El Beso
The longing
in your gaze
the intensity
of your lips
whisper of tendernesses
kept secret
from the darkness.
Does that smile
speak
to the blessing or the curse
of dreaming
with your eyes open?
A sporadic journal and samples of artwork from photo shoots by jackson
Monday, March 28, 2005
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Sunday, March 27 - Easter
Eva, extended a very nice invitation for me to join her and her extended family for Easter dinner at her Aunt Diana's in New Jersey. They lived just one stop past Asbury Park, a great location to do some shoots, especially on the boardwalk along the ocean which was one a very posh resort and is not totally in ruins. Dinner was great, it's so nice to have a home cooked meal on the holidays. (And we even got leftovers to take home -- now that's a score!)
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Saturday, March 26
One of my favourite models, Mike Parks, (if you want to see or know more of Mike, click here) was in town and I met him and his friend, Chris at the Wolcott Hotel (great lobby, *** must remember for possible location) then we travelled down to Chelsea for dinner at The Dish. It was great seeing Mike again, not only is he as handsome as ever, but he is one of the nicest, sweetest guys I've ever met, and someone I am thrilled to now have as a friend. I'm posting a couple photos from our shoot last summer on Fire Island.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Friday, March 25 - A Good Friday and Photo Shoot with Manuel
Went with my roommate, Eva, and her friend and fellow photographer, Corky, to the current exhibit at Art@Large. I expected the show to be much larger, however there were a couple of interesting photos, one that had a very Diane Arbus feel and the other by LA photographer Rick Castro. I took time to introduce myself to the curator and owner, Pet Silvia, who was either very engrossed in something on his computer or very disinterested in meeting artists. Whatever the case, I walked away from the show and the gallery with a bad feeling.
In the afternoon I photographed Manuel who covers the gamut of ethnic backgrounds (German, Spanish, Filipino and Japanese). He's modelled professionally in the past and it shows in his focus/concentration in the studio as well as the final product.
That evening I went out to Queens to help celebrate my pal and former model, Dominic San Juan's birthday. He told me to call him from the subway platform, needless to say in typical New York Murphy's law, he didn't answer. So believing in my intuition, I just struck out on my own with only an address to guide. Without taking one wrong turn, I ended up right at his apartment door, which is even more amazing as he didn't give me an apt. number. LOL. I'm sure glad I found it though, the food was amazing and the men there were even tastier. One in particular, CJ, I definitely want to model for me.
All in all, it was a very good Friday.
In the afternoon I photographed Manuel who covers the gamut of ethnic backgrounds (German, Spanish, Filipino and Japanese). He's modelled professionally in the past and it shows in his focus/concentration in the studio as well as the final product.
That evening I went out to Queens to help celebrate my pal and former model, Dominic San Juan's birthday. He told me to call him from the subway platform, needless to say in typical New York Murphy's law, he didn't answer. So believing in my intuition, I just struck out on my own with only an address to guide. Without taking one wrong turn, I ended up right at his apartment door, which is even more amazing as he didn't give me an apt. number. LOL. I'm sure glad I found it though, the food was amazing and the men there were even tastier. One in particular, CJ, I definitely want to model for me.
All in all, it was a very good Friday.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Thursday, March 24 - Photo Shoot with Nate
Saw Nate's photos online initially and thought he had some of the most unique tattoos that I had seen, perhaps ever. He truly is a walking canvas. Which I came to realize is even more rare considering that he is only in his early 20s. His ink (which there is a fair amount of) reflects a sense of humor, pop icons, and emotional depth. I enjoyed working with him immensely and even upon finishing the shoot with him, I felt I hadn't completely captured all the multi-facets of his personality or the images he has chosen to adorn himself with. I'm pretty sure another shoot will be in order.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Day of the Elephants
Ranking way up there in the "only in NYC" list of cool things to do, I spent the day with elephants -- both figuratively and literally.
Earlier in the day, I attended the Ashes & Snow exhibit at Pier 54. Housed in a mobile museum, constructed entirely out of freight containers (you know the type you see rolling down the railway) is the work of Canadian photographer, Gregory Colbert. Created over 13 years and 33 expeditions, his 10ftX4ft photos are immaculate. At times it's hard to believe they are real. The images are cinematic and epic and yet personal and profound. Virtually all the 200 prints contained some interaction of humans with animals in their own environment. Some of the strongest images had to be the shots with elephants, especially those with the elephants swimming. Other shots that are permanently burnt into my brain are the birds of prey at Cairo (I think) in Egypt and the free dive photos with the sperm whales. All I can say is look at the site. His work is exquisite. Colbert made me proud to be a Canadian and jealous as hell at all the same time. Not only because of his sheer expertise and craftmanship with the photos but because of the incredible locations he's been able to shoot at as well.
