many of you have seen this book before, but i am sure many of you have not….my first work in print….i publish it again here now only because my friend Masaaki Okada, who was the designer/editor, died on December 21….Masaaki was a tremendous influence on me as a person and as a photographer….my first collaborator…
i met Masaaki my senior year of high school….he barely spoke any English, had few friends, and had come from Japan to help out his uncle who ran a gift shop in Virginia Beach, Va…Masaaki and i ended up as college roommates and close friends…Masaaki was the most talented person i knew at the time …a brilliant man with a sketch pad and painter as well…from Masaaki i learned about Eastern art and about the concept of not making anyone lose face…the single most valuable concept i know….later, i went with Masaaki to Hamamatsu, Japan and met his whole family when i did a story on the Japanese kite fighters….
just after undergrad school, when Masaaki and i did Tell It Like It Is , we were idealists….the $2. contribution was to go to the local church and intended to buy food for the residents of the neighborhood where i did this story… i lived with this family for the better part of a summer….our goal was to save this Norfolk, Va. neighborhood and eliminate poverty with this book…Masaaki and i were both 22…
Bruce Davidson is leaning on me to re-print this book (it pre-dates publication of East 100th Street by 3 yrs)…for only 4 copies of this book exist…..Masaaki and i threw away dozens of copies of Tell It Like It Is, not thinking they were of any real importance at the time…we sold few….after all , we were not important…living in a small Virginia town and not sensing any “place” in the photography world…Masaaki did not think it even appropriate to have my name, or his, on the cover….small type on the back jacket was all he would allow…i agreed…this was not about us, but about the people in the pictures….eastern humility…
a few weeks ago, i stopped by to see Masaaki in Richmond , Va. where he lived, a retired photographer from the Richmond Times-Dispatch…….in recent years i saw him rarely, but we picked up right where we left off….he thanked me for coming and gave me another one of his paintings from the outer banks where i now live…Masaaki was an avid surf fishermen and often painted the land that surrounds me…we talked of him coming down …i knew he would love the house, the space…but, that is not to be….
Masaaki’s paintings will grace my home always…more importantly his influence on me is forever….i did tell him this many times….he always shook his head in disbelief…..i wish i had told him even more…
And however tongue-in-cheek he may have been, I agree completely with what Preston Merchant said.
I was totally serious!
Just finished reading the posts from start to finish. I am little behind. Sorry David about your friend. No mater what your philosophical or spiritual leanings he lives on in his photos and paintings and in your heart. I thought Twitter was nonsense for the most part as well, but I am willing to give it a try to follow David’s adventure. Agree about the prime 28 or 50 mm lens on full frame digi, that’s all I use. I have been a student of David’s in his workshops and they have been life changing experiences. I strive and hope to be published on Burn not because I attended a workshop but because David thought my photos were of sufficient caliber. Nuff said.
Tucked-in, hiked-up track pants are nothing without a fanny pack.
My use of Twitter is not so much about sending out information, but gathering it. I have subscribed to several informational feeds. If I see something that is interesting, and would like to reference later, I post it on a personal blog, making sure to keyword as thoroughly as possible. Tat way, I continually have a growing library of interesting sites, tutorials and general information at my finger tips, wherever I go.
When actively shooting a project, I will also post a photo of the day with twitter keywords. Often those get republished by others that either follow me, or found the post via keyword search.
Brian; “Tucked-in, hiked-up track pants are nothing without a fanny pack” Ahh; so I could have embarrassed them even more? Yet another lost opportunity…
Imants; “look so stupid again in public”
If you strive to look stupid you must commit to it fully; no half measures… Otherwise the missus will never again say “Don’t do that; people know us!” While she and the kids pretend they don’t know you (while laughing their arses off). Well I always presumed they were pretending…. :-)
The problem I find with things like twitter, or any feed that informs me of the world’s happenings, I quikly run out of time to look at it. albeit, the information may be fascinating – but other parts of life require more attention, and rather than trying to catch up, I have to pick up where ever it is now…
So – that being said, I’m picking up on Burn today – while scanning some prints from this past semester…
David, I know you’re super busy and may not read this – I hope your trip goes really well and the M9 works well for the story! let us know how it rates compared to the M8 please.
Sorry to hear about your friend and collaborator, He’ll be remembered through his work and your fans and friends too of course.
