ChatterBlog

August 2010

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 06/08/10 at 10:08 am

ChatterLog
Humor

Image courtesy of http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

Greetings everyone, and welcome to the August ChatterBulletin and to the charismatic sign of Leo! Many of us are experiencing pretty “hot” summers this year so the fiery nature of the Leo is expressed perfectly by the extreme heat during the month of August before we turn the corner into September and head for fall. Although Leos are known to be very regal (they are after all the “King of the Jungle”) they are really a bunch of big kids who would prefer to have fun rather than be responsible. So in keeping with my fellow fun-loving Leos, my theme for this month is “Humor.” As I said, Leo’s like to have fun, and they have this marvelous ability to “lighten” the mood by making everyone laugh. They are also extremely creative people, which is why many of them become artists of one kind or another. I have a ton of Leo friends who are performers, actors, artists or musicians. This also explains why Leo is the sign associated with “drama” – and by that I don’t simply mean the drama we see on TV or in a movie. Leo’s will have drama woven into their lives at all times. And if there isn’t any, they’ll create some.

Some famous dramatic Leo’s you might have heard of are – Madonna & 1st husband Sean Penn, J-Lo & almost-husband Ben Affleck, as well as his brother Casey Affleck, both Antonio Banderas & his wife Melanie Griffith, and then we have such notables as Lucille Ball, Mae West, Helen Mirren, Kyra Sedgwick, Halle Berry & Sandra Bullock, along with Steve Martin, Laurence Fishburne, Dustin Hoffman, Robert de Niro, Robert Redford, Kevin Spacey, Wesley Snipes, both David Duchovny & Gillian Anderson (of X Files fame), film directors Roman Polanski, James Cameron & Alfred Hitchcock, writers Sir Ian Fleming (of James Bond fame), J.K. Rowling (of Harry Potter fame), Beatrix Potter, Emily Bronte & Danielle Steele, designers Yves St. Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Coco Chanel & Martha Stewart, and artist Andy Warhol, musicians Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, Whitney Houston, George Clinton, Louis Armstrong & Count Basie, and athletes Roger Federer, Magic Johnson, Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez, Arnold Schwarzenegger & Hulk Hogan, along with such notables as Henry Ford, Fidel Castro, Napoleon Bonaparte, Benito Mussolini, Marcus Garvey, Bill Clinton (& Monica Lewinsky!) as well as our current president, Barack Obama. The list literally goes on and on and on, but notice how many famous performers, artists, musicians and writers we have here, along with famous as well as infamous rulers and/or world leaders! All very “Leo!”

But back to our theme and the subject of “Humor.” There are some kinds of humor that can be considered as universal and others that are most definitely culturally or even age-specific. I grew up in England and our somewhat eccentric sense of humor is certainly not always understood or appreciated by others. And then every now and again, something transcends and can be translated across cultures and oceans. People of all ages respond to humor, whether it is a young child watching a puppet show or Tom & Jerry cartoon, or an intellectual adult who goes for something more mature and satirical. Humor provokes laughter and provides amusement, but even more interesting is that the term “humor” derives way back to ancient times and refers to the “humors of the body” which were believed to control human health and emotion and therefore the goal was to keep these body fluids, or humors, in balance. The Four Humors were Yellow Bile, Black Bile, Blood & Phlegm and were directly related to each of the Four Elements, Fire, Earth, Air & Water. Consider this, when times are tough, do we not use humor to see us through? So in order to find balance with all of the stress in our lives, we have to find some sort of humorous outlet. When my sister and I were (and still are) dealing with the loss of our mother, as much as there was to cry about, we have had and continue to have a lot of laughs and a multitude of hilarious stories.

Click here to read the rest of the ChatterLog!

And in closing, I would just like to wish all of my fellow Leo friends out there a very Happy Birthday, including my good pals Rowena, Ringo, Kim and Pam from my college days, my dear friend and musician Gretta in Seattle, our mutual friend and bass player Jared in Hoboken, and in Williamsburg, my always hilarious pal Julie, and in London, my old friend Andy who recently resurfaced after a long absence. And then there is also Pam, neighbor and friend to our family for many years, and Jordan, my dear friend Tracy’s daughter who came and interned with me this year. Happy Birthday!

ChatterArtists
Continuing on with our theme of “humor” this month we are showcasing photographers who shoot surprise, surprise, imagery that is humorous! And by this I don’t mean photographers that shoot a funny image once in a while, I mean these are photographers whose humor is an integral part of their work and is woven either blatantly or subtly throughout their imagery. So go on, have a good chuckle!

Michael Sahadi
First up is a client of mine from Philadelphia, Michael Sahadi. I really enjoyed working with him because he was very keen to refine his imagery down into one single portfolio that reflected his specific style of environmental portraiture, and I think we accomplished that. This is a recent image from him that is a hilarious portrait of two dentists. I cracked up when I saw it, and I loved the subject line he chose for the e-mail promotion, which was,
“Just say ahhhh…”

Brett Deering
Another client who I had fun working with is Brett Deering. Our conversations were always funny and silly, but the consultations still very productive, and what I wanted to show with Brett’s website was his ability to bring out this quirky sense of humor that lies within. The image we selected however, is not one of his personal project portraits, instead we chose an image from a shoot where the client wanted a more straightforward group portrait with the two business men along with the group of kids, all smiling nicely. That’s what the client wanted. However, Brett managed to shoot his own version of the concept, with all of the kids making funny faces, and I think the result was brilliant. Remember, it is okay to shoot what the client wants first, and then politely ask if you can take a few frames using your own idea. And often, the client becomes inspired and chooses that image!

Brett Deering
http://www.brettdeering.com

George Fulton
Next up are two photographers I have known for a while now. First we have my pal George Fulton, who was a client of mine way back when I was working at the Black Book. I always loved George both as a person and as a photographer, with his sense of humor running through both. Based in South Carolina, George is represented by Tricia Scott and Brett Sahler, who make up Merge Left Reps here in New York.

Chris Buck
And the second photographer I’ve also known for a good while is Chris Buck, who has an undeniably hilarious sense of humor that is most apparent in all of his work. It is very gratifying to see how throughout his career, he has not strayed from his specific point of view and he is therefore hired to shoot with his specific point of view. Often “off the wall,” but always entertaining, Chris has also appeared on my panels for APA NY a few years ago and is currently represented by another of my pals, Patrick Casey and Marge Casey & Associates, also in New York.

Hannah Kuo
From the seasoned to the student, so next up I am showing you the work of Hannah Kuo, a young emerging photographer whose work I reviewed at Parson’s graduating class this spring. I absolutely loved Hannah’s series of “couples with their pets” portraits. When I asked her more about them, I discovered that she spends some time reviewing the couples’ wardrobes, and specifically selecting items that she felt would work for the session, along with a plain color background that made the portraits pop.

Christopher Lane
Although I do believe that certain humor is universal, I can’t but help love the unique sense of humor that is uniquely “British.” Let’s be honest, no other country could produce something as the likes of Monty Python. So next we have a very funny and wonderful photographer friend of mine, Chris Lane. Although we met in New York, Chris’s style of humor is still very English and he spends a fair amount of time over there as well as in the U.S. documenting subjects that both interest and amuse him, at the same time as giving him a sense of society. We chose these two hilarious portraits from his series on the “Handle Bar Club” and yes, the “Handle Bar” refers to the mustaches and only eccentric old England could come up with that one!

Gary Salter
And last but not least we have Gary Salter, another “Brit” whom I met some years ago in London, again when I was with the Black Book. There is a tinge of “twisted” in Gary’s work which I love, and he has successfully built a good reputation for producing fun images. I will also be writing one of my ChatterCorner articles for PhotoServe on Gary as he recently completed a wonderful campaign for CRF Health in which the client and art director were willing to allow him to put his wonderful sense of humor to work. He is represented in the U.K. by Horton Stephens and in the U.S. by Ralph Mennemeyer at M Represents.

ChatterCorner
Amy Salzman
For my latest article on PhotoServe’s Surveillance section, we switched things up and I interviewed my pal Amy Salzman, former Art Buyer with McCann Erickson and now Senior Art Producer for William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, which is part of the McCann World Group. Amy has also taken part in several of my creative panel discussions and has always been a lot of fun to work with, so check out the article for some inside insights…

Amy Salzman

Click here to read the full article: http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photoserve/surveillance/e3i2a62321a15dd65d808d9e413847f1703

And be sure to watch out for my next article which will be posted this month on PhotoServe. In perfect keeping with our Leo theme, I will be writing about San Francisco-based photographer Erik Almas, who recently shot a wonderful advertising campaign for the Ritz-Carlton luxury brand using a live lion – amazing stuff!

ChatterNews & Events
August is typically a quiet month for both business and events so we don’t have much to tell you about.
But don’t forget in last month’s bulletin we gave you a bunch of websites for free summertime events in New York, so you can always check on those again. And if you want to go back to any of the previous bulletins, they are all archived on the ChatterBlog: http://chatterboxenterprises.com/chatterblog/

Photobook NYC
A NYC Photography Contest
Contest Deadline is Thursday, August 12th, 2010.
From the website:
“PDN introduces PHOTOBOOK NYC, a new project in conjunction with Blurb calling for the best New York City related photography. From the iconic grandeur of the skyline, to the heart of the communities, we want the grit and the glam. Show us the five boroughs as you know them and our panel of NYC experts will help choose 35 WINNERS to be published in an PDN branded special edition book celebrating the images that capture true NYC experiences.”

For more information and to enter the contest please visit: http://www.photobooknyc.com/

PPE
PhotoPlus Expo registration is now open! Louisa J. Curtis will be moderating a panel Friday, October 29th from 1:15-3:15pm called The Wonderful World of Websites: Portfolios, Promotions and Solutions. Be sure to check it out!

The full event and seminar schedule will be on the PhotoPlus Expo website shortly. For more information and to register please visit: http://www.photoplusexpo.com/

Debbie Miracolo
My client, Debbie Miracolo is part of a group show titled “Objects of Affection” currently exhibiting at Calumet Photo Gallery in NYC. The show features photos by members of Professional Women Photographers and will continue through Friday, August 13th!
Calumet Photo Gallery
22 West 22nd Street, 2nd Floor (between 5th & 6th Avenues)
New York, NY

Image © Debbie Miracolo
http://www.debbiemiracolo.com

Josh Gerritsen
Josh Gerritsen is a young photographer who has worked as a photo assistant for our friends the Katvans and they recommended I touch base with him. Josh recently returned from an amazing photo trip to Russia and Mongolia across the Trans-Siberian Railway and has written all about his travels on his Blog. Here is one of my favorite images from his voyage of a young Mongolian boy on his father’s motorcycle.

CPW Events
The Center for Photography at Woodstock is hosting more workshops and lectures for the month of August. This month one of their featured events is a two-day workshop with renowned photographer Mary Ellen Mark.

© Mary Ellen Mark

For more information on these events please visit: http://www.cpw.org/WPW/2010/pages/August.html

ChatterTip of the Month
Natural Remedies for a Healthy Heart!

Image courtesy of http://www.speaking-up.com/blog/

The sign of Leo rules over the heart (as well as the back) so it is not unusual for people born under this sign to have issues with their heart. Leo is also connected with love, think of an affectionate and purring pussycat that just wants to be stroked and adored, who wouldn’t love that? And then put the two together and you have the reason as to why we associate our organ “the heart” with “being in love.” So a heart problem might not always be something physical, it could be a case of a “broken heart.” But for now, let’s stick with some physical remedies for a healthy heart:

Cardiovascular Exercise – may sound obvious but it is really important because your heart is a muscle, like any other in the body, so bottom line is it needs exercise. We talk about exercising and losing weight, cardio classes and all of that, but think about it – cardio = heart, so we need to exercise the heart muscle by raising the heartbeat during our workout. It might be a walk, a swim, a dance class, or perhaps something more intense such as a treadmill, bike, rower or stepping machine. But whatever your level, pedestrian to athlete, and whichever exercise genre you choose, you simply need to elevate the heart rate so that you are working the heart muscle out and, it should be for a sustained period of time (minimum of 20 – 30 minutes) several times a week (3 – 5 days, depending on you and your workout.) And if you haven’t exercised in a while, don’t do too much to begin with, start with a few minutes and build it up over a period of time. This way you will avoid injury and allow the body to build endurance.

Foods to help prevent Heart Disease – so besides exercising our heart muscle, we also need to be aware of what we are eating. Cardiovascular diseases also include those related to the blood vessels as well as to the heart itself, and combined they form the cardiovascular system. The heart is the organ responsible for “pumping” blood throughout our bodies, so if it’s not working too well, the rest of the body is in trouble. And, if our diet is poor and we eat lots of fried food and junk in general, and we don’t exercise, chances are that we are going to be overweight for starters, which will put additional strain on that heart muscle, and then our blood vessels could become constricted so our blood won’t flow properly, and then well, it’s not going to produce any good scenarios really, whether it is high “bad” cholesterol, high blood pressure or worse still a “heart attack” – so we have to be aware of what we are putting in our bodies and feed it well.

The following foods are great for fighting against heart disease and strokes (also good for asthma and rheumatoid arthritis) – Squash or Zucchini, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Apricots, Cantaloupe, Oranges, Corn, Pineapples & Lemons – and notice how many of these foods reflect the warm fiery color palette of Leo. Also great for the heart is our old friend Ginger and I even read somewhere that, 3 – 4 teaspoons a day of Ketchup (yes ketchup) helps to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, who knew?

Vitamins & Supplements for a Healthy Heart – so aside from exercising and eating well, here are a few supplement suggestions to help promote a healthy heart. First of all, many of you have no doubt heard that Aspirin has been recommended for many years to help aid against heart problems. Then we have the supplement Co Q10, which is known to act as an antioxidant and can be beneficial for treating heart disease, heart failure, cardiac arrest as well as high blood pressure. And then we also have the Omega 3 Oils including Fish Oil (commonly found in the oilier fishes such as salmon, sardines and mackerel), Flaxseed (or Linseed) Oil, and Borage Oil – all great for promoting a healthy heart.

Love Yourself – again, this may sound obvious to some, but above all, we have to love ourselves. We do this by exercising regularly, eating sensibly and by generally doing good things for our mind, body and soul, whatever those might be. Only then can we truly be able to give love to others.

ChatterRecipe of the Month
Salmon Burgers

Image courtesy of http://brandyfei.blogsome.com/

So even though Leo is the lion, and therefore a carnivore that traditionally likes his meat, I am switching my recipe up this month and in keeping with our “healthy heart” theme, bringing you a recipe for a lovely summer burger made with one of our oil rich fish instead of ground meat. I remember my cousin and I having lunch one day at a local restaurant near me, ironically called “Jane” (which is my middle name) and we had salmon burgers and they were great! This recipe comes from Rachel Ray and is served with a ginger-wasabi mayonnaise, serves 4. And, if you fancy some French Fries with your Salmon Burgers, Rachel also suggests simply heating some pre-cut frozen fries in the oven, and before they are fully crisp, add some sesame seeds and toss them amongst the French Fries, then return to the oven and cook for a few more minutes so that the sesame seeds toast and release their flavor.

For the Burgers
1 ½ lbs Salmon Fillet (remove the skin & pin bones)
2 cloves of Garlic (chopped or grated)
3 inch piece of fresh Ginger (minced or grated)
3 tablespoons Tamari (aged soy sauce) or substitute with regular Soy Sauce
2 Scallions (chopped)
½ small Red Bell Pepper (seeds removed & finely chopped)
2 teaspoons Sesame Oil
2 teaspoons Grill Seasoning or substitute with Salt & Pepper
Coarse Black Pepper
1 tablespoon Oil (use something light such as Canola, Safflower or Peanut)
4 Sesame Kaiser Rolls (split and toasted) or substitute with your own roll preference
Red Leaf Lettuce (for garnish) or substitute with another lettuce or green of your choice

For the Wasabi Mayonnaise
½ to ¾ cups Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Wasabi Paste
Juice of 1 Lime

Cube the Salmon into bite-sized pieces and place in a food processor. If you don’t own one, then cut the salmon into very small pieces, equivalent of a coarse grind so it takes on the consistency of ground meat. Transfer into a bowl and combine with the Garlic, 1/3 of the Ginger, the Tamari, Scallions, Red Bell Pepper, Sesame Oil, Grill Seasoning and Coarse Black Pepper. Don’t be afraid to mix it together with your hands, it really is the best way for something like this! Form the mixture into 4 patties, approximately 1 ½ inches thick. Drizzle both sides of the patties with the Oil, and cook in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 -6 minutes on each side for well-done, and a little less time if you prefer “pink in the middle.” Don’t overcook otherwise you’ll dry them out. While the burgers a re cooking, mix together the Mayonnaise, the remaining Ginger, the Wasabi Mayonnaise and Lime juice. Split and toast the Rolls or Buns and spread the Wasabi Mayonnaise mixture on them. Top each with a Salmon Burger and some Red Leaf Lettuce before setting the Bun tops in place.

