Picture of the Week #119 "All Together Now"

Picture of the Week #119 "All Together Now" Venice, Italy 2011 Signed and Stamped

If I had a "Bucket List" the Venice Carnivale would have to be on it. I had been feeling terribly for weeks and truly thought that I better go now before I was unable. I had been aching and feeling like I was going to come down with something but never did. I also had stomach aches and kept visualizing that I had a blockage, plus my stomach was really extended even though I ate very little. The problem was what I did eat was nutritionally corrupt. Potato Chips, chocolate, tons of butter and in general - crap. My beautiful wife Ann said that I should go as she knew when I go to take pictures I become consumed and it would take my mind off of the aches and pains. She preferred to stay home and work on her writings. Literally as I was about to board the plane when she called me to tell me my Doctor had called and that my cholesterol had skyrocketed and he wanted me to take a double dose of medicine. I made a decision that I would put that off till I came home but that I would behave myself and not gorge on junk food. I focused on fish and salads and sure enough in a few days I felt rejuvenated. I'm incredibly disciplined. Taking pictures and a change in diet saved me. The Carnivale was the most joyous event I had ever attended. People were friendly and posed graciously. And although crowded, the weather shined on us and everything just fell into place. It was in one word - FANTASTIC.

Picture of the Week #118 "O Solo Mio"

Picture of the Week #118 "O Solo Mio" Venice, Italy 1969 Signed and Stamped

Forty-two years ago, way back in 1969 I was attending the Venice Film Festival where I spent most of my time walking around and taking pictures in between hawking my movies. I was under contract to a company called The Alliance Company who had a house on the Grand Canal where we stayed. The "we" being my Producer Jay Pati and Executive Producer Nick Finnerty. We had two boats at our disposal at any given time. One an elegant Speedboat and the other we used for Water Skiing. I actually received a ticket for driving the boat too fast with Jay Pati on the ski's. I also used to ride down the Canals in a gondola and this picture is of my Gondolier who sang "O Solo Mio" to me as I took in the magic of Venice. In 1976 I made a painting from this image and sold it to a real estate broker down the street from where I live in Bel Air. It hangs prominently in his house and it always brings back fond memories of a city that I cherish. Now I am off to Venice for the Carnivale and thought this would be an appropriate image to post now.

Picture of the Week #117 "Pretty Fresh Faces"

Picture of the Week #117 "Pretty Fresh Faces" Beijing / Peking, China 1980 Signed and Stamped

These school girls were actually standing on the Great Wall of China outside of Peking, now called Beijing as you see above. But recently I was working on a series of images that I had taken back then and decided to photoshop these fresh faced school girls into a field of sunflowers in the Dordogne department in France. I don't know which one I like better, so here they are, you be the judge.

Picture of the Week #116 "Banksy at the Curb"

Picture of the Week #116 "Banksy at the Curb" Santa Monica, California USA 2010 Signed and Stamped

Meeting my friend Bob Chartoff for lunch one day last May, I hopped out of my car in a great parking spot right in front of the restaurant. I looked down and there was this "Banksy" spray painting at the base of the light pole. I wasn't sure if it was the real Banksy or a knock off by Mr. Brainwash, another street artist and the subject of the wonderful documentary "Exit Through The Gift Shop". So when I got home I looked up Banksy's work online. There were other images very similar to this one. It resembled the iconic image from Esquire magazine. Now that the Academy Awards are getting near I thought it was time to post this, in hopes that "Exit Through The Gift Shop" wins.

Picture of the Week #115 "Sphinx - Shaken Splendor"

Picture of the Week #115 "Sphinx - Shaken Splendor" Giza, Egypt 1989 Signed and Stamped

Normally, I don't show political or religious images. But with all that is going on now in Egypt, I thought this image of the Sphinx at night was a fitting tribute to the turmoil of what is happening now.

Picture of the Week #114 "Iconic Ed Ruscha"

Picture of the Week #114 "Iconic Ed Ruscha" Los Angeles, California USA 2009 Signed and Stamped

Ed Ruscha, art star, and I have known each other for probably 30 or more years. One night at a mutual friends dinner I grabbed this shot of him. I thought it was more interesting to montage his image with one of his iconic Standard Station paintings in the background. I should probably send a print to him, although the last thing he needs is another image of his highly published works. The next time I see him I'll ask if he would like one.

Picture of the Week #113 "Concourse Migration"

Picture of the Week #113 "Concourse Migration" Santa Monica, California 2010 / 2011 Signed and Cut Out

This is a commission that I just completed for a friend and W/F Classic Cars in Santa Monica, California. His collection of 23 cars includes this beautiful 1956 Mercedes Benz Gull Wing Coupe. The concept was E.T. meets a flock of gull wings. The doors are opened to varying degrees to simulate the flapping wings of Sea Gulls. The back ground image is ten feet high by fifteen feet wide. Then, there are three cut outs coming out of the image on the sides creating a 3D effect. Jack Duganne the photoshop master, helped me on the computer work which included almost 100 layers and weeks of manipulation to finally get the full effect that I wanted. I believe this takes photography in a new direction.