Pride Profile I

This is on Fifth Ave between 8th and Washington Square North. He couldn't help but smile when he saw me using the Rolleiflex. I think that's my favorite reaction, when people smile when they see that I'm using an old camera. He's a shooter too, but he (obviously) didn't have a camera with him that day. I didn't ask him his name. I didn't ask almost anybody's name of the portraits I took at the parade and surrounding environs.

This begins my series of portraits taken at the parade, which will then be followed by various scenes from that day. I was rolling with the big boys that day; The SWC (3 rolls, one in each back), The aforementioned Rolleiflex T, and the Zeiss Ikon Nettar. Looking at this picture, I'm also reminded that my color blindness isn't helping me much when it comes to adjusting the color in this picture (which I absolutely didn't touch). I know with VS 100 you have to work the blues, but with Provia 400 I have no idea what to work with. So, if my pictures look a bit too green, or brown, or red, or something (I can't tell green from brown, among other colors), feel free to point it out to me.

Or maybe this is exactly how it looked that day, just a few days ago, back when they all took to the streets having renamed themselves, "Cuomosexuals." I'm not sure that's going to take off, though I can see that term being used by some future opponent in a presidential race.

Benchtime Repose

In Washington Square Park:


Those black things on the image is where the emulsion somehow was removed from the film. I don't know how that happened. Also, look at her legs. Or is it just one giant mermaid leg. I'm telling you, if I knew how to scan and photoshop a little better she might actually have two legs and two feet, and not just one giant alabaster slab and two shoes.

Shul

By Gramercy Park:


I have no idea what I'm writing about right now. Oh yeah, tomorrow I'll be getting my slide rolls back from the gay pride parade. I used Fuji Provia 400 on an overcast day. I'm very curious and feeling a bit of dread thinking about how they might have come out.

Stay tuned!

Dapper Dan

Imperial Clothes:


This shot was two years ago. Now it's a bagel store. Yes, a trip to the archives today. Too pooped to scan. Another 4am morning chasing art. Maybe I'll catch it someday.

Diving Diptych

I couldn't decide which one to put up, so why not both?


He was well dressed for the occasion, that being one of thrusting his hand into the garbage to find anything he could drink. But I'm always happy to get dressed up for drinks before dinner too. That is, if I had drinks before dinner, or if I even drank. What am I talking about?

Oh, today I went out and shot gay people. I mean, I went to the gay pride parade and took photographs. It was a gay old time (I'm sorry, I couldn't resist). Every year it's a joyous day, but I don't know if it was me putting something on the occasion, but it seemed everyone was a bit extra happy to be out (as it were). You know, the whole gay marriage thing that went down (that one I didn't even plan) on Friday night. I actually felt a little emotional seeing everybody so happy. No, that's me actually being serious. Most years I go to the parade and shoot, people watch, and wander around. But today it just had more gravitas. It was real, and I felt it. At least I think I felt it. I'd like to think I sensed something more special in the air. It's like 42 years after Stonewall, they have arrived.

Then again, they were always here.

Putting the Finishing Touches on Prison

In Washington Square Park:


It says something about where one comes from if they draw a cityscape with a prison on the end of it.

Wow, I'm so deep.

Reagan

I do believe this dog is named after our 40th president:


And I do believe just out of frame to the left is a Jedi Knight.

Sanford

I think that was his name. I think he also said he was involved with some kind of video editing. God, it's bad enough I forget people's names, but now I'm forgetting what they do for a living. I'm having whole conversations and then tossing them away. I do remember he was nice, and since he has my card, he may eventually see this and perhaps correct me on any of the meager facts I've put forth about him.

He did ask me if there was enough light for the photo. I actually went a bit darker on this shot in Photoshop. I experimented with a lighter one, but for some reason this darker version just worked better for me.

Hopefully for you too.

Name Forgotten (l), and Name Not Given (r)

He was the one who commented on the Rolleiflex. He told me he was a fashion designer. I asked the young lady next to him what she did, and she said, "nothing." In turn, I told her that I had a healthy respect for doing nothing.

Probably too healthy.

PHOTO NOTES (oh goody!)
I was happy this picture came out at all. Before I took the shot, I took care to take a meter reading. After the shot I realized I hadn't bothered to actually adjust my aperture, which had been stopped down from shooting in sunlight just before. I figured developing in Diafine added with a little boost from Photoshop might do the trick. I'm sure the Diafine helped, but I actually didn't do much with Photoshop, just a little bit of my own custom brand of linear contrast. I liked this one the best out of my three candidates, the other two being brighter.

Are you bored yet? I'm bored. I've bored us all.

Renovations

In Gramercy:


I like that I got that silhouette there.

I didn't see Bob Vila anywhere.

Darn.

1887

Another day, another year. Isn't that how the saying goes?


Unlike yesterday, I'm not sure I can relate any of my relations to the year 1887. I was up at 4am this morning all in the pursuit of art. Am I tired now? You bet.

There hasn't been much long form writing around here lately. I seem to say that every so often. And every so often I even do something about it, but not today. Though I did spool up some film I'm to be developing in the near future, including a found roll of VP 120, so who knows.

I never told the story of my little adventure a few weeks ago, but not tonight...I gots to lie down and commune with my pillow. Maybe I'll put one of my Ansel Adams books underneath it and the knowledge will seep into my head and onto this website.

Sure....

1939

Set in stone:


It's also the year of my father's birth. I'd have written that even if today wasn't Father's Day, which it is. We never went in much for these invented holidays, but I called the old man today nonetheless.

13th Precinct Station House

The sign don't lie:


Though that emblem could use some reapplying.

Jockeying

For position:


Are they still lawn jockeys if they're mounted on the side of a building?

Wall jockeys?