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Humor

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 05/08/10 at 12:08 pm

Image courtesy of http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/

So what makes us laugh? We all have our own particular favorites and for me, I know there is a certain brand of humor that always wins me over, and that is the ability to have you laughing one minute and then crying the next, because it is all about the emotional experience and how you “feel.” One of my favorite examples of this comes from British writer and comedian Ben Elton.

© Ian Bradshaw

http://www.ianbradshaw.com/

This Ben Elton portrait was taken by my old pal and English photographer Ian Bradshaw
http://www.ianbradshaw.com

Ben Elton is a magician for mixing outrageous humor with very real and politically driven issues that are relevant and recognizable to the reader. He always seems to be ahead of his time starting with his 1st book “Stark” that dealt with environmental awareness (look at us now!) to his more recent analysis of the Facebook culture in “Blind Faith.” I own every single one of his books and absolutely loved each and every one of them. His characters are always brilliantly funny, and sometimes pathetic or simply tragic. For instance, his 2nd novel “Gridlock” depicts a near-future London in which traffic congestion has reached almost critical levels thus becoming “gridlocked” – and although the government is apparently planning a new road system, they typically ignore investing in the more obvious mass transportation solutions (such as trains) in order to alleviate the problems. The book was published in 1991 and 12 years later in February of 2003, in order to combat the ever-increasing traffic concerns, the City of London introduced a controversial “congestion” charge for anyone driving into the inner city zones. Gee, what a shame they closed down so many railways all those years ago…

And while we are on the subject of brilliant English comedy, another of my absolute favorites has to be Fawlty Towers, created by John Cleese of Monty Python fame and co-written by his wife at that time, American-born actress Connie Booth, who also played the maid Polly to John Cleese’s hotel proprietor, Basil Fawlty. They were very smart and only broadcast 2 series of 6 episodes each, thus quitting while they were ahead. Each episode was brilliantly crafted and written, often escalating to outrageous heights. Who can forget the “Hotel Inspectors” or “Don’t Mention the War” episodes, and one of my all-time favorites, the one with the dead body, the “Kipper and the Corpse.” http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1225102734036773727#
And one of my favorite features was the way the Hotel’s sign changed each episode, so “Fawlty Towers” became “ Watery Fowls”, “Fatty Owls” or even “Farty Towels!”

Here is a link to watch all of the episodes!
http://www.google.com/search?q=fawlty+towers+episodes&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=v&source=univ&tbs=vid:1&tbo=u&ei=hfZaTKukMcH68Ab-rczmAg&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCAQqwQwAA

We grew up on Monty Python, watching it from the very beginning. I remember my mother coming home from work one day to find a group of us gathered around the TV set glued to the likes of the “Ministry of Silly Walks”, the “Dead Parrot” and the “Spanish Inquisition.” “What on earth are you watching?” she declared incredulously. Always curious to see what the younger generation was up to, she joined in and began watching along with us, and it didn’t take long before she was totally hooked as well! It literally became an institution, especially in our family, and whenever something totally bizarre or randomly funny happened, we would exclaim, “Pure Monty Python.” One such day when my mother had been to see her bank manager, she described how he had instructed his secretary to grandly bring in Mrs. Curtis’ files. She expected a little dossier, something small and neat, but what arrived on the desk instead were mounds and mounds of huge files, big as telephone books! She came home chuckling to herself as to how “Pure Monty Python” the whole thing had seemed, that little old her required so much paperwork. And I also fondly recall when I took her to see their movie “The Life of Brian” when it first came out. We laughed ourselves silly, well, it was so silly and quite controversial at the time, so when Jesus started singing, “Always look on the bright side of life…” from the cross, well… that became one of our signature songs. And, just the other week, I was watching Graham Norton, another of my favorite irreverent comics (this one Mum passed on to me ironically) and one of his guests was Sir Eric Idle, one of the Monty Python members. And guess what, he actually stood up and started singing our song!

Here, for your viewing pleasure are 20 of the best ever Monty Python sketches!
http://gnews.com/the-life-of-python20-greatest-monty-python-sketches-03200918105104/

Another of my favorites is, or should I say was, the TV show Ugly Betty, which I thought was one of the funniest series to come along in a while. I was totally surprised and devastated to hear they had cancelled it – a real shame.

Again, I thought the writing was so clever because one minute you would have Betty or another character in a seemingly silly slapstick situation and then the next, it would be totally tugging at your heartstrings. Vanessa Williams was brilliant as the evil Wilhelmina Slater, a true Cruella de Vil of the fashion-publishing world. I honestly thought I would feel completely lost without this show, but I am pleased to announce that I have recently and unexpectedly fallen in love with the hit show Glee. Now, I had no idea what a “Glee” club was, (we didn’t have them in England) and I’m not exactly a huge fan of “musicals” but I have to say, I have laughed out loud in every single episode and have become a big fan. It really is very clever the way they have combined the crazy cast of characters, with their individual stories, along with all of the song and dance routines. Truly a delight!

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July 2010

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 08/07/10 at 10:07 pm

Greetings everyone, and welcome to the July ChatterBulletin, and to the season of Summer, which began officially on June 21st, the day of the Summer Solstice. The word “Solstice” literally means, “the Sun stands still.” And so it is, on June 21st, the Sun, having reached its highest point in the sky, pauses before continuing on his journey towards the Autumnal Equinox, followed by the Winter Solstice, during which time we will lose one minute of light each day. But that’s a long way off, so let’s stick with the present and this month’s theme, which is Motherhood & Family.

ChatterLog
Motherhood & Family

The Three of Us, Scotland, July 1995

Why “motherhood & family” you might ask? Well, July now brings us to the sign of Cancer, who is also referred to as the Archetypical “mother” of the zodiac. Look around you and notice just how many women are walking around with big pregnant bellies at this time of year, all preparing to give birth to a new batch of summer babies. For some reason, I always notice that the women on the Weather Channel are usually pregnant at this time of year as well! And let’s face it, humans are still animals, so in the colder months of the fall & winter, we “mate” and we make babies. I remember years ago in the early 1970’s in England we went through a series of government imposed “power cuts” during yet another “oil crisis.” People were forced to work 3 or even 2-day workweeks and the power was limited, so we were without electricity for countless nights. My mother and I spent many of those evenings playing scrabble by candlelight. And while we were busy playing word-games, others who were also without their TV’s, were busy in bed playing other sorts of hanky-panky games! So not surprisingly, the national population increased noticeably as a result – and I’m not making that up!

As some of you may recall from reading my previous bulletins, my sister and I lost our mother last year. Born on July 14th, our mother was a Cancer! And true to her sign, the crab, she loved the water and being by the sea. Cancer is the sign that says, “I Feel” and because “water” is connected with emotions, they are all about what or how they feel. Their moods are as varied and unpredictable as the ocean itself and just like the crab they protect their vulnerable emotional side with a hard exterior shell. Some of you may also know that July 14th is Bastille Day, a national holiday celebrated by the French to commemorate the storming of the Bastille Prison during the French Revolution in the year 1789. This event was seen as a symbol of the uprising of a modern nation, bringing justice and equity to all instead of just the rich and the royal. Shortly after the storming of the Bastille, on August 4th Feudalism was abolished and on August 26th the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” was proclaimed.

f
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day

But back to our theme and Cancer, the “mother-figure” of the zodiac and for whom the qualities of listening and nurturing come naturally. A mother nurtures her children and takes care of the family’s needs, and does a mother not have to listen to everyone else’s opinions and complaints as to why their little brother gets away with everything and who ate the last cookie anyway? Our Great Aunt Bell (who was our grandmother’s sister and our mother’s Aunt) was the unofficial “head” of the family and the one we all deferred to. She too was a Cancer and it is no big surprise to my sister and I that she and our mother were so close as they had a natural “identification” with one another. Both were strong women whose circumstances had required of them to employ some creative survival techniques at times. Perhaps they were also frugal as most Scotts can certainly be but they knew how to “stretch a dollar” as they say. And, their natural ability to listen also meant that many lost souls would gravitate to their doorsteps. I recall many a troubled teenager or confused adult who would seek refuge and advice from both Aunt Bell and our mother. Mum was always interested in other people’s lives, and she could in fact, be downright nosey at times, but she found people and their stories fascinating (as do I) and so visitors were graciously met with something to eat, drink and a listening ear to absorb and give advice on their assorted problems. After all of the stories she heard over the years, she would generally remark that it all usually boiled down to one of two things (sometimes both) and that was sex and money!

Click here to read the rest of the ChatterLog!

Over the years family and motherhood have taken on other meanings for me besides the direct link to my own mother. It may have been a “surrogate” mother figure or “auntie” that helped to fill that role of listener or gave me a shoulder to lean on when I needed it, or perhaps a particular teacher or mentor who helped to guide me along the way. Sometimes we might feel closer to other families than to our own, and maybe we create our own family of assorted creatures who need to belong and feel loved. As a good friend of mine says, “Fathers I may have many, but mothers I have only one.” And certainly, as crazy as our own mother could drive us at times (like all mothers!) she was our “one and only” mother who guided us the best she knew how through the maze of life and we miss her a lot. Now, she is no doubt looking down on us and hopefully continuing to feel proud of her daughters. And one more thought on motherhood which is so beautifully illustrated by this image from Christopher Auger-Dominguez, and that is “family” is about those that love you. So if it takes the form of two mothers, or even two fathers, it is about providing a loving and nurturing home to a child or children in need. So wishing all of you nurturing Cancers out there a very Happy Birthday!

ChatterArtists
Continuing on with the theme of “family” this month we are showcasing photographers who shoot maternity and family portraiture, with an emphasis on the bond between mother and child.

Koren Reyes
First up is a client of mine from a couple of years ago, photographer Koren Reyes, who has taken the “maternity” genre and primarily (although not exclusively) focused her business on that. You can imagine how wonderful it is for the mothers-to-be to have such beautiful and artistic images to remember their pregnancies by, (especially when the kid reaches the “terrible twos” and is driving her crazy!) and this image is no exception.

Sandrine Flint
Sandrine Flint is married to my Florida-based client Stephen Flint, and while he continues to build his commercial and advertising business, Sandrine focuses on the children & family consumer portraiture. I really love her fresh and relaxed style. It is fittingly very “Florida” – full of light, life and laughter and we particularly loved this image of the pregnant mother in a natural environment.

Sue Barr
I met Sue Barr a few years ago when she came and showed her work at one of the New York Photo Salons. Sue shoots a very loose and natural style of “family life” imagery and is currently signed with agents and my friends, Watson & Spierman. We loved the simplicity of this charming image of a mother breastfeeding her infant.

Christopher Auger-Dominguez
Notice that up until this point, not surprisingly, the photographers who shoot babies, kids and families are usually women. However, there are men who shoot this challenging demographic as well.
Christopher Auger-Dominguez came to me a couple of years ago and we worked on his 2 different websites, one for his commercial and editorial work, and the other for his consumer portraiture. One of my favorite styles of portraiture from him is the conceptual work – as seen in this hilarious shot of husband & wife with the baby in the clouds!

© Christopher Auger-Dominguez

http://www.studiofourb.com/family/family

Dana Serling
Dana Serling is a more recent client of mine, who is new to both photography as her chosen profession and to New York City, having recently moved here from Chicago. Talk about “Six Degrees Of Separation” – Dana is good friends with Rose, who happens to be one of the Burlesque dancers that my client Callie Lipkin has photographed and, Rose is the one in the image that we picked for my article on Callie for PhotoServe – the girl in the dryer! Dana likes to shoot “natural” imagery that is not always as posed and we loved this cute family group shot.

Jade Albert
Next up we have Jade Albert, and we chose this perhaps less-obvious family lifestyle image in the end because we love the intimacy of the moment between mother and child. Be sure to also check out Jade’s recent work on the pageant princesses! If you have even watched “Toddlers & Tiaras” on TV, then you already know that these kids are a piece of work, but it is the pageant mothers to watch out for!

Tony Wood
And last, but by no means least, I wanted to show another client of mine from a few years ago, Tony Wood, who is based in Philadelphia. Tony shoots environmental portraiture and over the years he has shot many portraits of families that are not necessarily as “commercial” looking as some of the others, nor geared to the consumer market, but they still give an interesting as well as artistic insight into the family dynamic.

ChatterCorner
Katvan Studios
You may recall the Katvans from last month’s bulletin when we featured photographers who work together as couples or partners. My latest ChatterCorner article for the Surveillance section of PhotoServe is also about this charming duo, so check out the full article to learn more about the two of them and how they work.

© Katvan Studios

http://www.katvan.com

Click here to read the full article: http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photoserve/surveillance/e3i9b6b41a3894c84cf66798b80fe31a048

ChatterNews
Christopher Auger-Dominguez
Christopher, who is one of the ChatterArtist’s this month, was also selected as one of the Finalists in PDN’s annual “Faces” Contest for his Superhero Series. Congrats!

© Christopher Auger-Dominguez

The Photo Closer
Frank Meo is a photo agent and friend of mine and he has just launched a new venture to help photographers with certain aspects of their business, such as estimating & negotiating, production & billing, that they may not feel as comfortable or confident in handling, or maybe they don’t have the time. Enter “The Photo Closer” – check out the website to read more about the services Frank is offering.

For more information please visit: http://www.thephotocloser.com/

SPE
SPE invites applications for the position of editor for its scholarly journal exposure. The editor of SPEʼs journal is responsible for the overall content and production of the bi-annual publication. The ideal candidate will be able to provide a balanced mixture of timely and thoughtful articles and features relevant to SPEʼs constituency of artists, scholars, and photo-based professionals. Send a letter of application, resume, sample publications, one letter of support for your application, and contact information for three additional professional references to: Virginia Morrison, Executive Director – Society for Photographic Education – SPE National Office – 2530 Superior Avenue, #403 – Cleveland, OH 44114; vmorrison@spenational.org. Application materials may be submitted via mail or email only. No calls please. Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start date will be late in 2010 or early in 2011, with the new editorʼs first issue coming out in the fall of 2011.

For more information about SPE please visit: http://www.spenational.org

Free Events in and around NYC
One of the things I love about New York City is the wonderful variety of free summer activities that appeal to all different sorts of people and all ages. To start with, the city pools are open once more (yippee!) and I am thrilled to be able to pop round the corner and swim every day in that beautiful cool water – especially as we are in the middle of heat wave! I was worried that my precious pool was going to be one of the four that Mayor Bloomberg was threatening to close this year (he ended up closing 3 outdoor pools!) but thankfully, ours was “safe” and I will be there faithfully until it closes in September!

One rather clever idea for this summer came from the non-profit arts group “Sing For Hope” who placed 60 brightly decorated pianos around the greater New York City area so that anyone could come up and sit and play, should they feel like it. Volunteers unlocked them at 9am each day and then they were wrapped in plastic and locked back up again each night. I happen to live next door to the Little Red Schoolhouse in Greenwich Village and sure enough, we had one of the pianos right outside on the sidewalk amongst the trees & benches. It is really fun to walk past on any given day to hear someone tapping away at the keys. So far I have witnessed a complete range of pianists, from young to old, jazz to classical but unfortunately their two-week run is about to end, at which point the pianos will be donated to schools & hospitals. Check out someone playing one of them on YouTube:

And here are a few more suggestions for free events in and around the city this summer. For instance, there is nothing quite like listening to live music in the “open air” and last week, I was fortunate enough to hear legendary blues guitarist John Hammond, play with his band at Battery City Park. My friend, who has known John for years, and I spent a wonderful evening sitting by the water with old friends, a beautiful view and great music. It was sunny and warm but with a breeze coming off the water and was simply one of those perfect New York evenings.

