Something Old Something New

Walking the streets and alleys of Florence,Venice,and Paris never gets old. The job of a flaneur is timeless.

I made these images with a 60 year old Contax camera . This old magical box was my guide as if it was "back" home again.

The old regime is not old. I feel that the Medici's , Michelangelo, Bruneleschi were all modernists .

Here in New York we are in the midst of a cold winter, harsh light and short days . My only sense of warmth are these paper memories .

I don't mind .......... yearning is good.

Restoration, Florence 2006

The Traveller, Florence 2006

Santa Margherita Station, Italy 2006

Florence 2006

Venice 2006

Leonard Vernon 1918-2007

I learned today that my dear friend and patron Leonard Vernon passed away Friday.

The last time I spoke to Leonard was back in the Spring and his voice was full of happiness and excitement. His remark that he was busier than ever led me to believe that he was going to be very busy for quite some time.

So needless to say I was shocked when I got the email from my friend Jim Stern that he saw it in the LA Times obit section. Why Jim reads that is beyond me, but thank goodness he does.

Leonard and his late wife Marjorie have one of the most recognized collections of photography. They've loaned their collection to most every important museum in America and overseas. Heavy in the modernist side,especially Western landscapes, the collection has some of the pristine examples of works by Weston,Adams,Strand,Cunningham and Watkins.

Along with the Pages, the Vernons were the first of my "big" time collectors-patrons. I think there are close to 40 photographs of mine in their collection.

I will miss you my dear friend.

Rest in Peace and give Marjorie a big hug for me.

Attempting Summer

Paris, 7th District, 2006

View of Venice rooftops, Ca' Pisani Hotel, Italy 2006

Do you ever wonder why it is that summer flies by so fast ?

Here we are into the second week of July and I have yet to make a serious effort into printing my work from September's foray in Europe.

All the negs are done with the exception of half a dozen or so rolls . From what I've seen , the group has potential.

But what sticks to me most, at least so far, are the Polaroids I made.

These are Type 667 material, so they are archival and stable.

I love working with my old folder. Its now part of the Tuscan landfill as it died while I was shooting in San Geminiano. I will always regret not being able to use the vintage packs of Polacolor that I had taken along. Then again we will be back sometime in the Fall......so maybe this time my new camera will last a bit longer.

Spring 1997 New York

Spring 2002

All Things Spring

Its the last day of March and all the harbingers are present.
The sun feels wonderful .
I missed this version of him.
Perhaps I can get through this Spring without the assistance of over-the-counter medication.
I'm almost positive I saw a chipmunk sneeze yesterday.

Maine 1999 8x10in. Palladium print




4th of July at Jim & Judy's , NY 1999 8x10 in. Silver gelatin contact print




Claudia and Mandy, Sheffield 1998 11x14 in. Silver gelatin contact print





Oregon 1995 12x20 in. Silver gelatin contact print






Claudia & Mandy, Summer, Chatham,NY 2004 8x10 silver gelatin contact print






Paris 2006 6x9 cm. Palladium print




Little Farms,Kinderhook, NY 2005 5x7in. Platinum-Palladium contact print





February Exhibit




Its been a few months since I last updated my blog so I thought I'd start off by adding a group of photographs that I've been looking at these past few days as I contemplate warmer weather.

Most of these exude a feeling of warmth and the luxurious radiance that only Summer light gives off.

Maine, 1999 was taken near the cliffs of Ogunquit, a place that is like no other. This humble porch and how it is juxtaposed against the infinite breath of the Atlantic is what my soul is yearning for ....a personal portal to step into.

The portrait of mother and daughter is a bit of a tribute to Caravaggio and Vermeer. I love the way skin glows during a late afternoon in July- this is what an 8x10 contact print does so well......there is both immediacy and tenderness.


Thanks for stopping by.

Rock City Road

There's an amazing stretch of hills and woods not too far from my place that one gets to via Rock City Road .

I've been looking at a small quarry of stones and pines nestled peacefully at the peak . Not sure why I haven't photographed it yet, but as I drove by there the other day on my way to Hillsdale I saw it in just the right light. , about 1:30 in the afternoon on a sunny day .

It looks like similar weather for the next few days so I think I'll go back and put it on film. The calotypes of Cuveliers Fountainbleu work came to mind when I first came across that scene.

Books of Note

Last month I got my copy of Friedlander's new book Cherry Blossom Time:The Complete Works published by the Fraenkel Gallery.
Originally introduced as a limited edition portfolio of photogravures by Thomas Palmer this series didn't surface much and was bought up rather quickly by collectors and museums.
I have never gotten a chance to see the gravures but knowing the work of Palmer, I'm sure they are breathtaking.

The book is an epic tome to this spiritual Spring phenomenom in Kyoto.

The quality of the reproductions are superb ! They remind me of platinum prints in their delicacy and tonal range. Printed in the dry-trap process on un-coated stock -it is not too different from both the Factory Valleys and American Monument books ,Cherry Blossom Time is a joy to look at.

One of the things that keeps me interested in his work is Friedlander's never ending ability to see the world so clearly in such a crazy way. Its almost as if he overdoses on his meds before he goes out with the Leica. I can imagine him tripping over some rocks, falling on his ass, looks up sees a picture and "click".....walk,rinse, repeat.

In Cherry Blossom Time we get to see the softer side of Lee. The sequence is beautiful. There are at least a dozen that just take my breath away. I am sure I will be looking at this book for some time.

The book is a steal at 60.00 ! I've always said that some of Friedlanders best works are his B sides. Hopefully someone will see fit to publish the Shiloh Battlefield work. I've seen that series and it is stunning. You see a side of Friedlander that is hardly ever seen.


Hey Lee ! Please go back to shooting the Leica . The Superwide work is nice, but IMHO the world you know is still out there in 35mm.

When I was in Paris in October I got a chance to see his show at the Jeu de Paume and I couldn't help but notice how much the French embraced Lee's work. They get it !

From the reviews of his MoMa retro back in July Americans in general still don't know what to do with his work.. They seem ( the critics ) to think there's too much of it. To me thats like saying Atget took too many plates of Paris.....why didn't he travel to Rome instead ?

I guess thats why Paris loves him. They get it.


Robert Adams: Pine Valley


I have not gotten this book yet,but saw it at the Bard College Library.

This is one of Adams' new books that has been released in almost series form. The other is the Portrait in the Landscape book and the Interiors monograph.

I was telling Frank Gohlke just the other week that Bob's work in 35mm is my favorite. I love the immediacy and openess of this work.


There's a constant invitation to come along with him to all these fields and woods he cherishes .

I can't wait to get my copy.

As an aside I just got a note from him the other week and it seems as though he still on occasion carves out woodblocks for prints and notecards.

I feel richer for knowing him.