Abel Raises Cain Before Bruno

still from Abel Raises Cain ©Jenny Abel & Jeff Hockett

With all the brew ha over Bruno, I got to thinking about the mockumentary and remembered seeing Abel Raises Cain at the Camden International Film Festival in 2005. One of my favorites was Abel Raises Cain about Alan Abel. It's a documentary made by his daughter Jenny Abel with Jeff Hockett. Alan was the prankster behind SINA (Society for Indecency to Naked Animals) as well as the 2000 campaign to ban all breastfeeding. One of my favorites was the hoax that purported the nutritiousness of human hair on a New York tv talk show (to which Jenny Abel, as a child, accompanied her father on tv but refused to eat her hair sandwich.)

Alan Abel was way ahead of Ali G and, in fact, made a couple of mock documentaries himself. I'm trying to get a copy of his 1971 Is There Sex After Death? for the upcoming 2009 Decatur Film Festival.

He's still the only person for whom the New York Times ever had to retract an obituary.

Is Anyone Listening?

Labrador, 1998 ©ArtCamp LLC, Russell Kaye & Sandra-Lee Phipps, Photographers

From last weeks New Yorker. A profile of James Hansen by Elizabeth Kolbert. He's the go-to scientist that created one of the first models to study climate change. For thirty years he's studied our climate. For thirty years his models have been very accurate. For thirty years no one has really heard his message. Below is a excerpt with a letter he wrote to Mr and Mrs Obama in Dec '08.

©Elizabeth Kolbert & The New Yorker

Today's New York Times

and slideshow here

Archive Ad vol 1 no 1

Archive Ad vol. 1 no. 1

Michael Pollan on Bill Maher

Free Pie Atlanta May 16th 2009

Remember my post about Project M and buyameter.org last year?

Well Project M has started a side project called Pie Lab and is "doing" it in Atlanta next weekend May 16th. They have a couple of websites Pie-Lab and Free Pie but briefly, here's some background:

On 3/14/2009 (Pi day) at 1:59 pm, a group of young graphic designers from all over the country, gathered in Belfast Maine and gave away free pie. They shared stories and laughter and united groups of all kinds, all while savoring slices from 35 different pies. Their message was unassuming and honest: Sometimes life is bad; free pie isn’t. The Free Pie Movement is founded on the idea that simple gestures, like giving away free pie, can unite communities and spread joy. Sweet or savory, fruit-filling or custard, graham crust or pastry, pie is a delicious provender enjoyed by all.

So make a pie and join them and Spread the Word.

Housing Works Photo Auction

Whenever I'm asked, I donate work to good causes to be auctioned at fund aisers. From the PTA fundraiser at my kids schools to the recent Leave Out Violence Fundraiser, it's a great way to help out and have your work seen and appreciated.

Which brings me to the reason for my post today. Here's a great cause to support with your love of photography: The Housing Works Design-on-a-Dime event tomorrow night in NYC. Here's a sample (from Cig Harvey) of the work that will be on sale:

What: Housing Works Fifth-Annual Design on a Dime silent photo auction, featuring over 40 photographs from top fashion, celebrity and fine-art photographers.

Who: Work by more than 40 photographers including Pamela Hanson, Alistair Taylor Young, Hank Willis Thomas, Todd Selby, Eric McNatt, Neal Slavin, Ingvar Kenne and more

Where: Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St between 6th and 7th Aves.