John Hammond

© Louisa J. Curtis

More Free Events in and around NYC

South Street Seaport Music Festival

http://www.southstreetseaport.com/events

Governor’s Island events

http://www.govisland.com
http://govislandblog.com/schedule-of-events

Central Park

NY Philharmonic
http://www.centralpark.com/pages/activities/concerts/new-york-philharmonic.html

Central Park concerts are Tuesday, July 13th & Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 – followed by the other boroughs
http://nyphil.org/attend/summer/index.cfm?page=parks

Metropolitan Opera
http://www.centralpark.com/pages/activities/concerts/metropolitan-opera.html

Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital is on Monday, July 12th, 2010
http://www.centralpark.com/events/show/1018/met-opera-summer-recital-in-central-park

Summerstage
http://www.centralpark.com/pages/activities/concerts/summerstage-festival.html
http://www.summerstage.org/

Shakespeare in the Park

http://centralparkblogger.com/2010/05/shakespeare-in-the-park-2010/
http://www.publictheater.org/
http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/
The Winter’s Tale or The Merchant of Venice (Al Pacino is playing Shylock)

City Parks

Summer on the Hudson
http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/summer_on_the_hudson

Free Concerts
http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/free_summer_concerts

Free Movies
http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/free_summer_movies

ChatterTip of the Month
Natural Remedies for Stomach Problems

© Adriana Mullen
http://www.adrianamullenphotography.com/

The sign of Cancer rules over the stomach (as well as the breasts) so it is not unusual for people born under this sign to have stomach problems. Cancers usually have a noticeable belly and may also be prone to bloating. Indigestion is a general term that usually refers to anything from our old friend the hiccups to heartburn, abdominal discomfort and stomachaches, nausea and flatulence. Some of this can be avoided simply by eating more healthy and slower, but here are a few “natural” remedies for some of these common complaints.

Bloating & Gas
The following vegetables are supposed to help with bloating – Celery, Cilantro, Cucumber, Dandelion Root, Watercress (notice the high “water” content in all of these and that the word “water” is even in one them! Remember, Cancer is after all, a “water” sign so drink lots of it!), and a more surprising one on the list is Artichoke!
The fruit Papaya also contains an enzyme that helps to break down fiber (something that can cause gas & bloating if it is not digested well) and Charcoal is also excellent for reducing gas.

Nausea
Ginger has long been known to help calm nausea from pregnancy (back to Cancer’s belly again!) and it is also great for calming the stomach even if you are not pregnant! It can also be used to help ease motion and travel sickness. One word of advice – always have something containing “effervescence” in the pantry, whether it is Club Soda, Seltzer Water, Ginger Ale or even Beer! (Hops for instance, are also used to ease spasms for sufferers of Crohn’s Disease) Drink enough of it (not just a little sip) so that the bubbles force you to belch, which will make you feel a whole lot better! This is good for both nausea as well as bloating & gas and I am sure that many of us recall our mothers giving us Ginger Ale when we had a sick tummy?

Digestion
Apparently, eating ½ a cup of Sauerkraut each day eases digestion, and ¼ teaspoon a day of Horseradish will detox the body, while a few dashes of Hot Sauce curbs the appetite! Less spicy is the fruit Pineapple that contains an enzyme (Bromelin) which is known to help break down food, thus aiding digestion. Drinking a tea made from Peppermint leaves relieves indigestion (I always keep a box of peppermint tea bags on hand) whilst Cilantro also aids the digestion and helps to prevent nausea as well as easing stomach ulcers. And what would a ChatterTip section be without mentioning our good old faithful friend Vinegar, which once again is so incredible that it can be used to fight food-borne infections as seen by Ethiopian researchers who found that it was champion at killing the nearly invincible egg-stage of certain intestinal parasites. Also, drinking a mixture of warm Vinegar & a little Honey in a cup of hot water can help to ease the digestion as well.

Constipation
Eating plenty of “fiber” in the diet and drinking plenty of fluids is usually suggested to help avoid sluggish bowels and constipation. Personally, I drink a healthy smoothie every day, containing (amongst other ingredients) ground Flax Seeds, an excellent source of fiber. Rhubarb apparently contains a natural laxative while dried fruits such as Plums/Prunes, Figs & Apricots have a very high fiber content. I remember years ago when we were on holiday in the South of Spain and my mother and I discovered a fresh fig tree near the villa we were staying in. Well, we both loved fresh figs and we stuffed ourselves. Plucked fresh from the tree, they were absolutely delicious but we did spend rather a lot of time in the bathroom as a consequence!

Diarrhea
Ripe, mashed Bananas ease nausea and act as a gentle “constipant” after a bout of gastroenteritis. They also help to restore the healthy bacteria to the intestines and increase the levels of depleted Potassium. Carrot juice or soup is also helpful, especially for infants. Live Yoghourt (Acidopholus) will also help to restore the live bacteria to the stomach and digestive tracts. A few drops of Myrrh tincture in a little warm water helps to relieve the symptoms of diarrhea and once again, Honey is a natural antibiotic as well as a natural anti-inflammatory.

ChatterRecipe of the Month
Crab Cakes

© Adriana Mullen
http://www.adrianamullenphotography.com/

Yeah, I know it is a bit obvious having a crab cake recipe when Cancer is the sign of the crab – but I just happen to love crab cakes and this recipe is from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. After checking some of the “reviews” online, there are obviously some die-hard crab cake eaters out there as some people felt it was not a true crab cake recipe like a Maryland one perhaps? In any event, recipes can be tweaked, so if you want it to be more “crabby” then add more crabmeat, and if the mixture feels too “wet” then add some more breadcrumbs! Also, these can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready for frying.

For the Crab Cakes
2 tablespoons unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3/4 cup or 1 small Red Onion (small-diced)
1½ cups or 4 stalks of Celery (small-diced)
1 cup mixed Red & Yellow Peppers (small-diced)
¼ cup chopped Parsley
1 good tablespoon Capers (drained)
¼ teaspoon Tabasco or Hot Sauce
½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1½ teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper
½ lb fresh lump Crabmeat (drained & picked to remove any shells)
½ cup plain dry Breadcrumbs
½ cup Mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard
2 extra-large Eggs (beaten)

For Frying
4 tablespoons unsalted Butter
¼ cup Olive Oil

For the Remoulade Sauce
½ cup Mayonnaise (good quality)
2 tablespoons Pickles (small-diced)
1 teaspoon Mustard
1 tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Melt the 2 tablespoons of Butter & Olive Oil in a large skillet and cook the Red Onion, Celery & Red & Yellow Peppers together over a low heat. Add in the Capers,
Parsley, Hot Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, Old Bay Seasoning and the Salt & Pepper, and cook until the vegetables are soft (approx. 15-20 minutes). Cool this mixture to room temperature. In the meantime, in a large bowl break the Crabmeat into small pieces and mix it with the Breadcrumbs, Mayonnaise, Mustard & Eggs. Add in the cooled vegetables and mix well. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Shape into bite-size cakes for appetizers, larger for sandwiches or main course.
If you do choose to prepare these ahead of time, shape them into cakes and place on a baking sheet before covering with plastic wrap. Store overnight in the refrigerator and then fry right before you want to serve them.

To cook the Crab Cakes, heat the Butter & Olive Oil for frying in large pan over medium heat. Fry the Crab Cakes for about 4 -5 minutes on each side and then drain on paper towels before placing in a 250-degree oven to keep hot before serving.

To make the Remoulade Sauce, simply place all of the ingredients together in a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are well-mixed but not pureed. If you don’t have a food processor, then chop the pickles nice and small before mixing together with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.

And now for this month’s events:

CPW Events
The Center for Photography at Woodstock is hosting a number of events this month, including this month’s Slideluck Potshow (details below).

For more information on these events please visit: http://www.cpw.org/WPW/2010/pages/July.html

Adorama Events
Sunday, July 11th, 2010 – 1pm – 4pm
Diana+ Dialogues Workshop and Safari
With Hans Henley from Lomography USA
@ Adorama
42 West 18th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY

Cost: $25. Registration deadline is Wednesday, July 7th!
From the website:
“Whether you’re brand new to Lomographic cameras or a seasoned professional, you’re sure to gain a wealth of knowledge about this fabulous camera, the dynamic Lomography community, their photographic beliefs and practices, and their very special dedication to creative analog photography.”

For more information please visit: http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=WS_Lomographic_071110

Monday, July 12th, 2010 – 10am – 4pm
Doug Gordon: Posing is Back and It’s This Year’s Black!
Photographer & Instructor for High Fashion, High Glamour Weddings
42 West 18th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY

Cost: $75. Registration deadline is Thursday, July 8th.

From the website:
“Come on location with Doug Gordon as he brings you on a complete journey toward taking your photography and business to the next level, in his straight-forward, straight from the heart, inspirational style. You will be motivated, educated, challenged and entertained in a program that will completely transform the way you shoot. If you love speakers who are motivational and very funny, come to this class. Come because people learn best when they are laughing; because they need a motivational message; and because they need to have fun while they learn.”

http://www.douggordonworkshops.com

For more information please visit: http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=WS_DougGordon_071210

Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Blogging for Photographers: Using Blogging to Grow Your Business
With Andrew Fingerman, VP of Marketing for PhotoShelter
@ Adorama
42 West 18th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY

Cost: FREE. Must RSVP through PhotoShelter at: seoevent@photoshelter.com

From the website:
“Smart photographers of all kinds are using blogs to help grow their website traffic, deepen client relationships, and build a bigger following. During this presentation, we will explore different strategies, resources, and success stories to help make blogging work for you.”

For more information please visit: http://www.adorama.com/catalog.tpl?op=WS_AndrewFingerman_071510

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010 – 6:30pm
Facts For Keeping New Babies Safe by Pregnant New Yorker
@ Yummy Mummy
1201 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY

Cost: $15 in advance; $20 at the door.

For more information and to register please visit: http://www.thepregnantnewyorker.com/ and http://yummymummystore.com/

Wednesday, July 14th – Saturday, July 17th, 2010
ICON6 “Sunny Side Up” Illustration Conference 2010
@ Langham Hotel
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91106

For more information please visit: http://www.theillustrationconference.org/

Saturday, July 17th, 2010
Slideluck Potshow
@ Center for Photography at Woodstock
59 Tinker Street
Woodstock, NY 12498

For more information please visit: http://network.slideluckpotshow.com/xn/detail/2028077:Event:56757

Monday, July 19th – Friday, July 23rd, 2010 10am – 6pm
The Association Of Photographers (AOP) Gallery Print Fair 2010
@ 81 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4QS

From the website:
“The AOP Gallery is preparing for another Print Fair due to the success of last September’s AOP Print Fair 2009. The Print Fair will feature the remaining selected images from last year, which were uncollected images from our various Awards schemes and group exhibitions. All images have been produced by both established and emerging photographers, all of whom are members of the Association of Photographers.”

For more information please visit: http://gallery.the-aop.org/

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 – 6:30pm
ASPP NY Chapter Summer Garden Party
@ Bridgeman Art Library
65 East 93rd Street
New York, NY

Cost: FREE for ASPP members; $25 for guests; $5 for students. Must RSVP by Monday, July 19th.

Also Wednesday, July 21st, 2010 – 6:30pm
NY Monthly Photo Salon
@ SoHo Studio
15 White Street
New York, NY

Cost: $10 at the door

For more information or questions please contact Rich Pomerantz at rich@richpomerantz.com, Emmanuel Faure at emmanuel@emmanuelfaure.com or Bill Westheimer at bill@billwest.com.

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010 – 1pm – 6pm
Miami Ad School Summer Portfolio Review
@ Team One
1960 E. Grand Avenue, 7th Floor, Suite 700
El Segundo, CA

For more information please visit: http://blog.miamiadschool.com/

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Motherhood & Family

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 07/07/10 at 03:07 pm

ChatterLog
Motherhood & Family

The Three of Us, Scotland, July 1995

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day

When our mother turned 70, my sister and I decided to take her back to her roots on a surprise birthday trip to Scotland. I say “surprise” but once we had instructed her to keep this particular week free, she didn’t let up for a minute. She was relentless in her questioning my sister as to where she might be going, and sneaky too in case she might be able to trick one of us into giving it away. “Am I leaving the country?” she would ask, or, “Can I take the dog with me?” Once she knew the dog was indeed coming with her, she figured it had to be the British Isles, and somewhere along the road she guessed it was Scotland. But she never expected the incredible lineup of treats that we had in store for her. As a child, she would accompany her grandmother on the train from London to Scotland to go and visit the three aunts who lived in the small town of Brechin, not far from Aberdeen. And so the idea for our trip was to take her back to where she had not visited since she was 15 years old! And, I must say, it was a truly wonderful and remarkable experience that we pulled off, probably one of the best birthday presents two daughters could have ever given their mother as a demonstration of their love and gratitude for all that she had done for them.

It would take far too long to write about the entire week this time around, but there were some wonderful pieces of the puzzle that all came together for us. For instance, we decided to rent a cottage instead of staying in several B&B’s because there were 3 of us plus 2 dogs! My sister was in charge of finding the accommodations and after weeks of not finding somewhere suitable, one evening, a brochure just happened to fall open at a page on which was listed a lovely little rental property called “Heatherbank Cottage.” Not only was it a perfect find and reasonably priced, it was also perfectly located in a tiny hamlet called “Tarfside” in Glen Esk, which just happened to be the name that our grandmother gave to her house in London and, Aunt Bell’s house around the corner from her was aptly named “Edzell” after the nearest little town to Tarfside, which was also just up the road from Brechin, where the great, great aunts had lived! Suddenly the trip started to take on a magical quality, and from that point on there were so many more subsequent events, encounters and explorations that we shared together for that one week that were simply brilliant. Another of the many extraordinary coincidences was the fact that my very best friend from childhood, Virginia, just happened to be living in the very same Glen that we were staying in, so we were able to spend some time with her as well. Now honestly, what are the chances of that happening?

The photo I am showing this month is of the three of us shortly after we had arrived at Heatherbank cottage after literally driving all day. Before we had even unpacked, we walked up the track behind the cottage to let the dogs run free. They thought they had died and gone to bunny heaven there were so many rabbits for them to chase! At the top of the track we paused, so proud that we had made it and so I balanced my camera on a fencepost and set the self-timer button – and there we are!

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June 2010

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 04/06/10 at 05:06 pm

Greetings everyone, and welcome to the June ChatterBulletin! We have traveled from the inspirational “I Am” of April’s Aries, to the possessive “I Have” of May’s Taurus, and now we move into the incessant “I Think” of Gemini in June. And if you know anyone who is a Gemini, it is true – their brains literally have no “off-switch.” They go to sleep thinking and they wake up thinking, and the computer inside of their head is permanently “on.” My Moon is in Gemini, so I do have some idea – many of my dearest friends are Gemini and I find my life filled with them. I say them, because, Gemini is a “dual” sign, their symbol is the “twins” and the astrological symbol looks like the Roman numeral for the number “2” – so naturally they also display a dual-sided nature. You can be talking with one side of a Gemini, and then within moments, find yourself speaking with the other half – it can be quite confusing! So from my best friend Virginia, whom I have known since we were 8 years old, to my art teacher friend Carol, whom I have known since college, to my crazy performing friends Susu in California and Jeanne in Las Vegas, and to my photographer friends Tina, Jill, Michelle & Ian, to my assistant Chelsea, my cousin Howard and my brother-in-law Andy… the list goes on – may you all have wonderful birthdays!

Photographer Sarah Small travels each summer to the Twins Days Festival, which takes place in Twinsburg, Ohio (yes, that is the name) the 1st weekend of August. http://www.twinsdays.org

© Sarah Small
http://www.sarahsmall.com

And here is an old photo I found of my father, myself & my 2 twin cousins, Julie & Miranda. When we were younger, the three of us were known collectively as Mu, Lu & Ju!

ChatterLog

Duality
So my theme for this month is “duos” “pairs” and things that come in “twos.”
But let’s consider this duality for a moment as it takes us back to that basic “Yin Yang” principle (remember the 2 egg remedies for skincare last month?). Therefore one half is just as important as the other, and together they make up the whole. It is interesting to note that the newly elected Conservative Prime Minister in the U.K. David Cameron, immediately approached the Liberal Democrats to form a bi-partisan government with a real goal of “working together” – what a concept, and something that has surely been lacking in government on both sides of the pond? Duality is something that can easily be seen with the sign of Gemini and both the good & bad sides of their personalities. As our 1st Air sign, these people are automatically connected with the mind, intellect & “thought”. On the good side, they are communicators, writers & teachers, who love to share all of the knowledge and facts they have acquired over the years. On the not-so-good side, Gemini’s are tricksters, liars and thieves – literally! Just the other day, my nearest and dearest friend (a Gemini) was telling me a story about one of his young nephews (another Gemini), who is maybe 9 or 10 years old at most who, after sneaking upstairs and taking $200 from someone’s pocketbook had apparently got caught when he then gave $100 of it to his sister and was asked where the hundred dollar bill had come from! I couldn’t help but laugh at the notion that here was a little trickster-in-training, showing his true colors early on, and notice that he went for the big bucks, never mind small change! Some other perhaps better-known and “shadier” Gemini characters are Donald Trump, Jack Kevorkian, Henry Kissinger, Rudy Giuliani, George Bush senior, his wife Barbara, Newt Gingrich and Eliot Spitzer. We can also add JFK in to the mix, as he too led quite a double life with all of his multiple mistresses including actress Marilyn Monroe, yet another Gemini!

