The Workshop

Pictured above starting from the left are Jörg Colberg, his wife Karen in the centre and then Robert Lyons on the right. I recently attended a pretty awesome workshop, the teachers were Jorg Colberg and Robert Lyons...
Both inspirational.

Robert Lyons

Robert is what I would like to call a "hyphenate". Robert studied under Minor White, went to school with Steven Shore, Robert has published books on Africa and Rwanda and my personal favorite on his wife Miriam. Robert loves to listens to good Jazz on true vinyl, has a beautiful studio in Northampton and shuttles back and forth between Berlin and Massachusetts. Robert teaches at ICP and in Berlin but is currently working on revolutionary graduate program at the Hartford University, one that might change the way MFA's are perceived for the working professional. The images above are some of my favorite images form his work and they are of his wife Miriam. An Excellent teacher who has the tact to tell your mistakes and fashion you from the same mud you are made of but make you better.

Jörg Colberg

While this man doesn't need introduction, Let me give you a short one, Jörg started a blog called Conscientious, Conscientious changed the presence of online photo critiquing world forever. The archives to his blog date back to 2002, perhaps before any of us knew how important blogging would become for all of us in the years to come. On Colberg's first page of posts if you look back into July 2002, he talks about vintage synthesizers, cibachromes and Yousuf Karsh. In retrospect, that all in itself should have been enough for all of us to know what Conscientious was capable of. In Germany Jörg received a Ph.D. in astrophysics and today is considered an extremely distinguished Contemporary Photo critic. The image above is one of my favorites bodies of work from his website called "No Place Like The Cape". To me the most amazing thing was the energy he brought to reviewing other peoples work, meaning all of us. And the same energy was visible when he brought a rare and tiny TIntype to class along his precious NAS lenses to share with his 48 hr student body.

Bottom line: I am fortunate to be given a pep talk from some of the best and most respected names in the industry. Final words from both of these men: Keep shooting... don't ever stop shooting and always remember that talent is no license to take hard work for granted.

Pizza pie moment

This  is a popular beach game in Rio called Footvolley. A sport created in brazil in the mid 90's. You can only use your feet, chest or head to play the ball, no hands. I couldn't help but notice how perfectly symmetrical these boys divided themselves up, catching a dead centre football in the midst of it was like getting a cherry on your pie.

Private Beach

A man stands on a private beach between Leblon & São Conrado, Rio  

Water

I just returned from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A city full of people that embrace water like champions. I returned with delicious memories of incredible food, friendship from locals that will make you want to migrate in a heart beat and music that will turn your heart into a Cadbury cream egg. This image is one of my favorites. It attempts to capture the relationship between *Carioca's and agua.  (A Carioca is what a local/native from Rio De Janeiro is called).

From my kitchen window

I have been in my apartment for two months now and at a particular time in the evening I can see the light do this from the kitchen window in my apartment. The light stays like this for a short period of time but with a little patience and some luck from the photo gods I got a little seagull to pay my picture a visit.

Views of Brooklyn from my Apartment.