Gym Photo Shoots
I sure do miss my gym photo shoots. Maybe we can get back to doing them again before next year. But for now going back in my archives, and I have a lot! Here with my best buddy Natalie Lyle. Makeup and hair styling by her too. Natalie actually started with me some years back right out of makeup school.
Natalie Lyle in the gym
Coming Up Tuesday
Chatting With Sherri With Me
My third “appearance” with “Chatting With Sherri”. Some of her broadcasts reach over one million downloads! August 11th at 1:00pm at http://tobtr.com/11788122 Thanks!
Chatting With Sherri welcomes back multi-talented photographer; Ian L. Sitren!
Ian L Sitren is a multi-talented photographer. He creates amazing pictures of athletes, models, actors and aircraft! “As a little boy I used to build military aircraft models and hang them from the ceiling in my room. Now I get to photograph them and fly in historic and military airplanes from World War II and many others.”
“My project about the Yiddish Theatre has it’s beginning with my own family. Uncle Izzy as he was known in our family, was one of the pioneers of the Yiddish Theatre along 2nd Avenue in New York City along with the famous Maurice Schwartz. The impact of the Yiddish Theatre through the Century and today reaches from Edward G. Robinson, Irving Berlin, and even Marlon Brando and so very much more. Indeed without the Yiddish Theatre even “Apocalypse Now” may never have been the motion picture it became.”
“Photo excursions started out a few years ago with me just looking for interesting shoot locations. Then a couple of my friends wanted to come along so they became road trips for the purpose of finding the odd and unusual. One of the guys in our group does paintings from his photographs and is now in galleries here in Southern California and Montana and has been in number of prestigious art shows. Another of our group has also been successful in art shows with his photographs, here and abroad. Art Patron Magazine last year did a story about our photo excursions.”
USAF Thunderbirds
When I was a kid, it was the United States Air Force Thunderbirds that captured my imagination. Guess they still do! Photographed by me at the Reno Air Races 2019.
Grafitti At Rock-A-Hoola
Some examples of the graffiti at Rock-A-Hoola, an abandoned waterpark east of Barstow in the Mojave Desert.
From a photo excursion in June 2018. Camera was a Fujifilm X-T1 using the Velvia film simulation. Lens was the Fujifilm XF 16-55 f/2.8.
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Rock-A-Hoola
Rock-A-Hoola, an abandoned waterpark, east of Barstow in the Mojave Desert. Built as a private resort in the 1950’s, opened to the public in 1962. Renovated and re-opened in 1998. In 1999 an employee using one of the slides into a partially empty pool became a paraplegic and was awarded $4.4 million in a payout. After various owners it closed for good in 2004.
From a photo excursion in June 2018. Camera was a Fujifilm X-T1 using the Velvia film simulation. Lens was the Fujifilm XF 16-55 f/2.8.
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Abandoned waterpark in the Mojave Desert
Andy Summers – The Police
Jeff Dunas, the founder of the Palm Springs Photo Festival, kept announcing that we would have a surprise evening presenter back in 2009. A surprise it was, Andy Summers of the Police! Not only a rock star but a very talented photographer with a great eye for the moment.
It really was a great presentation that was a highlight of the all of the Palm Springs Photo Festivals I have attended since 2005. A part of his experience was something I often experience. Andy said he always had shot film but then decided to try digital. But he found that digital kind of left him empty and his photography went into a decline. He started with film again and Leica as I recall, and went back to his creativity and enthusiasm.
I got a copy of his book afterwards at the Festival party and talked with him briefly. I had him sign it to Rosie because she would have loved to have been there.
Yiddish Theatre Tickets 1956
The National Yiddish Theatre, built for Boris Thomashefsky, opened in 1912. Yiddish Theatres along Manhattan’s Lower East Side on 2nd Avenue brought cultural heritage and entertainment to the 1.5 million Eastern-European Jewish Immigrants at the turn of the century. The legacy of the Yiddish Theatre in music, motion pictures and American life reaches through the decades, even today.
My project about the Yiddish Theatre had it’s beginnings over a year ago but did not take hold until badly timed with our pandemic. However I continue to research and just acquired these actual theatre tickets from 1956.
The Leica Film Look
Going a different direction for some of my photography. Will be shooting some film in a Leica lllf camera. This camera was manufactured in 1952 or 1953. All manual and not even a light meter. I always loved the look of film shot in Leica cameras.
Velvia
Fujifilm Velvia has been one of my favorite films. Even when I shoot my Fujifilm X-Series digital cameras, I shoot RAW and Velvia film emulation. It was because of the photographs in this book that got me into it. I like the saturated colors and high contrast. And I will be shooting the film again too.