Some other well-known Gemini actors & entertainers, singers & song-writers who have provided us with many words of entertainment over the years are Joan Rivers, Drew Carey, Hugh Laurie, Clint Eastwood, Angelina Jolie, Helen Hunt, Tony Curtis, Morgan Freeman, Errol Flynn, Dean Martin, John Wayne, Judy Garland, Johnny Depp, Nicole Kidman, Sir Laurence Olivier, Tom Jones, Bob Dylan, Prince, Miles Davis, Benny Goodman, Les Paul & Sir Paul McCartney. Sitting still is something a Gemini is NOT very good at so not surprisingly, Gemini is connected with the nervous system, as well as the lungs and many of them deal with respiratory issues. Michael J. Fox for example, another Gemini actor, has Parkinson’s, a disease of the nervous system. And check this out, I was watching some of the French Open tennis tournament while writing this month’s article, and when I researched a little further I discovered that Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin, Steffi Graf and Rafael Nadal are ALL Gemini! That’s a lot of forehands and backhands right there!

Click here to read more of the ChatterLog – You won’t want to miss this one!

And finally, to finish up this month’s article, I would be remiss if I did not also mention that it is Father’s Day this month. So I’d like to wish all of you “father’s” out there, including my own, of course, a very Happy Father’s Day on June 20th. And here is one of my favorite photos of me with my father (taken a few years ago now!)

ChatterArtists
Continuing on with the theme of “twins” and “pairs” I thought it would be fun this month to feature photographers who work together as a duo. It was interesting just how many couples I do know that work together, some purely as a business partnership, while others are life partners and/or married as well. And to further demonstrate the duality, the mutability and the indecision of Gemini, we are showing 2 image selections per couple this month!

Katvan Studios
First up we have Moshe & Rivka Katvan, known collectively as Katvan Studios. These two met whilst attending the School of Visual Arts in New York City and have been partners in both life and photography ever since. On their website they describe themselves as the “Yin & Yang” of the studio, with each one’s unique skills combining to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. Moshe is a Virgo, and as a natural “perfectionist” shoots all of the still life, and Rivka, a Taurus, is drawn to shoot beautiful fine art, and both being “earth” signs they also demonstrate their harmony when collaborating on the people shoots.. I will also be writing my next ChatterCorner article for the Surveillance section of PhotoServe on these two, so watch out for that next month.

As soon as I saw this image from Rivka called “The French Sisters” I simply fell in love with it, and even better, it perfectly suited our theme for this month!

© Katvan Studios
http://www.katvan.com
http://www.rivkakatvan.artspan.com

In contrast here’s a precise example of Moshe’s studio still life work. Another perfect fit for this month as Gemini’s color is yellow and they use pencils to write with!

© Katvan Studios
http://www.katvan.com
http://www.rivkakatvan.artspan.com

Montalbetti + Campbell
And then we have Montalbetti & Campbell, comprised of Denis Montalbetti & Gay Campbell. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, this couple has also spent several years based in Australia until recently returning once more to New York. Their work is incredibly distinctive, daring and detailed, often looking more like an elaborate painting and pure “works of art” rather than just a straightforward photograph. These two are indeed well matched, as evidenced not only by their professional collaboration, but also with Denis being a Gemini and Gay a Leo they have excellent chemistry. His “air” feeds her “fire” and together they make magic! They are represented by Michael Ginsburg Associates.

As soon as I saw this series, I was instantly transported back to my childhood and the much-loved “Flower Fairies” books, created by illustrator Cicely Mary Barker.

© Montalbetti + Campbell
http://www.montalbetticampbell.com
http://www.michaelginsburg.com

From “nice” and innocent we move to “naughty” and check out those heels, with a darker fantasy portrait of Australian pop duo “The Veronicas.” And yes, you guessed it – they are twin sisters as well!

© Montalbetti + Campbell
http://www.montalbetticampbell.com
http://www.michaelginsburg.com

Bailey Photography
Bailey Photography is another husband and wife team comprised of Robert & Robbie Bailey. From the website: “She’s Southern. He’s a Yankee. They collided in New York City. He rocks to the Clash. She whistles to John Denver. Thank God for Johnny Cash. He craves wilderness. She thrives in cities. Been to Burning Man five times. She prefers the Flatlands. He needs mountains. Together, they climbed the Himalayas…. He shoots like a poet. She’s a techie. Together, you get the best of both worlds.” I love the boldness of this couple and their sense of humor. With these two, we have Robert, an Aquarius and Robbie, a Taurus. His “air” has him craving those wide, open spaces, while her “earth” will make her the more practical and sensitive of the two.

This pair have also spent some time documenting the infamous “Polar Bear Club” and this was hands down one of my favorite portraits from that series.

© Bailey Photography

http://www.baileyphoto.com

This pair of portraits is from a hilarious new “poultry” series and also shows us their ability to shoot people both on location as well as with a blank backdrop.

© Bailey Photography
http://www.baileyphoto.com

Zann and Pinkerton Photography

Zann and Pinkerton Photography is a fabulous duo comprised of Arnie Zann and Margo Pinkerton and I adore them both! Arnie started his illustrious career some 40 years ago photographing for Time and Life and has been published in almost every major magazine in the world. Margo meanwhile picked up her 1st camera at the age of 8 and began her professional career as a location and stock photographer for both advertising and corporate clients. Margo and I have also worked together on a couple of events for ASMP|NC and the Miami Ad School. Based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, they are rarely home these days because if they’re not shooting for a client, then they are most likely traveling to some wonderful location and leading one of their fabulous “Barefoot Contessa” photography workshops. As they say themselves, “Photography is our life and our passion” and with Arnie a Libra and Margo an Aquarius (both “air” signs) they are in perfect harmony with one another.

Switching it up a little, the images we chose for these two demonstrate how they often shoot the same subject, but from different viewpoints.

© Arnie Zann of Zann and Pinkerton Photography
http://www.zannpinkertonphotography.com
http://www.BCphotoadventures.com

© Margo Pinkerton of Zann and Pinkerton Photography
http://www.zannpinkertonphotography.com
http://www.BCphotoadventures.com

Studio Chambers
Next up we have Don & Parlee Chambers, a husband and wife team whose “family business” also includes their son Dustin, and collectively they are known as Studio Chambers based in Atlanta, Georgia. Don, a Leo and creative “King” of the castle, shoots more of the people and lifestyle work, whilst Parlee, a Pisces, shoots the food & still life, and Dustin, a Taurus, is their in-house editor and videographer. The “fiery” Leo wants to have fun and is connected with inspiration and the creative arts, whilst the “water” of Pisces is associated with fantasy and the imagination, – so together these two are going to be uber-creative while Dustin’s “earth” will keep them grounded!

Absolutely love Don’s portrait of Alton Brown from the Food Network with his fish, and you know what they say about owners looking like their dogs…

© Don Chambers of Studio Chambers
http://www.studiochambers.com

Couldn’t resist using this beautiful food image of “French Fries” from Parlee, so now this partnership has given us “fish and chips!”

© Parlee Chambers of Studio Chambers
http://www.studiochambers.com

Johnson Sarkissian
And last but by no means least we have Johnson Sarkissian, comprised of Robert Johnson & Katherine Sarkissian, who were amongst some of Chatterbox’ first clients. We had a lot of fun working together back then and have remained close since. With some clients, it is not only about working together professionally, sometimes there is also the recognition of a kindred spirit between us and a mutual love that comes straight from the heart. Robert is a Leo (like me) and Leo is the sign that rules over the “heart” as well as the creative arts, while Katherine is the resourceful Capricorn who keeps them on course!

ChatterCorner
Jason Florio
Be sure to check out my 2nd article for PhotoServe’s Surveillance section. This month we featured photographer, friend & fellow Brit, Jason Florio who last year with his girlfriend and partner Helen Jones, walked around the entire country of The Gambia in West Africa. It’s a great story and a fun read.

© Jason Florio
http://www.floriophoto.com/

Click here to read the full article: http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photoserve/surveillance/e3i056525c4efa8dd6fabe4942af93c82bf

To visit Helen’s blog about the trip please visit: http://adventuretravelblogs.com/700miles/2010/04/24/update-on-neil-and-phadley-the-donkeys-from-the-gambia-horse-and-donkey-trust-our-trusty-steeds-on-a-short-walk-in-the-gambian-bush/

ChatterNews

Louisa J. Curtis
From now until June 30th, 2010 Louisa has a discount!

APA – American Photographic Artists
Advertising Photographers of America (APA) adopts new name – American Photographic Artists – to better serve photographers, artists and media professionals. For more information please visit: http://www.apanational.com/

Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)
You may recall back in January’s bulletin on “structure” we showed a wonderful steel sculpture on the roof terrace of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Well, I have yet to visit this year’s installation, but it promises to be a treat and fits perfectly into this month’s theme. I did see some of the video and large images that were displayed in Dumbo at the recent NY Photo festival, but I can’t wait to go and check it out in person. We have a pair of twin brothers (how perfect) Mike & Doug Starn, who together have built an enormous bamboo structure entitled, Big Bambu: You Can’t, You Don’t, and You Won’t Stop.

“The exhibition will be on display through October 31st, 2010 (weather permitting). For more information please visit: http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={9C6923D2-D348-4761-BEB3-A943934068D2}&HomePageLink=special_c3a

From the website:
“Invited by The Metropolitan Museum of Art to create a site-specific installation for The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, the twin brothers Mike and Doug Starn (born in New Jersey in 1961) present their new work, Big Bambú: You Can’t, You Don’t, and You Won’t Stop. The monumental bamboo structure, ultimately measuring 100 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 50 feet high, takes the form of a cresting wave that bridges realms of sculpture, architecture, and performance.”

Photo courtesy of Peggy Roalf

Here is a short video with the artists on their project:

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
I’m also excited to be going to MoMA for the Cartier-Bresson exhibition entitled, “The Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century” before it closes on the 28th of this month. For more information please visit: http://moma.org/visit/calendar/exhibitions/968

From the website:
“MoMA’s retrospective, the first in the United States in three decades, surveys Cartier-Bresson’s entire career, with a presentation of about three hundred photographs, mostly arranged thematically and supplemented with periodicals and books. The exhibition travels to The Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta.”

© Henri Cartier-Bresson

International Center of Photography (ICP)
And one more exhibition not to be missed is the International Center of Photography’s exhibition of photos from the civil rights rights movement called: FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights.

From the website:
“FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights explores the historic role of visual culture in shaping, influencing, and transforming the fight for racial equality and justice in the United States from the late 1940s to the mid 1970s.” On display through September 12th, 2010. For more information please visit: http://www.icp.org/site/c.dnJGKJNsFqG/b.5937031/k.6A19/For_All_the_World_to_See.htm

© Ernest C. Withers

Robert Bacall

My good friend and photo agent Robert Bacall will be participating in “Tour de Cure” – a fund-raiser bike ride to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. There are sponsored rides all over the country, but Robert’s will be in Princeton, NJ on Sunday, June 6th, 2010. So click on the link for more information and to sponsor him! http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/NorthernNewJerseyArea?px=5989784&pg=personal&fr_id=6851

For more information on the event please visit: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/NorthernNewJerseyArea?pg=entry&fr_id=6851 & http://tour.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TC_signup&s_event_state=2423

Slideluck Potshow
Submissions deadline Tuesday, June 15th, 2010.

CPW and Slideluck Potshow Global are currently seeking submissions for our inaugural Slideluck Potshow at the Center for Photography at Woodstock on Saturday, July 17th, 2010. The theme is DON’T LOOK BACK.

For more information please visit: http://www.slideluckpotshow.com/

Keith Barraclough
My client, friend & photographer Keith Barraclough recently shot a wonderful new series in Central Park. Here is one of my favorite images (note the color of her dress and there are 2 dogs!). And, I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Keith as he carried my rather heavy computer to and from the Apple Store last week in the middle of a heatwave, when my hard drive went down. A true life-saver, so thanks pal! To see more of Keith’s work, please go to http://www.keithbarraclough.com

© Keith Barraclough

ChatterTip of the Month
Tips for Matters of the Mind

(left) © Dennis Williford/The PhotoCook http://www.denniswilliford.com
(right) © Adriana Mullen http://www.adrianamullenphotography.com/

Many of you have probably heard that certain foods are better than others for feeding the mind – for instance, growing up we were told that “fish” is good brain food. The sign of Gemini is certainly connected with thinking, as well as with the respiratory system, so here are some herbal remedies and healing foods for calming the mind and clearing the passages! And notice how many of these are the color of Gemini, which is “yellow!”

Lemon Balm – helps to keep one calm and focused, and has even been shown to calm an overactive thyroid. It also fights viruses, and creams made with lemon balm tend to speed healing.

Lime – rub a slice of fresh lime (or lemon) across the forehead and temples to cut through a headache – this really works!

St. John’s Wort – also known as Hypericum, is an herb that has long been used in Europe as a natural remedy for depression. Note the flower is “yellow!”

Feverfew – obviously this herb is used to reduce “fevers” but it is also helpful for headaches & arthritis.

Chamomile – is a wonderful herb that makes a great calming tea to soothe headache symptoms and help to relax you. Valerian is another but is used more as a sleep aid.

Banana – next time your buttons get pushed, eat a banana, which not only gives you a mild blood sugar boost, but also provides 30% of the day’s vitamin B6 which helps the brain to produce Serotonin, thus getting you through a crisis more peacefully.

Potato – eating a potato can apparently help prevent a headache by upping the Serotonin levels.

Pineapple – another “yellow” fruit that contains Bromelain, an ingredient that can ease the symptoms of Hay Fever & allergies.

Olive Oil – consuming a few tablespoons of olive oil daily boosts long-term memory and the vitamin Gotu Kola is said to aid intelligence and memory.

Mustard – for headaches, soak a cloth in mustard oil and apply to the forehead as required.

Coriander – steep some coriander seeds in boiling water for several minutes and then inhale the infused steam from under a towel to relieve sinus-related headaches.

Bach Flower Remedies – for those of you that don’t know about these, they are a wonderful system of 38 Flower Remedies that corrects emotional imbalances – negative emotions are replaced with positive. One of their most wonderful remedies is “Rescue Remedy.” Oh yeah, and the labels on their “rescue” products are “yellow!” Designed to help calm nerves and ease anxiety, my sister and I used a lot of this stuff last year when we were dealing with the stress of our losing our mother. http://www.bachflower.com/

ChatterRecipe of the Month
Sandwiches!

Before I get into the recipes for this month, yes, there’s 2 of them, I wanted to ponder for a moment as to how many things we all eat that come as a duo – think about it! Rice & beans, bread & butter, bangers & mash, fish & chips, peanut butter & jelly, cheese & crackers, chips & dip, surf & turf, apple pie & ice cream, chocolate covered strawberries, the list goes on… But if you think about it, what Gemini doesn’t love a good sandwich, eh? And what better idea for a Gemini than to put something, in fact pretty much anything between 2 slices of bread, from a simple fried egg, to a hamburger patty or maybe smoked salmon & cucumber with the crusts cut off?

And here’s even more proof that everyone loves sandwiches. Lisa Cherkasky is a food stylist and friend of food photographer Renée Comet. This Turkey Slider image was styled by Lisa and shot by Renée.

