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Feb
20

GALLERY #2 – First Baptist Church – Elmira, NY 02/14/25 Fire Aftermath – Shot on 02/15/25

FROM GLORIOUS GLASS… to ….WEEPING WINDOWS

Spent this cold, early afternoon today at the “Scene of the Crime” …. of last night’s devastatingly destructive fire capturing the Charred and still Smoldering remains of the former First Baptist Church in Downtown Elmira. I know a lot of folks have posted pics so far, but I’m adding a bit of a twist to my first few folders of them.

Over the years I was lucky enough to shoot a few Weddings in this Grand Baptist Temple, and after I returned to the warmth of my 211 Studio from my shooting, I dug…and I mean DUG out some images from a Wedding I shot there on September 1 of 2007 so that you could get a small taste of some details of just how stunningly beautiful this building was when it was still being used, and what a loss it truly is to our community. From the Exquisite Stained Glass Windows, to outside in the long lost craftsmanship found in the Beautiful Stonework pretty much everywhere you look, to just a couple shots showing how large & bright the sanctuary was. ENJOY!

FROM GLORIOUS GLASS… to ….WEEPING WINDOWS



Feb
20

GALLERY #1 – First Baptist Church – Elmira, NY 02/14/25 Fire Aftermath – Shot on 02/15/25

 

FROM WAY BACK WHEN….TO NOW, AT THE END

Spent this cold, early afternoon today at the “Scene of the Crime” …. of last night’s devastatingly destructive fire capturing the Charred and still Smoldering remains of the former First Baptist Church in Downtown Elmira. I know a lot of folks have posted pics so far, but I’m adding a bit of a twist to my first few folders of them.

Over the years I was lucky enough to shoot a few Weddings in this Grand Baptist Temple, and after I returned to the warmth of my 211 Studio from my shooting, I dug…and I mean DUG out some images from a Wedding I shot there on September 1 of 2007 so that you could get a small taste of some details of just how stunningly beautiful this building was when it was still being used, and what a loss it truly is to our community. From the Exquisite Stained Glass Windows, to outside in the long lost craftsmanship found in the Beautiful Stonework pretty much everywhere you look, to just a couple shots showing how big the sanctuary was. ENJOY!

FROM WAY BACK WHEN….TO NOW, AT THE END



Elmira’s own, Dr. Jackal – Paul DiPietro

Apr
14

“Elmira’s Flat Iron Eulogy”

This past year I haven’t gone out and done much “fun” shooting…. shooting stuff just for the hell of it. Just didn’t feel it. Well today was my day to break out of my “Covid-19 Coma”
21 years ago when I was scouring old Elmira, looking for some Grand Old Warehouse where I wanted to locate my soon to be New Studio, this building immediately caught my eye. It was so unique, and could have been a really neat Studio setting, but even in 2000 the place was way beyond repair, that is unless you had a Million Dollars to pump into it. So needless to say I moved on & found and rented my first home just around the corner at 352 State Street before buying my current 211 Studio Building here in Horseheads.
So after seeing all the recent, advanced deterioration of the Flatiron’s roof & upper bricks & the rest of the decay that was destroying this unique Elmira structure, and then learning that it’s days were soon to be numbered, I made my trek downtown to put this Grand Old Lady to Photographic Sleep!
Enjoy, and remember to click on images to enlarge to full size!
PS: if anyone from the City of Elmira or Chemung County DPW sees this, (I believe you guys will be tearing it down) please message me. I want to ask you a question before this building gets hauled away brick by brick to the eternity landfill. Thanks!

 

Jan
15

Someday’s Do Come True…

In December I had a 211 Studio Shoot of a couple of “Rose’s”, my friend Mike & his Dad Chuck, both local Firefighters.
Mike is a Firefighter with the Corning City F.D. as well as a member here of the Horseheads F.D., while his Dad Chuck is a member of the Elmira Heights F.D.
Mike also brought to the shoot an old picture from when he was just a four year old boy at the Ward ’79 Parade in 1983, standing with & dreaming of joining his Fireman Daddy someday.
Well….Someday’s Do Come True….and Here’s the Proof!
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May
13

History In Horseheads – Little League Under The Lights! 05-13-17

The scene from tonight’s very first “Night Game” at the Just Installed, Newly Illuminated Horseheads Little League Complex.
First Wrigley Field…..Now Horseheads….What’s Next???|How Cool!
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May
10

