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This city is full of characters
Autumn is my favorite time of year. I love gourd and pumpkin picking, apple picking, drinking cider, etc. I find these things very nostalgic, as many people do. I took these photos at a gourd farm that I visited in Pennsylvania. Their various shapes and colors are very expressive.
A while ago, I did this photoshoot for Laura Daul’s Wifebeader Collection. Lindsey (the stylist) and I scouted various locations in Dumbo, Brooklyn before the shoot. We chose locations that were expressive and went well with the clothing.
Stylist: Lindsey Hornyak
Makeup: Georgi Sandev
Model: Caroline West @ Elite Models
Selects from Photoshoot with Anais Pouliot
Here are two of my favorites from a photoshoot with Anais Pouliot. She was pleasure to work with. Not surprisingly, she recently booked the fall/winter campaign for Louis Vuitton, shot by Steven Meisel.
Makeup: Georgi Sandev
Model: Anais Pouliot @ Trump Models Management
I enjoyed shooting this fashion story and putting it together in post-production. I like the concept of showing various moments and time passing in one photograph.
Stylist: Lindsey Hornyak
Makeup: Georgi Sandev
Hair: Anthony Campbell
Model: Irene Lambers @ Next Model Management
Every now and then you meet someone that is eccentric in such a way that upon first meeting them, you find yourself in disbelief of the their very existence. You couldn’t have imagined such a character. How could they possibly be real? This was the case with Marko.
After spending years in Bolivia as a botanist, Marko decided to use his airfare money home to purchase a piece of property in the obscure and remote town of Quime, Bolivia. This decision sealed Marko’s fate and forever tied him to Bolivia. Roughly 30 years have passed and Marko has transformed his plot of land into a luxurious (by Bolivian standards) home with a garden full of various plants. I was surprised to hear that no mail comes to Quime. Marko expressed no discouragment by this, adding that if he ever wanted to buy something like a microscope, he would just take the 6 hr. bus ride into town. With only rare visitors like myself to keep him company, Marko’s typical weeks of isolation have led to a disposition that is both eccentric and nostalgic. I felt as if I was talking with someone from a different time.
Toy soldiers and real soldiers
Independence day parades in Uyuni and Sucre, Bolivia
Bowler Caps in Bolivia
The bowler cap was a rather common fashion accessory in the early 1900′s. You may remember it from silent Charlie Chaplin movies or photos of Winston Churchill. Introduced to Bolivia in the 1920′s by British railway workers, the bowler cap is still popular among many Bolivian women.
The city of Potosí, Bolivia (the word “potosí” meaning “a fortune” in Spanish) was once one of the largest cities in the world and the silver mining capital of the Spanish Empire, where an estimated 8 million miners died as a result. The silver has long dried up and what’s left of Potosí today is an impoverished city with hints of a grander past.
As I explored the city center and nearby streets, I was intrigued by the nostalgic appeal of the doors to people’s homes. The worn surfaces and faded colors give the doors a lot of character. But besides their rustic charm, I think they are also symbolic and illustrative of Potosí’s underlying spirit today.
The entire series can be seen in the Potosí gallery.
Train Cemetery in Uyuni, Bolivia
Spending the last two weeks in Bolivia has been an adventure. This country surprisingly provided a rich variety of experiences. One of them was visiting the train cemetery near the salt flats in southern Bolivia. My favorite is the train that says “Emelia y Juan”.
Street Portraits
The Traveler
This gentleman interested me because he looked like the quintessential traveling writer. I took a few photos of him, but as with most good street portraits, it’s the first or second shot that ends up being the final select. During the first shot, the person hasn’t had time to be self-conscious of their appearance yet. The first glance is when people are the most real.
I love doing photoshoots of children. Whether it’s for catalogue, packaging, or simply portraits, these shoots are always spontaneous and fun. These photos and others will be used for packaging on Crayola toys.
Latest Photos from “The Pet Project”
With over 43,000 followers on twitter, social media marketing expert Lewis Howes is at the top of his game when it comes to networking and running numerous businesses. I had a great time photographing him as we hung out in SoHo. Lewis is very funny and it was hard for either of us to keep a straight face. We got some great shots and I loved the energy he brought to the shoot.
51% of the votes went to the Upper East Side and 49% to the Lower East Side. I’m surprised to see how close the vote came. I personally like the qualities of both. I like that fashion on the LES is very bold, edgy, and creative. I also like the classic and beautiful clothing and accessories found on the UES.
Thank you to the women who participated and to my wife Maria, who was a big help in selecting the outfits as we walked around town.
As with many cities around the world, neighborhoods in New York City vary drastically from each other. Uptown and Downtown are two different worlds. The most contrast, I’d say, is between the Lower East Side and the Upper East Side. Fashion is just one illustration of this contrast. Both are very hip in their own ways. What do you think? Vote now for your favorite.
Voting ends on 6/21
Your Favorite
- Upper East Side (51%, 39 Votes)
- Lower East Side (49%, 37 Votes)
Total Voters: 76
Loading ...LOWER EAST SIDE:
UPPER EAST SIDE:
8th grade Yellowstone trip
I recently found old slides from my childhood that I decided to have scanned. They reminded me of my start in photography, and were fun to look back on. The ones I’m showing today are from a roadtrip in 8th grade.
During the summer before high school, the junior high I attended offered an optional roadtrip out west. Put simply, a bunch of crazy 13 year olds loaded into an unairconditioned yellow school bus with the school principle and some teachers, bless their hearts. As the favored photographer of the trip, I still remember Mrs. Richie, the science teacher, giving explicit instructions to stay on the trails and never venture off of them. She would add “but Donnie, if you see something you’d like to photograph, go for it”. Anyway, I found these 2 photos I took of a sod house from the trip. I still remember the exposure oddly enough, 30 seconds at f/11 with a 28mm lens.
Latest Photos from “The Pet Project”
I came across these identical twins on the steps near Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. They are somewhat notorious for doing their synchronized workouts there. I was told by a friend that they have been in ads for Nike and Adidas. I snapped a photo of them from the front. Then as I was passing behind them, I noticed their identical sweat stains and shirt wrinkles and had to laugh. I find it comical that they’re even synchronized in things they don’t plan.