And Lisa has a really cool blog devoted entirely to the sandwich called, “The Lunch Encounter!” Check it out! http://midnightsnack.wordpress.com

John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich

The sandwich was supposedly named after John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (an 18th Century aristocrat) but he certainly did not invent it. All he did was order his valet to bring him some meat “tucked” between 2 pieces of bread, and the next thing you know, everyone was asking for “the same as Sandwich!” But bread has been eaten with meat or vegetables since Neolithic times. The Ancient Jewish sage “Hillel the Elder” was said to have placed meat from the Paschal lamb and bitter herbs between 2 slices of Matzoh (unleavened bread) at Passover, thus giving us the earliest known version of a “Lamb Pita” aka Shawarma (Arabic), Doner kebab (Turkish), or Gyro (Greek). During the Middle Ages, thick slabs of stale bread called “trenchers” substituted as plates and introduced us to the concept of open-faced sandwiches. The discarded food-soaked slices were then fed to dogs or beggars. Initially perceived as food that men shared while gaming & drinking at night, the sandwich slowly gained popularity amongst the upper classes and aristocracy as a late-night snack, while in Spain, sandwiches became a popular form of portable lunches amongst the working class due to the rise of a new industrial society. Wherever you grew up, chances are your culture had you eating sandwiches of one sort or another. So remember, a sandwich is simply comprised of one or more fillings between 2 slices of bread, so the combinations are literally infinite… Here are 2 of my own favorite, tasty but simple sandwiches, one savory and the other one sweet.

My 1st sandwich is Bacon & Mushroom and takes me back to England and my dear friend Stuart. We were living together in a tiny little cottage in a tiny little village called Upper Somborne at the time. Our favorite weekend ritual was to make bacon & mushroom sandwiches along with a big jug of freshly-brewed coffee, followed by a long walk with our dog Maisie in the beautiful Hampshire countryside…. Of course I don’t live there any more, and sadly my friend Stuart is no longer with us, but I do still eat this sandwich!

Bacon & Mushroom Sandwich – Ingredients for 2
4 slices Bread (your choice but a good wholewheat works well for this)
6-8 slices Bacon
Mushrooms (wiped clean & sliced)
Mustard
Salt & Pepper

Cook the rashers of Bacon slowly in a skillet over not too high a heat. As it cooks, drain the fat into a small bowl and set aside. By draining off the fat, the Bacon will crisp up. When the Bacon is done, put aside onto some paper towel. Put the saved fat back into the skillet and cook the Mushrooms in it, don’t overcook them or they will become rubbery. While the Mushrooms are cooking, lightly toast your Bread, or not if it is really fresh and spread some Mustard on either one or both slices. Layer the slices of Bacon on one slice and then cover with some sautéed Mushrooms. Season with Salt & Pepper to taste before placing the other slice of bread on top, then press down gently before slicing the sandwich in half. Delicious!

My 2nd sandwich is Peanut Butter & Banana and one that I used to eat a lot, as in “a lot” when I was living in Paris. I was a vegetarian at that point and with all of the classes I was taking, my body needed better nutrition. Some of my American friends introduced me to this at first bizarre combination, but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with the mixture of flavors and get a satisfying and filling snack out of it. Remember, Gemini’s color is yellow, and they do seem to like yellow foods, don’t they?

Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich – Ingredients for 2
4 slices Bread (your choice but I like sourdough or maybe rye?)
Peanut Butter
2 Bananas (not too ripe, peeled & sliced)
Honey
Cinnamon
Spread 2 of the slices Bread of with a generous amount of the Peanut Butter
Next layer on some slices of Banana and drizzle on some Honey to taste. Then sprinkle with some Cinnamon before covering with the 2nd slice of bread. Yummy!

And now for this month’s events:

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 – 5:30pm
“Past Sacrifice : Future” – Photography by Evan Abramson – Opening Reception
Exhibition on display through Thursday, June 24th, 2010
@ Jodi Arnold NYC
56 University Place @ Tenth Street
New York, NY

From the evite:
“Over a five-year period, Evan photographed Bolivia’s indigenous farmers, miners and first generation urban youth. In Past Sacrifice : Future, he examines the changing expressions of identity of indigenous Bolivians through their political, cultural and economic struggles with the forces of globalization.”

50% of the proceeds from photo sales will be donated to Proyecto Horizonte; Ushpa-Ushpa. For more information please visit: http://shareddiscovery.com/-56-university/

To view more of Evan’s work please visit: http://www.evanabramson.com/

How perfect that these next two events embrace mentoring and children – because Gemini is the eternal child, and as the “Peter Pan” of the zodiac, they never want to grow up. They have a natural affinity with children because they are kids themselves!

First up is photographer Stacey Haines whom I first met at an APA portfolio review and then subsequently consulted with following an event for ASMP/NC. A “big sister” mentor herself for 9 years, Stacey has also been exploring these inspirational relationships photographically.

Friday, June 4th, 2010 6-9pm
Bigs and Littles – A Photo Project by Stacey Haines
Opening Reception. Exhibition on display through July 31st
@ Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship
2007 Yanceyville Street, Suite Z: 3rd Floor
Greensboro, NC

For more information about the project please visit: http://www.bigsandlittlesproject.com

To see more of Stacey’s work please visit: http://www.staceyhaines.com/

And next we have Sari Goodfriend, who is a delight both as a person and as a photographer. Besides helping to put the Apple lecture speaker series together, she also co-teaches an after-school photography program for inner city high school students, and they have a summer show and bi-annual fundraiser this month.

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 6-8pm – Opening Reception
Thursday, June 10th, 2010 6-9pm – Open to Public
NYCSalt Student Photography Exhibition
@ Sputnik Gallery
547 West 27th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY

From the website:
“Called NYCSalt , our mission is to empower, engage and inspire teenagers from Washington Heights and The Bronx through visual communication and leadership skills.”

There will be two nights in June where you can come and see the students’ fantastic photographs and support the cause at a Chelsea gallery. First night, Wednesday, June 9th is by invitation only- RSVP nycsalt@gmail.com. Thursday, June 10th is open to the public.

Check out their website and blog at http://www.nycsalt.org and http://www.nycsalt-blog.org

ASMP Events
ASMP is hosting a number of events this month, all across the country. Check them out!

Registration Counts Workshop

Saturday, June 5th, 2010 – with Jeff Sedlik @ Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, CA.
Thursday, June 19th, 2010 – with Jim Cavanaugh @ Dodd Professional in Cleveland, OH.
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 – with Jim Cavanaugh @ Portfolio Center in Atlanta, GA.

For more information and to register for this event please visit: http://asmp.org/asmp-seminar-registration-workshop

I Need a Workflow That Works for Me – dpBestflow Seminars

Tuesday, June 8th, 2010 – with Jay Kinghord @ Sandbox Studio PDX n Portland, OR.
Thursday, June 17th, 2010 – with Judy Herrmann @ Dury’s Classroom in Nashville, TN.

For more information and to register for this event please visit: http://asmp.org/education/event/info?id=73

The Art and Commerce of Multimedia
Presented by Paula Lerner

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010 – @ Nichols School in Buffalo, NY.

For more information and to register for this event please visit: http://asmp.org/education/event/info?id=56

To view the calendar of events hosted by ASMP please visit: http://asmp.org/calendar/2010-06

Monday, June 14th, 2010 – 6:30 – 9pm
APA|NY Hosts: Working With a Retoucher
Presented by Stephan Sagmiller of CYAN JACK
@ Calumet Photographic
22 West 22nd Street
New York, NY

Visit Stephan’s CYAN JACK site here: http://www.cyanjack.com

For more information please visit: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3294

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 – 7pm
NY Monthly Photo Salon
@ SoHo Studio
15 White Street
New York, NY

Cost: $10 at the door

For more information or questions please contact Rich Pomerantz at rich@richpomerantz.com, Emmanuel Faure at emmanuel@emmanuelfaure.com or Bill Westheimer at bill@billwest.com.

Monday, June 21st, 2010 – 6:30 – 8pm
APA|NY Image Makers Lecture Series with Mark Moffet
@ SoHo Apple Theatre
103 prince Street
New York, NY

Cost: Free

From Mark’s website:
“Mark’s book Adventures Among Ants features his adventures around the world with marauder ants, army ants, weaver ants, slavery ants, leafcutter ants, and invasive ants, combined with detailed science about the parallels between ant societies and human bodies, minds, and societies.”

For more information about the project please visit: http://www.doctorbugs.com/Dr._Bugs_Web.html

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3294

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Duality

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 01/06/10 at 11:06 pm

So my theme for this month is “duos” “pairs” and things that come in “twos.”

But let’s consider this duality for a moment as it takes us back to that basic “Yin Yang” principle (remember the 2 egg remedies for skincare last month?). Therefore one half is just as important as the other, and together they make up the whole. It is interesting to note that the newly elected Conservative Prime Minister in the U.K. David Cameron, immediately approached the Liberal Democrats to form a bi-partisan government with a real goal of “working together” – what a concept, and something that has surely been lacking in government on both sides of the pond? Duality is something that can easily be seen with the sign of Gemini and both the good & bad sides of their personalities. As our 1st Air sign, these people are automatically connected with the mind, intellect & “thought”. On the good side, they are communicators, writers & teachers, who love to share all of the knowledge and facts they have acquired over the years. On the not-so-good side, Gemini’s are tricksters, liars and thieves – literally! Just the other day, my nearest and dearest friend (a Gemini) was telling me a story about one of his young nephews (another Gemini), who is maybe 9 or 10 years old at most who, after sneaking upstairs and taking $200 from someone’s pocketbook had apparently got caught when he then gave $100 of it to his sister and was asked where the hundred dollar bill had come from! I couldn’t help but laugh at the notion that here was a little trickster-in-training, showing his true colors early on, and notice that he went for the big bucks, never mind small change! Some other perhaps better-known and “shadier” Gemini characters are Donald Trump, Jack Kevorkian, Henry Kissinger, Rudy Giuliani, George Bush senior, his wife Barbara, Newt Gingrich and Eliot Spitzer. We can also add JFK in to the mix, as he too led quite a double life with all of his multiple mistresses including actress Marilyn Monroe, yet another Gemini!

It is not unusual for any of the three Air signs to enjoy flying, and Gemini is no exception. So I couldn’t resist mentioning that my Gemini cousin Howard, who along with his Libra brother Tim have both been obsessed with airplanes since they were young. They have taken more photos of airplanes than you or I have had hot dinners, that’s for sure. And many of them are now images that could never be captured again since airport security is so strict these days. This image from Howard is of a Howard Hughes’ aircraft, aptly named “The Aviator” and is a Douglas DC6. After shooting on film for years, this was one of his first “digital” shots taken last year in Fairbanks, Alaska. Although this plane is over 50 years old, it is still in service and used to transport fuel & supplies to remote villages in Alaska – very cool!

© Howard Chaloner

And while we are “up in the air” my brother-in-law Andy is another one who is passionate about flying. A few years ago he took helicopter flying lessons and I remember my sister telling me how his face would literally light up when he flew and he became a different person! Interestingly, my sister and brother-in-law live near the renowned Helicopter training base at Middle Wallop in Hampshire, where Prince Harry just recently graduated and received his “wings.” He is also one of the few to be accepted to now train to fly the Apache combat helicopters and and hopes to return to Afghanistan (Prince Harry that is, not my brother-in-law!)

Now Libra is generally the sign associated with partnerships & marriage, but the dual nature of Gemini does lend them to working with another person and forming successful partnerships. For instance, Stan Laurel of Laurel & Hardy was a Gemini, as was Bob Hope, who teamed up with Bing Crosby. Gemini’s are not only comedians but they are wordmongers, so many of them are writers, such as Ian Fleming, who created the charismatic character of James Bond, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who brought us the infamous Sherlock Holmes. A few more writers you may be familiar with are Thomas Hardy, Salman Rushdie, Allen Ginsberg, Anne Frank, William Yeats and Federico Garcia Lorca! William Austin Burke, yet another Gemini, is attributed with several inventions, one of which was the “typographer” – a predecessor of the typewriter! He also invented the solar compass and served as Mount Vernon’s first postmaster – who knew? And check this out everyone, how funny is this? Would you believe that the 2010 Scripp’s National Spelling Bee competition takes place the 1st week of June, during the “wordy” sign of Gemini. And other than black, what color stripes does a bee have? Yellow, the color of Gemini! So how perfect is that?

http://www.spellingbee.com

So by now, you should have figured out that a Gemini has a wonderful way with words and possesses the “gift of the gab!” Think about it, before we all had newspapers, TV’s and computers, news was passed around by mouth and whatever had taken place was either told or sung as a story. Look at the word “History” and you can see it is made up of the words “his” and “story.” So is it History or HIS story? Either way, listen up now, because do I have a story for you! This incident literally just happened over the Memorial weekend, and one of the reasons I wanted to share it is because the news coverage we subsequently read online of what had taken place was in fact, quite inaccurate, which only goes to show that you can’t believe everything you hear or read!

So the headlines read something like this, “Man Falls From Chelsea Building, Impales Head On Fence” or another one, “Partier Impaled In Fall!” But here’s what really happened – In the wee, wee hours of late Friday night/early Saturday morning, my good friend, who had been up late working, was preparing himself to finally go to sleep. As he was lying there, he thought he heard some strange sounds out of his back window. He continued to listen, wondering to himself what sort of animal might be on his fire escape? The strange sounds continued. At that point my friend could have rolled over and gone to sleep, but something in him told him to investigate the noises further and his instincts kicked in. Having been a lifeguard out at Rockaway beach for many years he has saved a lot of souls along the way. And, it is for that reason that young Nicholas Blossom from Williamsburg, a 21-year-old drummer in a band called Alaska Alaska, is alive today. Nicholas had been partying in a neighboring building and was apparently intoxicated. Known to sometimes “act out” and “climb things” when he drank, he left his fellow partiers and went up onto the roof alone. An Aquarius daredevil, he went down the ladder from one building and then climbed up onto a ledge. However, as he made his way across the ledge he slipped and fell down behind the back of the buildings and landed in between the air conditioner and extractor fan ducts, impaling part of his head onto a metal fence. And I’m not making this up!

Image from the NY Post

So, as my friend continued to listen to these sounds, they turned from weird moans into muffled cries for help, and it became clear that someone had fallen and potentially injured themself. He had no idea who this person was or how badly they were hurt, but he knew he had to do something, so he called the Police and went downstairs to let them into the building. When they arrived he attempted to explain to the Police that they could gain access onto the roof through his building and then climb down the back fire escape, but this took some insistence on my friend’s part, as they decided instead on speaking first with the two deli’s on either side of my friend’s building to see if they could get up to the roof that way, which they could not. The fact that my friend has recently been allowing both his hair and beard to grow and is beginning to resemble a cross between Don King and Santa Claus may also have had something to do with their hesitance, but finally they listened and made their way up on to the roof, down the back fire escape and found the young man badly injured, wedged and helpless. This rescue was literally so intense that the firemen had to resort to one of those giant electric saws they use to cut away car doors and so on. Finally this kid was lifted out and taken to the Hospital where doctors successfully removed the piece of metal fence that was still stuck in his head!

Following this incident my friend relayed this entire episode to me and then we went online to see if it had been reported. What we discovered was seriously inaccurate reporting as to how this man had actually been found. One news report said neighbors had called police because of the rowdiness, but Blossom had abandoned his friends by then and they had no idea where he was. So if my friend had not heard him moaning, he would have been dead. We felt someone should know the truth, that it wasn’t just the bravery of the firemen and the police, or the skill of the EMT and the surgeons who saved this guy, it was the fact that my friend had followed his instincts until he found out who or what was making those noises, and it was his persistence that eventually and successfully led the rescue party to the injured partier. My friend then spent all day calling the various news desks to find someone to correct the reports and he even called a bar where this guy’s band had played to see if he could get Blossom’s contact information. It wasn’t about seeking a hero’s medal – we just felt strongly that Nicholas and his parents should know who had initially saved his life. And then today, Monday, my friend heard a noise on his roof and when he went up to see who it was, he found some guys looking at where this kid had fallen. Turns out that one of them was fellow band member Corey Mullee, who had just come from seeing his friend at the hospital. When he heard and corroborated my friend’s story as to what exactly had happened, he assured him that he would indeed tell Nicholas and his parents the real story. But in the meantime my friend had also called the hospital and left a message for the family, which had been successfully passed along, and so today he also received a beautiful and extremely thankful phone call from Emily Blossom, Nicholas’ mother. Oh yes, one more thing – my friend and the “hero” of this story is, you guessed it, a Gemini!

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Possessions

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 03/05/10 at 06:05 pm

You may remember the image of the single snowdrop in the last bulletin that so beautifully illustrated the end of winter, survival and the beginning of spring? Well, not only does the Earth sign of Taurus have green fingers in the garden, they are also natural healers, making use of the plants they grow. So I thought I would share another “miracle of nature” with you and one, which perfectly demonstrates that for every ailment and physical complaint out there, Mother Nature has provided us with a cure. A few days ago I noticed that the nasty little dry patch of skin in between two of my fingers had returned once again. It does this periodically so I applied some medicinal hand crème in the hopes it would go away. However, it didn’t really help, and then I remembered, silly me, I have an Aloe Vera plant! For those of you that do not have an Aloe plant, I highly recommend that you get one, they are very easy to grow, require little maintenance, and it’s easy to take cuttings in order to start another plant for somebody else. So anyway, I took a piece of the Aloe, opened it up to get to the slimy inside and rubbed a generous amount in between my fingers. By the next morning, the redness, dry patches and irritation had completely, not partially, but completely gone away and the skin was soft and smooth again. Pretty amazing!

