Picture of the Week # 338 "African Gothic" & Bonus "Medicine Men of Kenya" Masai Mara, Kenya 1997 Signed & Stamped

On our Safari honeymoon Ann and I encountered these two Medicine Men. I posed them by the white picket fence which I found totally out of place in the Masai Mara. It reminded me of Grant Wood's iconic painting "American Gothic". Hence my title: "African Gothic". Normally I post one image but decided to add the bonus picture of them in close up. 

Picture of the Week # 337 "Window Washers of Vancouver" Vancouver, Canada 2005 Signed & Stamped

Back to graphics. I have a number of images of Window Washers. I have no idea why, perhaps it's the design or graphics of the modern buildings? Perhaps it's the voyeuristic feeling that something is about to happen? As I'm not particularly good at heights, I must give these brave souls their due. One day I hope to exhibit many of them in large format of 40" X 60". For now they are 13' X 19".

Picture of the Week # 336 "The Masked Man & The Indian" Venice, Italy 2011 Signed & Stamped

At the Venice Carnivale in 2011 I was focused in on all of those people who went over the top with elaborate costumes. I corralled 306 people to pose for me. But every once in a while there was someone who caught my eye, and here he is. It's not so much of a costume but when I caught the shadow of the person just out of frame casting his silhouette, CLICK, I caught it. This will be part of my "Pictures That Make You Smile" series that I hope to be exhibiting and making the viewer smile very soon. Stay tuned.

Picture of the Week #335 "A Wink & A Nod" New York City 1972 Signed & Stamped

This image of a homeless man was taken in 1972 when I was producing & directing Music Videos for Columbia Records. It was for a song titled "Carry Me" by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. I had gone down to the Bowery which was where the homeless congregated before it became gentrified. I took maybe three or four rolls of film and later animated those slides for the video. When digital came along I was able to scan, manipulate and print these images. They are very powerful and sadly project where this country was heading. In those days it was rare to see a homeless person on the street. 

Picture of the Week # 334 "Play Time" South of France 1981 & Los Angeles 2014 Signed & Stamped

I don't know where the inspiration for this image came from. I had been searching for a picture and I saw the clocks which I had taken a photo of in 1981 at a flea market in the South of France. Then one day last year I looked at the photo and decided to add my watches. When I took a picture of the watches they looked like they were flying off. I put the two together over an aerial view I had taken, and voila' here's the result.

# 333 "Schmuck With A Truck Under A Full Moon" Santa Monica, California 2014 Signed & Stamped

When we went to see the fireworks in Santa Monica one night there was this truck parked selling deli food. It immediately brought a smile to my face and everyone around us as well. I thought now here's an image for my Pictures That Make You Smile series. This is an ongoing series since 1965. Yes 1965. One day I will exhibit them.

Picture of the Week #332 & 332a "Selling Apples" Shanghai, China 1980 & 2014 Signed & Stamped

The primitive time of selling apples on the street in 1980 to the hi tech era of selling Apple computers in 2014, China has come a long way. These are part of my "MAO to NOW" photographic exploration of change series that will start being shown in June & July at the ArtN Space Gallery in Shanghai. Spread the word. There are more shows coming up in Hong Kong later this year and next year as part of the Shanghai Biennale.