Bear Witness Pictures

Artein, a new single malt scotch from Glenmorangie

2012-02-16T15:35:00.001-05:00

Credit:Michael Wilcox/BearWitnessPictures

Well hello there interwebs. Be it that I'll also be embarking on said journey of epic proportions (relatively speaking, of course) that will be routinely updated on this here blog, I thought I'd introduce myself.

Hi! I'm Mike.

Well, now that that is out of the way, I shot an event last night. Like my esteemed colleague I also have to point the camera elsewhere whilst looking forward to photographing quinoa. So, last night, I was at 'Colicchio and Sons' in Chelsea, shooting the unveiling of Artein, a new single malt scotch from Glenmorangie.

Tom Colicchio, of Top Chef fame, as well as owner and head chef, created a Glenmorangie inspired menu for the event, and was on hand to speak and shake hands (sadly, not mine). Dr. Bill Lumsden (PhD in Biochemistry…yes, that's right), Head of Distilling & Whiskey Creation at Glenmorangie, acted as master of ceremonies, speaking before each of the 5 courses, all of which had been paired with a different Glenmorangie scotch, with Artein paired with the entree.

The food smelt amazing. I'm told it also tasted pretty damned good too. You know what? My bowl of Apple Jacks I ate when I got home after the function was pretty damned good too. The whiskey was awesome as well. I did get to taste that. Though I can't articulate exactly WHY it was awesome, I can say that as an appreciative, non-connoiseur of the stuff, it went down smoother than my normal drinkin' whiskey (Jameson. Don't judge). Luckily, I didn't have to try and sneak a sip or two, I had finished shooting with enough time to spare to enjoy a tall, neat glass. This is the time to give a virtual high five to Evan, the bartender. You're the man. Thanks for not yelling at me for being in your way all night. And never letting my water glass be empty.

The interior looked amazing, and the shots came out great. Though it's a quick turn around, they have to be edited and to the client within 24 hours. Which means I'm done writing, because I have a shitload of editing to do.

ISO6400, 1/40s at f/5.

Laters!

Mike

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Leather Japan 2012

2012-02-15T21:42:00.001-05:00

Credit:Stefan Jeremiah/BearWitnessPictures

Even though my impending Bolivia expedition is looming and eating up about 90% of my daily thought process, in the mean time I still have to swing my camera at other things.

I'm not massively into fashion photography but I do like to shoot the odd event when Fashion Week comes to town twice a year. Saying that, this is in fact this is the first time I've shot at the Lincoln Center since they made the switch from Bryant Park, which was a couple of years ago, so that shows how up on the whole thing I am.

I got asked if I wanted to shoot a few pics at the Leather Japan 2012 debut New York show, and heard Noritaka Tatehana was one of the designers showing off new work. For those who don't know, he's the dude who designed Lady Gaga's crazy monster platform shoes, and I secretly hoped she might make an appearance.

After getting a little bit of the run around, regarding press passes and what not, partly my fault for not printing my confirmation email. Oops. I eventually got in.

Leather Japan 2012 is a project organized by the Japan Leather Good Development Committee who have put together a group of young up and coming Japanese designers, who make garments and accessories out of...leather.

In each corner of the room there were models stood on small platforms around a centre piece of leather handbags all hung head height in a large circle. If I banged my head once, I must have head butted a leather bag several times. Slightly annoying but oh well.

The models were lit up with strong spot lighting and I tried a few different ideas out. After mucking around with bouncing the flash or doing slow flash sync etc, I think the best results come from just going with the ambient light and no flash at all.

This portrait being my favourite pic of the evening was done as such with my 70-200L 2.8 and no flash. I've put a small edit of the rest on Flickr.

Shot settings: ISO 400, 1/200s at f/3.2

Thanks
Jeremiah

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So What Is This Quinoa Stuff Anyway...?

2012-02-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

A plate of cooked red quinoa Credit: Blairingmedia/Wikipedia

Regarding the last blog post I basically launched into our intentions to jet off to Bolivia in South America and create a body of work surrounding the quinoa harvest, the wider issue of resources and the mechanisms of poverty and those attempting to work their way out it.

But I thought I should rewind for a moment and take a second to explain what this quinoa stuff is anyway. Not everyone who knows me or Mike or reads our randomly updated shenanigans will know exactly are we banging on about.

There's no shame in that, I personally have only become aware of it's existence in the last three years or so. I was working out, if you can believe that, and a friend recommend it to me as way to increase my protein intake without having to up my consumption of meat or supplements.

Quinoa, pronounced “Keen-wah” is technically a seed, and was domesticated for human consumption in the Andean region of South America many thousands of years ago. However the way it is prepared is more like rice. Basically you have to boil it in order to eat it. But what sets it apart from rice is its awesome protein content and balanced set of essential amino acids.

It's use in history stretches way back to long before that nice man Columbus ever convinced the Spanish Royals to hook him up with ships and set about chopping off native peoples hands who didn't provide him with enough gold. For the Incas it was a key part of their staple diet, and considered it to be sacred, calling it the “mother of all grains”. This is all great and wonderful until the Spanish arrived en mass and started calling the shots. As with so much of the linguistic, religious and cultural change that the Conquistadors brought with them, so too did the agricultural practices, rituals and diets suffer and transform under their stewardship.

