dumbo, Brooklyn
http://henrygregggallery.com/

May 14 - June 21
Opening May 14 6-9p

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Secondly, and this one I’m really excited about, is the ICP show of my FAVE - Avedon.  Avedon Fashion opens to the public tomorrow.  And bonus - Fridays are “pay as you wish”.

Avedon Fashion: 1944 - 2000
ICP Museum
1133 Avenue of the Americas @43rd Street
NYC
www.icp.org
info on the show - here

May 15 - September 6

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Lastly, my friend and neighbor, Jim Moore’s show Up and Clown opens tomorrow night as well.  Jim and I used to work together at TREC when I first started working in photography around 6 years ago.  This show includes photographs taken at The New York Downtown Clown Revue as well as photographs from the past 30 years.  I’m a bit freaked out by clowns in general (thanks Poltergeist), but will push that fear down and go after Avedon tomorrow.

Oh yeah, Jim also worked with Phillipe Petit on the famous high-wire walk between the Twin Towers on August 7, 1974.  His images appear in the award-winning documentary Man on Wire.

Up and Clown
SB Digital Gallery
125 E4th St
Btwn 1st and 2nd Aves
NYC
www.sbdigitalgallery.com

May 15 - June 3
Opening reception May 15 6-9p

After Party @Phebe’s
(cash bar though!)
361 Bowery @4th St
May 15 9-11p

The 2nd annual New York Photo Festival opens tonight and runs through this weekend.  The opening party is tonight @8:30 @Powerhouse Arena.  You must RSVP - RSVP@NYPHOTOFESTIVAL.COM

Powerhouse Arena
37 Main St
Dumbo
Brooklyn

I can’t make it due to a prior engagement - my good friend Claudia’s MFA thesis exhibition which opens this evening too!

MFA Thesis Exhibition
May 13 - June 13, 2009
Opening Reception and Performance: Wednesday, May 13, 6 - 8pm

Hunter College / Times Square Gallery
450 West 41st Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues)
New York, NY 10036

And I just found out that Mark McAndrews, who’s a friend of a friend, is a nominee for the New York Photo Awards 2009!

Congrats Claudia and Mark!

Just wanted to let ya’ll know that Root Brooklyn (TREC Brooklyn) is opening in June. While working at TREC today (I fill in some Saturdays in Digital), Ken was telling me about it.  I totally thought Root was just rentals but in fact it’ll be a full-on studio, with all studios on the same floor, unlike Drive-In, and a bar.  Root’s website/specs aren’t up yet, but the opening party is June 25.  More info as I get it.

I took a trip to Coney Island today to see what’s changed since Astroland closed.  There’s lots of construction and many For Lease signs.

I met Harry on the boardwalk and he works at Cha-Chas, one of the establishments with a lease sign.  Harry said that the boardwalk food stands are going to reopen, but the signs are just in case they don’t.  Since he grew up in Coney Island and works on the boardwalk, I figured I’d see if he knew Boardwalk Shorty.  I’ve a picture I took of Shorty a couple summers ago and have been wanting to give it to him since.  He knew him!  Even better, Harry took me to meet him.  Shorty was looking better - especially with his oversized black glasses and black outfit - but still a bit scruffy.  After LA next week, I’m going back to find Shorty and get him his photo!

Here’s Boardwalk Shorty:

And here are other images from today.  And check out more of Coney Island here.

Whenever I’m working, I never seem to keep up on news.  So yesterday I missed the announcement that Astroland Amusement Park at Coney Island threatened to close this Sunday because they failed to come to an agreement it’s landlord, Thor Equities.  Only the Cyclone, landmarked in 1998, would remain.  It was the same drama last year, but this time it may be for real.  So the Post makes it sound as if it’s definite, while the Times sounds slightly less so.

Here are some of my recent Coney Island photos.  Let’s hope Thor doesn’t turn it into Disneyland.

One of my images from Coney Island is part of The Best of the Eater Flickr Pool.

Book launch party and Q&A. Tomorrow night in Dumbo at Powerhouse. I’m going after work.

POWERHOUSE ARENA
37 Main St
Brooklyn

6:30 - 9p
Q&A: 7 & 8p

Click here for NY Times article

Tons of events on Saturday - 1 regular party, 1 birthday party, 1 birthday (happy early birthday Shelly!) and the Slideluck Potshow at McCarren Pool.   Potluck then a 5min slideshow of photography and art.  Sounds fun!

Slideluck Potshow is a slideshow and potluck for members of arts, photography, and media communities.  Participants bring food, drink, and up to five minutes worth of slides. The evening begins with a couple hours of dining on the  home-cooked delights of participants, while drinking and mingling.  It is not uncommon to arrive with, for example, a full-bodied bottle of wine, some vegetable samosas, Thai green curry, pumpkin ravioli, or some rosemary lamb chops.  All guests are asked to contribute as the event is entirely dependent on participation.  Following the potluck, the lights are dimmed, the crowd is hushed, and a spectacular slideshow commences.

Well, it’s been nearly a week since I last checked in. Last week was tough, I basically got 3hr sleep each night. And to top off the week, we worked 18.5hr on a V shoot with Natasa Vojnovic, a supertrooper with bursts of energy. So much for the Sims end of season partying. I suppose the Peroni I had while packing up counts?

Headed back to the hotel for another 30min of work, passed out for 3hr then off to Heathrow! At least I got to renew my IRIS, which I HIGHLY recommend getting that if you travel to London frequently. And thank god, another unexpected upgrade on Virgin for a smooth sail home.

Now I’m finally rested and ready to tackle super slow August! At least I have a bit of work, but I’m really looking forward to shooting some portraits. In addition to people I’ve been rescheduling with all summer long (the Queens street food vendor, Jose - who guards the outside of the dollar store, my hasidic friend and Adam), I’d like to do a project on my local car service guys.

I’m still doing a photo a day as well. Tonight while walking the dog and keeping an eye out for something interesting to shoot, I really noticed how the neighborhood has changed. In the the four years we’ve been in South Slope, it’s changed (read gentrified) quickly, but luckily hasn’t evened out with the rest of Park Slope, at least not yet. Out are my crap corner produce stand, which shut down without notice, two really good dollar stores, one crap dollar store, the design/homewares store Rare Device, the corner deli/arabic market and a neighborhood, non-CVS pharmacy. Further down on 5th Ave into Greenwood Heights, the change is slower. Here’s a few images of the “old” ‘hood.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with Paolo Roversi.  I’ve enjoyed his work for quite some time and was totally stoked to be on his set.   It was refreshing to see another style of photography and less obsession with technicality, focus and detail.   It’s less shoot, shoot, flag this/that, shoot, shoot and more like, take a frame, review and think about, take another frame.  That comes from his 8×10 background.  I feel so inspired now!   Hopefully, I’ll get to work with him again.

On another note, I finally checked out the Summer Stage and Celebrate Brooklyn schedules.  I didn’t go to any shows last year (and totally missed the Yo La Tengo show), but the lineup is looking good this year.  Some highlights for next month:

Summer Stage

• June 13: Mavis Staples
• June 14: Vampire weekend
• June 26: Thievery Corp w/Bebel Gilberto

Celebrate Brooklyn

• June 12: Isaac Hayes
• June 19: Medeski, Martin and Wood
• June 28: Crooklyn Dodgers Reunion

Summer Stage - http://www.summerstage.org

Celebrate Brooklyn - http://www.briconline.org/celebrate/2008season.asp