I decided to make this month’s theme Possessions because the sign of Taurus is also known to enjoy beautiful objects of all kinds – animal, vegetable and mineral alike! For me, the topic of possessions brings up some interesting thoughts and emotions. On a humorous note, some of you may recall the late, great comedian George Carlin’s classic and brilliant sketch on “Stuff.”

I laugh every time I hear him talk about this particular topic, especially coming from a family of semi-hoarders, or should I say, “collectors.” In a slightly different version to the one on YouTube I remember it was so brilliant the way he began with the stuff we collect as a child, followed by the stuff we need when we leave home and go to college, and then we get married and move completely away from home and get even more new stuff, and yet we still have the original stuff stored at our parents, and it might and usually does stay there for years, even until our parents die. Well, my sister and I certainly got to experience that one last year after our mother had died. As I said, we come from a family of collectors.

Our mother came from both a Scottish and a wartime tradition of “not wasting” and “never throwing anything out.” This was evidenced some years back after our Great Aunt died and we had to clear out her house in London. We discovered she had literally saved everything. We found bundles marked “new dusters” and others marked “old dusters.” There were hidden treasures in all sorts of funny places. Aunt Bell was a very special and important figure in the family and someone with whom our mother found much solace and spent a lot of time with, especially when she was younger. Everyone deferred to her, and with good reason. When she died, I was going through the breakup of a long relationship and it was a terribly hard time for me, losing both my best friend and my favorite Great Aunt. I was in such a state that my sister had to come and pick me up and drive us both up to London for the funeral, and we managed to get lost, arriving late at the crematorium! The look on our mother’s face when we finally drove into the car park! Some time after that, my mother and I completed the house-clearing and I remember driving back in the big old Transit van we had hired, accompanied by my best friend Rowena, while my mother drove back in her little Mini, which was also stuffed to the gills with precious heirlooms, a lot of china and several plants. I think it would be safe to say that much of what we brought back from London was put away and not seen or touched again, except for a few little items that were discreetly sold when money was tight.

After my sister and I had dealt with our mother’s funeral last year, our next job was to finish clearing her cottage in preparation for sale. She had lived there for 40 years, almost half of her entire life, and we knew that there was no way we could allow anyone else but the two of us to go through all of her belongings. I spent an entire month in England with my sister working on the house, and still we did not completely finish the task. If I thought my Great Aunt’s house was bad, Mum’s was just as, if not more so! When you find baskets of silverware hidden under the woodpile in the lean-to, you know right away that you cannot leave any stone (or log) unturned, as it were. We literally had to go through every single drawer, every cupboard and every pocket with a fine toothcomb. What an inexplicable experience and an emotional roller coaster that month was, but for some reason, the Gods decided to help us out a little and if one of us was having a “rough” day, the other would be feeling stronger and therefore take charge, and we never really had a day where we were both struggling, it simply went back and forth.

What my sister and I also discovered is that not only did we have all of out mother’s possessions to go through, of course there was the “stuff” that had been hidden away after Aunt Bell died, plus some items from our Grandmother and, even harder still, we found all of our childhood memories that had been stored in the attic and again, not touched since our parents divorced and we moved into the cottage. Some days it was simply awful and others we laughed helplessly until we cried, and literally peed in our pants. I remember one particular day, after we had collapsed yet again in fits of uncontrollable giggles on the sitting-room floor in the middle of rescuing a baby rook that was stuck in the porch (that’s another story for another day!), she said to me, “I don’t think I have ever heard you laugh like that?” The laughter and the tears were so deep and primal, it came from a different place altogether and was in many ways, extremely cathartic.

While we sold quite a lot of things, gave away others and took numerous bags of clothes and books to charity, the truth of the matter is that we still have a lot of “stuff” that we kept, that we really couldn’t bear to let go of. As we stacked the “sell” “store” & “save” piles, and the “mine” & “yours” piles, we never really fought over anything. We divided it fairly and were united as a team throughout the process. In particular, any special items or photographs connected with our ancestors in Scotland that might lend clues to our family history had to be kept, at all costs. So now, some of this “extra stuff” is currently stored in a gracious friend’s garage (who not surprisingly and thankfully is a Taurus!), because neither my sister nor I have room to take any of it, at least not until we live somewhere larger!

My mother, my sister & I circa the mid 1990’s

In closing, and even though in England where we grew up, this holiday takes place in the month of March, in continued memory of our mother, whom we miss a whole lot, let us not forget that here in the U.S. it is Mother’s Day on May 9th. So to all of you “mums” out there and to all those of us whose mothers are no longer with us – Happy Mother’s Day!

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May 2010

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 03/05/10 at 02:05 pm

Greetings everyone, and welcome to the May ChatterBulletin! We have now moved from the sign of Aries into Taurus, so it is no big surprise that we have also just celebrated “Earth Day” on April 22nd. Earth Day began back in 1970 and was the brainchild of environmental activist, Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin who, after witnessing the horrific 1969 oil spill off the California coast, decided it was time to bring more attention to the widespread environmental degradation. That year over 20 million people participated in the Earth Day celebration and now, 40 years later, Earth Day is observed by more than 500 million people around the world. Unfortunately however, the oil spills are still happening, as witnessed recently off the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Ironically (or not) some years ago I took a course called the “Landmark Forum” and it was thanks to and during this time that I decided I wanted to get back into photography in some way. In one particular exercise we were asked to come up with a phrase that perfectly described what our “intention” was with our goal. My phrase was, “The acknowledgment and preservation of the extraordinary beauty of the world” and the label upon which I wrote it is on my refrigerator to this day.

ChatterLog
Possessions

© Louisa J. Curtis

CLICK HERE FOR REST OF ARTICLE!

My mother, my sister & I circa the mid 1990’s

ChatterArtists
Continuing on with the theme of Possessions it was only natural this month to feature photographers who shoot still life, product and all of those beautiful objects that Taurus loves. However, still life photographers don’t always get to shoot beautiful arrangements of fabulous objects. Sometimes they have the unique challenge of making something quite ordinary and mundane look appealing and inviting.

Tony Cordoza
First up we have Tony Cordoza, a photographer and friend whom I have known for a long time now. Tony was one of my early Chatterbox clients and besides his conceptual still life work, he has spent many years making silver stereos, flat-screen TV’s and other assorted shiny boxes look “sexy”! His lighting and his technique are so fine-tuned – he does little or nothing in PhotoShop afterwards.

Lisa Adams
From masculine metal we move to feminine softness, and the photography of Lisa Adams. We have never technically met or worked together, but a few years ago, her assistant attended my website panel in Charlotte, NC and Lisa’s website was one of the ones the panel reviewed, and it was beautiful. I have been a big fan of her work ever since and I constantly use her as an excellent example of good branding, as well as good photography.

Robert Quailer
From soft and subtle, we go bold and bright and the photography of Robert Quailer, with whom I consulted a couple of years ago. Besides his commercial studio work, Robert was fortunate enough to capture images of the famous New York eatery, “Tavern on the Green” before they shut their doors for good earlier this year.

Parlee Chambers
Next up is half of “Studio Chambers” and that is photographer Parlee Chambers. Based in Atlanta, Parlee and her husband Don were clients of mine some years ago when I worked at the Black Book and I just love the pair of them. They have years of experience under their belts and a wickedly wonderful sense of humor!

Brett Wills
I met both of the next two photographers some years ago when I worked for American Showcase and Archive magazine. The first is Brett Wills, a master of still life and beauty, and whom coincidentally the photo agents I used to work for, Watson & Spierman Creative currently represent.

Halley Ganges
As I mentioned before, Taurus loves beautiful things, so my final photographer is master of the “luxury product” and also a dear friend of mine, Halley Ganges. Halley also owns and runs the most beautiful rental studio facility in the heart of the Fashion District, Go-Studios, which has the most fantastic south-facing views and all-natural daylight.

ChatterCorner
Callie Lipkin

© Callie Lipkin

http://www.callielipkin.com/

I am very excited to announce that I will now be writing each month for the “Surveillance” section on PDN’s PhotoServe website. The first article went live at the end of April and is an interview with my client and Chicago-based photographer Callie Lipkin who, when she is not shooting her light and lively advertising lifestyle work, is photographing her passion and personal project on Burlesque. Click here to read the full article: http://www.pdnonline.com/pdn/content_display/photoserve/surveillance/e3i73c1f8a93e23a5ce99bc1b0004b684f6

ChatterNews
Chelsea Brewer
And continuing on with Taurus’ love of beautiful things, my assistant Chelsea, who also helps me put the bulletin together each month, recently designed and built a website for Ghost Dancer, jewelry designed by Rhiannon Griego. Not only did she create the website but she also photographed all of the jewelry. To view more of the Ghost Dancer Jewelry Collection and Chelsea’s work please visit: http://www.ghostdancercollection.com/ & http://www.chelseabrewer.com/

© Chelsea Brewer

Julie Grahame
My dear friend Julie Grahame has launched her online magazine aCurator (http://acurator.com/)!

And if you haven’t already seen her beautiful blog click here: http://acurator.com/blog/

© Rob Hann

Pink Inc. & Eco Friendly Expo
Continuing along with the “Earth Day” theme, my friend Debra Roth and her company Pink Inc. is designing the environment for the Eco Friendly Expo! The expo runs from Tuesday, May 25th – Thursday, May 27th, 2010. For more information about the expo please visit: http://ecofriendlyexpo.com/1-home-ecofriendlyexpo.html.
To view more of Debra’s work please visit: http://pinkincdesign.com/

Mike Dobson
My client Mike Dobson of Echo Imagery is a volunteer for the organization “Success for Kids” (SFK) and on Sunday, May 23rd in New York City he will be participating in a 40 mile bicycle ride fundraiser for “Ride for Success”. To donate money and become a sponsor of Mike’s you can visit his personal sponsor page here: http://www.firstgiving.com/michaeldobson. To view Mike’s personal work please visit: http://echoimagery.com/

Photo © Mike Dobson

For more information about the fundraiser and the SFK organization please visit: http://www.rideforsuccess.org/ (Mike also built the website!) & http://sfk.org/

Jade Albert
Congratulations to my client Jade Albert who recently signed with photo rep Doug Truppe (http://www.dougtruppe.com/)! To view Jade’s work please visit: http://www.jadealbert.com/

Darrell Perry & Multi-Media Mix
Darrell Perry is one of my favorite people, and was recently one of the panelists for the ASMP Copyright Panel at the Times Center in New York. Formerly the photo editor of the Wall Street Journal, Darrell recently launched Multi-Media Mix, a monthly networking event for visual media professionals to meet, mingle and exchange business cards over drinks and snacks. For more information and details of the next event on Thursday, May 27th, go to: http://site.multi-mediamix.com/ & http://site.multi-mediamix.com/Services.html

Best of ASMP 2010
Working on a memorable photography project? Submit it to the Best of ASMP 2010, before it’s too late!

Now in its sixth year, the ASMP Bulletin’s Best of ASMP issue features memorable projects spanning the full range of our members’ specialty areas, demographics and geographic reach. The 20 photographers selected for this yearly honor are featured both in print and online, where they discuss their technical accomplishments, their valued equipment, the clients they work with and more, in detailed interviews illustrated by their best work.

For the Best of ASMP’s 2010 edition, they will accept member entries through May 15, 2010.

For more information please visit: http://www.asmpny.org/#bestof

Jamie Oliver & The Food Revolution
Some of you may have seen English chef Jamie Oliver on TV recently because he has brought his philosophy and his passion for healthy eating over to the United States and has launched a massive campaign called Jamie’s Food Revolution with which he hopes to change the way we are currently feeding (and poisoning) our children. His goal is to take this all the way to the White House, especially as Michelle Obama is a big advocate for eating healthy and reducing the alarming increase of juvenile diabetes in this country. I’m a big fan of Jamie, not only as a brilliant chef, but also as human being, who truly cares and wants to make a difference. But it also makes me laugh that it takes this ballsy Brit with a “lisp” to come over here and shake up the American people when it comes to what and how they are feeding their children, especially in the schools. Check out his extensive website and sign Jamie’s petition to save cooking skills and improve school food.

Photo courtesy of http://www.jamieoliver.com/

For more information and to sign Jamie’s petition please go to: http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/petition

ChatterTip of the Month
Beauty & Health Tips from the Kitchen

The sign of Taurus is concerned with beautiful things, food, wine and physical pleasures. So for this month I decided to give you some Beauty & Health Tips using ingredients from the kitchen. If you can eat it, you can generally put it on your skin, from avocado to olive oil, to yogurt or strawberries… Taurus loves to eat, drink and look good at the same time. And because it is also the sign that introduces us to our “senses,” I am giving you some tips that relate to each of the five senses.

For the eyes (sight) - many of us suffer from “bags” under the eyes and generally looking tired. Some of you have perhaps heard of the old home remedy, which is to apply cold Tea Bags over the closed eyelids in order to cool the skin and reduce the swelling. And apparently, if you don’t have any cold tea bags handy, another suggestion is to use slices of Potato, or Cucumber. Lie quietly with eyes closed and the slices placed over the eyelids. The cooling vegetable will certainly soothe those tired eyes.

For the ears (sound) - I remember as a child that whenever I had a bad case of earache (probably from too much swimming!) my mother would heat up a small amount of Olive Oil and then gently pour a few drops into the ear from a silver teaspoon, and then plug it up with some cotton wool. Sometimes a little of the warm oil escaped and ran down my neck, but the sensation was both soothing and, more importantly, it also successfully melted the blocked earwax and dissolved the earache.

For the nose (smell) - although I consider myself to be pretty healthy, I do have a history of sinus problems (also resulting from swimming & diving too much as a child!) Sinus headaches are miserable but one of the best ways to break up the mucus is to drink a tea made from Goldenseal powder. Boil some water in a saucepan and only use a very small spoonful of the powder – it is very strong and somewhat bitter, so if you really can’t take it, can add a little honey. Drink the tea 3x a day and the sinus will start to break up. Another remedy is to fill a large bowl with boiling water and then cover with a towel. I like to add Eucalyptus Oil to the vapors. Wait a few seconds (otherwise you’ll burn yourself) and then pop your head under the towel and gently breathe in the steam. Not only does it help the sinus but it also gives you a great facial at the same time!

For the mouth (taste) - One of the best remedies for a healthy mouth is Myrrh. It can be purchased in capsule form and taken several times a day, or as a liquid tincture. Simply add a few drops to a little warm water and rinse your mouth out as you would with a regular mouthwash. Again, it is a little bitter tasting, like the Goldenseal, but it can really improve the overall health of your teeth, gums and mouth. Another good remedy found in the pantry is Baking Soda, which can be sprinkled on to your toothbrush either on its own or with a dab of toothpaste as well.

For the skin (touch) - Here’s an interesting pair of remedies for the skin using Eggs and one that beautifully demonstrates the Yin Yang principle. For dry skin, make a face pack of beaten egg yolks with a little lemon juice – and for oily skin, make a face pack with whipped egg whites and lemon juice – now how interesting is that? There are many ingredients from the kitchen that can be added to the bath, such as Baking Soda, which helps to soften the skin and helps to soothe aching muscles. It is a great substitute if you don’t happen to have any Epson Salts in the bathroom cabinet. I also recall a English friend of mine telling me how her mother would add Olive Oil to her bath water to soften the skin.

Now, although I do admit I tend to like my baths hot, it is supposedly better and less drying for the skin if the water is warm. Better still would be to shower in cold water, but if that is too extreme for you, try showering with hot/warm water first and then gradually turn the water to cold before you get out (Yin & Yang again). I tend to like hot baths when it is cold outside and cold showers in the summer heat, but that isn’t quite what we are talking about here! The principle of alternating from hot to cold is nothing new – I remember years ago meeting a beautiful forty-something year-old Scandinavian woman whose skin was perfect. She told me that back home they would literally alternate between the hot sauna and rolling in the snow outside and, the only crème she had ever used was Nivea! Come to think of it, when I first lived in New York I used to go to the famous Russian Baths in the East Village, http://www.russianturkishbaths.com where we would spend as long as we could stand in the sweat room before jumping into an icy pool of cold water. Not exactly my favorite thing to do but very invigorating, to be sure, and great for the complexion!

