On the way back from Detroit I stopped off at Niagara Falls. As always, they were breathtaking. And then, a photographic phenomena which rarely reveals itself ensued. Photographing the moisture in the air. Cosmically lovely if I do say so … Continue reading
Photographing in the darkened city of Lower Manhattan was one of the most exhilarating experiences in my 8 years in NYC. It started as I made it half way across the Brooklyn Bridge around 10pm and had a great vantage point to … Continue reading
After 3 years of mediocre results gardening in the north-facing, tree-shaded, mosquito breeding ground, old dog-fighting training area junkyard, huge 60×60 ft. (by NYC standards) area we call our backyard, I grudgingly moved plants and soil alike upstairs to the 5th story roof … Continue reading
The High-line, the epic elevated park that runs North/South for about 30 blocks on Manhattan’s West side, not only ushered in a real estate development boom of horrible condos but also introduced NYC to the work of the incredible Dutch artist Piet Oudolf who was the planting designer for the park and a leading figure of the “New Wave Planting” movement. The plantings are a constant source of amazement, beauty and genius and I always notice new things and ideas popping up and forth from this pitch perfect piece of landscape architecture.
(Unfortunately, I feel that the designers of the High-Line did what most designers do and went overboard, over designing while trying to create an industrial, wild aesthetic. They squandered a chance at greatness as all they had to do was leave it in a more raw state that it had already acquired (or make more honest, simpler nods to it) after sitting dormant for 30 years).
Here is a link to some urban nature scenes from where I come: Detroit
Twice a year the sun rises and sets in exact alignment with the Manhattan street grid. I witnessed it this phenomenon called “ManhattanHenge” on Wednesday night and not only was it quite beautiful but even more impressive was the turn-out. There were … Continue reading
I just made this epic tome of my images from Peru. I built it as a book dummy and portfolio piece. Its about 160 pages and is being printed on high quality, Ilford Pearl Lustre paper with archival end pages, an oatmeal colored linen cover with this cool, wrap around cover sheet. You can view it here and even order one though its damn expensive. My concept for the book was to show different vignettes and photo stories from my 9 months of travel in Peru in 2009 and have fun, colorful chapter breaks with grids of various cultural items. Some examples below.
Mamiya C330 from the bus in the South Eastern high desert plains of Peru.
Neo-Druids, the contemporary followers of the ancient order of Druids, gather four times a year at Stonehenge on the Salisbury Plain of South-Central England. During the Winter and Summer Solstice and Equinox, the 3000 year old site is opened fully to spiritual revelry. … Continue reading
While in China a couple months ago I visited the rural province of Jinagxi which is the SouthEast, about 6 hours from Shanghai. While walking a road thru a lush mountain valley on the way to an isolated village I was struck by the incredible amount of insects and reptile buzzing, hopping and slithering about. The snakes were so prevalent they were ubiquitous roadkill.
The “English breakfast”.
I went to Stonehenge on the Winter Solstice in search of Neo-Druids and I was not let down. As there is no public transportation there I opted for a 3 mile hike in the dark on a confusing public footpath which went thru farms and fields. Thousands of pantheist, pagan, neo-druids and hippies arrive in mass before sunrise on this day, one of the four during the year in-which people are able to get in amongst this giant, 6000 year old monument, touching, communing and praying with the stones. Epic photos of this to come soon.. film being souped!
Child of Neo-Druid.
And after a day of photographing and communing amongst pantheists of all stripes and visiting some other ancient sacred sites and doing an epic sound healing ceremony with multiple gongs working male and female energy while holding a tiny stone lingam, what else was there to do but partake in the oldest of English traditions, Fish and Chips. Those are “mushy peas” on the bottom right. Fish was tasty and I must say, they do have some damn good “chips” (french fries in the US) in the UK. Our “chips” are their “crisps”.
After waking up in my new hippie friends RV in Glastonbury I had to hustle back to Brighton but not before a sunrise hike up to an ancient “Tor”…This tower, which used to be part of a monastery, and had once been surrounded by water, has been a pilgrimage spot for Christians for 1000′s of years. Its steeped in celtic mythological lore and is said to be a possible burial ground of the Holy Grail. From Wikipedia: “Gwyn ap Nudd, who was first Lord of the Underworld, and later King of the Fairies,.. The Tor came to be represented as an entrance to Annwn or Avalon, the land of the fairies”.
