Philippines Update

Just got back to Manila after a few days in Davao City. Marvi and I went to her Father's grave and cleaned his house. We also spent some time with Mama Lacar, eating lots of Filipino food, and walking around while I got stared at by everyone in the city. Its kinda of crazy how I just become the object of everyone's attention. Scary actually. Marvi got seriously self conscious considering everyone staring at me, and then her - judging her - whether she was a prositiute or something else.

Wanderings

Back in SE Asia and Philippines in particular for the first time in 2 1/2 years. I really missed this part of the world. Marvi, Nana, Kat, and I didnt really go out to photograph - just wander around to a few stores and get some chow - but I shot a bunch on the iPhone for shits and giggles. I also brought my Mamiya 6 - those images wont even be developed, much less scanned - for weeks. I realize that no matter what I do, I just dont have it in me to switch to film. The discipline isnt there. Hopefully, I can find away around that. But I wasnt trying to push myself on the first day here.

Snow in NY and my 5D II

Decided to go out in the snow storm today and make a little art. Get the juices flowing, and make some images for me, not for anyone else. No assignment, no personal project, no content, nothing but some pretty pictures. Plus the 5D II got a little wet weather workout.
Incidentally I ran into a woman releasing a bouquet of balloons into the East River between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Never seen that before in a snow storm.

Getting Back into IT!

It - the act of blog writing. One need discipline to write a blog on a consistent basis. I unfortunately do not. I've tried to write blogs. And I fail miserably after the initial "oh, this is fun" two week interest flames out.
But here I go again.
Besides, with the depression and recession starting, I'm sure I won't have much work coming up.
Above is a pic I snagged yesterday on the 54th floor of the Chase building in Chicago.

First day shooting, and my iPhone update

Yesterday was my first day shooting in Sadr City, and I got totally overwhelmed by the sun, right when Friday prayers really got rolling. At least I will have another chance next week. I cant say that I was super inspired to make any pictures - especially in this heat, with an entourage of security and guides, and with every Iraqi and their mother stymied in the street to stare at me.
Though, I was thinking that to do this job, to be a photographer, you have to really like your job. I have never met a photojournalist who didn't like working, who didn't keep pushing. It really is not like being an accountant.
I also took the time - and indeed it was quite a lot of time - to download and update my iPhone. Kind of a pain in the ass to do that from Iraq. Its not like I can go to the Baghdad Apple Store if anything goes wrong.

Back in Baghdad

Sorry for the delay. The last month has been a crazy whirlwind of travel, photo shoots, and less family drama. But the big news is that I'm back in Baghdad to finally finish up the New York Times Magazine piece that I put on hold when Marvi's father passed away back in March. I have a poolside little non-room and a pullout couch for a bed in the bureau. Not too bad. At least the air conditioner is powerful, the internet is slow, and there is an unlimited supply of hardboiled eggs and diet coke. The summer in Iraq feels like the inside of a huge ashtray - so I of course need to start smoking again. I arrived in the late afternoon - so I havent had a chance to experience the midday sun. That will come tomorrow when the heat will be melting me at full force during Friday prayers in Sadr City. Hopefully Ill be sprayed down with rose scented water by the little boys who walk around with those huge water tanks on their backs. At least Ill be starting this gig, which has been a long time coming - though I don't have a firm idea of what Im trying to come away with. My knee is killing me, so my excitement to get working again is somewhat dampened. The last few weeks Ive been grimacing through my shoots, not really doing the strongest work in my opinion. Ill post some of them if my internet ever manages to to get past the Google homepage.
After Memorial Day in DC, I had a productive week in NY where I almost sold my fighting story, but managed to drum up some assignments based on the project. I went to Mexico City to teach at the Foundry Workshop with Shaul Schwarz - on how to be a freelancer and make a substantial living. Lots of Tacos and Beer were consumed. A LOT. After that I was off to North Western Florida to shoot a running story for PLAY magazine, and then to Miami to shoot a project of Cuban-Americans for the NYTmag. Then it was back to NY to shoot the Union Square semi-homeless-man fight club. Interesting stuff, doesn't necessarily jive with my MMA project yet, but tt could work down the road. And last week I headed to amazingly stunning Sundance Utah to shoot a ritzy rehab clinic where celebrities and rich folk go to shed their addictions. $80,000 for a single room for a month. They should just use that price tag to scare people out of addiction. But interestingly enough they use a variety of therapies - like Horses - to treat people. Interesting. The landscape really inspired - I would love to get out of NY and in the burbs, or at the very least go camping, get into adventure photography - something more active and relaxed. At least in my book.
And then - it was back to Iraq, where I am now. I'm looking forward to making some kickass daily life images for the piece and having a chance to make a few more window pics for the book and of course - more Storyline panoramics.

