Music: I have been waiting for some new inspiration in the music world; ie hitting the shuffle button on my ipod a lot. I did see a great 8 piece local band, Balthrop Alabama, last Sunday at Bait & Tackle. Their lyrics are full of humor, irony, and heart. Plus their Irish accordionist kicks ass. Their music reminded me a bit of a honky tonk They Might Be Giants meets Iron & Wine. Check out their website and download their new album for free.
Movies: Pan’s Labyrinth could be one of my most visually favorite films in the last few years. An amazing mix (labyrinth) of reality and fantasy that was so suspenseful it had Nancy clutching my arm from start to finish. Plus he really likes bugs.
Books: The Bird Man and the Lap Dancer: Close Encounters with Strangers
Photography: I have been a big fan of table top tripods that are not limited to the table and have loved my compact Ultrapod 2, however, the newly released Gorillapod series of tripods attaches to almost anything. Joby makes 3 different sizes of these cute, not cuddly, Gorillapods, I’ve used them all and I have to say that I finally found the perfect one for me! The Gorillapod SLR Zoom holds a whopping 6lbs of camera goodness almost anywhere you go. See the below picture of my Zero Image 6x12F pinhole camera attached to a tree in upstate New York. I highly recommend using a cable release or the self timer in your camera when it is attached to the Gorillapod as some immediate shake can happen from depressing the shutter. There is no doubt about it, tripods open up a creative door to photography. They help you increase depth of field, create long exposures, and immediately give you street cred. Find the right Gorilla for you and let the fun begin!
BUT BUT BUT SHE DIES!!!!!!!!
Just to update anyone in the NY region, Balthrop Alabama will be playing at Union Hall this Wednesday 2/21 at 8PM, come check it out, they will warm you up like moonshine!
Union Hall – Park Slope, Brooklyn
702 Union St at 5th Avenue – Map
http://www.unionhallny.com/
The Smiths had no children and decided to use a proxy father to start their family. On the day the proxy father was to arrive, Mr. Smith kissed his wife and said, “I’m off. The man should be here soon.”
Half an hour later, just by chance, a door-to-door baby photographer rang the doorbell, hoping to make a sale. “Good morning madam. You don’t know me, but I’ve come to….”
“Oh, no need to explain. I’ve been expecting you,” Mrs. Smith cut in.
“Really?” the photographer asked. “Well, good! I’ve made a specialty of babies.”
“That’s what my husband and I had hoped. Please come in and have a seat. Just where do we start?” asked Mrs. Smith, blushing.
“Leave everything to me. I usually try two in the bathtub, one on the couch and perhaps a couple on the bed. Sometimes the living room floor is fun too; you can really spread out.”
“Bathtub, living room floor? No wonder it didn’t work for Harry and me.”
“Well, madam, none of us can guarantee a good one every time. But if we try several different positions and I shoot from six or seven angles, I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results.”
“I hope we can get this over with quickly,” gasped Mrs. Smith.
“Madam, in my line of work, a man must take his time. I’d love to be in and out in five minutes, but you’d be disappointed with that, I’m sure.”
“Don’t I know!!,” Mrs. Smith exclaimed.
The photographer opened his briefcase and pulled out a portfolio of his baby pictures. “This was done on the top of a bus in downtown London.”
“Oh my god!!,” Mrs. Smith exclaimed, tugging at her handkerchief.
“And these twins turned out exceptionally well when you consider their mother was so difficult to work with.” The photographer handed Mrs. Smith the picture.
“She was difficult ?” asked Mrs. Smith. “Yes, I’m afraid so. I finally had to take her to Hyde Park to get the job done right. People were crowding around four and five deep, pushing to get a good look.”
“Four and five deep?” asked Mrs. Smith, eyes widened in amazement.
“Yes,” the photographer said. “And for more than three hours too. The mother was constantly squealing and yelling. I could hardly concentrate. Then darkness approached and I began to rush my shots. Finally, when the squirrels began nibbling on my equipment, I just packed it all in.”
Mrs. Smith leaned forward. “You mean they actually chewed on your, uh……equipment?”.
“That’s right. Well, madam, if you’re ready, I’ll set up my tripod so that we can get to work.”
“Tripod??,” Mrs. Smith looked extremely worried now.
“Oh yes, I have to use a tripod to rest my Canon on. It’s much too big for me to hold while I’m getting ready for action. Madam? Madam?…..
Good Lord, she’s fainted !!
I’m with Gabe on this one, the thing I may hate most is the tripod, and the thing that helps photography the most is the tripod. Ohh well.. steady as she goes…