• This past Valentines Day, Cindy and I headed to Paris for the weekend to celebrate.  It was a quick trip for both of us as we got in on Saturday morning and only could stay through Monday before we had to head to London for biz.

    The trip mainly consisted of eating, drinking, exploring Paris, and yes….romance 🙂  As always, I found some time for photography.  Although I brought my Cannon, I found that I had more fun shooting with my iPhone.  It has occurred to me that when I shoot with a professional camera, I tend to become very anti-social.  All I want to think about is getting the right shot.  Obviously, this was not going to fly with Cindy.  The iPhone allowed me to take it down several notches and still capture some cool scenes while having a blast exploring parts of Paris I had yet to see.

    My Paris Valentines Day Set was mainly shot in Montmartre.  The black and white effect is courtesy of the Old Camera App for iPhone.    I know, I know…..the black and white does not give the warmest Vday vibe.  Chalk it up to me feeling goth that day.  Admittedly,  this effort was sparse.  Again, I had other more important things on my mind.

    You may view all the set via Flickr: Paris Valentines Day Set

  • I have finally gotten around to uploading the pictures I took at the Depeche Mode concert on July 31st, 2009.  We sat about 6 rows up from the stage at Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA.

    This entire set with my taken with my iphone. The Black and White photos were processed using the “Old Camera” iPhone application.  I took a shot at the beginning of each set and live-casted updates to my Facebook Account via Tweetie.

    Click here to view the entire set via Flickr.

  • Lisa Jack, a classmate of Obama from Occidental College, has decided to hold an exhibition of her photos of a freshman Obama.  Below is an excerpt from the M+B web site, the studio in LA where the exhibition is being held until July 18th 2009.

    First featured in Time Magazine’s 2008 “Person of the Year” Issue, which chose then President-elect Barack Obama for his “rare ability to . . . organize himself and others to anticipate change and translate it into opportunity,” these photographs offer a window back in time before the posters and before the campaign, when a 20-year-old young man was caught up in just such a change that Time Magazine would later describe. Lisa Jack, then a student of photography at Occidental College, sought a striking subject for a portrait project and was tipped off about a charismatic freshman named “Barry” Obama who would make an ideal subject.  After the shoot, these images would remain locked away for the next 28 years, until a dare from a friend triggered Lisa Jack to seek them out.  At first worried these images could be used against President Obama, Jack realized they were not incriminating of anything other than being young and self-conscious, and that they offered a unique glimpse into how the man who made history went from being “Barry” to Barack. This exhibition marks the first time these rare photographs have ever been printed and on display.

    As described in his memoir Dreams from My Father, Barack Obama’s time at “Oxy” (Occidental College) was one of confusion and self-searching.  He was chided by his mother for being friends with someone who was arrested on a drug possession charge, having so-so grades and, worst of all, being undeclared.  Having recently moved from his grandparents’ home in Honolulu, he searched for his place in his new environment and eventually translated a situation of uncertainty into opportunity.  These images from 1980 offer a view of that young man grappling with issues that would shape him to become the 44th President of the United States.  During this year at Oxy, Obama vigorously sought out peers who were politically active and would transfer a year later to Columbia in order to be part of a larger community.  These photographs evidence the shift from what he described as “going through the motions” to finding a sense of self and, subsequently, purpose.

    Of this session, Lisa Jack described it as initially awkward. “Barry” showed up to the shoot with a bomber jacket, flared jeans, a pack of cigarettes and a Panama hat he thought would look “cool.” Initially, he posed self-consciously, but as the shoot progressed, the personality and charisma we would all later bear witness to emerged.  He began asking questions, which was unusual since normally the photographer asks questions in an effort to draw out the sitter’s personality.  According to Jack, the key to Obama’s personality was his desire to understand where one comes from and how that determines one’s sense of self.  Being herself a young undergrad, her interests did not lie at the time with questions of identity and selfhood, but rather she secretly hoped that “Barry” would ask her out afterward.  He did not, and although pleased with the photographs, they did not maintain contact afterwards, until a random chance encounter 28 years later in Washington DC. Lisa Jack ceased photographing and went on to pursue psychology and is currently a professor of Counseling Psychology at Augsburg College. After having her one roll of film from that day sit neglected for almost thirty years, Jack now offers up these images “so that others may see a side to him [she has] yet to observe captured in the maelstrom of contemporary media”.

    See works from this exhibition>

  • I have uploaded all of the photos that I took over the last two days while in London.  I really wish I had more time to shoot.  The city is beautiful in the Spring.

    You may view them all via Flickr: London Spring Photo Set

  • My twin brother Ian and I spent Saturday, April 25th 2009 shooting three lighthouses in Maine (Cape Neddick Light, Whaleback Light, and Portland Head Lighthouse).  This set represents  the photos that I took.  I was using my Canon EOS-1D Mark II with a Canon EF 70-200mm L series lens fully racked out.  My gig was getting some nice close ups with the telephoto lens.  Ian focused on wide angle shots.  I will link to his set once he uploads (he does have his work uploaded to his Facebook account for those of you who have access to his profile).

    You may enjoy the collection via my Flickr Photo Set titled: Maine Lighthouses 2009

    The set primarily represents Cape Needick Light and Portland Head Lighthouse as Whaleback Light was to far out to sea (in fact I do not believe I have one photo of this lighthouse that I uploaded).   Most of the photos were taken at Portland Head Lighthouse between 5:00pm-7:00pm, when the light was perfect.  Both Ian and I intend to combine our photography into one edited set and make it available online.  We also are planning to publish a coffee table book of the work.

    This was one of the first time’s my brother and I had the opportunity to enjoy our passion for photography together.  I will never forget what a wonderful time we had.

    P.S.

    Shout out’s to Cindy for watching Howie, Zach, and Alex while Ian and I were gallivanting up and down the east coast of Maine.  We could not have had this day without you.

    Another shout out goes to the Inn by The Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.  Your accomodations and pet friendly policies were absolutely fantastic.

  • When Cindy and I visited St. Lucia this past Februrary, I spent some time dusting off my photography skills.  You may check out the edited work via my Flickr Photo Set titled St. Lucia 2009.