Picture of the Week #161 "Bhutan Boogie"

Picture of the Week #161 "Bhutan Boogie" Thimpu, Bhutan 2000 Signed and Stamped

What a fitting image to go out of 2011 and into 2012 than this celebration in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. This is the land where happiness reigns. Although the expression on many of these faces doesn't exactly reflect that. But in their defense, it was extremely hot, humid and as you can see densely crowded. It was and always will be one of my favorite places, with a serene feeling and majestic beauty.

Picture of the Week #160 "Carl Perkins"

Picture of the Week #160 "Carl Perkins" Nashville, Tennessee 1972 Signed and Stamped

I took this picture of Carl Perkins, the man who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" for Elvis and was a member of the Tennessee Three that worked with Johnny Cash when I was making their music video back in 1972. A true country legend. Here he was laying down a track for a new album. I always thought this was the iconic image of a country star, with guitar in hand, a cigarillo perched on his lips and an obvious toupee topping off his head. Say what you want, but don't step on his blue suede shoes.

Picture of the Week #159 "Medicine Man of Kenya"

Picture of the Week #159 "Medicine Man of Kenya" Masai Mara, Kenya 1997 Signed and Stamped

On our honeymoon safari back in 1997 we encountered a few Medicine Men that graciously posed for pictures. Obviously that was their vocation, taking tourist's dollars for having their pictures taken. You give them a small amount and they hold still. The same was true of the Masai warriors who did the same thing. They are the costumed "Mickey Mouse" of the Masai Mara. Or the super heroes of their Hollywood Boulevard. None the less, I have this picture to share with you.

Picture of the Week #158 "My God Is Not Money"

Picture of the Week #158 "My God Is Not Money" New York City 1972 & Los Angeles 1984 Signed and Stamped

When I was producing and directing music videos back in New York in 1972, I was doing one for a group called Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. The song was called "Carry Me" and was about alcoholism. Not knowing how to portray that as a music video I went down to the Bowery on the lower East Side and photographed the homeless who roamed the street. Years later in Los Angeles I came across a brick wall with "My God Is Not Money" sprayed across it. Around that time I was working on life size cut outs as an art form. I had done cut outs of everyone from the Reagans to Sylvester Stallone and even Humphrey Bogart & Clark Gable. I branched out from celebrities to Matadors, Frenchmen playing Boule in the South of France and the homeless. I made a maquette of an installation that I wanted to place in a gallery. I blew up the image of the brick wall and placed the maquette in front of the wall. I took this picture and then I dropped the color and enhanced the black & white. This is the result.

Picture of the Week #157 "Love For Sale"

Picture of the Week #157 "love For Sale" London, England 1971 Signed and Stamped

While antique shopping in the Shepherd's Bush area of West London back in 1971 I happened on these semi discreet whorehouses. From the sidewalk you would have no idea that this was going on. But as you can see on closer inspection it becomes quite obvious. There were no pimps or hookers or even "Johns" milling about. It just appeared as a quiet residential group of row houses.

Picture of the Week #156 "Boys of Bhutan"

Picture of the Week #156 "Boys of Bhutan" Thimpu, Bhutan 2000 Signed and Stamped

I came across this image from our trip to Bhutan. As I might have said previously, I loved Bhutan. The people were friendly, the landscape was like Eden and the small kingdom had one goal, and that was happiness. What an extraordinary place. But since we were there 11 years ago Bhutan has discovered television. And from what I have heard is that the kids are now taking drugs and trying to imitate American youth. A shame as this country was ahead of the curve in so many ways. Crime was almost unheard of, and all plastic was banned. And everyone was educated and health care was a given. I'd love to return now and to see what other change has wrought.

Picture of the Week #155 "Praising Carpets"

Picture of the Week #155 "Praising Carpets" Cairo, Egypt 1989 Signed and Stamped

Most tourists in Egypt take pictures of the Sphinx and the Pyramids. I like people. Don't get me wrong I have many pictures of the Sphinx and probably even more of the Pyramids, but people are what interest me the most. I am not sure if this guy was yelling at me not to take his picture or he was praying or just giving me a welcome sign. Either way, here he is.