ChatterRecipe of the Month
Beef Stroganoff

Image courtesy of http://www.itv.com/

Many years ago I worked as an assistant chef in a French Restaurant, and one of the dishes I learned how to make was an easy and delicious Beef Stroganoff. The owner taught me how to make everything on the menu so he could take the occasional night off to pursue whichever innocent young waitress he was interested in at the time. I learned a lot from this man (not necessarily about infidelity and arrogant vanity) but more about cooking, presentation (which was key) and timing (which was essential). I can remember being petrified of handling a large table order that included several steaks, but all cooked to a different preference. The challenge was have them all ready to go out at the same time, along with any other dishes and vegetables that were still “crunchy”. One steak might be “well-done”, two “medium”, one “medium-rare”, one “rare” and one “blue”, that kind of thing. Anyway, a less challenging dish on the menu was Beef Stroganoff, which was cooked to order fresh – it was that easy to make. It is in fact, a classic Russian dish that has been around since the 18th century, named after a family of wealthy merchants from Novgorod. And seeing as this month is connected to Taurus and the bull, I figured we should have a “beef” recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1½ lbs Beef Tenderloin, Filet Mignon or Boneless Sirloin (cut into small, thin strips)
8 Shallots (or 1 large Onion)
10 oz Mushrooms (sliced)
Salt & Black Pepper
1¼ cups Sour Cream
Red Wine
Chopped Parsley for garnish
White Rice

Melt the Butter with the Vegetable Oil in a heavy skillet and when it starts to “foam” cook the Beef Tenderloin over high heat until browned all over (approx. 5 minutes).
Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set to one side. Add the Shallots (or onions) and the Mushrooms to the pan and cook until soft and browned. De-glaze the bottom of the pan with a little Red Wine, add back in the Beef Tenderloin, Salt & Black Pepper to taste and then stir in the Sour Cream. Cook until sauce has thickened, garnish with chopped Parsley and serve immediately with White Rice.

And now for this month’s events – and there’s a lot of them!

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 – 7pm – 9pm
ASMP Member Benefit
@ SoHo Photo
15 White Street
New York, NY

Cost: Free to all

From the website:
“This informative and festive evening will be an opportunity for new, seasoned and prospective ASMP members to discover all that ASMP has to offer… NY chapter board members along with insurance reps and guest speakers will be on hand to answer all of your questions and provide details about ASMP membership benefits. Please strike up a conversation with one of us and enjoy refreshments, music and door prizes.”

For more information please visit: http://www.asmpny.org/pages/201/0/0/

Also Wednesday, May 5th, 2010 – 6 – 8pm
En Foco’s Touring Gallery in Collaboration with Pregones Theatre, Presents:
“Tango, Never Before Midnight” Photographs by Adriana Groisman – Opening Reception
@ Pregones Theatre
575 Walton Avenue
Bronx, NY

To view more of Adriana’s work please visit: http://www.adrianagroisman.com/
For more information please visit: http://www.enfoco.org/index.php/photographers/photographer/groisman_adriana/

Thursday, May 6th, 2010 – 6:30pm
APA and PhotoShelter Present “Get Found: SEO for Photography Websites”
@ Calumet
22 West 22nd Street
New York, NY

Cost: Free to APA members; $10 for non-members

From the website:

“In this Session PhotoShelter co-founder and CEO Allen Murabayashi demonstrates why SEO is so important to photographers and walks participants through the basic principles that photographers must know if they care about getting found by Google Search.”

For more information and to register please visit: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3294

Also Thursday, May 6th, 2010 – 6pm – 9pm
BIG ED Student & Faculty Present: Print Swap Day
@ Foto Care
43 West 22nd Street
New York, NY

From the flyer:
“The print swap is an activity that has a long and celebrated history in college and university photography programs. Swappers bring 3-5 un-mounted prints of a single image and offer them in trade for the work of others. It’s a great way to begin a photography collection, make contacts, network, and get your work out into the community.”

For more information please contact Colin Bron Imaging at: cking@bronimaging.com and visit their website: http://www.bronimaging.com/

Saturday, May 8th, 2010 – 7:30pm – 8:30pm
“13 Living Breathing Models, Turkish Violin, Wine, Edible Flowers”

Photographer Sarah Small, who was part of the March bulletin when we featured photographers who shoot music and dance, will be hosting this event at a private residence in DUMBO! The event will also be streamed live via the internet on Tableau Vivant Channel: http://www.ustream.tv/user/LivingPicture

Sarah will also be @ The Apple Store in Soho on Wednesday, May 12th as part of the Image Makers Lecture Series (see below), along with another of my favorite photographers Jason Florio, who also happens to be the subject of my next month’s ChatterCorner article for PhotoServe.

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010
Parsons BFA Photography Exhibition Opening
Exhibition up thru Friday, May 21st, 2010
@ Calumet
22 West 22nd Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY

For more information please visit: http://www.newschool.edu/pressroom/pressreleases/2010/parsonsthesis.aspx

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 – 6:30pm – 8pm
APANY Image Makers Lecture Series with Sarah Small & Jason Florio
@ SoHo Apple Theatre
103 Prince Street
New York, NY

Cost: Free (seating is limited so get there early!)

Certainly two of my favorite photographers and what promises to be a great evening – Sarah came to me as a client a few years ago and from that moment I was a big fan of her work. I have watched her grow and recently attended her first solo show. Jason is a fellow Brit and a friend of mine, and was also one of the very first photographers on the original Chatterbox website. Jason will be the subject of my next article for PhotoServe’s Surveillance section, so watch for that in next month’s bulletin.

http://www.sarahsmall.com/

http://www.floriophoto.com/

For more information please visit: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3294

Wednesday, May 12th – Sunday, May 16th, 2010 – 12pm
NY Photo Festival
@ DUMBO, Brooklyn, NY

For more information please visit: http://www.nyphotofestival.com/site/

Thursday, May 13th, 2010 – 10am
Parsons The New School For Design Portfolio Review Day
@ Parsons The New School For Design
66 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY

Louisa J. Curtis will be reviewing portfolios!

From the email invitation:
“For the past eight years, a diverse group of professionals in the field have reviewed our graduating seniors’ portfolios. This year’s graduating class consists of over 50 students with work ranging from portraiture, fashion, photojournalism, environmental, landscape, conceptual, and documentary; from fine art to editorial. Their portfolios have been developed and refined into professional presentations through individual critiques by their Senior Thesis advisors.”

For more information please visit: http://www.newschool.edu/parsons/events.aspx

Saturday, May 15th, 2010 – 6pm – 11pm
New York Slideluck Potshow XV
@ Manhattan Bridge Archway
Brooklyn, NY

Slideluck Potshow is part of the New York Photo Festival this year and the submissions deadline has been extended until Tuesday, May 4th! The theme of the slideshow is “Bridges”.

From the flyer:
“On Saturday, May 15th, we will be teaming up with the New York Photo Festival for Slideluck Potshow XV. The projection will take place outdoors, in Dumbo, Brooklyn beneath the Manhattan Bridge Archway – an epic public space that just reopened after nearly 20 years.”

Continuing on with our “healthy eating theme” this Slideluck Potshow is out to set a Guinness World Record!

“Who’s ready to break a world record? It is with great excitement that we announce that at this event we will be working together to claim The Guinness Book of World Records for the Largest Potluck on Earth. Who do we have to beat? A potluck that brought together 602 individual dishes in Phoenix, AZ and was sponsored by Promise margarine. As mentioned before, this potluck is about local, seasonal ingredients, so let’s not only kick Promise’s fat yellow ass, let’s do it with real food! In doing so, we will not only be sending a message out about healthy, sustainable food systems, but we’ll have a feast of historical proportions.”

For more information please visit: http://network.slideluckpotshow.com/events/slps-xv-new-york-city

Monday, May 17th, 2010 – 6:30pm
APA Presents: Social Media Marketing Seminar
Lead by Jason Moriber of Wise Elephant
@ Calumet
22 West 22nd Street
New York, NY

Cost: Free to the first 25 APA members!; $10 APA members; $15 for non-members

From the website:
“This seminar will provide useful background on the social media arena (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more), offer tactical and strategic advice, delve into some case studies, and offer short and long term action items to help your marketing take advantage of these digital arenas.”

For more information and to register please visit: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3294

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010 – 6pm
The Copyright Society of the USA Presents: Licensing in the Digital Age: Deals, Risks, and Challenges in Physical and Virtual Media
@ Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
1375 Broadway, 23rd Floor (located at 37th & Broadway)
New York, NY

Must use registration form. Registration deadline is Wednesday, May 12th, 2010!

From the invite:
“Licensing is a powerful tool generating billions in revenue. However, the risks and complexities of licensing have multiplied in recent years as new technologies have created new marketing platforms in the physical and virtual worlds. To help you understand, navigate and succeed in this new marketplace, the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. has assembled a distinguished panel of licensing practitioners that will provide you the practical guidance you need.”

For more information please visit: http://www.csusa.org/

Wednesday, May 19th – 7pm
NY Monthly Photo Salon
@ SoHo Photo
15 White Street
New York, NY

Cost: $10 at the door

For more information or questions please contact Rich Pomerantz at rich@richpomerantz.com, Emmanuel Faure at emmanuel@emmanuelfaure.com or Bill Westheimer at bill@billwest.com.

Monday, May 24th – Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
PDN’s Focus On Wedding + Portrait Photography Virtual Event

From the website:
“Focus on Wedding and Portrait Photography is a FREE online expo for imaging professionals brought to you by PDN PhotoPlus Virtual Events. Over two days, You will be inspired by different wedding shoot approaches, refine marketing techniques, and get tips to run a profitable business by increasing client purchases, mastering the art of album sales, and find the best suppliers for your needs.”

For more information please visit: http://pdnphotography.veplatform.com/uc/registration-short-form.php?

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010 – 6pm
ASMPNY: Fine Art Portfolio Review
@ Calumet
22 West 22nd Street
New York, NY

For more information please visit: http://www.asmpny.org/#review_2010

Saturday, May 29th, 2010
Social Media Plus – A Web 2.0 Business Summit
@ Pennsylvania Convention Center
Philadelphia, PA

From the website:
“SocialMediaPlus is a one-day event will take place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and we’ll have 28 seminars with real-world topics that will help you walk away with a real understanding on how to implement Social Media strategies inside your company. You will hear from marketing directors, technology professionals, and social media experts, and they’ll tell you how they’ve used social media to build brand, interact with customers, and generate revenue.”

For more information please visit: http://www.socialmediaplus.com/

If you enjoyed this article please consider staying updated via RSS. Links to your own social media pages could be added here.

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Inspiration

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 03/04/10 at 07:04 pm

ChatterLog
Inspiration

Photo by Andrew Crompton

Greetings everyone, and welcome to the April ChatterBulletin! Since last month, we have moved from the 12th sign of Pisces, into Aries, who is technically the 1st sign of the Zodiac celebrating the “New Year” and the start of the season of Spring. This, according to “Mother Nature” is when all new life begins, so perhaps some of you have noticed a little more energy already? We’ve all heard of “Spring Cleaning” and I literally found myself, after months of total resistance and lethargy, scrubbing down my kitchen this week. I also noticed that the “quality” of my cleaning energy was just like that of an Aries, aggressive, fast-paced and completely clumsy! I knocked over the bottle of cleaning fluid at least three times! Is it any wonder that April 1st is also April Fools day?

And now to this month’s theme, which continues on from last month when we talked about Creativity and the Arts. As the 1st sign of the zodiac, Aries is all about energy and inspiration. It is their job to get the party started. So this month I decided to write about the topic of Inspiration. My sister and I were fortunate enough to grow up in the beautiful English countryside and we found our selves close to nature from an early age. To this day, “Mother Nature” never ceases to amaze me and is an ongoing inspiration and source of comfort to both my sister and I. Whenever my mother was feeling troubled, she would go and look at the sea. Not only did it calm her, but it also reminded her that in the big scheme of things, we are but “grains of sand.” So, I am opening up this bulletin with an image that not only reflects a mere fraction of the beauty and inspiration of “Mother Nature” herself, it also demonstrates the extraordinary miracle of nature. The snowdrop in this photo was one of several that were planted last November in a wood, somewhere in Canada, in my mother’s honor. With no help from anyone, this little bulb survived the brutal winter and sprouted forth, just in time for the spring and the anniversary of our mother’s death. How inspirational is that?

April not only moves us into the season of spring, but the clocks have also now “sprung” forwards, giving us an extra hour of daylight. We celebrate Passover and Easter at this time and it is interesting to note where the tradition of wearing an “Easter bonnet” comes from. Once again, we look to the sign of Aries, that rules the head, and which produces wearers of all sorts of hats, not only Easter bonnets. For instance my German friend Horst (an Aries) not only made fabulous leather clothes, but one of his trademarks were his adorable leather hats. And there was my dear friend Linda, another Aries, with whom I spent several wonderful Easter vacations (notice I said Easter, not Christmas!) I fondly recall sitting with her in the Japanese-style hot-tub at her beautiful home in Northern California, drinking champagne, looking at the stars and wearing only our flamboyantly decorated “Easter bonnets!” Let’s connect the dots some more – Aries is associated with the ram, the sacrificial lamb, (which is why one traditionally eats lamb at Easter and not turkey!) but we also think of cute little chicks (the fluffy kind), Easter eggs and bunny rabbits, right? And, we have all seen the TV commercials featuring the energizer bunny, right? Well, this energizer bunny is displaying the energy of an Aries, who also has the ability to keep on going, and going, and going… Can anyone find the “off switch?”

As I continued to ponder who or what has inspired me in my life, I found myself on a magical journey of assorted artists and performers and I thought in particular about two huge influences, both of whom were ironically “changing history” during the exact same time period, but in totally different countries and cultures.

Martha Graham, Letter to The World, “The Kick”. 1940. Photo by Barbara Morgan

The 1st was dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, who revolutionized modern dance in America with her unique, dramatic and theatrical style. This woman not only changed the way dance was performed and appreciated, she was also one of the first to accept dancers of all sizes into her company. I remember being enthralled to see her company perform live, comprising of dancers who ranged from five foot nothing to a full six feet tall! Perhaps if my teacher, Marie Soanes, had lived during this era, she might have one day fulfilled her dream of dancing professionally? While I was at college, I studied dance and theater and at one point took classes in the “Graham” technique. One of my best friends decided we should audition for the Martha Graham school in London, which we did. What a terrifying experience that was! The hallways were full of skinny little girls, all smoking cigarettes to curb their appetites. But I liked both food and cigarettes, and the audition itself pretty much told me that I was not cut out to be a professional dancer. My audition piece was more “movement theater” than it was dance, and told the story of a streetwalker… Well, you get the idea.

Martha Graham, “Maple Leaf Rag”, Sept. 7, 1990. Photo by Jim Wilson

And while Martha Graham was rewriting the dance history books in the US, Etienne Decroux, who was known as “The Father of Modern Mime” was creating his own brand of movement theatre in France with his technique “Corporeal Mime.” Although mime and mask work had previously existed in ancient theatre, this was the first time that someone created a specific “language” of movement, just like the language of ballet. I went from learning “Plies” and “Pirouettes,” to the “Tour Eiffel” and “Bascule.” I was fortunate enough to spend a year in Paris studying with Decroux, even though he was quite elderly by then. It is a time that remains etched in my mind and was a special period in my life. After doubting my ability to be a professional dancer, and facing my insecurities about being an actress, here was a form of creative expression that I was actually perfect for! It required an athletic body, not a skinny one, and even better, it required emotional expression utilizing the whole body. Funnily enough, I was a vegetarian when I first lived in Paris and then one weekend, I went to visit my Uncle & Aunt. They told me that even though they were serving “roast lamb” that weekend, there were plenty of wonderful vegetables from the garden for me to enjoy. Well, I took one smell of that roast lamb and that was it, I became a carnivore once more. How very Aries of me!

Etienne Decroux, “Meditation”, 1957.
Photographs by Etienne Bertrand Weill

Decroux taught the perhaps better-known and Internationally famous mime Marcel Marceau (who incidentally was an Aries!), and thought him to be probably one of his best students, that was until in his opinion (and continuing on with the streetwalker theme) Marceau “prostituted” the art of mime by making it mainstream. Marceau popularized what we now know as “pantomime” but the original art form was much more than cute characters and facial expressions. Instead, it was a deep and intense study of body articulation, manipulation and perfection in terms of movement – as seen in this video of Decroux demonstrating the many ways to drink a glass of water!