I sent you an email a few days ago about a letter, I understand you’re probably more that too busy to respond let alone write it… No worries! Look forward to seeing the outcome of this project!
Travel safe! and Happy New Year
“so I could have embarrassed them even more?”
———————————————————
There’s always room for improvement.
Brian; That’s what my school reports usually said! So now we are back to 1970′s teachers wearing walk shorts, long socks, sandals and the obligatory beard! :-)
Off to the New Year’s Eve races now (it’s the 31st here) to take the camera for a walk.
Cheers
Ross -”So now we are back to 1970’s teachers wearing walk shorts, long socks, sandals and the obligatory beard! :-)” Sounds like a few of my current professors!
Tucked-in, hiked-up track pants are nothing without a fanny pack.
You almost forgot the high peaked ball cap from Larrys’ equipement rentals.
A friend of mine used to have a visor that had a really long brim. He called it his “Super Visor”
Just in case I dont get back here tomorrow, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy passing an arbitrary point in the space-time continuum Day. And you should always pack a tie to go with your navy blue blazer. Ties look good, too.
To Herve,
thanks for your comments and link. Very much appreciated. I’m not always following the Dialogues in burn. they are quite frantic. Besides, I don’t usually speak much. I’ve followed your link too from time to time, your street shots are very interesting. And I respect your comments and viewpoint in general.
See you around,
John
CIVI
“I’m coming back everyday…for your everyday…almost everyday…
it’s sometimes the everyday…
that it makes everyday not like every every day…
falling in love with the everyday…is not happening everyday…”
:)))) and who’s not a writer, hmm? I love this!
PATRICIA
((((XOXOXO)))))
Just cuz i think you need it..
ALL:
I’m gonna be at the Robert Frank show at the Met tomorrow..if i don’t get back online, want to wish everyone a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR..
DAH
all the best in Rio..can’t even imagine New Year’s Eve there..excess to the excess. NJoy!
best to all
Kathleen
ROSS – This ones for you mate – Shorts, walk socks , I still have nightmares !
http://glenncampbellspictures.com/blog/the-territory/best-dressed-at-the-adelaide-river-races/
Glenn; Pure class!!! :-)
Best wishes…
http://johnvink.com/news/2009/12/new-year-wishes-2010-a-winner/
HAPPY NEW YEAR AUSSIES AND ASIANS …and then the rest of the Universe…
I will be back…I just talked with the Santa Claus …he/she promised to me a good
NY ‘s present…i will let you know the soonest…
KATIEEEEEE… I love you everyday…
VIVA Maradona …VIVA football …soccer whatever…I am still working…
I will be back with more tedious posts…WHAT not to Celebrate…
MR.HARVEY …oime …mama said you forgot your swimsuit …
Be HAPPY BURNIANS …shoot …you never know what the Universe will bring …
see me later…
Kathleen, if you’re in midtown, 41 E. 57th street, you might consider stopping by the Howard Greenburg gallery and seeing Bruce Davidson’s “East 100th Street” photos. I went there today to see it before it closed. I think Saturday is the last day.
John Gladdy, if you’re reading, I now see, or maybe remember, what you mean about the superiority of prints. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen anything remotely approaching the quality of Davidson’s prints. If ever.
Thanks, dear Burnians, for your get well wishes via emails, phone messages and comments here. Turned a corner today and even spent much of the day outside the confines of my home. Yippee!!! I’ll be swimming again next week when the holiday break is done. All is well…
hugs
Patricia
Best wishes for all!! Happy New Year!!!
11:19am in grecolandia…
shaving my mustache now..
i want the new year to find me “clean”…
big hug..
;)
4:20 in NY..
people there deliver..
take advantage..:)
Michael Webster. GOOD!! :)
Now go to the MET and check out the Frank Prints. Then try and find some big glorious Cibachromes (maybe Serrano if you can find him). Original Natchwey prints, anything thats superbly printed and hung on a wall. Then tell me you prefer an internet slideshow. Once you have seen the real thing, everything else should just be seen as a preview. I suspect strongly that a whole bunch of the work so far shown on burn will sing a whole lot clearer when viewed in the flesh.
John
HAPPY NEW ONE everybody..
no idea what is happening on here for a while.. patricia – you okay?
out in the land of snow with sporadic connection..