Unfortunately no-one at the time stopped to consider any of the nutritional benefits of any of the native Andean crops, not just quinoa. The native population were looked down upon and regarded as inferior and so was their food. A bit like the modern population of England today.* I get this from Americans all the time: “Oh my Gawd, English food is disgusting, I went to England once, I ate in a restaurant in 'Lie-cester squway-er', the food was horrible.” - Note to Americans of the United States: You're right, the food to be found in Leicester Square generally is horrible, but I didn't write off your entire country from sea to shining sea after I ate one nasty slice of pizza in Times Square.†

Getting back on topic, in a nut shell quinoa production is on the up, and it's consumption in the United States is also becoming more popular. Its availability is not just restricted to obscure health stores but is increasingly to be found in ordinary supermarkets, like the ghetto Polish one near my house. This is a good thing right? Capitalism at its best, supply and demand and all that. Adam Smith's invisible hand tickling your fancy. After all the U.S. Government must prefer that farmers south of the border spend their time growing this stuff than that naughty coca leaf?‡

Well all things considered, we intend to have a look for ourselves and find out.

Jeremiah

Here's the wiki on it: Quinoa

*This is a joke.
† This is also a joke.
‡ I don't really think leaves are naughty.

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Bolivia, Quinoa and the months ahead

2012-02-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

So those of you that know me or Mike Wilcox personally, there's a high chance you've had to suffer either of us banging on about a potential project to go shoot down in Bolivia for months now, and that none of this blog entry will be news. I apologise if we've made you suffer harping on! But time is almost upon us finally, and therefore it's perhaps time to start sharing our intentions with our friends on the inter-webs too.

For those who've just landed on this here blog because you googled looking for the "occupy guy taking a dump on a cop car" you might be interested to know we here at Bear Witness Pictures also like to shoot other things too.

Well the good news is that the dots are looking fairly well joined up at this point. We have our flights booked, equipment polished and an emerging itinerary of who, what, where and when. Well almost. What is definite though is Mike and I will be travelling down to Cochabamba the first week of March for eight weeks.

The basic premise will be to photograph the quinoa harvest, meet the farmers, interview some of the non-profit organisations people who provided assistance and report back with a photo-essay, a short documentary, and a greater understanding of life in Bolivia.

Upon return, the end goal of all this will be to show our work by way of an exhibition in Soho, New York, publish a book and hopefully get a few column inches in the press. However before all that, we'd like to keep you all informed of our time down there with some regular blog entries and a few pictures here and there, so you can see how we're getting on.

I should take a moment to thank everyone who has helped us and generally pointed us in the right direction. Also the support and encouragement has been invaluable and much, much appreciated. (You know who you are)

And finally a special shout out to my friend Michael O'Brian who has recently fallen to an ill twist of fortune, keep your head up mate, what a bunch of w**kers!

Thanks
Jeremiah

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New York Comic Con 2011

2011-10-15T13:21:00.009-04:00

It's amazing how fast the the time goes. It doesn't feel like a full year since the last time I was wandering round the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, in awe of the effort that the fans who attend Comic Con go to to dress up as their favourite characters.

Last time I took a ring flash and went with a very focused idea about the type of portraits I wanted to take. I wanted to get up close and in their faces. Tight faced portraits that popped! I came away with a few shots I was really happy with. Friends and regulars will recognise the Joker face as probably the key shot from my efforts that weekend.

This time I'm going to take a less single minded, stylized approach. I have a diffuser that I intend to use for portraits, but think I'd like to cover more of the fun aspect of the exhibition, and possibly a few of the celebs.

Really looking forward to going the screening of 'Wonder Boy' this afternoon and will hopefully have a photo op sorted with the Director Michael Morrissey and a couple of the young cast.

I'll put an edit up on Flickr over the next couple of days. In the mean time I've posted a picture of Poison Ivy for everyone to enjoy, unfortunately I didn't get her real name (or her number). And here's a link to last years endevour...

www.flickr.com/photos/bearwitnesspictures/sets/72157625005098549

Thanks
Jeremiah

Freedom isn't free and neither is my photography

2011-10-12T12:33:00.002-04:00

Stars and Bars in lights 2, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

I saw this today and thought it was worth repeating...

Dear potential photo buyer,

If you have been directed to this page, it is likely that you have requested the use of an image or images for free or minimal compensation.

As professional photographers, we receive requests for free images on a regular basis. In a perfect world, each of us would love to be able to respond in a positive manner and assist, especially with projects or efforts related to areas such as education, social issues, and conservation of natural resources. It is fair to say that in many cases, we wish we had the time and resources to do more to assist than just send photographs.

Unfortunately, such are the practicalities of life that we are often unable to respond, or that when we do, our replies are brief and do not convey an adequate sense of the reasons underlying our response.

Circumstances vary for each situation, but we have found that there are a number of recurring themes, which we have set out below with the objective of communicating more clearly with you, and hopefully avoiding misunderstandings or unintentionally engendering ill will.

Please take the following points in the constructive manner in which they are intended. We certainly hope that after you have had a chance to read this, we will be able to talk again and establish a mutually beneficial working relationship.

Photographs Are Our Livelihood
Creating compelling images is the way we make our living. If we give away our images for free, or spend too much time responding to requests for free images, we cannot make a living.

We Do Support Worthy Causes With Images
Most of us do contribute photographs, sometimes more, to support certain causes. In many cases, we may have participated directly in projects that we support with images, or we may have a pre-existing personal relationship with key people involved with the efforts concerned. In other words, each of us can and does provide images without compensation on a selective basis.

We Have Time Constraints
Making a leap from such selective support to responding positively to every request we get for free photographs, however, is impractical, if for no other reason than the substantial amount of time required to respond to requests, exchange correspondence, prepare and send files, and then follow-up to find out how our images were used and what objectives, if any, were achieved. It takes a lot of time to respond to requests, and time is always in short supply.

Pleas of “We Have No Money” Are Often Difficult to Fathom
The primary rationale provided in nearly all requests for free photographs is budgetary constraint, meaning that the requestor pleads a lack of funds.

Such requests frequently originate from organisations with a lot of cash on hand, whether they be publicly listed companies, government or quasi-government agencies, or even NGOs. Often, it is a simple matter of taking a look at a public filing or other similar disclosure document to see that the entity concerned has access to significant funding, certainly more than enough to pay photographers a reasonable fee should they choose to do so.