When: Thursday, May 7, 2009 from 6pm to 9pm

Tickets: Tickets include access to the opening night Design on a Dime party, featuring cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and incredible preview shopping of 50 room vignettes by top interior designers. Tickets start at $150. To purchase tickets, visit www.housingworks.org/dime or 212-645-8111 ×164

BENEFITS: Housing Works’ lifesaving services for homeless and low-income New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS

Last Gorilla of the Congo

©Brett Sirton

One of the most memorable editorial moments last year was seeing Brett Striton's Who Murdered the Virunga Gorillas? in National Geographic. He's won numerous awards for this photography and now has a show at Fovea Gallery (a great little niche gallery in Beacon, NY - they only show photojournalism.) Also check out Striton's new projects at http://www.brentstirton.com

see the virtual exhibition here

Send A Salami to Your Boy in the Army (pronounced Ahh-me)

Katz's Deli, Houston Street, NYC. ©Russell Kaye & Sandra-Lee Phipps

The Selby visits Michael and Thomas

Todd Selby has a blog called The Selby. It features photographs, paintings and videos by Todd Selby of interesting people in creative spaces...It's kind of homemade but I think very well done and insightful. He recently visited Michael Stipe and Thomas Dozol. Take a look!

Cinematic Hot Potato

ps - has anyone noticed the "statistics & data" section at the bottom of the you tube videos - there's links (and click numbers) to the sites that have linked to the video. Makes for some fascinating reading:

Beef Magazine Blog

Dairy Herd Management

In San Francisco

William Eggleston and Jimmy Carter

I never knew the backstory from this. I've had Mr Wenner kill a few stories.

Just before the election of 1976, Eggleston received a commission from Rolling Stone magazine to photograph presidential candidate Jimmy Carter, his family, and their hometown of Plains, Georgia. Carter was away campaigning while Eggleston was there photographing, however, so none of the images show the politician. Although the magazine never printed the photographs, the following year Election Eve was published in two volumes containing one hundred chromogenic prints, taken in Plains and the surrounding area.

Lovers Seperating at Dawn

Longtime most-entertaining photographer's agent Julian Richards writes amazingly well and witty and wins my award for most irreverant ever..see his post today about his recent break up with his prized photographer..http://julianrichards.com/homily/?p=207

Are You A Font Freak

If you've ever dabbled as an amateur graphic designer you will love this periodic table of typefaces that squishdot has put together...see the large jpg here

Keith Loutiti

This was on Paul Melcher's blog last month - but I thought it worth posting here as well. Sydney-based Photographer Keith Loutiti uses tilt shift lenses on a still camera and time lapse to make these very interesting 3-minute videos. The forced perspective and lack of focus combines very nicely with the time lapse and it's well worth a look. see all is work on vimeo here - (make sure to watch in full frame mode)


Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Mismanagement at the NY Times

Why did the NY Times try and manage their stock price instead of their media business?

Rocky Mountain News Closing Tomorrow

and announces it's demise on Twitter: "It's strange to cover your own funeral."

Passion vs Paycheck

The Debate rages over at Rob Haggart's blog.

Countdown Clock under three hours

We've been watching our countdown clock for over 800 days. We're down to o days 2 hours. Amen.

News Flash

News Flash: There's Real Money to be Made on You Tube

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/business/media/11youtube.html

October 2008- US Sales at Getty

click for a full-size look

How can it even be worth the accounting to license an image for $2? And this isn't Royalty Free - this is Rights Managed. My total US Sales at Getty Images for October 2008. Maybe Vince is right.

Staying Positive

Do not, I repeat, do not read Vince Laforet's latest economic outlook report entitled The Perfect Storm Has Arrived. Also don't peak as the Grim Reaper visits the NY Times Play and Cottage Living.

Instead, stay upbeat and positive.

Enjoy your morning reading Amy Stein's blog and watching the 28 minute 1962 science fiction film La Jetée by Chris Marker that is comprised of only black and white still images.

Or for a quicker morning of blog reading check out Michael Shaw's "Reading the Pictures" at Huffington Post. It's an entertaining look at Obama and Joe and uses photographer Mark Wilson's perfect picture of Joe Lieberman as seen below.

©Mark Wilson, Getty Images

The Red Object of Desire

from Gizmodo - check it out here

The Money Hole - Embeded Video of the Day

The Money Hole (thanks to Jon Crane)


In The Know: Should The Government Stop Dumping Money Into A Giant Hole?