Dec
03
11/14/15 Honor Vets Flight – Washington D.C.
Dec
01
The Wall…
I’ve shot it many times….this Cold, Black Stone Sentinel of Solemn Honor. For men my age, it always takes our breath away. Because if not for the Grace of God and the lucky timing of the stroke of Nixon’s 1973 Vietnam War ending pen, my name could very easily now, have been etched on the inside of this wall, looking out at a life that could have been. So I wanted to do something different this time. So rather than trying to battle the crowds, the distractions, the sheer overwhelming number of endless names on each panel, as I have done in the past, I decided to simplify this shoot to it’s most basic form.
Alpha & Omega. The Beginning & The End.
I simply focused on the very first name on the Wall, and the very last name on the Wall. Each name placed there pretty much in the very order in which each soldier died during this God Awful Atrocity of War.
John H. Anderson Jr.
Jessie C. Alba
You made the Ultimate Sacrifice for Our Country – Thank You, & May You Rest In Peace.
Oct
04
Bombs Away! – The American Bombshells Take Flight
What a great way to get warmed up for my November 14th gig with 55 local Heroes, when we all fly down to Washington to take these boys on what most likely will be their last visit to the monuments honoring their heroic service to our country. Tonight’s fundraiser at the Horseheads Legion was highlighted by the incredible “American Bombshells” Singing Troupe out of Brooklyn, NYC. These three gals were a great treat to our senses of both sight & sound! They sure did make those nicely tailored ’40’s Military Costumes look mighty fine indeed, and their singing wasn’t bad either! But the thing that far surpassed both their visual and audio effect on everyone, was their genuine care for, respect and affection that they all showed while meeting and chatting with these grizzled old Veterans between their sets and after the show. They laughed, and chatted, and smiled with these guys, and I’m certain that by simply doing so, brought so many of these old boys back to life again tonight, when they felt once again like they did when they were young and in their prime, fighting for our country in some far away land! Prime Time!
May
23
Watkins When Trailercana?
A scene that has captivated me from my childhood to today. So tonight on my way back from my Sunday Wedding Rehearsal, I finally shot it, and then played with it a bit.
You know where this is….. I know you do!
May
15
Bye Bye B.B.
I shot B.B. King, Live in Concert – Clemens Center – Elmira, NY 01/31/98
A Legend….May you & “Lucille” Rest In Peace…
I still remember this shoot, I shot it for the old Chemung Valley Reporter in Horseheads, and B.B.s folks would only let the Press shoot from behind the Audience Seats, way up at that back wall. So for that reason….being a MILLION Miles away, Plus still using FILM (anyone remember what that was?) These aren’t as great as I would have wished for…but hey….I got to shoot the Blues Master Himself! And the even bigger miracle here? My being able to fairly easily find these negatives!!! OCD has it’s rewards I guess!
Apr
19
“His Spirit Lives On”
A while back I posted this original image from my recent shoot of the Horseheads Fire Department. Since then I received a couple of requests by family, to see if I could add Brother & Father Dick into the mix. Not one to back down from a challenge, I figured this would be a great way to show off some of my Photoshop skills! I did it in a couple of versions…one where he looks real and where he was actually a part of the shoot, and the other is a more spirtual looking version. Let me know what you think, and which one you like the best?As many of you know Dick Sullivan was the Past HFD Fire Chief and he passed away very unexpectedly on 04/05/06.
Mar
12
“Where there’s Smoke, there’s Fire”
I’ve been busier than hell the past few days with the beginning of a week long portrait shooting session of ALL the Members of the Horseheads Fire Department…my buddies across the street from my 211 Studio. Having formerly been both a Horseheads, and a Town & Country Fireman myself, this shoot provided me with the chance to greet and catch up with many old friends, as well as to meet and get to know a bit, many of the newer members that have joined the ranks in recent years. Speaking of old friends, this afternoon I had the privilege to shoot my lifelong old buddy, HFD Chief Artie Sullivan, along with his two nephews, Kevin & Patrick, both of whom I have known since they were little boys. In my opinion, this is one of my all time favorite, meaningful, family portraits.
So what do you think? Is this shot SMOKING HOT, or what???
Feb
11
Taughannock Time Trip
A really N-ICE shot while warming up for last Sunday’s Engagement Shoot @ The Falls.
Beautiful all year long!