Later that night, I got to see elephants up close and personal. Every year Ringling Bros. Circus brings their elephants in through Manhattan from the Midtown Tunnel, down 34 Street to Madison Square Gardens, where they will perform for the next 2 weeks. It's an annual event and takes place around midnight so as to disturb the least amount of traffic. The ritualy was based in practicality as at one time it was the only way they could get the animals into the Gardens -- now I think they do it as tradition and an easy publicity event/photo op. Regardless, the end result is that you can in effect run with the elephants over the course of their 7 or 8 block route. There were thousands of people out along 34 Street but seeing as it is NYC, this is a small turnout. However, I can't see that this will go on forever -- either because of Animal Rights Activists, some type of accident with a bystander who gets too close (and there were lots of us who pushed the limits to get as close as we could, even with the handlers and police asking everyone to return to the sidewalk) or the growing number of spectators making it impossible to control. I feel kind of lucky to have been able to be a part of it. Here's what I learned: 1) for great big lumbering animals, those damn elephants are fast (here's some useless trivia in just 12 minutes they had travelled from Park Avenue to their final destination at the Gardens -- that makes them faster than most NY taxis); 2) the closer you get to them, the less you can ignore their particular and fragrant odor; 3) and that I'm probably wise to stick to my fine art photography because this action stuff of shooting and running at the same time didn't get me a lot of really memorable (or even usable, for that matter) images. Oh well, there's always next year.
Earlier in the day, I attended the Ashes & Snow exhibit at Pier 54. Housed in a mobile museum, constructed entirely out of freight containers (you know the type you see rolling down the railway) is the work of Canadian photographer, Gregory Colbert. Created over 13 years and 33 expeditions, his 10ftX4ft photos are immaculate. At times it's hard to believe they are real. The images are cinematic and epic and yet personal and profound. Virtually all the 200 prints contained some interaction of humans with animals in their own environment. Some of the strongest images had to be the shots with elephants, especially those with the elephants swimming. Other shots that are permanently burnt into my brain are the birds of prey at Cairo (I think) in Egypt and the free dive photos with the sperm whales. All I can say is look at the site. His work is exquisite. Colbert made me proud to be a Canadian and jealous as hell at all the same time. Not only because of his sheer expertise and craftmanship with the photos but because of the incredible locations he's been able to shoot at as well.
Later that night, I got to see elephants up close and personal. Every year Ringling Bros. Circus brings their elephants in through Manhattan from the Midtown Tunnel, down 34 Street to Madison Square Gardens, where they will perform for the next 2 weeks. It's an annual event and takes place around midnight so as to disturb the least amount of traffic. The ritualy was based in practicality as at one time it was the only way they could get the animals into the Gardens -- now I think they do it as tradition and an easy publicity event/photo op. Regardless, the end result is that you can in effect run with the elephants over the course of their 7 or 8 block route. There were thousands of people out along 34 Street but seeing as it is NYC, this is a small turnout. However, I can't see that this will go on forever -- either because of Animal Rights Activists, some type of accident with a bystander who gets too close (and there were lots of us who pushed the limits to get as close as we could, even with the handlers and police asking everyone to return to the sidewalk) or the growing number of spectators making it impossible to control. I feel kind of lucky to have been able to be a part of it. Here's what I learned: 1) for great big lumbering animals, those damn elephants are fast (here's some useless trivia in just 12 minutes they had travelled from Park Avenue to their final destination at the Gardens -- that makes them faster than most NY taxis); 2) the closer you get to them, the less you can ignore their particular and fragrant odor; 3) and that I'm probably wise to stick to my fine art photography because this action stuff of shooting and running at the same time didn't get me a lot of really memorable (or even usable, for that matter) images. Oh well, there's always next year.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Thoughts on a holiday...
Contrary to popular belief, I don't think anyone really gets holidays. The work that you would have done during the time period you are away is just rearranged. You end up doing all your work either before you go and/or after you get back. So a holiday is just a redistribution of your work, NOT actual time off.
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