Much of Decroux’s inspiration came from “Mother Nature” and he constantly talked about “animals being our teachers.” But the animal Decroux selected for his school’s emblem was the “seahorse” – chosen for its unique ability to move swiftly one moment, and then without any apparent effort, stop silently and instantaneously and hold its position without moving. Therein lies the essence of what “Corporeal Mime” is all about – to be able to execute a movement that may be extremely difficult, but it is done in such a way as to look totally easy and effortless. It is much harder to stand still and be a statue, for example, than it is to move. We could compare it to photography and say it is the photographer’s job to produce an image that appears effortless in its execution.

Etienne Decroux, “Improvisation”, c. 1971.
Photograph by Andre Maurice

But back to the seahorse and for all of you out there that doubt the power of the mind and the “energies” that surround us. While I was pondering this month’s article, I was sitting at my computer and thinking about Decroux and the seahorse. The TV was on in the background and all of a sudden the contestant in the game show, or whatever it was, exclaimed the answer to the question, which was, “seahorse!” So what are the chances of that question & answer occurring at the same moment that I was thinking about my article? Now, a couple of days later, and still working on the article, I am describing this event to a friend over the telephone and being a multi-tasker, I start to clear up a little corner where I keep my paper towels and so on while I am speaking on the phone. I pull out a few napkins that I had saved and one of them, you got it, had a seahorse on it! And here it is:

There are many more artists and performers on my “inspirational” list and I am saving those for another time! In the meantime, stop and make your own list and give thanks to those people who have inspired and helped to shape and guide you to where you are now.

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April 2010

Posted by Louisa J. Curtis - 03/04/10 at 11:04 am

ChatterLog
Inspiration

Photo by Andrew Crompton

Click here to read full article – it’s gooood!

ChatterArtists
Starting this month, we are renaming the ChatterClients section to ChatterArtists.
And just to clarify, the ChatterClients that I have already featured, and who I will continue to feature in my bulletins going forwards, are pretty much all photographers who are either current clients or, they are photographers who have been my clients at some point or, once in a while, they are photographers that I “know” and who are part of my network. I could never have enough “current” clients to feature in each and every bulletin, especially as it is theme-based! But consider this – I am a piece in their jigsaw puzzle. I have helped them at some point in their careers and I am featuring them because they fit into my “theme” or “topic” for that particular month. I am giving them a free plug at the same time as illustrating that month’s topic, nothing more. And so this month instead of featuring any ChatterClients, I decided instead to show you just “some” of my favorite photographers.

Diane Arbus

Photo by Diane Arbus

First up is Diane Arbus, who undoubtedly provided me with one of my first inspirational moments with photography. I was still a teenager when I went to see her provocative exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in London. This was unlike any photography I had seen previously. It quite literally “blew my mind” and opened my eyes to a world where apparently not all art was “pretty.” I was fascinated by her documentation of the unacceptable, the rejects and the “freaks” in our society, and who better than a Pisces to do that?

Garry Winogrand

Photo by Garry Winogrand

Garry Winogrand, a native New Yorker and a Capricorn, was best known for his portrayal of American life in the early 60’s. Similar to my teacher Etienne Decroux, Winogrand also observed the connection between humans and animals, as seen by his photographs of the Bronx Zoo and the Coney Island Aquarium. Many copied his visual style but his wit and distinctive imagery remains unique. Coincidentally, or not, one of his main influences is my next photographer.

Henri Cartier-Bresson

Photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson, considered to be the “father of modern photojournalism” and whose birthday happens to be the day before mine on August 22nd on the cusp of Leo & Virgo, is one of my most favorite photographers of all time. He helped develop the art of “street” photography and who cannot love his ease of expression and subtle sense of humor? Cartier-Bresson started out as a painter, but when he saw Hungarian photojournalist Martin Munkacsi’s photograph “Three Boys at Lake Tanganyika” showing three naked African boys, caught in near-silhouette and running in to the surf, he was so “inspired” by what he saw, he gave up painting and took up photography. He followed his heart!

ChatterNews
William Armstrong

In keeping with this month’s theme of “Inspiration,” we’re giving a shout out for Henrietta Heald, who is an editor, a writer and married to one of my cousins in England. One of Henrietta’s “inspirations” is a man by the name of William Armstrong, also known as “The Magician of the North.” So much so, that she has written a book (to be published in September of this year) and created an in-depth website on the subject of Armstrong’s life and his accomplishments.

What I find fascinating however, is not just that he was a visionary inventor and engineer, and an environmentalist who was way ahead of his time, but that his birthday is the exact same day as Henrietta’s. And even more curious, is that Henrietta’s birthday is the exact same day as her husband’s twin sisters! Now that’s interesting!

Please visit: http://www.williamarmstrong.info/

Frank Meo
Captured in the Mind
This month we are also giving a mention for Frank Meo’s current book project titled “Captured in the Mind.”

From the website: “Frank Meo with Designer Alec Vianu have created an exhilarating collection of indelible mental flash cards that reflect the indomitable strength of the mind.”

For more information please visit: http://www.capturedinthemind.com/

The Center for Alternative Photography & ICP
Beginning Saturday, April 10th, 2010 The Center for Alternative Photography partners up with ICP, offering several different workshops and classes.

Photo from The Center for Alternative Photography

To view the upcoming workshop schedule please visit: http://www.capworkshops.org/workshops.htm#wetplate

Slideluck Potshow XV
Submissions Deadline – Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Slideluck Potshow is participating in the New York Photo Festival next month. For more information please visit: http://network.slideluckpotshow.com/group/slpsnyc

NY Photo Festival Coming Next Month – Wednesday, May 12th – Sunday, May16th, 2010
Submissions Deadline – Saturday, May 1st, 2010

For more information please visit: http://www.nyphotofestival.com/site/?page_id=6824

ChatterTip of the Month
How to Cure the Hiccups!

Photo courtesy of http://www.lizapple.com/

I was talking with a dear friend the other day and somehow we found ourselves comparing remedies for curing hiccups, even though neither one was suffering from them at that moment. When he told me his solution, it was so hilarious, and my cure was pretty silly too, so I thought it would be fun to give you all a selection of favorite and bizarre cures for the hiccups this month! But before we get to the cures, what exactly are hiccups?

Hiccups are little more than a reflex that takes place when the “vagus” nerve (or one of its branches) gets irritated. The irritation may be the result of eating or drinking too fast, or perhaps eating food that is too spicy, or simply eating too much. The home remedies are believed to work in one of two ways, either by overwhelming the vagus nerve with another sensation or, by interrupting the breathing in some way so that the body stops thinking about the hiccups and concentrates on eliminating the carbon dioxide and breathing properly instead. So here is an assortment of cures:

Brown paper bag – tear off a piece of brown paper bag, lick one side to moisten it and then stick it on to your forehead – yeah, I know, sounds ridiculous, but check it out next time you have the hiccups, okay? Another cure is to simply breathe into a paper bag.

Just say “Boo!” – have someone literally scare the “c***” out of you by shouting loudly when you least expect it – tends to shock the hiccups right out of you!

The money method – if you are with a friend who has hiccups, wait until they hiccup and then tell them you will give them $20 if they can hiccup right now. The author of this suggestion has been doing this for years and has never had to part with his money!

Drinking water – this interrupts the vagus cycle but where I come from we added an extra twist by drinking from the other side of the glass. So fill a glass with water and hold it in front of your mouth tilted away from you slightly. Drink the water slowly from the opposite side of the glass. Bizarre but you’d be surprised!

Paper towel – for this one, fill a glass with water and then place a sheet of paper towel over the top of the glass and hold it in place with your hands. Drink the water very slowly ‘through” the paper towel, and those hiccups may just stop.

Holding your breath – hold your nose and close your mouth and hold your breath for as long as you can, just like you do when jumping into a swimming pool.

Plugging the ears – I remember this one from growing up but it required a partner. Drink slowly from a glass of water while the other person plugs up your ears with their fingers. Might be worth checking out by using a pair of earplugs if a partner isn’t available! And some sources say just plug the ears without even drinking any water.

Sticking out your tongue – this is weird – apparently sticking out your tongue and yanking on it may actually stop the hiccups!

Pressure point – press the indent in between your nose and upper lip for 30 seconds. This presses on a nerve that sends a message to the diaphragm. Looks stupid but works.

Something sweet – place a tablespoonful of sugar or peanut butter in your mouth and hold it there. Let is dissolve before swallowing.

Fish cure – this is one of the sillier ones I found. Supposedly, if you have hiccups, ask someone to simply ask you the question, “What swims in the ocean?” And when you answer “fish” your hiccups will magically be gone!

Vinegar – and what would our tips section be without mentioning our good old faithful friend vinegar? Next time you have the hiccups, drink a little vinegar.

ChatterRecipe of the Month
Spiced Lamb with Coconut

I had no choice but to feature a lamb recipe this month and although lamb is not necessarily everyone’s favorite red meat, it can be delicious when prepared well. Growing up in England, roast lamb on a Sunday was as common for us as roast beef, and I recall one famous summer in France when my cousin slow-cooked a large leg of lamb in the BBQ, infused with numerous cloves of garlic and fresh rosemary, for hours and hours until the meat fell off the bone… But for this month, I decided to combine the “lamb” and the “Fiery heat” of Aries, resulting in “Lamb Curry!”

For the Dry Marinade:
1 inch piece of fresh Ginger (peeled & grated)
1 tablespoon Curry Powder
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1 tablespoon ground Coriander
1 teaspoon ground Turmeric
Salt & Black Pepper

For the Curry:
2 lbs boneless shoulder of Lamb (cut & trimmed into 1-inch cubes)
2 tablespoons Butter
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
I large Onion (sliced)
2 large cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 tablespoon all-purpose Flour
13 oz can of chopped Tomatoes
2/3 cup of Stock or Water
Grated zest and juice of 1 Lime
2 tablespoons Mango Chutney
¼ cup of Coconut Milk
1 cup Plain Yogurt
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Make the marinade by combining the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Toss the cubed Lamb in the dry marinade, cover and leave in the refrigerator overnight. To make the curry, melt the Butter with the Vegetable Oil in a large flameproof casserole dish. Cook the marinated Lamb in batches over a high heat for about 5 minutes, until browned all over. Lift out of the pan with a slotted utensil and set aside. Add the Onion and Garlic to the pan and cook gently until softened, but not browned. Stir in the Flour and cook for a minute, then add the Tomatoes and the Stock, the Lime zest & juice and the Mango Chutney. Add Salt & Black Pepper to taste and bring to a boil, stirring. Add the Lamb back in to the casserole along with the Coconut Milk and again, bring back up to the boil. Cover and cook in the oven at 325 degrees for about 1 hour or until the meat is tender and cooked through. Stir in the Yogurt before serving and garnish with the Cilantro. Serve with Basmati or Rice of your choice.

And now for this month’s events:

Thursday, April 1st, 2010
APANY Presents All Day Event: Fools Rush In
Doors open at 11:30am
@ Bathhouse Studio
540 East 11th Street
New York, NY

Cost: VIP Pass – $50 Members & $60 Non-Members; Party Pass – $15 Member, $20 Non-Member, $20 at the door after 3:30pm

Louisa J. Curtis will be reviewing portfolio’s from 12 – 3pm!

For more information and to register please visit: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3294

Saturday, April 3rd, 2010
The Lucie Foundation Presents: MOPLA
@ Los Angeles, CA

The Lucie Foundation kicks off it’s 2nd annual, month-long photography event & celebration- Month of Photography Los Angeles – Saturday, April 3rd, 2010.

For more information please visit: http://www.mopla.org/home.php

Saturday, April 10th and Saturday & Sunday,
April 17th & 18th, 2010
Andrew Darlow Presents Two Workshops This Month

Saturday, April 10th, 2010 – 11am – 5pm
Color Management 101 & Inkjet Printing With Lightroom
@ Unique Photo
123 US Highway 46 West
Fairfield, NJ

Cost: $149

Andrew Darlow (right) with participants at a recent printing workshop.

From the website:
“This full day lecture-style workshop with award-winning author and photographer Andrew Darlow includes an overview of suggested inkjet printers, tips for selecting the right papers and coatings, a printing workflow using Lightroom, tips for color managed printing from Photoshop CS4 and Photoshop Elements, and much more!”

For more information please visit: http://www.unique-university.com/e/index.php/classes/color-management-101-and-inkjet-printing.html

Saturday, April 17th or Sunday April 18th, 2010 – Choose Either Day
Fine Art Inkjet Printing with Photoshop
Directions to location will be sent upon registration

Cost for either day: $199 + $20 materials fee

For more information and to register for this full day workshop with Andrew Darlow and to register for this workshop please email: nancyori@comcast.net or call: 908-790-8820.

To view more of Andrew’s workshops and photo tips please visit his online magazine at: http://imagingbuffet.com/

Thursday, April 15th – Sunday, April 18th, 2010
ASPP/PACA Present: Reinvention Weekend in Boston
@ Omni Parker House Hotel
60 School Street
Boston, MA

From the ASPP website:
“Reinvent, Reimagine, and Reinvigorate your career—renew your entire approach to the image business at our four-day event for ASPP and PACA members and picture professional colleagues. Our conferences bring together the key people engaged with keeping the essential elements of our image community humming: stock agents, researchers, editors, publishers, art buyers, photographers and consultants. Expect spirited dialogues with your photo contemporaries from around the world!”

For more information please visit: http://www.aspp.com/index.php/resources2/news-of-interest/147-aspp-paca-reinvention-weekend-april

Monday, April 19th, 2010 -
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
ASMP Presents A Series of Three Copyright Seminars

Monday, April 19th, 2010 – 7pm
What Do I Charge? Presented by Susan Carr
@ Calumet
20-22 West 22nd, 2nd Floor
New York, NY

Cost: $25 ASMP Member; $50 Non-Member; $40 Professional Association Member; $10 Student

From the ASMP website:
“Susan Carr presents a candid discussion on licensing and pricing your work. Take the mystery out of determining your fees and setting licensing terms. Get real world strategies for pricing in this tough business climate. Learn how to sell your prices with confidence.”

For more information please visit: http://asmp.org/education/event/info?id=25

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 – 9am
Free Copyright Registration Workshop
@ TBD

From the ASMP website:
“ASMP is offering a two-hour free workshop on registering your images with the copyright office. The workshop is open to ASMP members and non-members. The workshop will outline step-by-step the ASMP Best Practices for Registering Your Photographs and each participant will set up a template to make future image registration easy.”

For more information please visit: http://asmp.org/education/event/info?id=57

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 – 9:30am – 4pm
Copyright and the New Economy
@ TimesCenter
242 West 41st Street
New York, NY

Cost: Free – space is limited!

From the ASMP website:
“ASMP will bring together thought leaders representing different points of view on the subject of copyright to explore its significant issues, challenges and trends.”

For more information please visit: http://asmp.org/education/event/info?id=83

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 – 7pm
NY Monthly Photo Salon
@ SoHo Photo Gallery
15 White Street
New York, NY

Cost: $10 at the door

For more information or questions please contact Rich Pomerantz at rich@richpomerantz.com, Emmanuel Faure at emmanuel@emmanuelfaure.com or Bill Westheimer at bill@billwest.com.

Saturday, April 24th, 2010 -
Sunday, April, 25th, 2010
A Spring Flower Photography Workshop by Barbara Bordnick
@ Barbara Bordnick’s Studio
Photo/Flat Iron District
39 East 19th Street
New York, NY

Cost of entire weekend workshop: $950

For more information please visit: http://www.legionpaper.com/pub/files/SpringWkshpDkGrBordnick.pdf or email Barbara at info@searchings.us.

Thursday, April 29th, 2010 – 1 – 6pm
Miami Ad School Portfolio Review
@ Miami Ad School
10 Jay Street, 8th Floor
Brooklyn, NY

For more information please visit: http://blog.miamiadschool.com/

Friday, April 30th, 2010 – 10am
Barry Anderson of Mogo Media Presents: Introduction to Adobe Flash – All Day Workshop
@ St. John’s University, Manhattan Campus
101 Murray Street
New York, NY

Cost: $149

From the website:
“Whether you’re looking to update your skills, work more efficiently in Flash, revamp your web site, or launch a new career or business, you’ll walk away with awesome new skills in the industry-leading animation authoring software!”

This workshop will be in several cities! For more information please visit: http://www.mogo-media.com/seminars/introduction-to-adobe-flash/2010/new-york-city/

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