Rest Peacefully My Friend

One thing that I can say for sure, after Shooting Full Time for over Eighteen Years now, is that I get to meet a heck of a lot of people, see a lot of things that I wouldn’t normally have seen, and get to be a part of many, many events. Some Happy, Some Sad, Some Trivial, and Some that are just Kinda Special. This is one of those Special Ones…
Enter Mr. Bill Shaw…
I never knew Bill, till that big Knitting Mills Fire in Elmira Heights in January 2016. That night I laughed so hard after hearing what this Lifetime Heights Fireman said that night….He was in the Elmira Heights FD for over Seventy Years….some of those years even as Chief. But it seems that Bill always had something on his mind regarding that massive, old brick structure……and that night it was reported that 90 year old Bill uttered over & over the profound statement “I’ve been waiting Seventy Years for this S.O.B. to Burn!”…..and since no one was injured during the blaze, and it was an unusually warm & comfortable night for January 30, I just thought his quip was totally hilarious! This Old Boy is Pretty Cool I thought to myself! Sounds EXACTLY like something I would say!!!
Well, this January 2017 I had the Pleasure to Personally Meet The Legend…when he graced my 211 Studios while coming in for his Formal E.H.F.D. Portrait. His F.D. Buddy Brad Nicholson came along with him, and we all joked and clowned around while capturing a little bit of Bill for Eternity.
Little did we know, but Bill wasn’t going to be with us much longer, and sadly, he passed away this Monday, May 8th.
I only spent 20 minutes with him that Winter Morning, but I’m very glad I had the chance to share those moments with him.
Today I chatted with Heights Fire Chief Mike Cadek here at the Studio, and he quipped that I probably had a Wedding to shoot on Saturday, but I told him actually No, I didn’t have anything going on Saturday….till then that is…. because Mike asked me if I could be there for Bill’s Final Farewell & do the Photographic Coverage as Bill is Laid To Rest. It will once again be my honor to document this very special farewell to a Local Firefighting Legend.
I’m getting pretty practiced & familiar at shooting these things……as Bill will be Number 4 for me…. Dickie Sullivan – HFD, Ryan Barker – HFD & WHVFD, Tommy Lynch – HFD.
So Bill…..one more time……SMILE!
R.I.P. My Friend….

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Sep
24

211 Studio Rivets & Rust

For years I’ve always loved the great look of ancient, old  Rusted Iron Railroad Bridges. That Rust combined with Millions of Hand Set Rivets, Pounded into place well over 100 years ago. I’ve used my favorite bridge for numerous photo shoots (first 2 pics), and recently I’ve noticed on the newly renovated MSNBC Studios Set, where they now have exposed some of the very same structural Beams & Girders, and you now frequently  see them in the background of the  newsroom. That gave me an idea…. I always like to try to push & expand my artistic abilities, so here’s the latest in my ongoing Studio Personalization.
This is my Client Lounge, where I meet with Clients & chat about their Weddings or Portrait Shoots. What was once just a plain wallboard separation between these two sections of the room, they are now part of my very own rusty old tribute to these great old structures.
I then thought….whats an old beat up bridge in the middle of nowhere, without some Graffiti? So I thought for a bit and added a few select, important, recognizable  symbols & lettering that were common & meaningful during my lifetime, and THAT really brought this thing to life!  Pretty cool, isn’t it??? GET OFF THE TRACKS! HERE COMES THE TRAIN!”

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Sep
20

Our Attention is….Riveted

I always love the look of this old Railroad Bridge, and what’s cool too is knowing that my Grand Dad worked for the very same D. L. & W. Railroad that built & used this bridge.
Soft & Pretty + Old, Iron & Rusty = Always a Winner!
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Jun
07

Welcome to Horseheads – “Zim” Style Reborn!

A Big Shout-Out to Cassie Cavanaugh for the GREAT job that she did in adding/painting native Horseheads Artist Eugene “Zim” Zimmerman’s Iconic Three Horses Welcome Sign onto the North/East Wall of my 211 Studio Building on North Main Street. Cassie’s Art Class at HHS recently completed re-creating this sign that now hangs on the Horseheads Historical Society Museum RR Station/Building, and after I saw it there, I knew that I wanted one on my Studio! It just works so perfectly, as you see this neat welcome sign as you approach the Historic Hanover Square Business District from the North. Great Job Cassie! And THANK YOU So Much for your Time & Talent Cassie!

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Apr
08

Sixteen Candles

So, early (for me at least) Thursday morning, once again we gathered this seasons installment of our hometown Elmira Jackals Professional Ice Hockey Club out onto the Center Ice Circle of the First Arena Pond, and for the Sixteenth Time in this organizations existence, I staged & shot the Official Team Portrait for 2015-2016. I told the Boys after we finished up with the last image, that I hope to be back here doing the same thing in about two months time, only this time with the addition of a shiny Kelly Cup in the center of us all. So let’s see what unfolds this Spring!

Our Town-Our Team-Our Goal
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