” I suspect strongly that a whole bunch of the work so far shown on burn will sing a whole lot clearer when viewed in the flesh.”
It did, John. It most certainly did sing. Not that we saw prints of ALL the work published thus far on Burn during that first Burn gallery exhibit in DAH’s lift last October, but we did see enough to hear a song none of us will ever forget. And it certainly didn’t hurt that most of the prints were made by master printer Mike Courvoisier. As we all know, there are prints and then there are PRINTS.
I’m doing fine now, dear David B. Thanks for asking. Please give Tor Capa a kiss from his Grandma Techno. BTW you’ve been missed!
Happy 2010 to ALL…
Patricia
To be fair John, I didn’t say, or at least didn’t mean, internet slideshow. I was talking about properly prepared images for a large hi-res display. Now that you’ve got me thinking about it, I’ll seek out more color prints for comparison, but I’m not so sure I’ll change my opinion. I think I kind of came by it looking at Burtynsky prints at his Brooklyn Museum show, which I thought were recognized as way up there quality-wise. And I recently went to the Alex and Rebecca Webb show and thought the same thing. But I’ve got nothing, if not an open mind so I’ll keep at it. And true, I can’t imagine saying the same thing about black and white with those Davidson prints fresh in my mind.
Should mention too, that prints fade while digital images stay the same. Perhaps that had something to do with my comments. I worked briefly out at Reader’s Digest and spent significant time looking at many classic black and white prints. They had a lot of depression era Walker Evans and Dorthea Langes hanging around (Lila Acheson’s collection, you know). But I didn’t get the same sense of wonder I did from the Davidson prints. Anyway, I’m tuned in now and will take your advice on seeking out better.
And another thing, which I know I’m going to have trouble verbalizing coherently (probably since I don’t have a coherent opinion), but there’s something about the associated costs that bother me. Those East 100th street prints are over $5000 a pop and the book is $350. That denies a lot of people the benefit of contemplating those images. I, for example, won’t be lining my walls with them anytime soon. Perhaps that exclusion of the grubby masses is part of what gives them profit potential, but I’m not so sure. And from the other side, I’m uncomfortable being, in one sense, little more than a courtier for the super rich. There must be a better way. Not saying the existing system should cease to exist, but it would be nice to see it expand and beautifully produced slideshows for large high quality displays may be a good option.
Along those lines, I watched Steven Sebring’s film about Patti Smith last night. Sebring is a still photographer and it shows distinctly in the movie. Although it doesn’t contain a lot of still photography, in many other ways, particularly the way the narrative is handled, it’s my idea of what a good multimedia piece should shoot for. Regarding the gear (5D) issue, it was interesting to see Smith, who’s not a bad photographer, lugging around a big honkin Polaroid land camera for at least ten years. And regarding the not-limiting-great-photography-to-the-rich issue, note that it was, and will be, seen by many millions. Anyway, I think a lot of people here would find it interesting for the photography alone. http://www.pbs.org/pov/pattismith/
Blink and its 2011 http://www.artouko.com/im.htm and the mouse rolled over
Happy New Year everyone!! I have enjoyed 2009 with all of you, and looking forward to a new and even better year ahead.
It’s 3.20am here; I’ve just got back from shooting in town and the New Year is already 3 hours old! For the first time in 2 weeks I’ve finally been able to produce some decent pics, thank goodness because it was getting frustrating.
I’d like to wish all burnians a happy New Year. I hope the year brings you all you ask for.
Take care.
michael webster –
sorry, laughing a bit “I watched Steven Sebring’s film about Patti Smith last night…it’s my idea of what a good multimedia piece should shoot for.”
Well YES! but it took him 12 years to shoot. That amazing vibe-look-feel is quite similar to what I want for moving film for the dark light of this nothing, which is why it hasn’t happened (yet?) Extensive time and resources, etc. on top of amazing creative vision, make his film the quality piece that it is. I salute Steven Sebring and yes I agree there-in is a great model of something to reach for, but I do think in general “good multimedia” is going to have to take on a different face, or we won’t see anything new for a very long time.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8436388.stm
as posted from thomas bregulla..
see twitter above…
fingers crossed
Burnians, it has been a great year and a great big pleasure to be here on burn!
I am sending my best wishes to all of you for a wonderful 2010!
