Blizzard of 2011: A Quiet Moment in Times Square

Around this time last year, New York City was buried under 19 inches of snow. During the storm, at about 2am, Steve and I decided to bundle up and venture out with our cameras to explore the empty city. We had a great time although it was quite difficult to keep our lenses clear of melting snowflakes and wet smudges.

Arriving in Times Square, we realized that the average, intelligent person was snuggled up at home, hot cocoa in hand, enjoying the warmth of their apartment. But after taking a moment to look around, we realized that we were sharing the normally bustling commercial intersection with only about seven other people and we were completely mesmerized by the quiet; the stillness; the calm. All of these words that aren't generally associated with the world's most visited tourist attraction. Here are some snippets of our adventure through midtown Manhattan during the blizzard of 2011.

Cindy Sherman @ MOMA

I was super excited to discover that Cindy Sherman's work will be at MOMA starting February 26, 2012 until June 11, 2012. This is an exhibit that should not be missed, she is an amazing photographer.

As described on MOMA's website, Cindy Sherman "is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential artists in contemporary art." What I like most about her is that her work uses the camera as a performative space. She has mastered the art of omitting her self from the scene as she constructs an array of personalities, people, and moments. Even though she is the subject for most of her work, the images are not identified as self-portraits.

Her Untitled Film Stills (some of which will be at MOMA) are some of my favorites. These images are Cindy Sherman's way of telling a story while at the same time allowing you to make up your own narrative. She takes stereotypical feminine norms and breaks them down, showing how identity is malleable by using her self as the subject to create all types of personalities. Her images force the viewer to think about how we construct our own personalities and how we present ourselves to the world.

I'm not exactly sure which photographs will be shown at MOMA, but here are some of my favorite Untitled Film Stills:

 

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #3, 1977 

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #6, 1977

 

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #7, 1978

 

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #13, 1978

Cindy Sherman, Untitled #54, 1980

 

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #96, 1981

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #466, 2008

 

 Cindy Sherman, Untitled #21, 1978

Jeff and his Jaguar

A family friend recently asked me to photograph his Jaguar. The car is freakin' gorgeous and I was excited to get started! Since I really only photograph anything but cars, I worked with Jeff (a serious Jaguar expert and enthusiast) to get some ideas on how to successfully capture the essence of this rad car.

First, he wanted me to highlight some interior and exterior details. I was afraid to even touch the door handle for fear of fingerprints but he kindly told me to just relax (and then followed me around at all times with a rag to wipe the car clean of any smudges).

For lighting, I wanted natural light but I found that at first we were in tree coverage and the light was splotchy, casting some unwanted shadows. So relocation to a parking lot (a great day for a drive with the top down!) and the light was a solid, consistent sunlight that had the car sparkling with pride.

A final tip, make sure there aren't any ugly trees or street lamps or beat up parked cars or piles of dirt in your background—all things that I found appearing in some of the images, ugg. I mean who wants a pile of dirt right next to a dazzling Jag? Regardless, the day was a great success. Thanks to Jeff and his Jag for such a fun day!

  

 

Anna Gaskell: Fairy Tales and Photography

Sticking with the theme of fairy tales and photography, I immediately thought of photographer Anna Gaskell and I thought it would be interesting to highlight some of her work.

Anna Gaskell's two series based loosely off of Alice in Wonderland—wonder (1996–97) and override (1997)—load complex fairy tale narratives into single frames. The images are obviously a staged "reality" with no beginning or end so the viewer is left to fill in the blanks. I think Anna Gaskell's work offers great new possibilities for how the story goes. In the fairy tales, everyone has a happy ending—but what if the ending didn't turn out to be a happy one? The sharp angles, the harsh cropping, and the strange, even eerie sense of playfulness are evidence of her experimentation with this collapsing distinction between "happily ever after" fiction and a more complex reality.

 

Anna Gaskell, untitled #6 (wonder), 1996

Anna Gaskell, untitled #8 (wonder), 1996

 

Anna Gaskell, untitled #25 (override), 1997



Anna Gaskell, untitled #5 (wonder), 1996

You've Gotta Update Your Fairy Tale, Baby

Last night I watched the funny rom-com Friends with Benefits. Your standard boy meets girl and they fall in love but don't realize it until a grand-gesture-at-the-end kind of a movie. I laughed, I cried, and shockingly, I was inspired (yes inspired by a cheesy rom-com!)

Jamie (Mila Kunis) is hooked on the idea of the classic fairy tale. She wants Prince Charming to come in and sweep her off her feet. But her mom tells her: "That's not who you want. I mean, you're looking for a man to be your partner. Someone you can take on the world with. You've gotta update your fairy tale, baby." Love it!

In light of this rom-com inspiration, I remembered a project I worked on last year. OK so it wouldn't be super great if the updated version of Snow White turned out to be a depressed addict but these images are evidence that life doesn't have just one formulaic, storybook ending; that things change; and that sometimes the unexpected can make life a little more interesting.

 

 

Summer Days

On these cold, dark winter days, I sit here longing for some time at the beach. A hot summer visit to Coney Island would be perfect right now. And even though I was deathly (yes deathly!) afraid of the Wonder Wheel, I do enjoy walking the historic boardwalk, riding The Cyclone, and splashing in the cool water. The highlight of my last visit was when Steve, taking on the intense competition of a few 7-year-olds in the amusement park, proudly won me a stuffed woolly mammoth (who doesn't need a stuffed woolly mammoth!?). I eagerly await the sunshine and look forward to those fun summer afternoons!

 

New Year's Resolution

In typical 'New Year's resolution' fashion, I woke up this morning feeling in need of a lot more exercise and a lot less cookies! After a very enjoyable (and delicious) holiday season, it's time to get off the couch, put the running shoes back on, and return to some healthy eating habits. So I'm saying goodbye to the donuts and hello to some mouthwatering fruits and veggies.

Buh-Bye

       

and hello!