The Reef

Frozen Shutter

2011-01-03T22:17:00.003-03:00

This roll was shot two days after the massive snow storm of December 26th. My Pentax MX does not do well in frigid temperatures and the shutter catches on release when it is very cold. The first three images capture that affect, which I actually quite like.

Late Thanksgiving

2010-12-19T19:40:00.002-03:00

Very late in getting these up, but better late than never. A few shots of late November in New York and New Hampshire.

Foliage Run

2010-11-03T23:04:00.002-03:00

The beautiful last weekend of October, New York 2010. Shouts to Meme + Tala.

Face Comparison

2010-10-12T22:19:00.001-03:00

All sorts of faces at the Cloisters.

Mister Earl

2010-09-08T22:28:00.002-03:00

Some light leaks on this roll, probably from the airport scanner. Images during Hurricane Earl and the days after.

Late Summer Layering

2010-09-08T21:54:00.003-03:00

A bit of late summer wandering: Harlem, the Cloisters and Union Square.

Alterior August

2010-08-19T23:05:00.002-03:00

August Days

2010-08-17T22:55:00.002-03:00

Bamboo, Buddha, Mr. Penguin and heirloom tomatoes. All necessary components of a successful August.

Nighttime Building

2010-07-29T22:47:00.003-03:00

If you've got to be up at these absurd hours, better take some photographs. New York May 2010.

Tree House Skyline

2010-07-29T22:33:00.003-03:00

Don't forget about the little things. London/New York May-June 2010.

More New Roll

2010-07-20T22:07:00.002-03:00

London, transitioning to New York. May/June 2010.

New Roll

2010-07-13T20:33:00.002-03:00

The end of London in May and the beginning of Summer in New York City.

English Spring Three

2010-06-21T22:46:00.003-03:00

The second roll from my recent trip to London. The Broadway Market, Hackney City Farm and happy children feature prominently. Also, shout out to the guard at the Elgin Marbles.

Online Shop

2010-06-01T12:30:00.004-03:00

Finally, after much delay, I've put a selection of my photographs up for sale.

If you're interested, please visit the shop. Cheers.

City/Country

2010-05-27T22:50:00.001-03:00

Do you know where you'd rather be?

English Spring Two

2010-05-26T11:58:00.001-03:00

Part two of my recent trip to England. More photos as soon as the rest of the film arrives by post.

English Spring One

2010-05-25T22:25:00.004-03:00

The first wave of photographs from a wonderful few days in England. Best weather I've ever seen, for any Spring, anywhere.

Two for the Show

2010-05-16T19:17:00.002-03:00

Two shots from a spectacular Sunday. Notice the face of the first girl on the left.

Light Saber

2010-05-12T21:50:00.000-03:00

Like a phone book ripped in half.

Tornado Weekend

2010-05-11T20:28:00.005-03:00

Half a roll from October, the other from this past weekend. With some lovely light leaks.

Misc

2010-05-09T22:33:00.003-03:00

Winter's finest. New York City, February 2010.

That Creeping Feeling

2010-05-01T22:29:00.001-03:00

Zombie town.

Valparaiso

2010-04-19T22:02:00.003-03:00

I finally developed this long lost roll of film, which was sent back to me months after I left my original Pentax K1000 in Valparaiso, Chile. I let the hotel keep the camera, in exchange for several free nights stay in the future, as long as they promised to send me the roll of film that I had tragically abandoned. These photographs are the fruits of that long journey.

Most Culture Is Dark Matter

2010-04-18T22:20:00.005-03:00

Been away for a bit, but I've been inspired by Mr. Michael Kimmelman. D.I.Y. photography weekend.

Snow Scenes

2010-02-27T21:08:00.002-03:00

Three more scenes from a very snowy week in the city. At least fifteen inches deep on the Great Lawn.

Snowface

2010-02-27T20:56:00.002-03:00

Best snow faces of the day, though I wonder about the fifth snowman: couldn't they find a happier stick for the mouth?

Details III City Streets

2010-02-21T21:05:00.003-03:00

The city is slowly making the long march toward spring and you could feel it in the air this weekend, even if the wind was trying to keep it frigid for at least another few days.

Details II Cloisters Edition

2010-02-14T19:47:00.002-03:00

Took the long A train ride to 190th street this morning to the Cloisters. One of the best parks in New York City and its never crowded, especially in the middle of winter.

Details

2010-02-13T21:18:00.002-03:00

Been very lazy with posting lately, but here are six shots from the last day or so. More to come soon.

Whiteout

2010-01-19T23:57:00.002-03:00

Shots from the first great snowstorm of the winter. New York, December 2009.