To make matters worse, it is apparent that all too often, of all the parties involved in a project or particular effort, photographers are the only ones being asked to work for free. Everyone else gets paid.

Given considerations like this, you can perhaps understand why we frequently feel slighted when we are told that: “We have no money.” Such claims can come across as a cynical ploy intended to take advantage of gullible individuals.

We Have Real Budget Constraints
With some exceptions, photography is not a highly remunerative profession. We have chosen this path in large part due to the passion we have for visual communication, visual art, and the subject matters in which we specialise.

The substantial increase in photographs available via the internet in recent years, coupled with reduced budgets of many photo buyers, means that our already meager incomes have come under additional strain.

Moreover, being a professional photographer involves significant monetary investment.

Our profession is by nature equipment-intensive. We need to buy cameras, lenses, computers, software, storage devices, and more on a regular basis. Things break and need to be repaired. We need back-ups of all our data, as one ill-placed cup of coffee could literally erase years of work. For all of us, investment in essential hardware and software entails thousands of dollars a year, as we need to stay current with new technology and best practices.

In addition, travel is a big part of many of our businesses. We must spend a lot of money on transportation, lodging and other travel-related costs.

And of course, perhaps most importantly, there is a substantial sum associated with the time and experience we have invested to become proficient at what we do, as well as the personal risks we often take. Taking snapshots may only involve pressing the camera shutter release, but creating images requires skill, experience and judgement.

So the bottom line is that although we certainly understand and can sympathise with budget constraints, from a practical point of view, we simply cannot afford to subsidise everyone who asks.

Getting “Credit” Doesn’t Mean Much
Part and parcel with requests for free images premised on budgetary constraints is often the promise of providing “credit” and “exposure”, in the form or a watermark, link, or perhaps even a specific mention, as a form of compensation in lieu of commercial remuneration.

There are two major problems with this.

First, getting credit isn’t compensation. We did, after all, create the images concerned, so credit is automatic. It is not something that we hope a third party will be kind enough to grant us.

Second, credit doesn’t pay bills. As we hopefully made clear above, we work hard to make the money required to reinvest in our photographic equipment and to cover related business expenses. On top of that, we need to make enough to pay for basic necessities like food, housing, transportation, etc.

In short, receiving credit for an image we created is a given, not compensation, and credit is not a substitute for payment.

“You Are The Only Photographer Being Unreasonable”
When we do have time to engage in correspondence with people and entities who request free photos, the dialogue sometimes degenerates into an agitated statement directed toward us, asserting in essence that all other photographers the person or entity has contacted are more than delighted to provide photos for free, and that somehow, we are “the only photographer being unreasonable”.

We know that is not true.

We also know that no reasonable and competent photographer would agree to unreasonable conditions. We do allow for the fact that some inexperienced photographers or people who happen to own cameras may indeed agree to work for free, but as the folk wisdom goes: “You get what you pay for.”

Please Follow-Up
One other experience we have in common is that when we do provide photographs for free, we often do not receive updates, feedback or any other form of follow-up letting us know how the event or project unfolded, what goals (if any) were achieved, and what good (if any) our photos did.

All too often, we don’t even get responses to emails we send to follow-up, until, of course, the next time that someone wants free photographs.

In instances where we do agree to work for free, please have the courtesy to follow-up and let us know how things went. A little consideration will go a long way in making us feel more inclined to take time to provide additional images in the future.

Wrap Up
We hope that the above points help elucidate why the relevant photographer listed below has sent you to this link. All of us are dedicated professionals, and we would be happy to work with you to move forward in a mutually beneficial manner.

My own personal experience is that I constantly encounter the assumption that because it’s digital and that there are no development costs, that somehow my images should be free. My Education wasn’t free, my equipment wasn’t free, my time isn’t free and my rent isn’t free.

Re-posted from here: http://photoprofessionals.wordpress.com

Thanks
Jeremiah

Yom Kippur Service at Occupy Wall Street

2011-10-11T21:42:00.001-04:00

Yom Kippur Service at Occupy Wall Street, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

I am not in control of the editorial use of my images. As a photographer working digitally in the 21st Century, I take pictures and within minutes are then syndicated out and around the media world, to be used to in return for payment. The copyright to my work will always be mine, but once an image enters the public domain there is a certain loss of ownership. Images can take on a life of their own, so while I can't control other people's editorial output, I do have this blog.

In contrast to the horrid image highlighted in my previous blog, I'd like to share this image of a Yom Kippur prayer service held on the same evening.

Rabbi Ezra Weinberg and a group of Jewish activists held a Kol Nidre prayer service in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protest outside Brown Brothers Harriman in downtown Manhattan.

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement in the Jewish calendar and is the holiest day of the year. Traditionally one is expected to refrain from eating and drinking and wearing leather. This year was extra special as it fell on the Sabbath. Normally fasting on the sabbath is not allowed, but is upheld if the two coincide and is considered to be the Shabbat Shabbaton or Shabbat of Shabbats.

There was a healthy mix of Jews and non-Jews, and plenty of passers by who would stop for a moment out of intrigue. The crowd joined in with certain blessing in chorus and the occasion was genuinely heart warming and moving.

Shana Tova

Jeremiah

Occupy Wall Street: Protester defecating on a Police Car

2011-10-11T10:40:00.002-04:00

Pooping on a Police car, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

I took a photograph this Friday gone at the Occupy Wall Street protest in downtown Manhattan that seems to have caused quite a stir. A number of questions and conspiracy theories have developed and I thought it might be useful if a put a few words out there, that are free from any slanted editorial or political bias. Twitter is great but still limited as a means of expression and communication.

