Wednesday, May 29, 2013

#1 subway derails near 122nd Street and Broadway

A number one subway train has derailed near 122nd Street and Broadway. The train was full of people who had to walk thru their subway to an adjoining subway and then exit at 125th Street. The hottest day of the eyar so far, and they were all stuck inside for over an hour before another train was moved in for them to walk into

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Dancing With the Stars Season 16 at Good Morning America

Last night I was planning on watching the finale of this season of Dancing With The Stars but ended up on a conference call all night with my editor and publisher working on my upcoming book (Bruce Springsteen: In Focus-Photographs 1980-2012). I wanted to watch it because I was invited to shoot the winners and finalists this morning on Good Morning America-a place where I love to shoot. I love the people there and it's such a warm "homey" atmosphere. Each season, the cast of DWTS seems just like that-a family that is home. Winners Kellie Pickler and her dance pro Derek Hough arrived first, and Derek was shooting the crowd with his IPhone. I never tire of shooting him. I love watching him dance, and he and Kellie were just amazing to watch. Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovsky...hard to believe she is ONLY 16!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Busy, busy, busy

Most of the time when I blog, I pretty much just put up images with a caption. I am so busy that I prefer to let the images do the talking. The magic of the internet really became apparent to me this week.My book, "Bruce Springsteen: In Focus-Photographs 1980-2012" will hit the book stores on September 21 and next week, I am involved in the Book Expo at the Javits Center. My publisher wants to have a full copy (an uncorrected proof, but still the entire book) of it present at the expo. Thru the magic of the internet and conference calling, I was able to be on the phone with my publisher, designer and publicist all day, and the 4 of us reside in 4 different states, from NYC to Los Angeles. A few pages were removed at the last minute so it opened up a few more pages to ad in some photos that I really wanted to appear in there. As I was helping in the edit and drinking coffee and eating herring, I kept thinking to my mom, who passed away 2 months ago and I know she would have loved the book...and the coffee and herring. The following day I was hired to shoot a 90th birthday party and I was pretty excited. Turns out, the woman got sick but everyone forgot to tell me and I found out upon arriving at the location. So, I wandered around and saw some sights worth shooting-it is one of the MANY things I love about being photographer-seeing the world differently than most. Whether it is a man showing young children how to blow huge balloons, the "birdman" who can be seen daily in Washington Square Park feeding the pigeons and squirrels, a woman with curlers in her hair or the beautiful Flatiron building, there is never a dull moment in my photographic life. It was a joy to get the assignment to shoot 98 Degrees. It is hard to call them a "Boy Band" as they are all men. I remember shooting them backstage at Jones Beach in 1999 when their album went platinum and thought they were so nice. 14 years later-they haven't changed-they are still 4 very down to earth, wonderful men. I can never get bored shooting them, or looking at them (and I know there are many who feel the same way :) I WANT MY MTV! Great time shooting and listening to 4 of the 4 original VJ's from MTV-when MTV played music! Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn and Alan Hunter-it was so much fun hearing your stories. Original VJ JJ Jackson passed away several years ago Hollywood visits NYC-and my street. Love walking out of my apartment and seeing Ben Stiller shooting "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

Sunday, May 12, 2013

My first Mother's Day without my Mom

my beloved Mother and best friend passed away 2 months ago and not a minute has gone by where she hasn't been in my thoughts. I was so blessed to have this wonderful woman as my mother, mentor, friend, my harshest critic and biggest supporter. With her beautiful smile and always the right thing to say, she lit up my world every day. I miss you dearly, Mom, and my love is forever.