Memorial Day

I decided to take a break from NY - too many photo festivals and drama - and head to Washington DC for Memorial Day. Mostly I wanted to go to Arlington Cemetery. I wanted to bring my Iraq experience back to the US. Something I haven't done since the anti-war protests in 2003. I never felt comfortable working in American concerning Iraq - working with wounded or traumatized vets, or the families of the KIA. I just never knew if I could do that. The first grave I came to - that I was taken by, a grave that stymied me - was the grave of MAJ Gregory Stone. The only soldier killed in the grenade attack in Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait in the opening days of the war in '03. I photographed him being carried out on a stretcher. I basically made my career, or at least started my career with his death. Today was the first time I thought about that. That my whole career is based on death. Kind of a selfish thing to think about during a day of remembrance. 

When David H. and I got to Arlington we didn't shoot for a few hours - but wandered through the tombstones looking at the ages of the Soldiers killed., the days they died. One died on the ides of March, another died 4 days before his 20th birthday. We sat in the shade under a tree until we decided it was time to shoot, until we got over the vulturesqe nature of making images in a place like Arlington. 

I ended up shooting a few pics - not too many - and was definitely removed from the grieving subjects. Though I did end up speaking to one woman - Amanda - the best friend of LCPL Jason Redifer. About how she still couldn't believe her friend was dead.

It was a weird day for me. 

Artsy

After last night's big wins at the PDN party I figured it would be a good idea to update my site with a little bit of new work. I worked today on editing and transmitting all the dog pics from the Westminster Kennel Club show onto my site, along with pics from my Afghanistan Squared project. I still need to put the Fight Club stuff - at least a taste - up there as well. Maybe even the PNG and Salton Sea projects. That might be later in the week, after I organize my VII presentation for Sunday. Too much to do. Yesterday I spent the morning sticking stamps onto my two hundred promo cards - which I will never do again. Believe me. Well, not often.

Today Im posting my other "art" project - the double triptics Im making using my SX780 Polaroid camera. They are sort of dreamy representations of a space or emotion - mostly though I think they just look cool...

Back in Style

Its been a long weekend since coming back from Phoenix. I had to finish editing the useless shoot, and then went off to make some images on Friday and Saturday night of MMA cage fights in NJ. I haven't been exactly on the ball with this fighting project - its been viceral shooting without thinking through what I'm doing. But I think its more that I havent really been focused on much of anything these days except all my family issues and Marvi's health. Plus - Im either naive or elitist, or both - but I find it hard to identify with a lot of these fighters outside of the ring. Or at least I imagine it so. Ill post some of those images later on.
For now - since my creativity has been stymied of late sitting in an office and editing or working on bills - I struck back with my new all-in-one copy scanner. Im now doing xerox portraits. Its art, what can I say. But I like it. Now I need to find someone to give me an assignment where I can just shlep my copy machine with me.

Im sitting in the Phoenix airport, my flight delayed a bit. My eyes are slowly drooping from fatigue. Im sitting on the floor next to an electrical outlet and fire extinguisher - the rest of the seats in the this annoyingly tiny airport with no restaurant - are filled. Apparently all todays flights are delayed for some reason or another. My ass has fallen asleep, ahead of the rest of me (irony that it fallen "ahead"), and i cant get my right leg comfortable. In fact even though Im tired I really cant be bothered to sit here.
Sometimes I really do like traveling. Other days I do not.
Today is an orange alert out there - a terrorist attack might be coming. Look out! The only effect that this warning has had, made the toothpaste and shaving cream gauntlet line at security almost unbearable.

And other side project that I might end up posting is a collection of images from - pics of my hotel rooms. Mostly beds - empty and ruffled. Bare and lonely. My time on the road. One of the se days when Im less distracted by making a blog or watching CNN or thinking about what time I need to wake up to get to the airport in the morning - Ill get all self-analytical and figure out what lonely hotel room pictures mean to my inner me.

Of course there are also tons of pics of my loving wife/partner/best friend - Marvi!!

Another fall back - or rather - a collection of images which I always find myself taking - will be the usual pics of my shadow on the well trodden road. Sort of vain I guess...

Pics of the hounds

In light of not always having a daily shooting assignment, or the time or inclination to shoot something amazingly unique - my constant fall back will no doubt be pics of Spud and Wheat - my photogenic hot dogs who love to pose.

lifeOlowy begins anew

I always try to write a blog. I usually keep it going for about three days before life gets the better of me. For the most part that is what happens to everything I try and take up. Biking, working out, cooking. I do it for a few days, and then drop it.
Well, to make life a little easier. Im just going to post photos. And pretty much not tell anyone about this blog. That way I dont need to impress anyone but me, and I can still use it to motive some picture taking on a daily basis - something I really need.