My day started with a call from my editor asking me to go down to the protest site at Zuccotti Park to see what if any developments there might be. The momentum of the protest has been certainly building and interest from the mainstream media in both the UK and US is peaking.

There have been suggestions primarily by the land owners that due to the sites growth in population that there might be sanitation issues, and while I was there could I take note of anything relevant to these claims.

I spent a few hours walking round, reading signs, taking snaps and chit chatting with various people. The organisation of the protest site is without doubt impressive. The area within the park has been divided up into zones with an excellent food service area, a medical area and a Press table.

As I made my way around I took pictures of everything that I saw. On the south side there was a rag tag band banging out a drum beat, and a woman was entertaining passers-by and children with hula hoops. All very positive and fun on what was a bright and warm Friday afternoon.

Sadly there was also a growing pile of rubbish bags and a used mattress that if you stood within 3 metres wasn't the most pleasant smelling. I witnessed and photographed protesters sweeping up, bagging up litter and adding to the pile. There was an element of responsibility being undertaken by some members of the protest, that can't be denied. But it was apparent that a growing movement, means a growing waste problem.

Around 4ish I decided to head to the office of the Mail Online and file my pictures. As I left the north side of the park I heard a man running to catch up with two police officers, who where walking in the opposite direction to me, yelling: “Officer, you've got do something, there's a guy taking a shit on a patrol car”. In less that 10 strides from the park facing the McDonalds was indeed what appeared to be a middle aged man emptying himself with no great haste, up against the back end of an NYPD police car.

The two Police Officers who had been dutifully informed by a member of the public simply shrugged their shoulders and walked away. I ducked into a phone box and snatched a few shots of the scene playing out before me. The defecating man, oblivious to my presence, then wiped himself accordingly and strolled into the Mcdonalds as if nothing was the matter.

I was expecting a Police response any second, but it never came.

I'll start by saying this wasn't a set up. I didn't hire some random guy to pebble dash a patrol car. This isn't a cut and paste photoshop job. This isn't staged in any way. And this isn't a right wing/Tea Party conspiracy. Seriously! The bare fact is a grown man of his own accord, really did empty his bowels on a Police car in broad day light on the peripheral of a political protest. And by sad coincidence I was there to capture it. (The time of the incident was approximately 4.30pm)

So, what is there to suggest that this was an Occupy Wall Street protester and not just a random homeless guy?

Given the unwashed aesthetics of the protesters sleeping rough in a park for 3 weeks, visually I don't think there is much to distinguish them apart. All the people sleeping in the park kind of look scruffy and homeless to me. That's what sleeping rough does to a person. I can say I'd definitely seen him in the park already that day. And I saw him again, asleep in the park later that evening.

Furthermore, were he homeless and in need of a toilet, he could have simply used the toilet facilities of McDonalds that were right in front of him, like the majority of those camped in the park.

Also, of all the cars parked along that curbside, he chose a cop car to prop himself up against. I feel like that is statement enough of his intent.

I'm not stupid enough to think he represents the majority of the Occupy Wall Street protesters, and it will be sad to see should this image be hijacked as the poster boy for all those opposed or unsympathetic to the Occupy movement.

I do strive to be an objective photographer, it is my job to take pictures of everything. The good and the bad. I gave my editor a well rounded edit of images that represented everything I saw that afternoon, which in this instance included a man jettisoning faecal matter upside a cop car.

UPDATE:
Further to my explanation I've still received criticism regarding my assumption over whether the man was or wasn't a protester involved in the Occupy Wall Street. It has been suggested I should have asked him questions.

I do appreciate the point that journalism should be based on facts not assumptions. Perhaps I should have chased after him and asked if this was a right or left wing dirty protest, but unfortunately I was stood downwind from his grand spectacular and was fighting my own gag reflex.

However, having personally witnessed him in the park, walking, standing, sleeping, mingling over a number of hours in and amongst other protesters at the specific location of a protest rally. I felt the assumption and conclusion that he too was engaged in protest was fair. It is my interpretation that his defiling a cop car is an act of protest unto itself. I am therefore free to conclude he was a protester.

Homeless or not.

I understand that the majority of legitimate protesters will want to distance themselves as far away as possible from this guy and that this image will in some way damage their cause. But as I've already said: I'm not stupid enough to think he represents the majority of the Occupy Wall Street protesters.

Jeremiah

Breaking

2011-06-13T22:52:00.003-04:00

Break Dancing, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Been quiet on the old blogging front these last few months. I specifically dedicated the first half of this year to getting a few in-house thing, in order.

Money wise, debt wise, equipment wise. I've been sorting out my archive and making sure all my hard work is properly catalogued and backed up.

Taking pictures is probably only 25% of being a photographer, the other 75% is dedicated to getting everything else in your life functioning in a way that enables you to then make the most of the photographic 25%. I hope that makes sense.

Apologies and life lessons out the way. I shot this picture, I thought I'd share here, at a Soul Train night a friend of mine runs. He requested my services so went and shot a few frames.

Part way through the night a circle opened up on the floor and one by one people stepped up and threw down their best shapes.

Crouched with my back to the wall I set my camera to 400ISO, 1/250 @ f4. Set my flash to 1/8 and manually focused at a fixed point in the centre of the frame.

I then shot in bursts of 3 or 4. There were a lot of duff frames but I got lucky with my timing and was pretty stoked with this shot.

Hope you enjoy it too.

If anyone thinks they can complete with this guy, then get yourself to the East River bar in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on the second weekend of every month for the Soul Train night.

Laters
Stefan

Stefan Jeremiah Photography Exhibition - May 13th

2011-05-05T22:30:00.000-04:00

Entitled 'New York, New World, New Home', an exhibition of Stefan's work will be on display in the Back Room exhibition space at South 4th Bar & Cafe during May/June.

The work focuses on portraits taken in the last two years while living in New York, plus a couple of personal favourites.