Long Lost England

2010-01-12T21:46:00.004-03:00

Spent the last two weeks in England. A good way to break my hiatus from posting. Enjoy the slideshow.

Holiday Space Madness!

2009-12-24T13:40:00.002-03:00

Don't really know what to say about this video besides that it is truly amazing. It pieces together several great sci-fi adventures and sets them to the beats of J Dilla. Collabo hall of fame.

A Few Portraits

2009-12-05T23:52:00.005-03:00

I've been going through some of the thousands of photos on my computer and found these excellent portraits. I know this site has been really scarce as far as new material lately, but today was a constant downpour so I have an excuse.

More Doors (Best Ever)

2009-12-01T23:33:00.010-03:00

A good selection of doors from various cities in Europe. Oldies but goodies.

Proper Thanksgiving

2009-11-27T20:14:00.003-03:00

Thanksgiving 2009. Northwood, New Hampshire. Country style.

Sunday Strolling

2009-11-08T16:01:00.001-03:00

Out for a quick stroll, Sunday afternoon, Providence, Rhode Island. November 2009.

Old Ways Are The Best Ways

2009-11-02T23:53:00.002-03:00

These images are from a new series I started last week. I have decided to photograph some of the Rhode Island businesses that still rely heavily on hand work and older machinery. These professions might be dying out or they could be specialty industries that they haven't been able to invent a robot for yet.

This is a small selection from my first stop, Wayland Square Shoe & Luggage Repair. I haven't posted all of the images from the visit as I would like to eventually pitch the series to a magazine. More shops to come soon.

Proper Threshold

2009-10-30T15:36:00.003-03:00

Back to a favorite theme, Providence and Central Falls, Rhode Island October 2009.

Atheism Fridays

2009-10-30T15:31:00.001-03:00

Wars of Religion, circa 2009. Providence, Rhode Island.

Better Move That Car

2009-10-23T16:48:00.003-03:00

If you really want to make it clear to people, paint it in funny child-like letters or go wild with the stencil. Or tell them to deploy their amazing mechanical appendages. Providence, Rhode Island October 2009.

One Year Later

2009-10-22T14:07:00.001-03:00

Roger Williams Monument, Providence, Rhode Island October 2008 & October 2009.

We Love Central Falls Too

2009-10-19T17:43:00.003-03:00

More shots from one of the most rundown parts of Rhode Island, the mills of Central Falls. October 2009.

We Love Providence

2009-10-18T12:00:00.004-03:00

More shots from wandering around the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island. October 2009.

Central Falls Is No More

2009-10-16T13:35:00.003-03:00

These images are from an area of Rhode Island, Central Falls, that is truly depressing. It is economically lost, the factories have all closed and there is a disturbing number of liquor stores in this relatively small area. It is full of interesting restaurants and has a great Dominican grocer, but its glory days are well behind it. These shots are from a few of the abandoned warehouse buildings that dot the town.

B&W Providence

2009-10-15T23:00:00.002-03:00

These shots are from the first roll I shot with my Pentax MX, a replacement camera for my forgotten Pentax K1000. The light was especially beautiful that day and the images are very crisp because of it. Also interesting is the house in the middle is in the same state of repair as when I first photographed it in October 2008.

Rundown

2009-10-14T14:45:00.001-03:00

Images from a worksite full of rubble. Providence, Rhode Island December 2008.

New Blog

2009-10-13T21:51:00.003-03:00

If you have been following this site for any amount of time really, either casually or religiously, you should know about my girlfriend's site, Hop Top. It is a collection of her rather witty and always unique observations about living in South America, with some images provided by The Reef. She has recently moved back to England to fulfill the promise of her mid-Atlantic accent and has started an updated site called Hop Top Volume 2. I strongly suggest a look in as she gets it up and running.

Street Hieroglyphs

2009-10-10T16:09:00.001-03:00

Back alley cave/street paintings. Providence, Rhode Island October 2009.

Percussion

2009-10-10T15:59:00.002-03:00

Head banging, wall rapping, brick bashing drumming. Providence, Rhode Island October 2009.

Crumbling

2009-10-08T20:43:00.003-03:00

Gymnasium crumbling. Providence, Rhode Island October 2002.

Treeline Living

2009-10-07T21:38:00.003-03:00

Floral landscapes and a bit of brick to balance it all out. Rhode Island, October 2009.

All American

2009-10-07T17:13:00.002-03:00

Found these two American flags trying to hide. Rhode Island October 2009.

Leaves

2009-10-07T14:02:00.001-03:00

Trying to get in the last bit of green, or black & white, before all the leaves go brown. Buenos Aires, Argentina June 2009.

