Here is a little taxi cab information for all my New Yorkers, and people visiting the city.
The driver has a special license called a Hack License. (S)he gets it from the Taxi and Limousine Commission (the TLC). Hack licenses have a number. This number is sequential. It started with the first license (at the dawn of time) 00001. It has been going up ever since. You can tell how long a driver has been driving (on that license) by looking at the first 2 digits. This is useful cause say it is Halloween weekend and you want to go home to Queens (or the Upper East Side) and your cabbie pretends that he does not know how to get there, cause there are more lucrative short term fares around. You can say "so your hack starts with a 41. That means you have been driving for what 20 years? At least 17 right?" This will shut them up and get you where you want to go.
Below is DeNiro's Hack License from 1975. He got it when researching for "Taxi Driver."
The numbers do not correlate to years or anything other then the sequence in which the license was issued. If you ask drivers how long they have been driving and look at the first 2 numbers you can get pretty good at guessing.
Guessing correctly at the start of the ride has gotten me some pretty interesting stories. First they are impressed cause so few people know this. Sometimes they think you are from the TLC and are on their best behavior. Other times they open up to you. One time I had a cabbie that had been driving for 30+ years, owned 2 medallions, a house in Brooklyn and another in Haiti. Turns out that he had well over $2 million in assets. He was semi retired and lived between here and Haiti.
Another great thing about chatting with you cabbie is that if (s)he has been on the road a long time (s)he might know a quicker way for you to get home.
Welcome to my web site. I specialize in shooting private events, weddings, Mitzvahs, as well as fashion events for magazines. This site showcases some of my work and gives you a peek at my glamorous clients and fabulous friends. Thanks for visiting!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Green Power from Con-Ed
We switched to green power from Con-Ed about a year ago and it has been great. Click here for the enrollment form.
They have the program for businesses and residences.
If you are not in NYC, check if your local utility does something similar.
It ends up costing about the same cause you don't have to pay sales tax. This way I can run by air conditioner with reckless delight and not feel so bad about it.
Greenworks cleaners
I woke up at 5 am and was watching HGTV. They had ads for these products. They are called Greenworks and are made by Clorox. Sam switched us to different green cleaners a while ago. She orders them off the internet and we get giant tubs of the stuff.
I am wondering if anyone has had a chance to try these. Please comment with your experiences.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Friday Morning, Get Down!
It's Friday morning, and it's high time to get the weekend started with a little disco jam.
Today it's Lovers Holiday from Change.
I love youtube for the home made music videos.
Today it's Lovers Holiday from Change.
I love youtube for the home made music videos.
Nike Chicken
I was chatting with a friend today about parkour and I thought about this video. Parkour is a style of movement categorized by efficiency. This video came to mind.
I love the direction; when the guy busts in on the kids playing video games and they are static until they see the chicken and then recoil. It gets me every time.
I love the direction; when the guy busts in on the kids playing video games and they are static until they see the chicken and then recoil. It gets me every time.
1500 Thread Count Sheets for $108...... You're Welcome
I have these sheets (the 1200 thread count version) and I love them. They are smooth, super thick and crisp. I am running out to get these higher thread count sheets as soon as I am done typing.
It is best to send them out to get washed and pressed. They have a special machine for pressing sheets. I tried to iron them myself and they are too thick. You can just grab them from the dryer, but they will look like crumpled paper and stay that way a little when on the bed. Getting them pressed is like $10 (half a lap dance) but way more worth it.
It is like sleeping in a magical envelope of amazingness. These sheets have ruined staying in hotels for me. I am like "my sheets at home are better." And at these prices....
Overstock.com
You're Welcome!
It is best to send them out to get washed and pressed. They have a special machine for pressing sheets. I tried to iron them myself and they are too thick. You can just grab them from the dryer, but they will look like crumpled paper and stay that way a little when on the bed. Getting them pressed is like $10 (half a lap dance) but way more worth it.
It is like sleeping in a magical envelope of amazingness. These sheets have ruined staying in hotels for me. I am like "my sheets at home are better." And at these prices....
Overstock.com
You're Welcome!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Esme's First 1st Birthday
Esme's birthday is today. We are keeping it pretty chill, accept for the family photo, but more on that in another post.
Her aunties Helen and Lib (who refused to be photographed) came over on the 6th with gifts and cupcakes. We did her first 1st birthday. She has had a couple other small parties since, but this was the first.
Esme is so small for a 1 year old. She is such a little monkey too. She is waving and getting more vocal. She is loud, but it is so cute.