Preview night is 7:30pm, Friday, May 13th.

Location:
South 4th Bar
90 South 4th Street. (Corner of Berry Street)

Come and help me celebrate my first exhibit!

View Larger Map

When I say tough, you say mudder! Tough!…

2010-11-20T23:02:00.005-05:00

20101120_IMG_0678_M, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Tough Mudder was back on the East Coast with it's 12 mile tri-state monster event in New Jersey. And I was there to put the English back in Englishtown and photograph the muddy goings on.

The PA event back in may was truly awesome, however this was a whole different beast. Twice as long, and ten times the mud with the added disesteem of the Autumn weather, making for a less forgiving endeavor than that glorious weekend in May.

The spirit of the event was clear to see with plenty of partakers helping their fellow mudders unconditionally and without reserve.

Credit to the Tough Mudder team and the Tough Mudder nutters who are tough enough to ride this crazy horse hound. I really should put the camera down, nut up and do the course myself! (Dressed as a Red Coat perhaps?)

Click on the image to see the full set on Flickr. I have to say though, I did upload a monster edit. I try to keep my edits tight, but last time I was contacted by a lot of people looking for pictures of themselves or friends, so this time I have tried to include as many shots as possible. (Which I'll keep adding to over the next few days, so be sure to check back.)

As ever your feedback is welcome and if any mudders find themselves and would like copies, be sure to contact me.

Thanks
Jeremiah

NY Comic Con 2010

2010-10-13T18:58:00.001-04:00

The Joker, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

The effort these kids go to, to dress up as their favourite characters is simply amazing.

Tribute In Light 2010

2010-09-14T08:26:00.001-04:00

Tribute In Light 2010, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

The Mojave Desert

2010-07-28T21:31:00.002-04:00

JER20100720_IMG_9037_M, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Just got back from a massive Summer road trip. I flew to San Francisco and then drove down to Monteray/Carmel. Then to Santa Barbara along the Pacific Coast Highway and through the desert to Las Vegas.

After losing a ton of money on the roulette wheel and slot machines I headed down to Joshua Tree via some old stretches of Route 66 and then on to San Diego.

Did 3 States and a lot of miles! Check out the flickr for more of the amazing things I saw.

Fire Hydrant Cyclist

2010-07-05T14:11:00.002-04:00

Fire Hydrant Cyclist, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

AND...on my way home i saw this...which made me laugh!

Coney Island

2010-07-05T14:10:00.002-04:00

Coney Island Pier Jumping, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Went to Coney Island this weekend and saw lots of fun things. Like people throwing themselves off the pier! It was hot as balls! Click on the image to see the rest of the set on flickr.

AIDS candlelight vigil

2010-06-26T16:52:00.001-04:00

AIDS candlelight vigil, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Aids Candlelight Vigil NYC is a memorial to all the people who died of HIV/AIDS, to show support for survivors in addition to support for those now afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

This was the 25th year that people have walked along St Christopher Street and held a service next to the Hudson River to remember friends and loved ones who have been affected by the AID pandemic.

I remember when the disease first was identified in the 80s as a young child. Its hard to believe that after nearly 30 years a real cure still seems a long way off.

Tough Mudder

2010-05-10T13:38:00.006-04:00

Tough Mudder is a one day extreme sports challenge. Contestants navigate a seven mile obstacle course designed by British Special Forces to test all around toughness, strength, stamina, fitness, camaraderie, and mental grit. This is the first in a series of events to be held at various location around the USA, with this one held at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort on May 02, 2010 in Macungie, Pennsylvania.

It's been my intention to present my work as an audio slideshow for a while, and this is my first attempt. I have a couple more in the works and hope to refine my audio editing skillz!

Thanks!

Jeff Ragsdale

2010-04-23T17:19:00.003-04:00

Jeff Ragsdale, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

There's always something funny going on in New York. This afternoon Jeff Ragsdale, a comedian and actor, carried out his latest stunt on the corner of Madison Square Park.

This very public apology to "girlfriend" Megan, was attracting a lot of attention. Ragsdale, wearing a homemade sandwich board which read "I was Verbally Abusive I'm Sorry. Megan!", was telling those curious enough to ask, how he blew his lid at his girlfriend and she'd blocked his number. Faced with no other way to contact her his last resort was to stand there and hope she walked past on her way home from work.

What was amazing was how supportive the majority of people were wishing him well in his endeavour!

The Loft Collective with Adam Gallo

2010-04-20T14:29:00.001-04:00

The Loft Collective is a gym and work out space in Harlem, run by life-long martial arts enthusiast Adam Gallo. This is a photo-essay looking at the people he trains and the man himself.

Antony Gormley's genitals

2010-04-08T17:46:00.001-04:00

31 life-size statues cast by the British artist Antony Gormley, have been installed on sidewalks and rooftops of buildings surrounding Madison Square Park as part of an art installation called 'Event Horizion'

This installation was done in London back on 2007. The figures silhouetted on top of the buildings look pretty cool, but unfortunately everyone just checks out the larger than life sized wiener on the ones at street level.

A studio shoot with Melissa Roth

2010-03-03T22:26:00.003-05:00

Melissa Roth, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Sunday I did a studio shoot with escape artist and performer, Melissa Roth in the West Village.

Got off to a rocky start. Couldn't find the poxy studio for almost an hour, which ate into our shoot time. Kind of annoying but no-ones fault. Big thanks to Ezra who helped guide me via several phone calls. Much, much appreciated.

The concept was simple. Melissa had several costumes that needed shooting. And the lighting set up straight forward, with one large softbox and a reflector to fill in the shadows.

This was my favourite shot of the day and I'll be adding several more to the set on my Flickr page shortly.

Where the hell did the last three months go!?