Fall Days

2009-10-06T17:15:00.002-03:00

Shots from around town and new highway construction. Providence, Rhode Island October 2009.

New Providence

2009-10-05T16:09:00.003-03:00

Shots from Providence, Rhode Island October 2009. Trying out the new camera.

Paris Past III

2009-10-02T11:22:00.002-03:00

These three images are most likely the last of my older Paris photos that I'm going to put up. The rest of them have an alarming number of fingers in front of the lens and I don't think they're fit for the site. I do think its interesting to look at how much my style has changed and how much it hasn't in the eight plus years since these were taken.

Paris Past II

2009-10-01T17:12:00.002-03:00

A selection of buildings and the trees that they live amongst. Paris, France 2001.

Paris Past

2009-09-30T22:34:00.004-03:00

I finally unearthed these negatives from a box buried deep in my parents' garage this past weekend. They are all from my first trip to France, eight years ago, when I was fifteen. It was my first time out of the country and my first time to really put my newly acquired photographic knowledge to the test. Most of what I took were duds or typical tourist fodder, but I think these five images make the grade.

They are mostly untouched, aside from some very minimal color enhancement. I left in the blurriness on a few images to give you a sense of how the images were first developed. Enjoy.

Typefacing

2009-09-25T15:26:00.002-03:00

Looking for cool typefaces and letter design. Buenos Aires, 2009.

BLU TWO

2009-09-24T20:16:00.002-03:00

The always amazing BLU.

Workmen Working

2009-09-22T15:29:00.002-03:00

The city's busy with work, making things look spiffy for fall. Providence, Rhode Island 2009.

Faint Purple and Red Brick

2009-09-21T15:16:00.001-03:00

Strolling around Providence worksites, September, 2009.

Library Lazin'

2009-09-20T23:50:00.002-03:00

Gives you a sense of long nights spent in Bobst, reading and re-reading forever and ever.

Sneaky Building

2009-09-17T20:37:00.002-03:00

Buildings hiding amongst themselves. Providence, Rhode Island 2009.

Maniacal Michael

2009-09-17T13:03:00.002-03:00

Just unearthed this shot from my basement darkroom. I took this on a walk through the East Village on Halloween night in 2006. This man was just standing still amongst the crowd, not looking at anything in particular and breathing heavily. He was either hot and tired from wearing that stifling mask, or he really was who he claimed to be.

Composition Comparison

2009-09-16T12:53:00.003-03:00

The first image is the original image taken in Toronto in 2006. The second image is a sandwiched negative print, combining the first image and a second image not shown here. The first image was simply scanned from the negative onto a disk, while the second image was made over many hours of tinkering in the darkroom. I think the compilation image has a noticeably different feel to it, aside from the obvious compositional differences. There's certainly still something to be said for darkroom processing.

Desert Dronin'

2009-09-11T22:29:00.001-03:00

Salt pools on the edge of the driest desert in the world.

Parading Around

2009-09-10T23:22:00.003-03:00

This blows any half-hearted Fourth of July parade clean out of the water. Our last day in South America, in Lima, we came across, or rather followed the ruckus to this amazing parade. It was full of troupes of dancing ladies, like groups of birds of paradise and old men, swilling beer between blows on the trumpet. It was loud, cheerful and felt like these folks were actually celebrating something, rather than setting up a folding beach chair on the side of the road and watching deteriorating floats glide slowly past on a sweltering July afternoon. And, as you can see from these photographs, they don't mind you getting up close and personal.

Meat Man

2009-09-07T22:34:00.003-03:00

You really have to smell the chorizo to appreciate this scene. Imagine a hellish mob milling about a crumbling bus station, with wild dogs and wild children looking for scraps of meat and you start to get a feel for the mood that day. And then you pass by this man, grilling his sausage in a crowded corner, next to a crazy man hawking stolen cell phones and you just have to have one. You have to treat yourself to a delicious choripan, the signature street dish of Buenos Aires. Slater on some relish, hop on the sweaty subway and guard that heavenly hunk of meat from all of the jealous eyes you'll soon encounter. Enjoy.

Old Friend Big Up

2009-09-04T15:19:00.002-03:00

This is another image that I have posted before, but I thought that if any photographs deserve the bigger treatment it is this one. You can almost hear this elephant scrounging for peanuts.

Three People

2009-09-03T21:16:00.002-03:00

These three images are from my time in Europe two years ago. Thought they would look better in a larger format.

Close Up Mania

2009-09-03T18:54:00.003-03:00

Two more photographs I have posted previously. I think they look much more dramatic at this scale, but they can't be seen without scrolling down. This might take away from the impact of the image if you have to scroll several times to see the whole thing. Even though I like the images this size, I might go back to the old style.

