Picture of the Week #277 "Alcaniz Doorway" Alcaniz, Spain 1987 Signed & Stamped

I found Alcaniz Spain a picture postcard of images. Even though all of my images in those days were in color on 35mm transparency film, I scanned them in and turned them black & white. The last few weeks I have only posted B&W as I think that many people don't get color. I don't know if it is a prejudice or a lack of imagination especially if the photos are fun. My last big color show was "Pictures That Make You Smile" which was essentially a bust. People said they were fun but not many sales, so I decided to try B&W for a change. Let's see how that goes over.

Picture of the Week #276 "Taj Mahal Lovers" Agra, India 2000 Signed & Stamped

I decided to go B&W on this. It is much more dramatic. I loved the fact that this iconic landmark which is usually bustling with throngs of tourists was serenely void of people. The couple on the bench were unwittingly posed for this romantic image of perhaps the best known building built for love. I went to the Taj Mahal twice. Once in the afternoon where the crowds were blocking every shot and then again the first thing in the morning. I'm not sure if this was the last of the evening or the first in the morning, but either way it was truly romantic.

Picture of the Week #275 "Suzanne Nude #2" New York City 1969 Signed & Stamped

I have focused much of my photography on people and places and documenting my life. Some time back when I was getting divorced from my first wife Wendy I dated this woman Suzanne who had a wonderful and uninhibited sexual freedom with no inhibitions to posing nude. Yes it was the "swinging sixties" and she personified that. With very primitive equipment I went about creating a series of pictures of her against a black seamless backdrop. This was one of my favorites. I have never shown these previous to today.

Picture of the Week #274 "Yummy Makers of La Duree" Paris, France 2009 Signed & Stamped

Having a major sweet tooth, one of my favorite haunts in Paris has always been the pastry shop La Duree. Passing by one day with my wife and friend Pierre-Henri Verlhac on our way to the Champs Elysee for lunch there were all the chefs standing out front. They were posing for someone else, but I couldn't resist grabbing a shot or two for myself. Here it is. Now for a Napoleon.

Picture of the Week #273 " Thought Provoking" Los Angeles, California 2006 Signed & Stamped

Perhaps I am going through a down period. I'm feeling very vulnerable lately. And we decided to list our house so we can get out from under the financial burden of living here and not exactly selling bucket loads of art. We went to Palm Springs to rest up and I happen to go see a house for sale. I immediately saw myself living there. And when they told me the price I suddenly saw that this could be the answer to our struggle. Plus we could spend summers in Europe, our first love. I found this image in my files and decided that it fit how I was feeling and made it this weeks Picture. I know it's strange but as I post images as to how I feel, this couldn't be more appropriate.

Picture of the Week #272 "Storefront Cha Cha Cha" Paris, France 2013 Signed & Stamped

Walking through my favorite section of Paris, the 6th arrondisemont, on our way to La Palette for a quick drink we passed this gallery. It caught my attention as the reflection showed that we are in Paris and somehow the square window was so graphic and the brazen playfulness of the mannequins that I had to snap the picture. I did not think much of the image until I saw it yesterday in my files. So I printed it out and found that I liked it enough to call it my picture of the week. So here it is.

Picture of the Week #271 "Doorway In Old Shanghai"  Shanghai, China 1980 Signed & Stamped

By sheer luck I found this image in my slides but hadn't seen it since I took it 34 years ago. The way I framed the image reminds me of a Japanese robe with the arms extended. I have no idea of what the guy is doing outside. I only remember that I was scouting locations for a proposed film that was going to be the first Chinese American co-production and I had Ingrid Bergman for the lead but she unfortunately became ill and the film was cancelled. Such is show biz.