Here she is on Sam's lap looking kinda dumbfounded. I am sure we were singing at this point and she was confused.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Hudson Yards Catering at MoMA
I shot for Hudson Yards Catering (Danny Meyer's catering company). They were doing a party at MoMA.
The food was amazing and the atmosphere in the kitchen was so relaxed. That is the sign of professionals, when they are just chilled out while doing the work. It is funny but everything gets done faster when people are relaxed like that.
Of all the dishes there was one that I fell in love with. Rum Raisin Creme Brule. Inspired. There we a couple of raisins at the bottom. A great surprise. I can't wait to work with them again, hopefully I can convince them to pay me in Creme Brule.
Yohji Yamamoto - Y3 Parties
Last week I shot the parties at Yohji Yamamoto and Y3. They are across the street from each other and two parts of the same brand. They took over the street and connected the spaces with these great inflatable HMI lights.
To ID the people that were invited to the party, they gave each person a custom dye cut pin. One of the party spaces was the new Yohji Yamamoto store. I had trouble finding it at first, then I remembered that the old Boss Models space has been vacant. I went in that direction to check it out and sure enough they had taken it over. I think instead of giving an address we should all just say what the most famous (or infamous) incarnation of the building was. We do this in NYC organically. I did a party at the Tunnel last year and nobody called it anything other then the Tunnel, even though it is kinda different now then it was 14 years ago. Today someone had in the signature of their email "The Woolworth Building". Woolworth's has been closed for how many years now? I think it is going on 20.
Anyway, the new version of the space is really nice. They split the building up and all the brickwork has gotten a good scrub. For the party however they covered the outside with translucent plastic panels and lit them from within. It kinda looked like a giant glowing Iroquois long house. This totally obscured the building, but created a lot more space for the party and all the Japanese people could smoke, cause technically it was outside. In all fairness a bunch of the New Yorkers were smoking too.
It is funny cause when it comes to private events, people ask me to do "photo-journalistic and editorial" work. When I first sat down with Conde Nast my biggest editorial client currently, they looked at my book and said "these candids are too much, don't do that for us, we want head to toes." Since then they have become more accepting of me shooting more candid stuff. I still shoot straight on to give them options and there are tons of times when I know that they need a head to toe, so I don't event think about doing a candid.
The funny thing is that if you get a great candid that shows tons of emotion, you can't run it. It is too personal, too intimate. I have shot some great things and looked at them later and thought "I hope they don't run this." It feels like a violation of the subject to publish something with that much emotional content, even if they are happy. It is not the appropriate outlet. That is a large party of what I love about private events. I don't have to hold back. I can get that great shot that gives the viewer a visceral effect.
This is alot of chatting for a photography blog. Here is a picture of the creative director of Y3. His name stared with an L. I lost the ability to remember someones name at a party like this.
So here you go, a candid that is not too invasive. This is a great image for press. He looks happy and nice, a great relaxed version of himself.
Years ago Sam (my room mate/bestfriend/godbaby mama) I am going with that last one from now on. Sam (my godbaby mama) used to write for Nickelodeon. They packaged their Saturday night line up in a thing called Snick House. They shot in a house that had once belonged to Larry Flint, and Elizabeth Taylor before that. The anchor of the show was none other then Nick Cannon. About 2 years ago I was shooting for Moet et Chandon. They were doing a lounge at the tents. It was one of those super exclusive parties were there are 6 people: a star, someone from the entourage, a model-waiter, a client rep, PR and a photographer. I was the photographer, Nick was the star. We were there for an hour and a half. I chatted with him and he totally remembered Sam.
I saw him again tonight. He was running out the door. It is funny cause Sam is kinda proud of him cause she worked with him when he was so young and new to the industry. Any time there is something that relates to him on TV she is all "good for him, he deserves it."
So my first time shooting on the press line, I didn't have an agency, my friend who was PR got me on the line, I met this next person. I was totally new and there was a frenzy, or at least what seemed like a frenzy at the time, for a ton of less then A-listers. It was at the Soho Grand and there were no stanchions or step and repeat (the background with all the logos). It was not too organized.
I recognized someone in the crowd as a model that had shot for DKNY. I took some shots, other people followed my lead. That's when I knew that I would be able to do this job. I noticed that the guy was wearing a great leather jacket. It was made of very buttery leather. I asked him where he got it. It turns out that he had a line of clothing and this was one of the things he made. They had limited distribution. We chatted about the price (too much for me at the time) and he gave me his info to email about sample sales. We emailed back and forth a couple of times. The clothing line was Rag and Bone. The guy was Nathan Bogle.