Testing II

2009-09-03T15:34:00.003-03:00

It was successful, and I'll post in this size as often as I can from now on.

Testing

2009-09-03T15:23:00.001-03:00

This is a test of new photograph sizing. If it works, I'll keep it up.

Branching Out

2009-08-31T23:44:00.002-03:00

I'm back in the US now and I had been thinking about retiring the site, but I decided that I should keep it up as long as I have images to fill the space. So, I'll post as regularly as I can, with images from Providence, New York and New England. I also hope to be in England sometime this fall, so there will be images from there as well when I have them.

Best of the Rest

2009-08-20T17:13:00.003-03:00

Back in the States now, time to show the shots from my final journey through South America. These images range from snowy Bariloche in Northern Patagonia, to sunny Santiago to the deserts of northern Chile. I think they give a good idea of exactly how many miles were traveled on this trip.

Best of Never Before Seen

2009-07-30T16:33:00.005-03:00

I'm leaving Buenos Aires for good this weekend and I thought I would post a few best of shots that I hadn't shown on the site before. I don't think any of these images besides the flower explicitly reminds me of Buenos Aires and that is perhaps the point.

The city itself really could be anywhere in my mind. Having spent six months here, I have concluded that the urban area as a whole does not really have any outstanding or unique characteristics. That is not to say that the people or traditions of the city are not unique, only that the actual physical landscape leaves something to be desired.

Long called the 'Paris of South America', Buenos Aires truly seems like a city trying to join Europe and falling just short in the process. The beautiful buildings of Argentina's golden age smack of European elegance and lofty global aspirations, while the buildings of today's trendy neighborhoods are cookie-cutter and thoroughly uninteresting. I have often wondered where the homegrown style was, where the recognition of an inherent aesthetic came into its own and I haven't found a compelling answer.

Perhaps this is only natural in a country where the vast majority of the population traces its lineage to Europe. Perhaps this is natural in a city that has experienced massive waves of immigration and intermittent periods of ruinous financial speculation and collapse. Buenos Aires is undoubtedly a melting pot, but one that has not formed a dominant, coherent perspective of its own. After all, when you take the nickname as the closest approximation of a famous city on another continent, how can you develop your own style?

Best Graffiti

2009-07-25T17:15:00.003-03:00

Of all of the things you could rail against or stand behind, this has to be the least likely to appear in graffiti. The ancien regime is making a comeback.

Gursky

2009-07-24T12:37:00.002-03:00

If you are in Buenos Aires now or are coming down in the future, a necessary stop would certainly be the Fundacion PROA, a great gallery in La Boca. Set right on the old city port, PROA is a large converted warehouse, with soaring ceilings and massive windows, perfect for exhibiting an artist like Andreas Gursky. He's long been a favorite a mine and now I've found a favorite place to see his work.

Neighborhood Personalities

2009-07-24T12:14:00.003-03:00

A few of the colorful characters you might see on a walk around our neighborhood. Its always good to see a new face brighten up a blighted wall.

Keeping A Theme

2009-07-16T16:43:00.002-03:00

Two more storefronts, one from San Telmo and one from Villa Crespo. The first is a rather strangely named laundromat and the second is a rag tag shoe repair shop. Its really the lettering more than anything else that does it for me.

Storefront Return

2009-07-13T17:00:00.003-03:00

Three different styles. The first image is rather typical of downtown Buenos Aires, where small, sparsely decorated cafes dominate.

The second image is of another ubiquitous site in this city, the kiosco. What the bodega is to the Bronx, the kiosco is to Buenos Aires.

And the final image is of yet another common city site. Hardware stores, as well as tire and paint shops abound, all helping to support the Argentine do-it-yourself attitude.

While all of these storefronts are of a common type, I think that these three have something special, whether they know it or not.

Brokedown Update

2009-07-11T10:50:00.002-03:00

Two more views of some brokedown favorites.

Brokedown and No Way Home

2009-07-09T19:42:00.003-03:00

These sort of scenes are incredibly prevalent both in our neighborhood and throughout Buenos Aires. Its not as though these cars are being work on, its as if they were originally set aside for that purpose but were forgotten. This seems to fit right in line with the Argentine reluctance to buy any kind of new automobile, though this sentiment only applies to the older generation. Just fix it up until the wheels fall off.