The roaring, loud winds sent ravens buzzing around the tower and I and lent the atmosphere a welcome Hitchcockian ominousness.
Back in Brighton, a seaside English town that people once used for beach escapes but are now, in greater numbers, choosing to live in year round as a respite from London’s hustle and flow ($$) and commute to work via a 45 minute $23.00 train.
My first European Football game. The Brighton and Hove/Albion Seagulls. Was a huge thrill. Splurged on a ticket out front of the game paying around $50.00 With two red cards against the home team in the first 5 minutes the audience was out for referee blood but not forgoing their English niceties, the crowd chanted, in perfect unison (a practice unheard of in the U.S.) “What a loooaad of rubbbish, What a looaaadd of rubbbbish”. It was a bloody good game and I was completely knackered after.
Here is a video of them complaining about the terrible refs in a very mannered way.
Refreshment stand at the stadium.
Loved this happy bloke though I couldn’t understand a bloody word he spat out but as far as I could tell, he was a mighty good chap.
On the menu I spotted a “Gammon Steak” and thought I deserved a bit of an indulgence after a couple of days of roughing it. This funky dish appeared in front me after about 30 minutes. The perfect Guinness helped wash it down.
No idea. Didn’t try either. Did have the originator of the “Egg McMuffin” which was delicious.
The sign reads, “commit no nuisance”. Was a non-working 400 year old public drinking fountain and the locals, the heathens, had not heeded their English manners.
This guy scared me into photographing him at a local Brighton mall of sorts.
Off to London.. And the first thing my brilliant, thoughtful girlfriend does is take me to this bit of tasty history, down in Brick Lane, one of the hipster/bohemian parts of town. As it used to be the Jewish Quarter there was ”beigel” place from 1855. Has a synagogue from 1701! Living in the Lower East Side of NYC for a couple of years I was fiercely protective of my local old school bialy/bagel shop Kossars, loving the fact that it had been around for what I thought of as ages. Turns out only 65 years ?? What? Feels like 100.
And, they pile mounds of “smoked meat” into the pillowy middle of the delicious, simple and semi-small bagel. Corned Beef. Unreal. Line was out the door. Mustard was like yellow wasabi..had crazy brain burn.
Ai Weiwei, Sunflower Seeds at the Tate Modern. The piece is one million hand-made porcelain sunflower seeds made in Jingdezhen, where I passed thru with my mom travelling a couple of months ago. Photos.
Julian Stancza at the Tate Modern. His work.
I loved the design and really appreciated the simple formality and functionality of these railing/benches in the Underground, London’s clean, rat free, easily marked, running on time, mass transit system. BUT, its spendy as hell and does shut down at midnight so if I had to choose, I would take our decrepit, filthy, unreliable, laborious to use, NYC Subway anytime.
Grannie brigade in search of christmas bargains.
Side trip to Canterbury. This is the Cathedral, built-in 597 A.D., the oldest in the UK and where Christianity first landed in England . Been a Pilgrimage spot for a 1000 years. The Archbishop of Canterbury calls it home, the main dude in the Church of England.
And then, we finished up with some nature taking in some of the English walking paths. The country is littered with trails that connect hamlets and villages. At 500 ft., this is England’s most favored spots for suicide. They have an emergency chaplaincy team who hurry out to the site to thwart poor tortured souls plans.
We did the “Seven Sisters” hike, a 10 mile hike along the cliffs just 20 miles East from Brighton. I hadn’t experienced a similar topography before and its rolling hills, short natural grasses and mud, its grazing animals and views of picture perfect hamlets was something to behold. We timed it for great weather and Radioheads new album had me running up the last mile uphill doing weird little side stepping dance moves. Calves locked up for two days after. Totally worth it.
The Sea, France lying just 2o miles off in the distance.
Thanks for a great trip baby.
xoxoxo
