Logdream #1

Here is a shot I grabbed of my friends after a little knee high session. It was captured using my old modified brownie hawkeye. The film was expired ektachrome ASA 100 that I cross-processed. I really like the blurred edges of the Brownie and the color shifts and bumped up constrast that comes from the cross processing. This was my first image exposed using this camera and x-processing. My feeling is that x-processing should be used with caution as the images can border on being a bit gimicky if not careful. People have a pretty strong reaction to x-processing, either digging it or hating it. I'll be using the process more as I feel that the color shifts and increased contrast seems to work with the subject matter.

One for Hye Tyde

muscle-car monday.....

Andrew Kidman's Last Hope

I got to view the Kidman's Last Hope last night while he played the soundtrack live- the film's photography is absolutely amazing- classic kidman vibe with some incredible music. I'd not really consider it a full on surf film but more an exploration of emotions associated with our connection with the Sea. Good times last night at the festival- if ya get a chance considering stopping by for a show or two...

diggin on the camera

not a bad sweater to boot.....

Soon to be back on the log....

I had my first follow-up visit at my cardiologist yesterday. Everything seems to have gone as well as the good doctors' had planned. I got the okay to return to some small, predictable surf. This works just fine for me right now. I am amazed by the progression of medical science, a pulmonary heart valve replacement and I am back in the water in under two weeks, just unreal. Once again, I give so much thanks to the Pediatric Cardiology department at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. The absolute most cutting edge doctors. Also my family and friends have been extremely supportive, without them my spirits would not have been nearly as stable.

NY SURF FILM FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND

How do you Enjoy your Day??

This Way?

Or This Way?

Same Ocean, Same Sun, but two very, very different experiences.............

A new day dawning..

This is my first attempt at using color transparency film and a pinhole camera. I kind of like how the combination of the pinhole and the color film captured that first glimpse of sunlight in the morning. I have been shooting a bit more color slide film than usual. It's been pretty fun and a great learning experience. I just got back my first two rolls of cross-processed film using some very expired Kodachrome, I'll be posting these up over the course of the week.

walk me out in the morning dew....

Here are a couple of snaps from last Thursday morning. It was my first trip to the beach after my heart procedure and it felt great to get some salt-stained early morning air. The images were captured with an old brownie hawkeye camera that I modified to produce the "blur-ness". The sky was absolutely amazing in an September kind of way. More to come....

On another note, my recovery is coming along, albeit a bit slower than I hoped. I ended up with some superficial clotting in my arm as a result of the IV's. Additionally, my doctor is hedging his bet a bit on his timetable for my return to surfing. Clearly more discussions will ensue regarding this, as being in the water provide tremendous stress-reduction, aerobic/cardio exercise, contact with my brethren, and a sense of one-ness with the world in which I reside in. I'll take only knee high log waves for a while, but don't let me lay all dried up on the beach like a fish washed in with the tide..... Maybe he needs to understand I am not da bull.....

2nd Annual New York Surf Film Festival

I am very excited to have been asked to participate in this years' New York Surf Film Festival. I will be displaying some of my recent photographs at the festival site. The films presented here represent top notch film-making, and are sure to add stoke to our surf scene. Check the links below for more information about the festival and purchase some tickets!! I understand that alot of the shows are filling up, so get on it.....

http://www.newyorksurf.com/2009/08/18/ny-surf-film-festival-2009-features-announced/

http://www.nysurffilm.com/

More from Matt's backyard...

I got to know Matt much move this summer, due to a series of untimely dings on some of favorite boards. Its always such a unique experience getting in touch with Matt and actually meeting up with him. Most often ya drop your board in his truck with some duct tape on the spots needing repair and you pick it up when he's not around. He's like some sort of mysto ding dr. He has got such an interesting take on surfing and is stoke to the bone over surfboards despite the fact he hasnt seen much water time as of late.

On the Sidelines....

