Pasquale

After I asked Pasquale if I could take his picture, he asked me how I wanted him to look. "This is your photo," I said, "present yourself however you'd like to be seen."

Pasquale said, "I'm gonna go for suave," as he brushed his hair to one side.

Under the Ground

This is the sundries vendor (one of them) at the Brooklyn-bound RW station at 8th and Broadway. His face lit up at the sight of the camera and seemed touched that I asked him for a photo.

I only wish it hadn't been so underexposed. I thought I had well compensated for the light (or lack thereof), but I'll know for the future to knock down the shutter speed even futher.

Despite the photoshop brightening, I still like this one.

Harris Pankin

Maybe you know him from his band, "Letch Patrol."

Maybe you know him from the HBO Real Sports episode about the U.S. Homeless Soccer Team.

Maybe you know him as one of the booksellers on 4th St. by NYU.

I know him as my old friend, Harris.

EXT. HUDSON RIVER PARK -- DAY

[WE PICK UP THE ACTION MID-SCENE]

EVAN
Can I take your picture?

MAN
Well...buy me a soda?

EVAN
How much are they charging for sodas nowadays?

MAN
About two-fifty. This is the Village, and all.

EVAN
(fishes through pockets and takes
out two crumpled bills)
How's about two bucks?

Evan gives the MAN the TWO CRUMPLED BILLS, focuses his YASHICA-MAT and takes the picture, not noticing the man's uncanny resemblance to BOBBY BROWN.

[END SCENE]

Martin

Martin couldn't help but notice the YashMat as I wandered through Tompkins Square Park. It was the very first day I had it back from getting it overhauled. He told me a story about a woman he once knew, who took him up to the Bronx and took some amazing pictures of him. As much as I wanted to take his picture, I didn't have the courage to ask.

I ran into him a week later, and made up for my previous reticence.

Stoop Kids

Even though I took this picture not even a week ago, it's already my sentimental favorite.

I don't know...maybe it's because they were the first people I actually asked for a photo. They asked why, and I gave them the lowdown on my idea.

Maybe it's my favorite because they said "yes" without even giving it a second thought.

Or maybe I just like the scene, these three kids hanging out on a stoop in the West Village on a summer afternoon.

The Genesis...

I'm of the thought that any good idea has already probably been thought of, including this one.

I'm also of the thought to say, "what the hell."

I'll try to keep this explanation as brief and not-boring as possible.

About a month ago I got a Lomography Lubitel. I felt self-conscious when I first hit the streets, thinking that people would see me as some kind of hipster with his fancy, faggoty camera.

But I found that it mostly got compliments from strangers (as New Yorkers are so prone to do). As I got comfortable with the Lubitel, I descended into all sorts of 120 madness, including winding it onto 620 spools and getting use out of cameras that I only had for show. It also spurned me to hit up flea markets and see if I could get some more oldies but goodies.

Thus the Yashica-Mat came into my life for $40. I took it to a place for a tune-up, and hit the streets running, and the compliments on the Y-M just kept on coming.

After a week, I decided that I'd ask to take the picture of anybody who felt the urge to compliment me on it, or start conversing about it. I figured it would also help me get over some shyness/interpersonal communication issues, and also get to the point where I can walk up to total strangers and ask them if I can take their photo without it seeming like the only reason I want to take it is because they're a total freak (which they are).

I'm not sure how brief and not-boring that was, but...on with the show.