2010-02-27T17:11:00.001-05:00

Greetings!

Well Bonfire Night, Christmas, New Year, Valentines and Pancake Day have already rocketed past. Not sure where the last three months disappeared to, but we are all very much into 2010.

I've been a busy boy that's for sure. So here's a snapshot of three things that I've been up to photographically in the past couple of weeks.

A park bench buried under snow in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on 26 February 2010.

Stills of Billy Baldwin and Blake Lively on the set of 'Gossip Girl' shooting on location outside a hotel in Midtown, Manhattan on 24 February.

A make up artist and a model share a joke while preparing backstage at the Venexiana by Kati Stern show at the Mercedes-Benz IMG New York Fashion Week on 12 February.

I've got some fun stuff coming up and will be sure to share my thoughts and post it up here.

Thanks

The Enos Effect

2009-11-12T20:18:00.006-05:00

Back in March I shot the 2009 NYC Beard and Moustache championships in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and there was some serious adventures in facial hair on display.

I did a series of portraits of the most interesting contestants competing in various categories, including a lady's "Best Artificial Beard'

As always I tried to shoot them as technically competent as possible and given the low light situation I chose to use my flashgun. Later on in the post-processing that I wanted to present them in a style akin to the black and white portrait work of Clay Enos, however his post-processing "thing" is something of a protected secret by the great man, and understandably so. (It can't be easy knowing there are thousands of people out there trying to bite your style...if only!)

Trying to recreate that silvery black and white style for myself involved a lot of trial and error. Stumbled on a few good looks for myself, but nothing that really matched what I was looking for. So after a while of deliberating, I swallowed my pride and turned to a certain friend of mine for help.

My friend Oystein Lagerstrom is fantastic photographer and all round technical wizard, so in desperation I sent him a RAW file from the set, outlined my dilemma, and begged him for help.

48 hours later he emailed me his interpretation, as presented here, and I have to say I'm impressed!

My main criticism of this shot is that I used a dark background as opposed to using a white one, and therefore it doesn't separate and bring the subject forth quite like an Enos shot. Second to that, the eyes don't quite pop how I'd like them to. Enos seams to effortlessly make peoples iris' look like interstellar bursts!

My own photographic short comings aside, I now need to pester Oystein into telling me his processing secret so I can apply it to the whole set.

I'll have to twist his arm with a bribe of Whiskey this Christmas.

Boba Job!

2009-11-04T21:17:00.004-05:00

Boba Fett, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Bounty hunting is obviously not the lucrative business it once was. The global economic crisis is obviously even further reaching that we first thought, and no-one is immune. Hard times for everyone I guess.

I caught Boba Fett busking for loose change outside the main 14th Street Union Square subway station.

Boba plays a mean accordion and his Imperial March theme was impeccable so I threw him a buck.

ISO 400, 1/60s at f/3.2

Golden Touch Coach

2009-11-02T18:07:00.001-05:00

Golden Touch Coach, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Saw this in Korea Town today...I hope this wasn't Razorlight's tour bus!

Wouldn't surprise me if Johnny Borrell was on there being his infamously charmless self.

For the record: RAZORLIGHT ARE SHIT. FACT.

Portraiture

2009-10-22T21:41:00.002-04:00

William DeWitt, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

One thing I feel I've never really fully explored as much as I'd like to, is portraiture. I've taken many head shots at red carpet events and a few head shots for actors portfolios neither of these are particularly challenging.

As an on going project I'd like to shoot more portraits and explore different styles, lighting and techniques. If anyone reading this is interested and would like their portrait doing, please get in touch.

I took this one of William DeWitt, aka Willard, from the band “Friendship” back in 2007 during a test shoot at a studio in Dalston, East London.

ISO 100, 1/100s at f/9.0

Mini Aubergines

2009-10-19T20:40:00.001-04:00

Aubergine, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

I've been shuffling my way through the crowds at the farmer's market on Union Square for sometime now, eying up all the colourful fruits and vegetables all piled high. With no pressing engagements I finally managed to have a wader round this afternoon armed with my camera.

ISO 200, 1/80s at f4

Old New Orleans

2009-10-06T15:10:00.007-04:00

Door way, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

I've always been fascinated with American colonial history and how the original 13 colonies developed from the Jamestown settlement in Virginia to the fateful decision to declare independence.

What is amazing about New Orleans is its own history and evolution as a French colony in America is something entirely separate from the power struggles and vested interests of the white middle class land owners of the formerly British 13 Colonies.

The original Louisiana colony has swung from French to Spanish and back to French administration and then ultimately been purchased by the United States. Yet with all these changes in overlords, thankfully at the root of their cultural outlook remains a certain laissez-faire attitude inherited from their French founders and hence the city's nickname "The Big Easy".

The cultural difference in attitude and behaviour from the rest of the United States is no more evident than when looking at attitudes towards alcohol consumption. In the North East region of New England and the states of New York and New Jersey a puritanical approach to alcohol still reins supreme. There is absolutely no drinking of alcohol in public or in parks allowed. You literally cannot step out of your house holding an open container. Yet in New Orleans drinking in the street is practically endorsed. There is the freedom to stroll along the "Moon Walk" along the Mississippi while enjoying a cold beer. It is even possible to take your beer from one bar into another hassle free.

Needless to say then my week in New Orleans was spent eating Gumbo and drinking heavily in the evenings. The days were spent venturing out with my camera, first around the French Quarter and then further afield. Four years on and very little signs of Katrina can be found in the centre of the City, only further out can more obvious signs of the destruction be found.

As I photographed my way around I became obsessed with the different doorways and the conditions they were in. It reminded me of some photographs a friend of mine took in Morocco a couple of years ago, where he shot the fronts of once magnificent doors that had vibrant colours and layers of paint peeling away.