Two Views (La Boca)

2009-07-09T19:07:00.004-03:00

Two views of the port of La Boca in Buenos Aires. The neighborhood is the long neglected former entry point of the city and feels a cross between a backwater port and an elegant shanty town. The stairway plunging into the fetid water seems a sort or analogy for the entire area. When the Europeans were streaming off the boat, this area was vibrant with multiculturalism and was a welcome sight after a long sea journey. Now it has been reduced to a second rate barrio in the city it helped create, where the history has been replaced by innumerable stalls selling Boca Juniors memorabilia.

Proper Celebration

2009-07-04T11:07:00.002-03:00

Its the 4th of July and in Argentina that means nothing more than a few happy hour parties at a few expat bars scattered around the city. Certainly no backyard bbqs, days at the beach or coolers full of beer. And I stopped hoping long ago for a chance of fireworks.

This pile of oyster shells represents, in a way, a lot of what we're missing on a day like today. So if you're in the States, enjoy it for me.

Telltale Signs

2009-07-01T12:20:00.003-03:00

This is a selection of photographs from my latest album, Telltale Signs. I am going to continue to shoot, but this might be the last full album for a while. This is my last month in Buenos Aires, and I'm going to be spending a good amount of time trying to photograph areas that I have yet to visit. Enjoy.

Signs of the Times

2009-06-25T14:16:00.003-03:00

Been away for a bit because its a war of American and Italian stereotypes in the streets.

Searching For The Reason

2009-06-18T10:00:00.003-03:00

I think I have been losing focus recently. I know that this site was supposed to be about the way people move about the city, and the city being like a living organism, but I just can't fill the subject matter. In a way, maybe I have been sticking to the theme, but it hasn't been all that clear sometimes. However, I like the way things have been going.

And these three photos are exactly what I have been trying to produce as a theme. Three different looks at Buenos Aires, though they could be anywhere really. For me, these images are what the city really is, a picture of progression, of peripheral glances and of the mixture of organic and inorganic. Those qualities are true and inherent of any urban environment and I have been looking for them in my photographs.

New Album Big Things

2009-06-15T19:59:00.004-03:00

If you haven't gotten an email from me yet, I just put up a new photo album, New Doors, of all of the best portals and thresholds I've seen over the last four months.

And there is a story about these doors and what they mean to me on Argentina's Travel Guide, a thorough travel site. Click over and check it out, and let me know what you think. This is my first published piece and any comments would be welcomed and greatly appreciated. Enjoy.

Leafy Canopy

2009-06-13T11:10:00.004-03:00

The leaves are really starting their final fall here and I thought I would post some of the best trees I've seen over the last nine months. Enjoy the leafy green.

Chomp Chomp

2009-06-11T09:58:00.003-03:00

The renegade alligator is back. These three shots are from a roll of film that I just got developed after two months sitting in the camera. And the reptile does eat you, but you get to pop out its backside when it loses its appetite.

Solemn Solitude

2009-06-09T09:56:00.004-03:00

This park has the most amazing trees, with roots like gigantic octopus tentacles crawling out from the earth. And there is this man, on a thick pedestal thinking about all of it.

The March To War

2009-06-07T09:43:00.004-03:00

Just a normal Saturday in the midst of a long battle march.

Natural Patterns Three

2009-06-04T19:51:00.003-03:00

Finished reading a story about the Bohemian Grove in California and got to thinking about natural patterns again. Unfortunately, the gentleman of the Grove are abusing their natural wonders, with wanton disregard for their importance to humanity. However, we can enjoy the confluence of the redwoods' rings and the patterns of middle-American suburban communities.

via but does it float and ffffound

Different Terms of Seduction

2009-06-03T12:26:00.004-03:00

A prime of example of a storefront to keep on walking past. And while it is a mystery as to what this shop sells, it is not the kind of mystery you should stick around to figure out.
This storefront on the other hand is outstanding in more ways than one. Artfully disheveled and welcoming, this is the type of place you want to spend an hour investigating, talking to the shop owner and trying to find that perfect item. And you just might feel like you you've been let in on the secret as you walk out the door.

Four More Looking At You

2009-06-02T20:06:00.005-03:00

A sly lady, a dreadhead, a demon and a shy girl from in and around Buenos Aires. From that same weekend chess game as three previous notable faces.

Blank Stare

2009-05-31T18:05:00.003-03:00

In the great age of advertising, a welcome sight. Maybe they're running out of stuff to sell.

Circle Circle Dot Dot

2009-05-29T17:58:00.006-03:00

It's just going around and coming around. That's what they say and now there's proof everywhere.

certain images via ffffound and but does it float

Rooftop Perspective

2009-05-28T18:22:00.004-03:00

Five sky-high views, three from New York City and two from Buenos Aires. Makes you take a step back and consider the whole picture.

first and second images via jjjjound