911 Photography Project - An Artistic Tribute

[caption id="attachment_799" align="aligncenter" width="590" caption="2010 View from Brooklyn"][/caption]The 10th anniversary of 911 is upon us and since 2006 I have be working on a photography art project each year specifically on September 11th. The project involves photographing the tip of Manhattan from both New Jersey City and  Brooklyn Heights.  This project deals with the use of a unique large format Speed Graphic camera from the 1940's that shoots 4 x 5 film.  Old school style. Yes the kind of camera you have to put a dark cloth over your head where the image is upside down and backwards in the back of the camera when you see it on a grainy piece of glass. The purpose of the project is one pay tribute to New York City and it's scarred skyline as well as document the transformation of a great city as it's skyline takes on a new shape.

This Sunday from the upper east side I will ride a mountain bike to two locations.  Packed in the bike's side saddle the antique 4 x 5 camera and I will venture to my first location at the Brooklyn Promenade.  I will arrive at the first location by 7:45am to set up this unique piece of photographic equipment.  At precisely 8:46am is when I expose the first shot.  Why 8:46am? That's when the first plane hit the North Tower. After that shot is complete I then re-pack and ride to New Jersey City.

It has been over the last 5 years that I've been doing this project.  It's interesting to see the progression of the city's skyline.  One year there was the waterfall installations another year a modern silver twisting building was completed a different year a warehouse has been torn down.

The project will complete when the Freedom Tower is finished.  Upon it's completion I plan to exhibit the complete body of work.
[caption id="attachment_800" align="aligncenter" width="590" caption="2010 View from New Jersey City"][/caption]

Lytro Camera - Focusing on NOT Focusing

Lytro is redefining the word Focus… the new 5 letter word.

Eliminating the 'element of focus' allows the user to focus on what is 'actually' in the picture frame. In the picture above imagine the shot taking place at night with the camera focused on the city. The shot is ruined because the nude model is out of focus. Take focusing out of the equation, the user is free to compose and capture the moment.

A big complaint, from users of point and shoot cameras, are missed shots while waiting for the camera to focus. Lytro’s camera has a no shutter lag time which means you don’t have to anticipate the shot. Lytro captures the moment when it happens, allowing the Lytro user to focus on the moment at hand.

Eric Cheng talks on Lytro's blog with Richard Koci Hernandez, a photographer who has actually used the Lytro camera. For those few that have had the chance to play with the prototype… lucky dogs!

Bike By Me - The Super Hero of Custom Bikes

Bike By Me building bikes designed... well by you. Yep, that's right you pick the colors for the frame, chrome, seat, grips, rims, tires right down to the chain. Cool huh?

Bike By Me are the cape crusaders of colorful fun clean designed bikes. The superhero beacon in the Manhattan scene above is part of a concept shoot Spencer Gordon shot after Bike By Me's debut in the New Amsterdam Bike Show. The concept was to shoot the bikes in an iconic NY setting. Then the composite image would be used as an interactive piece. The viewer will mouse-over the photo stumbling upon a person holding a bike in the scene. By clicking upon a particular bike it will open that specific bike in Bike By Me's website. To view the completed version of the shot above click here. Mouse-over the city skyline to turn on the Bike by Me beacon.

The design of these bikes and the company's website has been notarized by various publications. The latest was from NotCot.org highlighting this concept photograph.

Fun fact about the final image. In post production over 840 spokes had to be recreated.