The pace of life being that bit slower and the price of booze being that bit cheaper compared to other international cities like London or New York, I'd definitely recommend a visit, but a long weekend is more than plenty. Just make sure you do your reading up first and take your camera, your drinking hat and some headache pills.

ISO 200, 1/200s at f/7.1

9/11 Memorial commemoration

2009-09-12T18:38:00.007-04:00

9/11 Memorial commemoration, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

The first time I ever visited New York was in late August 2002, almost one year since the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers. I had just finished my A-Levels and had gone to spend my summer working as a camp councilor at a children's Summer camp in Pennsylvania, before starting at University back in London. I went to Ground Zero to look at the remaining rubble and the gigantic hole in the ground that was left behind after the towers fell. New Yorkers were still pretty emotionally raw about the events that took place that day, yet still forth coming about where they were when it happened, and who they knew who'd had either been involved or killed.

International sympathy for the U.S had been in short supply for a few years given the U.S. Governments persistent efforts to medal in other countries domestic affairs, particularly in the Middle East. However a Government's foreign policy and a nation's people are two separate things, and having grown up in England under constant threats and attacks from the I.R.A., I could genuinely empathise and relate.

I was struck by the sheer size of the devastation at Ground Zero and was disappointed to see street stalls selling World Trade Center memorabilia, postcards, photographs and general tack relating to 9/11. I personally feel capitalising on people's grief and morbid curiosity is somehow wrong.

Eight years have now past since the attacks and seven years since the first time I stood at Ground Zero to see it for myself. This time however, I was there to photograph the memorial service as a legitimate press photographer. Ground Zero is a pock mark in the psyche of New Yorkers and the Nation as a whole, leaving many people devastated and asking why this could happen. However the memorial service appeared to be a very elite occasion, designed only for the families of the deceased and a platform for a politician of the day to pay lip service to our enduring freedom and way of life.

I didn't have the 'right' press credentials and found myself unable to get close enough to the centre of the service. So in the thrashing rain and wind, I sought to photograph and document the the hundreds of other New Yorkers who had made the effort to come to Zuccotti Park to partake in the remembrance only to find they too were technically not invited and therefore excluded, relegated to within a block radius of the actual service.

Moving through the crowds and looking for 'the shot' I saw one mourner who's loved one had lost his life that day, but for some reason also wasn't invited into the inner circle. With a home made placard dedicated to the memory of a fallen member of the FDNY, she simply stood in silence holding her own remembrance in a doorway. Surrounded by tourists, other wandering press photographers and conspiracy theorists demanding answers to unanswered questions, I took this shot during a moment of clear sight.

The reading out of the names of the people who lost their lives that day, between four moments of silence to mark the time which both planes hit each tower, and the times at which they fell, is a fitting tribute. Unfortunately the elitist nature of the ceremony sadly leaves the rest of New York unfulfilled.

ISO 400, 1/125 at f5

Rolling Stone - Issue: October 2008

2009-09-04T20:38:00.003-04:00

My earliest motivations to work as a photographer were to shoot my friend's bands. My taste in music has always covered a large spectrum, but for me, it always comes back to guitars, whatever the genre.

I started out shooting my flat mate's band called REdJETSON, a post rock, experimental 6 piece. And as they developed and grew I was given the opportunity to tag along and share in the fun and torment of gigs and touring with them. From those early beginnings I've enjoyed good fortune and opportunities to shoot bands at all kinds of festivals and in fantastic venues.

However it still is a dream/aspiration of mine to be commissioned by Rolling Stone Magazine to shoot a band or recording artists for a feature. As my portfolio develops and I continue to improve my pit access and shoot bigger bands, I hope one day I'll be able to impress them enough to get that opportunity.

In the mean time however, I've still been getting my pictures in the magazine, here and there. I was pretty chuffed to find a live shot I took of the Kings of Leon performing at Brixton Academy whilst flicking through an old copy of Rolling Stone from 2008.

Which reminds me, I really need to start organising my tear sheets!

Stock Photography - Part 2

2009-09-03T20:57:00.004-04:00

Raspberry Cheesecake, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Having finally been accepted as a contributor to istockphoto, I have begun to focus on taking more stock orientated imagery. I submitted around 10 images from my weekend in New England and of those ten...one got accepted! So I now have an online stock portfolio of exactly ONE image.

Took my girlfriend to Fabian's on Bedford Ave to hangout and eat cake this afternoon. She'd been there previously and had been banging on about how great the sweets selection was. So we stopped by ordered a couple of cakes and coffees and sat outside. But before we tucked into the most amazing cheesecake I've ever tasted, I grabbed a couple of shots to add to my meager stock portfolio. Fingers crossed they get accepted.

I was having the discussion about how many images it takes to see any return from stock photography with a friend the other day and he suggested it was in the tens of thousands.

OK, so that's one down, 9,999 to go...

ISO 200, 1/80 at f2.5

Union Jack Deck Chair

2009-09-02T00:37:00.004-04:00

Union Jack Deck Chair, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

On my way home down Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg there's a patch of ground that's mostly rubble with a tall fence all the way round. It looks like a building may have once stood there and has subsequently been torn down and then fenced off.

Passing by this afternoon, I saw a solitary deck chair that has a Union Jack as its upholstery design. This lone chair hemmed in amongst the rubble immediately reminded me of opening lines of the war poem 'The Soldier' by Rupert Brooke.

"If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is forever England. "

Only in this case "If I sunbathe" would be more appropriate.

ISO 100, 1/500 at f9

Ghost Bikes

2009-08-29T12:38:00.019-04:00

Ghost Bike - Williamsburg Bridge, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

I'd never seen these until I came to New York. The first one I saw was near Times Square and I remember asking a friend of mine at the time, "What is that? Street art?".