There was a little swell this morning. headed out with the lubitel 2, and flipped lens brownie hawkeye to shoot abit. the light was okay and I hope I captured a couple of morning light images....

it's good to me home... feeling okay

Well, I am happy to report I am home with my family and feeling a bit better. Hard to believe I have a new pulmonary heart valve in-place and all is supposed to be functioning much more normally. The doctors' reported that my pre-procedure blood pressure in the right ventricle was four times what is normal, thereby placing extremely stress on the heart. Who would have known it was so bad as I didn't feel that winded in the water. I am hopeful that things will improve over the course of the next week or so as I am still quite sore and a bit weak. I guess it really needed to be done. Once again I highly recommend the staff at the pediatric cardiology unit at Columbia Pres. Dr. Hellenbrand is an amazing doctor. Hoping to be in the water within the month- probably small log waves for a while... break out the coop.......

Fins by Partch

Fins by Partch, Long fish simmons by Josh Hall. When I think about my surfing, it strikes me as funny how fickle I can be. For the last 4 months its been all about quads fish and twin keels with a little loggin thrown in. Prior to this it was complete Obsessive CompHULLsive displacement riding. I am not sure what to attribute the shifts too, but it does keep it all fresh. I rode the hull on sunday for the first time in awhile and while i had fun, I was also a bit frustrated by its limitation. Perhaps it was the wave and my mood but I felt myself wishing I chose the fish platform for the day. I guess I should just go with my mood and not think about it all so much, so what I neglect the hulls for a while- I am sure it will all come around again.

scenes from the busbq...

A couple of random shots from the busbq's thurs evening BBQ. Definitely a highlight of the summer of 2009. I probably will not be posting for the next week or so... hope to shoot a bunch while I am out of the water.

Pjay in thought

here is a shot of my wife of 17 years. She has been my biggest supporter over the years and knows me like no other. I just wanted to thank her for the tremendous support she has been providing me recently as I move through a rather stressful time. I love this portrait, as I captures her lost in a moment while we were spending some early spring time in the fog at the beach. I wish the light leak was less noticeable but that's the price you pay for playing with cheap-o equipment. Embrace the blur!!

soon to be my latest piece of equipment

Monday, I am having this little piece of hi-tech equipment inserted in to my heart to replace the pulmonary valve. Hopefully my paddling gets stronger...... science amazes me!! serious props to the pediatric cardiac unit at Columbia Pres Hospital in NYC. truly amazing, empathic and gifted folks.

NY backyard shaper and ding/resto expert

Matt is one of the most unique, original and spirited guys I know in the NY surf scene. He shapes the most radical and unusual boards, complete with 70's colors and trippy graphics. Too boot his ding work is outstanding, and he knows how important a surfboard is to the individual. i like his spirit if individuality and willingness to go his own way, which is often against the grain with current surfboard design trends. Just don't ask him if he wants to get into longboarding.

I am hoping to snap some color diana shots of his quiver

tonights viewing pleasure..

I just picked up "In search of Michael Peterson". I am very excited to sit down and take it in tonight. Also very much looking forward to the NY Surf Film Festival that is occuring here in NYC this September- Props to Adam Camaro, Shipworm Mach and Seppo1 for putting the event on.

two new additions

a vintage lubitel 2 twin lens reflex camera enters the camera quiver rotation. These cameras were manufactured in the USSR. I am psyched to see the first test roll as I am hoping the images produced are a nice mix of lo-fi optics with greater camera control. The second addition is polkadot the frog, Avery's newest pet.

The vacation is over

Summer was fun while it lasted, but here's to a great hurricaine season.

Matt's Yard

I'll be posting up some pictures over the next week or so that I am kind of excited about. The photographs will make-up a little photo essay of a backyard shaper and supreme ding repairman. Matt was gracious enough to let me photograph him as he worked.

Bill bringing out the aloha spirit...

This is another boardwalk snap during Hur. Bill swell- this guy had it working- old aloha shirt and moth nibbled straw hat. The guy was stoked to watch some surfy action

bench warmers

I snapped this shot two sundays ago when Hurricaine Bill peaked in NY. The boardwalk was alive with spectators and the waves were going off with well, well overhead peaks coming in. I kinda liked the relaxed attitude if this threesome of spectators who were taking in the action. I am still working on figuring out working with colors but for what it is worth i kinda dig the shot.