“Winter’s Tale” was the match that lit the spark. I was working in NYC as a a concierge in a building of tenants who I still adore to this day. It was a cold winter night, and I went out for my nightly walk to Jackie Robinson Park, literally two blocks away. The sight that greeted me was picture perfect, and after snapping the shot I ordered a canvas print. When the print arrived I put it in the corner behind my desk discretely at work for feedback, and one of my tenants bought “Winter’s Tale” within an hour of displaying the canvas. I was shocked, nervous, giddy and a 1,001 other emotions - I hadn’t expected my first sale - I was expecting a few critiques maybe a compliment. “Winter’s Tale” was the match that lit the spark for my love of photography, that my work had value outside of “Likes” and “Thumbs Up” on social media. To this day it is still one of my favorite pieces. I’ll never forget the night I took the shot, nor the night I sold it on canvas.
Jolly Green Greenery
This shot was taken at the southern end of Randall’s Island, which lies in the East River between Manhattan and Queens. There are bike and jogging paths galore, baseball diamonds, a small secluded beach as well as a gorgeous view of my favourite bridge, the Hell Gate Bridge. The east river “flows” differently here than in most other places - the water swirl and eddies, yet acts as though the the river itself is alive. The current is unpredictable - it slightly reverses direction, circles back on itself, slithers over here and there. Then of course there are all the gurgles and splashes as the river currents collide with one another. It’s akin to watching clouds move across the sky, in that after a moment or two you are mesmerized and lost in the voice and movements.
Too Late, Too Soon
I always loved the Jon Secada song “Too Late, Too Soon.” It’s a melancholy song embroiled in the deepest seven shades of “What ifs?” The singer tries to rationalize on so many levels, but in his heart of hearts he knows what the deal is. Much like this picture, it’s wonderful to have plants pop up a month too soon, but is it too late to turn back the clock on what man is doing to the climate? As much as I love Mother Nature and her fragile, colorful gifts, I also know she has a dark side that we’ve only begun to experience as she seeks to restore the natural balance
Far and Away
May 9, 2018 It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect weather. I have always loved watching the sky, whether watching clouds barrel across the void while on the ground the air was still as can be, gazing at the Milky Way and constellations as I was growing up in rural Michigan, or just watching the sunset with a glass of wine on my day off. So much to see up there, so much beauty, if only we take the time out of our busy days and lives to appreciate it. Blue is also my favourite colour, so the parceling of the clouds from whisps to clumps only added to that day
Kryptonopolis
It had been a wet and rainy evening, but my need to get out of the house trumped any atmospheric precipitation. One of my favourite haunts to take pictures is on the waterfront of Long Island City, a part of Queens. The rain had stopped by the time I came upstairs from the subway, but their were gorgeous repercussions. Mother Nature and man had pretty much compiled the image for me - the golden mist of the sky met the fog enshrouded skyscraper to produce a “picture-perfect picture,” if you will. The name of this photo comes from “Superman: The Movie” and is an updated homage to Krypton’s capital city. The fate of Superman’s homeworld is already foreshadowed in the image by the glowing green light atop one of the skyscrapers.
The Speed Force
I’ve always been an experimenting kind of chap, so I wondered what I could capture with a prolonged exposure dangling my camera out of a Chevrolet going 65 miles an hour up Interstate 90 in New Jersey back in 2014. I was awestruck when I saw the results - it’s just a dizzying tizzy of color and light. “The Speed Force” seemed an appropriate name, as the picture represents some type of gateway for the Scarlet Speedster of DC Comics fame.