Heavy snowfall in my part of the world, but Rio sounds worse… As Panos said – keep the fingers crossed!
It is still 2009 and I am off to the transition party into 2010.
Love you all!
Reimar
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
THE PHOTO PHILOSOPHERS…2010 work in progress …
PATRICIA LAY- DORSEY on Falling into place
KATHLEEN FONSECA on Landshapes and MY Book
LASSAL on the Meaning
ANNE HENNING on Landscapes of the Season
KATIA ROBERTS on Real Change
CRISTINA FARAMO on in the Mood for Love
LAURA EL-TANTAWY on the veil
LISA LOGHEN on her tearsheets
JENNY LUNM WALKER on keep Burning
KATHARINA on Vignettes
KERRY PAYNE on Cuba , New York and Paris calling
ERICA MACDONALD on the dark light of this nothing
SOFIA QUINTAS on Black Mole Skine
GINA MARTIN on Burning
CATHY SCHOLL on Back to India
CARRIE ROSEMAN on dream By Day
ANDREA EJESTVANG on the Greenland
ANNA BOYAZIS on Aids orphans
GRACIE KIM on Love
VICKY SLATER on Pinholes
WENDY on Cuba with Love
ANDREAC cycling India from East to West
ANDREY BARDOU on 15 minutes
VALERY RIZZO on Brooklyn
MY GRACIE on the BURN book of poems
DAVID ALAN HARVEY on …on…on…on…never ending
ANTON on “Odo”
JOHN VINK on Land Issues
N.ECONOMOPOULOS on Anatolia
MARTIN PARR on Wal-Mart
ALEX & REBECCA WEBB on my Dakota
AKAKY on the Passing Parade
MIKE COURVOISIER on Broadway
MICHAEL LOYD YOUNG on the …U.S gulf Coast
JAMES ESTRIN on Lens
TRENT NELSON on Click
BRYAN FORMHAL on la pura Vida
BOB BLACK on his new Project
BRIAN FRANK on Express yourself
PANOS SKOULIDAS on the Photomythology
CHARLES PETERSON on FELIX and BURN
JUSTIN PARTYKA on JOHN COHEN
BODO on the Cloud Hunter
HAIK on four new BURNING projects,
RAFAL on La Familia Abrazada
ASHER on Burning
PRESTON MERCHANT on the Indian World
TOM HYDE on BURNING with
MARCIN on the Time without light
CHRIS BICKFORD on Mona
THOMAS BREGULLA on Everyday
PAUL O’MARA on the 2.8 Project
IMANTS on booketrouko
JASON HOUGE on the The iPhone Photojournalist.
MICHAEL WEBSTER on Abandoned
VIVEK on Times Square
MIKE HALMINSKI on his note cards
LANCE ROSENFIELD on his Cantina Series
CHARLIE MAHONEY on a troubled Paradise
PETE MAROVICH on the 37th Frame
HERVE on the Carnival
MIKE R on his Memories of him
REIMAR OTT on Aid Convoy to Russia
FRANCESCO LASTRUCCI on the deseo de estrella
JIM POWERS on J.P Photography
ROSS NOLLY on The kids are alright
GAETANO BELVERDE on the Skin Tales
DAVID BOWEN on Manduwala
BJARTE EDVARDSEN on LBK Norge
THODORIS TZALAVRAS on Nicosia in Dark and White
JENN ACKERMAN on Trapped
PAUL RUSSELL on Beside the Sea
MARK W on Burning
PETER.B.SCHAFER on Wonderland
VICTOR BEN TZVI on Israeli Landscape
JAMES W.DELANO on a Thirsting World
MIMI MOLLICA on Terra Nostra
NEVEN GRUJIC on La Familia
JON-MARC SEIMON on Grand Manan
PETER GRANT on the Man behind the camera
ERIC ESPINOSA on Burning in Europe
SAM HARRIS on Postcards from Home
JOHN CLADDY on None of the above
ANDREW SULLIVAN on the Harlem Jazz
SIDNEY ATKINS on the six records of a Floating Life
DAVID MCGOWAN on the Humanflies
MATTHEW NEWTON on the Ditch goes global
DOMINIK DUNSCH on same country-different stories
JAMES CHANCE on our Story -multimedia
MARTIN BRINK on the daily Round
PAUL TREACY on the Chalkers
MIKE BERUDE on the Slowdrift
FROSTFROG on Running Dog
DAVID BACHER on the Reindeer people
IAN AITKEN on Travel Folio
MICHAEL KIRTCHER on the Healing Waters
JONI KARANKA on Mindfist
GORDON LAFLEUR on Joy Kills Sorrow
MICHAL DANIEL on Bring In ‘Da Noise, Bring In ‘Da Funk
JUSTIN SMITH on keep Britain
STRIVINAS KURUGANTI on Bhangra
PATRICIOM. onTrackBikes
