I’ve wasted (depending on your definition) countless rolls shooting the vermin. I’ll come out of the office, and he’ll be basking in the perfect ray of sun. Step out of the shower, and he’s sprawled on his blanket. How can I resist grabbing a camera and firing off some shots? The kid is king of the castle. The way I see it, someone has to record of his dominion.
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“Almost passed up.” “Happen by chance.” I’ve started a few CONTACTs with these caveats, and this is no exception. I met Ian on my lunch break while he was waiting outside my building for the Bolt Bus. His hat drew me in, but he was going the wrong way. Then he stopped at the corner and turned back. I made my move. When I raised the camera to my face, I knew he’d done this kind of thing before. Turns out Ian is the man behind Boy Gone Blog, and thus no stranger to posing.
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Four dudes, Paul Simon, and a Fiat 500. That winning combination came together for a day trip to the Rockaways, a spur of the moment expedition in search of sun and swell. Once there, our group discovered a cohort of wetsuit wrapped soul surfers, devoted individuals willing to brave freezing temperatures and a bitch of a current. Fighting the urge to join them (a task made harder with Dean’s optimism and a $25 all-in rental offer), our crew sought shelter on the boardwalk and settled in to watch the waves churn.
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Julian was a perfect scenario. I was out on my lunch break, Contax slung around my shoulder for company and trying to stay warm in the shadows. I turned a corner and there was Julian standing in this singular sliver of sun. He looked so regal with his cowboy hat and hand rolled cigarette (which he regrettably put away for the photo) that I had no choice but to ask for permission.
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Oliver is a city boy, but you’d never know it from the way he loves the beach! On our last trip home to California, we made sure to maximize sand time, and even brought a few weenies for some companionship. I had a few shots pre-visualized that I wanted try in the field, and had a blast making them happen with the Xpan. Looking back, it would have been nice to have had color film (how quickly I forget the beauty of west coast golden hour!) Then again the high speed black and white helped with pre-focusing, a factor not to be overlooked when you’re capturing a speeding French Weinerdog.
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I’m not one for long-term photography projects. It’s not that I’m against them (in fact I envy them), it’s that I haven’t been able to stay committed enough to a single vision or theme. I think it’s amazing when photographers envision a concept, collect images over years, and put together edits that speak to an overarching story. Me on the other hand, I just go out with my camera and take photos of what I find appealing, there’s no rhyme, reason, or agenda. Sure, I have a bunch of folders in my library organized loosely into themes, but each are only a few images deep. I lose interest too quickly, think better of pursuing a certain angle, or lack the confidence to fully develop an idea. But on my weekend walk yesterday I had an encounter that just might change all that.
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The instant I saw Meris with her blue blockers and furs, I knew I had to photograph her. I was on my morning commute, and it looked as if she was too, but I took the chance and asked her for a portrait. She couldn’t have been nicer, and didn’t mind my direction when I asked her to move infront of the brick backdrop. This was my first “field” portrait with the Contax 645, and in my excitement I forgot to recognize that the shutter was set to flash sync mode. I realized the mistake only after I had walked away, hoped that the frames weren’t overblow, and smiled so BIG when I saw the final result.
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My tribe has left me for the West Coast. This cold apartment has gotten a colder. But I take solace in the fact that my pooch is on the job, working long hours to insure the sanity and safety of his Momma. Exemplifying the required qualities of an Emotional Support Animal, he’s a dog born to wear the black and blue.
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Andre was one of those portraits that happen by chance. I was at the end of a long day shooting and had decided to take the subway home and rest my dogs. Thinking about anything but photography, I arrived at my station and there was this guy, just posted up looking like a badass. I walked up and told him so, then politely asked for his portrait. He agreed, but mentioned he was waiting for his girl so please make it quick. Needless to say, dude knows how to make an impression.
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Last Thanksgiving, the birds descended on the NY nest for a Crosby cookout. This go-around, we took turkey time back to the Golden state. Splitting time between sets of cousins, pooches, parents, and grandparents, we soaked up the sun and our fair share of gravy. It was the perfect opportunity to test out my new piece of kit, the Contax 645, and I burned through six rolls without batting an eye. Looking back, I probably should have slowed down a bit as more than a few shots turned returned woefully out of focus. But user error aside, when this thing nails it…IT NAILS IT! It’s the keepers and that “look” that really get me going…Gobble Gobble!
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[gwu] Graham Whitaker Unterberger 