The Trials of Night Shoots
Very early Wednesday morning, at around 2 a.m., I drove into Manhattan to check out the new holiday windows and get some better shots at Bergdorf Goodman, and found an annoying trend: interior window lighting that really isn't camera-friendly. One of the two Bloomingale's windows I liked has purple, magenta, and orange lighting. One of the two figures isn't showing up well due to all the magenta light on her face. Bergdorf's "Hidden Gem" window was more brightly lit than last time, but all that dark purple with a few bright spotlights isn't doing me, or the mannequin's face, any favors. Saks Fifth Avenue lit a majority of its windows entirely with a medium blue! On mannequins painted white with blue makeup. Some of the shots turned out really impressionistic. Though maybe I shouldn't be surprised, since one Christmas they used purple lighting on mannequins painted white with silver and gold makeup. (I know the actual mannequin colorings from shots I took with a flash, which I don't post online because I try to avoid showing photos that show the flash flare circles and because the paint often looks cheap under flash lighting.)
I have nearly 300 shots, so it'll take awhile to curate the collection and process and post the ones I want to share. I'll do it in batches so I won't go insane.
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While I was shooting windows on 58th Street, a man came up to me and tried to start a conversation. We were the only two people on the block. Once we got past talking a bit about the windows, I didn't have more to say and he couldn't come up with more. Then he offered to shoot a photo of me in front of the window and I said thanks, but no thanks. I'm not handing a stranger my iPhone 5S while alone with him at 3 a.m.
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Thanks to its appearance on recent episodes of Dancing With the Stars and Lip Sync Battle, I keep getting "Rhythm Nation" showing up in and getting stuck in my head. Sorry, Tamar Braxton, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt totally outdanced you doing it (JGL's performance is preceded on this video by Anthony Mackie performing "2 Legit 2 Quit").
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Lightsaber Battle NYC: Battle of Hoth Edition -- Friday, December 18 at 8:00pm - 11:00pm in EST at Union Square
"THIS EVENT WILL NOT HAPPEN UNLESS 500 LIGHTSABERS ARE RESERVED VIA TILT! Here is the link: https://www.tilt.com/tilts/nyc-battle-of-hoth-lightsabers
JEDI AND SITH! We may have had a battle earlier this year, but now that The Force Awakens is about to rock the planet, many have been asking: What about NYC?! Well, we're going for the World Record for the Largest Lightsaber Battle in the World, so you got it!
[World Record Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/535681536590367/ ]
In response to unbelievable demand, we are going to recreate the Battle of Hoth! Come as Jedi, Sith, Rebel Forces or Stormtroopers! Expect an AT-AT walker or two. All followed by an epic afterparty. Do you want this? Will it be too cold? We will let the people decide!
Join us for a massive battle of Jedi vs. Sith in NYC on Star Wars Episode VII opening weekend. Pick a side of the force and use that venerable, ancient, glowing tool: the lightsaber, in the ultimate nocturnal showdown. In the past we have attracted up to 2000 warriors in New York City and Toronto, and we can expect even more this time :)
For every $5 you contribute (early bird - regular price is $10), we will reserve one lightsaber for you. Each lightsaber changes up to 6 colors is about 3' long, and you will be able to pick them up at the event.
+ Friday December 18th - professional lightsaber demonstrations by LightsaberAcademy.com's local team the NEW YORK JEDI!
+ Midnight December 18th - Star Wars Episode VII premiers!
+ Afterparties: https://www.facebook.com/events/761100100660539/"
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If you're interested, Amazon has a variety of Black Friday deals, including limited-time Lightning Deals, with new deals as often as every five minutes, and Deals of the Day. Also, purchase at least $50 in Amazon.com Gift Cards in a single order by December 6, 2015, and receive a $10 promotional code automatically applied. Enter "1215GCARDS" at checkout to qualify.
I have nearly 300 shots, so it'll take awhile to curate the collection and process and post the ones I want to share. I'll do it in batches so I won't go insane.
+++
While I was shooting windows on 58th Street, a man came up to me and tried to start a conversation. We were the only two people on the block. Once we got past talking a bit about the windows, I didn't have more to say and he couldn't come up with more. Then he offered to shoot a photo of me in front of the window and I said thanks, but no thanks. I'm not handing a stranger my iPhone 5S while alone with him at 3 a.m.
+++
Thanks to its appearance on recent episodes of Dancing With the Stars and Lip Sync Battle, I keep getting "Rhythm Nation" showing up in and getting stuck in my head. Sorry, Tamar Braxton, but Joseph Gordon-Levitt totally outdanced you doing it (JGL's performance is preceded on this video by Anthony Mackie performing "2 Legit 2 Quit").
+++
Lightsaber Battle NYC: Battle of Hoth Edition -- Friday, December 18 at 8:00pm - 11:00pm in EST at Union Square
"THIS EVENT WILL NOT HAPPEN UNLESS 500 LIGHTSABERS ARE RESERVED VIA TILT! Here is the link: https://www.tilt.com/tilts/nyc-battle-of-hoth-lightsabers
JEDI AND SITH! We may have had a battle earlier this year, but now that The Force Awakens is about to rock the planet, many have been asking: What about NYC?! Well, we're going for the World Record for the Largest Lightsaber Battle in the World, so you got it!
[World Record Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/535681536590367/ ]
In response to unbelievable demand, we are going to recreate the Battle of Hoth! Come as Jedi, Sith, Rebel Forces or Stormtroopers! Expect an AT-AT walker or two. All followed by an epic afterparty. Do you want this? Will it be too cold? We will let the people decide!
Join us for a massive battle of Jedi vs. Sith in NYC on Star Wars Episode VII opening weekend. Pick a side of the force and use that venerable, ancient, glowing tool: the lightsaber, in the ultimate nocturnal showdown. In the past we have attracted up to 2000 warriors in New York City and Toronto, and we can expect even more this time :)
For every $5 you contribute (early bird - regular price is $10), we will reserve one lightsaber for you. Each lightsaber changes up to 6 colors is about 3' long, and you will be able to pick them up at the event.
+ Friday December 18th - professional lightsaber demonstrations by LightsaberAcademy.com's local team the NEW YORK JEDI!
+ Midnight December 18th - Star Wars Episode VII premiers!
+ Afterparties: https://www.facebook.com/events/761100100660539/"
+++
If you're interested, Amazon has a variety of Black Friday deals, including limited-time Lightning Deals, with new deals as often as every five minutes, and Deals of the Day. Also, purchase at least $50 in Amazon.com Gift Cards in a single order by December 6, 2015, and receive a $10 promotional code automatically applied. Enter "1215GCARDS" at checkout to qualify.