He was at the party tonight. I am sure he does not remember me. He was kinda cagey about getting his photo taken. I though "This is kinda odd. Sure Rag and Bone is getting a lot of great attention, but who doesn't want the press?"
I found out when I got home that he is dating Natalie Portman. That would make me edgy around a camera too.
Great Choice Natalie. Not only is he cute and has a British accent, he can get you great clothes, before they hit stores, at cost. That's a relationship home run in my book.
To ID the people that were invited to the party, they gave each person a custom dye cut pin. One of the party spaces was the new Yohji Yamamoto store. I had trouble finding it at first, then I remembered that the old Boss Models space has been vacant. I went in that direction to check it out and sure enough they had taken it over. I think instead of giving an address we should all just say what the most famous (or infamous) incarnation of the building was. We do this in NYC organically. I did a party at the Tunnel last year and nobody called it anything other then the Tunnel, even though it is kinda different now then it was 14 years ago. Today someone had in the signature of their email "The Woolworth Building". Woolworth's has been closed for how many years now? I think it is going on 20.
Anyway, the new version of the space is really nice. They split the building up and all the brickwork has gotten a good scrub. For the party however they covered the outside with translucent plastic panels and lit them from within. It kinda looked like a giant glowing Iroquois long house. This totally obscured the building, but created a lot more space for the party and all the Japanese people could smoke, cause technically it was outside. In all fairness a bunch of the New Yorkers were smoking too.
It is funny cause when it comes to private events, people ask me to do "photo-journalistic and editorial" work. When I first sat down with Conde Nast my biggest editorial client currently, they looked at my book and said "these candids are too much, don't do that for us, we want head to toes." Since then they have become more accepting of me shooting more candid stuff. I still shoot straight on to give them options and there are tons of times when I know that they need a head to toe, so I don't event think about doing a candid.
The funny thing is that if you get a great candid that shows tons of emotion, you can't run it. It is too personal, too intimate. I have shot some great things and looked at them later and thought "I hope they don't run this." It feels like a violation of the subject to publish something with that much emotional content, even if they are happy. It is not the appropriate outlet. That is a large party of what I love about private events. I don't have to hold back. I can get that great shot that gives the viewer a visceral effect.
This is alot of chatting for a photography blog. Here is a picture of the creative director of Y3. His name stared with an L. I lost the ability to remember someones name at a party like this.
So here you go, a candid that is not too invasive. This is a great image for press. He looks happy and nice, a great relaxed version of himself.
Years ago Sam (my room mate/bestfriend/godbaby mama) I am going with that last one from now on. Sam (my godbaby mama) used to write for Nickelodeon. They packaged their Saturday night line up in a thing called Snick House. They shot in a house that had once belonged to Larry Flint, and Elizabeth Taylor before that. The anchor of the show was none other then Nick Cannon. About 2 years ago I was shooting for Moet et Chandon. They were doing a lounge at the tents. It was one of those super exclusive parties were there are 6 people: a star, someone from the entourage, a model-waiter, a client rep, PR and a photographer. I was the photographer, Nick was the star. We were there for an hour and a half. I chatted with him and he totally remembered Sam.
I saw him again tonight. He was running out the door. It is funny cause Sam is kinda proud of him cause she worked with him when he was so young and new to the industry. Any time there is something that relates to him on TV she is all "good for him, he deserves it."
So my first time shooting on the press line, I didn't have an agency, my friend who was PR got me on the line, I met this next person. I was totally new and there was a frenzy, or at least what seemed like a frenzy at the time, for a ton of less then A-listers. It was at the Soho Grand and there were no stanchions or step and repeat (the background with all the logos). It was not too organized.
I recognized someone in the crowd as a model that had shot for DKNY. I took some shots, other people followed my lead. That's when I knew that I would be able to do this job. I noticed that the guy was wearing a great leather jacket. It was made of very buttery leather. I asked him where he got it. It turns out that he had a line of clothing and this was one of the things he made. They had limited distribution. We chatted about the price (too much for me at the time) and he gave me his info to email about sample sales. We emailed back and forth a couple of times. The clothing line was Rag and Bone. The guy was Nathan Bogle.
He was at the party tonight. I am sure he does not remember me. He was kinda cagey about getting his photo taken. I though "This is kinda odd. Sure Rag and Bone is getting a lot of great attention, but who doesn't want the press?"