Walter Iooss is a long time photographer for Sports Illustrated. And the man who shot the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition for years.
Film Again
I always liked shooting film. Dwayne’s was the only film lab left still processing Kodachrome. I like many photographers saved our last rolls to get into Dwayne’s to be a small part of photography history.
Now in these changing times, I am going back to shooting some film for a change of pace and for the idea of going back to the history of photography. There is no more Kodachrome or Kodachrome processing but many films are in production and have been brought back in to production.
Lomo Need Some Film
Sometimes I forget what I have. Have to get some film, I have not one roll left!
Me By Sandro Miller
Today I received an extraordinary gift of a lifetime. A signed print of a photograph of me by the esteemed and respected photographer Sandro Miller. To be in the company of the famous and noteworthy people who have been in front of his camera is truly an honor.
I was the host at the Palm Springs Air Museum for Sandro’s workshop for the Palm Springs Photo Festival in 2018 and 2019. In that first workshop he asked me to sit for the camera. My place has always been behind the camera. I must say that this was a memorable moment. Being photographed by a true artist. Thank You Sandro!
Note that this photograph of the print does not exhibit what an amazing work it is. A fine art print must be seen in person. And it makes all the difference in the world.
Shot Down
There are many Saturday presentations at the Palm Springs Air Museum. However I usually miss them because I am working on the flying side of things on Saturdays. Such was one presentation a while back by Steve Snyder introducing his book “Shot Down“. It It is my opinion that books like this are a window into history that is not seen otherwise. And it is always an honor to meet the people who have a personal relationship to the story. You can get the book yourself here… http://stevesnyderauthor.com Thanks!
“Author Steve Snyder’s father, Howard Snyder, was a B-17 pilot stationed in England during World War II. On February 8, 1944, his plane, the B-17 Susan Ruth, was Shot Down over the French/Belgium border after a mission to bomb Frankfurt, Germany. ”
“The book tells the true story of events leading up to and after that harrowing day. Of the ten-man crew, some died, some ended up in prison camps, and some evaded capture. What makes this book unique is the varied, detailed, and amazing story of what happened to each crew member, in particular, Howard Snyder who evaded capture and was missing in action for seven months.”
Photographer Scam
This is already an old scam. But old scams find new victims. So to my photographer friends, don’t fall for it.
Sepia Dreams From 2004
I first met Matthew Jordan Smith at a photographer convention and trade show in Las Vegas. He was doing a presentation and promoting his book “Sepia Dreams”. In the ensuing years we would see each other again at photographer conventions and smaller photo industry events in Los Angeles.
Then just last week, we met up again, this time online, in a zoom presentation in a weekly series being done by photographer educator John Cornicello. So if there is a positive to the current world problems, it has forced us to find a way to become closer in some ways. Matthew is now living in Tokyo.
“Sepia Dreams” is an extraordinary work…. “a collection of wise words from and beautiful images of fifty black celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, art, sports, and more. Speaking candidly about the motivations and qualities they believe have made and kept them successful, each celebrity interview takes the form of a lesson-one that is useful in our daily lives, one that shows us that dreams can come true…”
Photo Excursion Old Downtowns
A photo excursion on May 29th. Scenes and places we would often overlook, like a cleaners that many decades ago was the police station. This is the second half of this excursion exploring through old downtown areas. I have been doing photo excursions for a few years now. Others who have joined with me have been successful in their art of photography, painting and printing their works. This series shot on my Fujifilm X-T3 and XF16-55mm F2.8 lens.
My Bunny Mask
I like my mask better than your mask! Just had a couple made for myself. From one of my photographs of “Bunny”, the Palm Springs Air Museum P-51 Mustang dedicated to Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Bob Friend.
Annenberg Closed
Very sad news… The Annenberg Space for Photography today announced that it will be permanently closed. This was an extraordinary venue for photography and related events.
Photo Excursion
A photo excursion on May 29th. Scenes and places we would often overlook. I have been doing photo excursions for a few years now. Others who have joined with me have been successful in their art of photography, painting and printing their works. This series shot on my Fujifilm X-T3 and XF16-55mm F2.8 lens.
Hasselblad Masters Passion
Published in 2008, I finally got a copy. I was one of the original subscribers to the extraordinary Hasselblad publication “Victor By Hasselblad” and collected the biennial Hasselblad Masters series. However Hasselblad Masters Vol. 1 “Passion” long out of print was not available. Until recently…
A search found Gregor Halenda, who is one of the photographers featured in that very first volume. He had a few new copies in original packaging for sale. I immediately purchased one and Gregor was kind enough to autograph it. An example of his feature in the book is here.
I am a huge fan of Hasselblad and it’s place in history. So on a personal level this is very exciting for me. And photographers are all fans of incredible photography.
