Hasidic Obsession

I don't know whether its because I'm not from here, but Ive always been kind of fascinated with the large community of Hasidic Jews that live just across the Williamsburg bridge. I guess this doesn't exist where I am from and here its just another neighbourhood, kind of like chinatown (which im also kind of obsessed with but thats for another time). Whats great is the juxtaposition of this traditional neighbourhood with the hipster invasion that is happening right next to it. Id love to document them but of course, they are very private people and its hard to even get photos of them without seeming like a complete douche.  Anyway, have been running across the bridge lately and over Easter, there was a lot of foot traffic from that neighbourhood back and forth. I managed these two snaps..which have inspired me to start blogging again.

 'hasidic triplets'

'passover men in black'

Homemade Pinhole

My home through the eyes of a pinhole camera made of tinfoil... just add digital for instant gratification

King of the Hollow

Thanks for the fun times and warm memories this summer. No matter how much she loves NYC, an aussie will always be grateful for respite from the concrete jungle and a chance to play in the creek. 

Tidbits

its a weird feeling when tidbits of your otherwise private life are floating around on the web ... anyone who wants to be noticed should just remember that its usually the stuff you dont want to show that people want to see. the rest is just noise and an uninteresting proverbial sign that says 'look at me' in caps

http://www.thestyledivision.com/post/21071548982

A Special Place in Colombia

Earlier this year I went to Colombia. After some months of research prior, I made contact with some amazing people who spend each day living with and combating, in their own ways, the atrocities that afflict  Colombians due to the ongoing civil and drug related conflict. I had the privilege of meeting B.H who has spent the last 10 years in Colombia documenting human rights abuses for organizations like the United Nations HCR and other publications including the NY Times and Vanity Fair. The day I met him he was excited about flying out to Buenaventura, widely regarded as one of the most violent cities in Colombia, to direct a music video about displacement.  In a lot of ways, he was very much like a NY music video director/ photographer, but with a completely different agenda.  I remember was the way he almost off handedly voiced concern about a death threat he had received at his home the week before....probably from the paramilitaries, he thought. He was a real inspiration to talk to, and despite his apparent need for a life absent of routine, and full of danger and purpose, he was unassuming, calm and matter of fact as we talked about the visit I had planned for later that week to El Pozon, a shanty town outside of Cartagena.

I spent most of a long, hot day at El Pozon with members of La Liga de la Mujeres, and have never met a group of more strong and resilient women. La Liga de la Mujeres is a grassroots organization of displaced women who, with limited resources, try to assist each other and the many new victims of Colombia's violent paramilitary and guerilla groups. With the help of Marlenis and Doris from La Liga de la Mujeres, and my fantastic (19 yr old) translator Leonardo, I interviewed 18 women who had come to the slums after being displaced by violence in their home towns. What has happened to these women is unfathomable to me, even as they described the events that unfolded the day they were told to leave their homes. I can't imagine going through what they had experienced and if I could, I don't think I could have continued to listen to all 18 stories. After the interviews I spent the afternoon with them at their homes, meeting their families and documenting them and aspects of their day to day lives.

Sadly today I received news of the assassination of one of the women who was part of La Liga de la Mujeres. Coincidentally, it was after I finished working on the last of these photos, which I had not had time to work on for months. Here are some portraits I took from that day. (Click on them for a larger view)

Lately in NYC

...black & white film has reinspired me a little
 But sometimes you just need to get out of New York to appreciate it... hinthint

glasses shopping at Brooklyn Flea

spot the naked chick

post blizzard #2

hanging out at creatures of comfort

snow lines on trees

sleeping vegetable patches

bye bye minka

straight from saudi to the strippers pole

ting 2 eating her way around nyc

ernie and burt

Lunar Tunes - Limited Time Only...

...Until I can get my facebook to work and tag all y'all biatches

The Nutcracker Pas De Deux

You can’t feel like a Christmas scrooge after going to see The Nutcracker ballet at the Lincoln Center in New York (preferably when its snowing!). The first time I saw it I was hanging out for the well known classics like the Nutcracker March, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy etc. Last night, I was waiting for this one amazing piece that was new to me last time but couldn’t remember which part it was. Turns out it was the pas de deux (duet) – A Pine Forest in Winter - where the Sugar Plum Fairy dances with her prince. The music is so moving that you want to close your eyes and listen but the Balanchine’s version of the dance is lovely so you can't close your eyes! Although I don’t know much about ballet it seems really classic and poised - not too much jumping around with great controlled poses, lifts and turns. He adds something that is really special that I didn’t see anywhere else in the ballet where the ballerina is pulled across the stage while on pointe. There are a lot of different versions out there, from more well known theatres and ballet companies, but I found this version, although not Balanchine’s, its seemed similar and I liked it.

La Vita e Bella - Life is Beautiful

My partner in crime, pasta, cheese, wine...what more could I want in life?