Junior's Police Equipment

In Gramercy, more or less:


Wait...Is Junior the guy whose place this is, or is this police equipment for "juniors?"

Okay, okay, I saw the correctly placed possessive apostrophe.

But still, a boy can dream...

Bleecker and Carmine

At Bleecker and Carmine, of course!


Something about this shot bothers me. The stuff way in the background is out of focus by just a bit. I'm going to assume that I just had the focus still set for closer objects and forgot to readjust for this wide shot.

Or I could look at the other shots from this roll, that being the easier thing to do. Easier than assuming? No, making an assumption is way more easier than having to take the time to look at something.

Oh blessed laziness, where would I be without you?

Not here, probably.

Back to Boyce

Institute!


I developed a roll that had been sitting on a forgotten 620 spool, and when I saw the negatives, I remembered that I had shot a roll at the Boyce Institute on the Medalist! So there is a very good chance more of the Boyce Institute will be showing up around here. However, I have some rolls I should be developing tomorrow that I know have some people pictures on them. Yes, I always say I'll develop them tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow...

Rat Bones

I ran into Rat Bones last Sunday at the 25th Street flea market. He was doing his usual ritual of checking out what comic books, and other lost artifacts of youth he could bring home for his collection. I've actually known Rat Bones for quite some time. He's a midwesterner originally, but I got to know him as part of the New York Hardcore scene in the mid-90s. Eagle-eyed viewers of Project Runway (season five) might recognize him as the boyfriend of designer Stella Zotis (and sorry girls, they're still together).

Whether it was back in the day or now, I'm always happy to run into Rat Bones.

Indio

At least it sounded like he said, "Indio," the two times I asked him what his name was. "What are you doing today?" I asked him.

"Selling!"

Behind me there was a table with various odds and ends of merchandise: records, books, bric-a-brac...

He had noticed the SWC and didn't hesitate to say yes when I asked him if I could take his picture.

I do like the perspective down the sidewalk, but I still feel (as usual) there could have been a little less headroom in the shot. Maybe I should start using the detachable viewfinder for portrait work with the SWC after all...

W Hotel Clouds

From Union Square:


These clouds were way more impressive in person than they turned out to be on film. Ansel Adams I ain't. Maybe I should read those books he wrote about taking pictures. I have them over here. They look really nice on the bookshelf...

By the way, I developed that Verichrome 620 roll that I shot in the Medalist a few days ago. I went 5+5 in Diafine at about 28 degrees celsius (room temperature), and I got NOTHING. I'm not sure if it was the film or the developer. I just developed some 127 Efke 100 in Diafine and it did just fine. Maybe I'll go back to the Ilfosol 3 for developing old film shot in modern times.

Fascinating stuff...yeah right.

Forced Smile

Forced smiles are just about the only kind you'll get from artists in Union Square Park lately, now that Bloomberg and Benepe's system of having a limited amount of spots for artists to set up and sell their creations. It's not just in Union Square, but in other parks around the city too. Too many artists for not enough spots that are in ill-thought out or even outright dangerous locations (dangerous because of the proximity to automobile traffic, not like bad neighborhood dangerous).

The sad thing is (among many sad things) is that there doesn't seem to be any legal remedies on the horizon. There are a few cases going to court to fight it, but that won't be for a while. So, for the foreseeable future, the artists will have to make due with limited spots, showing up to the park at 4am to get a spot they'll sit in until at least 6pm (and you know how much art gets sold on the street between 4am and noon...), and bemoaning the position the mayor and the head of the parks department has put them in.

But the artists will find a way. I have to believe that the artists will find a way. That's what creative people do.

Wild Paisley

In vivid, living black and white!


I feel like I'm somewhat coasting with the pics. Well, I somewhat am. However, I did shoot a roll of Verichrome 620 (expiration unknown) in the Medalist yesterday and I'm curious to see how they'll come out. It'll be my first time developing vintage film that I shot in Diafine. If I get my lazy act together I might even do it tonight.

Do I mean lazy act, or lazy ass?

They're both apt.

And by apt, I mean apt, not apartment.

OH YEAH!
We have a new blog friend. If you look over to your right you'll see "De la couleur" has been added to the family. Actually, they added us first (what "us" am I referring to? It's only me here), and it's my pleasure to reciprocate.

Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Waiters Wait,

And customers custom!


This world needs more nouns forced into verbs and less verbs forced into nouns.

"sourced"
(the) "reveal"

and the like...

This Man

This man does not like his photo being taken, but granted me his consent.

As for the consent to being on the blog....let's just keep this our little secret.

Catching Rays

On Broadway:


I think the flare actually adds to the image.

Coveting

I get the same way around ice cream too:


No story today about yesterday. I'm so goddamned tired and not feeling entirely that hot right now.

I ate quinoa for the first time today. How about that.

I'll Give You One Guess,

No, two BIG guesses why I took this photo:


Well, it finally happened. I missed a day and I don't have any technical difficulties to blame it on. However, I'm not even going to take the blame myself. I mean, I'm not going to be guilty about it. I had something of an unexpected adventure today. Well, it wasn't really an "adventure," but it was something definitely worthwhile, even worth more than getting that blog post in by midnight, which I knew I wouldn't accomplish once I decided my course of action earlier today. I'll write about it more in tomorrow's post. That is I mean, the second post later today to make up for the lost day.

I think it'll be a nice story. I hope so. It was a good day.

Side View Shoe

Just for you:


You didn't think I forgot about the NYC foot/shoe project, did you?

Annie Miller

As represented by a shirtwaist, with the building she leapt to her death from in the background:


She was only sixteen years old, but I'll let the Cornell University Triangle Fire Site do the telling.

Affixing His Pin

At the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire:


Is it me, or is that Willem Dafoe doing his best Spencer Tracy cum Father Flanagan impression on the right?