I found out when I got home that he is dating Natalie Portman. That would make me edgy around a camera too.
Great Choice Natalie. Not only is he cute and has a British accent, he can get you great clothes, before they hit stores, at cost. That's a relationship home run in my book.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Pommes Frites Bar
I was at MoMA last night shooting for Hudson Yards Catering. I was chatting with one of the guests about peanut butter and I remembered the Pommes Frites bar at Whole Foods on Bowery and Houston. You can pick your potato, regular, sweet, that type of thing. Pick your salt; Hawiian volcanic, himalayan, fleru de sel and of course truffle salt. Guess which one I like. The dipping sauces are great too: mayo, mustard, ketchup, curry, and my fave roasted garlic aioli.
There is seating upstairs and it is a great place to process the obtuse foreign you just saw at Sunshine Cinema down the street.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Jewish Haiku
These were sent to me by a client, I am still laughing at them days later.
Beyond Valium,
Peace is knowing one's child
Is an internist.
On Passover we
Opened the door for Elijah.
Now our cat is gone.
Her lips near my ear,
Aunt Sadie whispers the name
Of her friend's disease.
Today I am a man.
Tomorrow I will return
To the seventh grade.
The sparkling blue sea
Reminds me to wait an hour
After my sandwich.
Like a bonsai tree,
Is your terrible posture
At my dinner table.
Jews on safari --
Map, compass, elephant gun,
Hard sucking candies.
The same kimono
The top geishas are wearing:
I got it at Loehmann's.
Mom, please! There is no
Need to put that dinner roll
In your pocketbook.
Seven-foot Jews in
The NBA slam-dunking!
My alarm clock rings.
Sorry I'm not home
To take your call. At the tone
Please state your bad news.
Is one Nobel Prize
So much to ask from a child
After all I've done?
Today, mild shvitzing.
Tomorrow, so hot you'll plotz.
Five-day forecast: feh
Yenta. Shmeer. Gevalt.
Shlemiel. Shlimazl. Meshuganah
Oy! To be fluent!
A lovely nose ring,
Excuse me while I put my
Head in the oven.
Hard to tell under the lights.
White Yarmulke or
Male-pattern baldness
Peace is knowing one's child
Is an internist.
On Passover we
Opened the door for Elijah.
Now our cat is gone.
Her lips near my ear,
Aunt Sadie whispers the name
Of her friend's disease.
Today I am a man.
Tomorrow I will return
To the seventh grade.
The sparkling blue sea
Reminds me to wait an hour
After my sandwich.
Like a bonsai tree,
Is your terrible posture
At my dinner table.
Jews on safari --
Map, compass, elephant gun,
Hard sucking candies.
The same kimono
The top geishas are wearing:
I got it at Loehmann's.
Mom, please! There is no
Need to put that dinner roll
In your pocketbook.
Seven-foot Jews in
The NBA slam-dunking!
My alarm clock rings.
Sorry I'm not home
To take your call. At the tone
Please state your bad news.
Is one Nobel Prize
So much to ask from a child
After all I've done?
Today, mild shvitzing.
Tomorrow, so hot you'll plotz.
Five-day forecast: feh
Yenta. Shmeer. Gevalt.
Shlemiel. Shlimazl. Meshuganah
Oy! To be fluent!
A lovely nose ring,
Excuse me while I put my
Head in the oven.
Hard to tell under the lights.
White Yarmulke or
Male-pattern baldness
Monday, February 4, 2008
Baby Alert: She is almost one!
The baby is a couple weeks shy of her first birthday and she is tiny. She is smart and hitting all of her developmental milestones, she is just small, and adorable.
Today's outfit was a little crazy. The best part were the navy velvet jodhpurs with knee high socks that made her look like an English schoolboy.
She loves walking around, with a bit of assistance. She does laps around the perimeter of whatever room she's in, holding on to walls and furniture all the way.
The upside of her being so small is that she still fits in the Bumbo. This makes feeding very easy. She will eat about anything. She has all of five teeth and is great at using them.
Today's outfit was a little crazy. The best part were the navy velvet jodhpurs with knee high socks that made her look like an English schoolboy.
She loves walking around, with a bit of assistance. She does laps around the perimeter of whatever room she's in, holding on to walls and furniture all the way.
The upside of her being so small is that she still fits in the Bumbo. This makes feeding very easy. She will eat about anything. She has all of five teeth and is great at using them.
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