VINCENT ASSANTE DI CUPILLO on Dialogue Photo
JEREMY WADE SHOCKLEY on South Africa
PARTHA PAL on the Tribal Haat
RAMON MAS on Bizkaian Landscapes
JOHN LANGMORE on a portrait of East Austin
FRAN M.HACK on Burning
DQ on Burning
GLENN CAMPBELL on Aboriginal Issues
DAVIN ELLICSON on Nordic High
MARK TOMALTY on Hockey Moments
ANDREW B on random images
JARED IORIO on Strange.rs
ABELE GUARENGA on the traces of Samuele
PETRI UUTELA on Passers-by
JUKKA ONNELA on Smoke Collective
SPACE COWBOY on the Space travelers
Emerging Philosophers:
THE CIRCUS KIDS …stay tuned
THANK YOU MR.HARVEY for opening the doors and the windows…
THANK YOU ALL BURNIANS for all your support (KATIE, MyGRACIE,DAVIDB,
ourPATRICIA,PANOS,REIMAR,SIDNEY,THODORIS…)
THANK YOU LASSAL and HAIK for the insight help…
Thank YOU Universe.
Thank you my Family …who still LOVES me …
I feel there is an exciting year ahead!
REIMAR
P.S… the above …is dedicated to ANDREW.W, to MASAAKI, to all the MAMAS and PAPAS who are not here, To all the family and friends who are Here and There …to Stavroula,to Nirvana…we know …you know…ENJOY our work in progress…!!!
What not to LOVE !!! VIVA !!!
I LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLL
I will be back NEXT YEAR
We love you to Civi :)
jee…
that looks like the Burn Yellow Pages…
Asylum Burn
:))))))
CIVI
manduwala.. halcyon days.. brutal and beautiful.
tanks.
O
so it`s an interesting one tonight.. celebrating the beginning of a new beginning.. digesting all too much food and ‘water of life’.. hiccup..
and yet
the family is incomplete right now as some have gone to the hospital to visit tor capas great aunt who was taken in christmas day and is close to passing..
now..
there is a life well lived..
a fan of boxing..
who has fought hard and won every fresh day of loving.
lived through a poor norway, a nazi occupation
who, after near enough a century of living, shared life’s water with us on christmas eve and reveled in top cats company.
big respect to all here and raising a literal glass to top cats great aunt..
a great woman who touched all.
THE PHOTO PHILOSOPHERS…2010 work in progress continued…
A CIVILIAN MASS AUDIENCE on What Not To Love
Somehow I suspect we might have burned ourselves to a crisp had we not had Civi around to pour LOVE in large doses over our over-the-top flamings. Let’s hear it for our resident PHILOSOPHER/MUSE!!!
warm hugs
Patricia
May Tor Capa’s great aunt pass gently into a land where the water never dries up and babies’ giggles offer unending delight. Her story continues through all who know and love her…
Patricia
Patricia…i second that..
totally agree…
Civi builds and I destroy..
ahhh what not to love????
A happy New Year to all at Burn. Thank you for your photographs and writings.
Mike.
Happy New Year all,
here’s a question, BTW:
If Twitter is sent thru a phone, how come messages are not spoken/heard, rather than typed/read?
Herve, It’s sent via his phone however it can also be sent through Facebook or many internet sources.. He’s using an app on his iPhone to send it. It’s a brief text message to update his doings.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all-
No doubt that 2010 will be another fabulous year for BURN!!!! CIVI, you are amazing….
Cheers,
Eric
Thanks Jason, again: Why not audio messages?
btw, I wish David to be as well-surrounded by the time 2010 rings in to the tune of a Samba, tonight in RIO:
Herve, you can also do audio, you need an additional service however…
Happy New Year to you all!
http://twitter.com/thomasbregulla/statuses/7246278192
#300