Far from meaningless overindulgent street art, Ghost Bikes are actually somber memorials dedicated cyclists who have been killed in the street. A bicycle is painted all white and locked to a street sign near the crash site.

Slowly I began to notice more of them dotted around the city. Some have little plaques with the names and details of the deceased, others are just anonymous. They all however, have a spooky melancholy feel to them, or at least to me, and serve to remind drivers and passers by the dangers of cycling in a city such as this and the fragility of life.

As an ongoing personal project I decided to photograph them as and when I came across one, and then record their location on Flickr. I thought it might be interesting to see if a pattern emerges from their locations, and to help others who might be interested to find them and photograph them also.

The image above was taken at the Brooklyn entrance of the pedestrian and cycle entry to the Williamsburg Bridge. This bike is to remember the life of Dan Valle. Someone had placed a card in the basket on the front of the bike containing messages of love and wishing him a happy birthday. I realised from the dates that it would have been Dan's 27th birthday within a couple of weeks of me taking this shot, and three days after my own. Were he still alive I would be exactly three days and two years older than him.

Without knowing him, I still feel sympathy for his passing. Our close proximity of ages really hit home and it was clear from the messages that his friends still very much missed and cared about him.

Check this link out if you wish to find out more about Ghost Bikes: http://www.ghostbikes.org/

Morgan O'Kane - Banjo Man

2009-08-27T09:34:00.004-04:00

I keep seeing this guy in random parts of town on my way home. Sometimes at Bedford Ave Subway stop in Williamsburg or in different parts of Union Square.

O'Kane has some seriously amazing banjo skills, and always draws a crowd. The standard of the buskers and their musicianship in New York is pretty high compared to that of London. At least in my opinion, based simply on the fact I haven't heard a single Oasis or Verve cover being butchered to death the entire time I've been here. As opposed to London where it's like Groundhog Day. Walking through a cramped random tube station on you way home in London, guarantees an aural violation of one kind or other.

I'm so used to walking past a busker and seeing a pitiful contribution of shrapnel at the bottom of their guitar cases that I'm still pretty shocked to see this Banjo guy's cash literally over flowing with dollar bills every time. I don't need to guess, I can clearly see he earns more than I do in single day. Wonder how long it takes to get good at it?

This is the first time I've come across him and actually had my cameras on me. So I grabbed a few snaps of him doing his thing.

ISO 400, 1/400 at f5

Stock Photography

2009-08-26T09:22:00.001-04:00

Rescue can, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

Something I've never really investigated is the possibilities of stock photography. I joined Alamy a few years ago and uploaded a few shots but lost interest pretty quickly. The uploading and keywording process seemed clumsy and tiresome, and I was professionally more concerned with other photographic avenues.

Recently I've tried to readdress this by signing up to istockphoto. The entry criteria was very thorough and from what I can see the standard of imagery is pretty high. They have a licensing deal with the monster that is Getty Images, who have a history of swallowing picture agencies of all kinds up.

I think shooting images for stock requires a different kind of photographic eye and has taken a little adjusting to.

This weekend I went to a beach on Cape Cod where I shot this image of a lifeguard's rescue can propped up in the sand. The whole atmosphere of the place had quite a murky feel as Hurricane Bill raged only a few miles out to sea and I only came away with one or two shots that I was really pleased with.

I dread to think how many images it takes to build up a portfolio of decent stock images before you start making any money.

LIFE - Funny where things end up!

2009-08-25T10:29:00.007-04:00

I just stumbled across an image of M.I.A. performing at a festival that I shot for WireImage back in 2007.

'Get Loaded In The Park' is a summer festival that takes place on Clapham Common in South London. For the last 3 or 4 years it had become sort of Summer tradition to go down and shoot it.

They treat the press pretty well, and each year had a Nandos BBQ and all the beer you could stomach. The day pretty much revolved around basking in the sun eating chicken burgers and chatting with friends in between shooting new and exciting acts. It's a hard life...

Hannah Rose Fierman

2009-07-15T02:26:00.015-04:00

Hannah Rose Fierman, originally uploaded by Bear Witness Pictures.

This week got off to a fun start. An idea I had that started out as a wild stab in the dark paid off.

I was working as the stills shooter on a short indy movie being made in Brooklyn called 'Death & Beauty' when I met this actress called Hannah Fierman. She was playing the lead role of 'Lovely Girl' and thought she'd be a great subject to photograph. So after the shoot wrapped I politely asked her if she'd sit for me, and she agreed.

With a location already in mind, few weeks later we managed to get together and shoot something. My theme was Superhero/Catwoman/Dominatrix. This shot stood out for me and is my favourite thus far. I tried using a combinaiton of natural sunlight for some shots, a home made diffuser and a home made ring flash adapter for others. I'll work on a tight selection of each and post them up on Flickr within the week. Let me know what you think.

Getting started

2009-07-09T13:03:00.007-04:00

Hi and welcome to my photo-blog.

My name is Stefan and this is my first semi-serious entry in to the blogosphere. Thought I'd give it a human face. This is the self-portrait I took recently using a home-made diffuser.

My background as a photographer is varied. I have worked for many different photographic agencies and publications either as a photographer or within the organisation itself, including Getty Images, Wire Image and Magnum Photos.

I am interested in photography of all kinds, growing up I was inspired by photographers such as Sebastiao Salgado, Thomas Struth and Eric Piper. More recently I have come to be amazed and inspired by many of the photographers I've worked along side of. Friends and photoenthusiasts such as Oystein Lagerstrom and the Flickr community continue to impact and influence that way I approach my own photogrpahy.

I've been experimenting with different house hold objects and creating my own modifications. Recently I built my own ring flash adapter, the results of which I'll be posting in the near future. This shot was diffused using a take away pot, spray painted black, lined with foil and mounted on by flash. I'll post a how-to soon.

So thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll be back to check out future posts!