Yaakov and Resna Hammer

A new image of my friend, Rabbi Yaakov Hammer, and one from a while ago of his wife Resna blessing Shabbes candles (shot on assignment for the Forward).

Amazing folks.

Omari Johnson & family

I went with Ruth to Winchester, VA to visit my new-born godchild, Omari, son of Dion and Olympia Johnson, just two days old.

I also had a cheerful happy time with the other kids; Dana, Justin & Jazmin. Pizza and playground. And pictures. Big eyes.
Sometimes life can just be simple and easy. Being around children can refresh that experience. Yes.

Funny about time. I met Dion when he was barely 12, now he's 31, a family man, sturdy and calm, with a daughter nearly that age herself.

Growing.

Yellow Yellow Yellow

Daffodils from my garden, forsythia blooms from my neighborhood.

I normally don't post flower pictures- but after this long gloomy winter, I find their radiance cheering.

There are no easy miracles- but profound beauty can be observed everywhere you look, if your eyes, mind, & heart are receptive.

Praise be.

Oh- and Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Irish friends.

Two Visions:Spirit & Survival

Exhibition poster from my current show at Shepherd University "Two Visions:Spirit & Survival" on view from 3/9/09 to 4/3/09.
Many thanks to gallery director Mike Mendez, and to my poet/collaborator on the "Circles Within Circles" portion of the work, Sherri Waas Shunfenthal.

For more information contact Mike Mendez at: 240-285-2549

The Amazing Zoe

Zoe is the daughter of my friends Judybeth Greene and Ron Fagnani.

Ruth and I visited with them recently.

A splendid time was had by all.

Yes.

Dr. Ben Carson

While on assignment for the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE), I had the occasion to photograph Dr, Ben Carson, the brilliant Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon. His life story is now the subject of a film "Gifted Hands," starring Academy-award winner, Cuba Gooding Jr.

He is truly an incredible man... learn more anout his life, work, and scholarship foundation at:
http://carsonscholars.org

Hip Hop Poets

Images from the enlightening poetry series at the Phillips Collection, hosted by the estimable Fred Joiner. Featured poets at this event included Dr. Scott Heath, Kyle Dargan, and Shani Jamila.

Thanks also to Brooke Rosensaft of the Phillips

Columbia Pike Documentary- new work

I had a productive day yesterday working on the documentary project of Columbia Pike, in Arlington VA, that I am working in collaboration with Mimi Xang Ho, Paula Endo, and Duy Tran.

To see much more of this work, please visit:
http://cpdpcolumbiapike.blogspot.com

Thank You Miss Rosa

I had the honor to meet and photograph Rosa Parks, the fearless Civil Rights heroine, on a number of occasions.

For many years, my dear friend, social worker and activist, soul-sister Ella McCall Haygen, ran the Washington, DC portion of Miss Parks' "Pathways to Freedom" program. Through Ella's kindness and confidence in me, I was privileged to be able to make and share these images.

Thank you Miss Rosa.

Thank you Ella.

"Yidishe Marsh far der Inoyguratsie" All-Star Inaugural Klezmer Band

The Jewish Grassroots Action Network threw a pre-inaugural dinner and concert in Washington, DC, in honor of the inauguration of Barack Obama.
Adrianne Greenbaum, a noted klezmer musician, assembled and led an all-star group for the occasion, featuring world-renowned clarinetist Joel Rubin, and violinist Jake Shulman-Ment, among other superb players.
They premiered Adrianne's special composition for the occasion, the spirited Yiddish March for the Inauguration "Yidishe Marsh far der Inoyguratsie."

Like everyone else, the Jews are happy. Blessings and mazel tov to us all, and to President Obama.

www.klezband.com
www.jgan.org

Flory Jagoda and the Alteras Ensemble

Flory Jagoda, the legendary Ladino musician, with her ensemble, Alteras, at a recent Folklore Society of Greater Washington concert, held at Tifereth Israel Congregation in Washington, DC.

www.floryjagoda.com
www.fsgw.org

Alteras is: Flory Jagoda, Alan Oresky, Susan Gaeta, Larry Robinson, Joanna Stefanick, Marjie Jervis, and Lynn Falk.

Eric Jost

Portraits of up & coming queer theory and fiction writer, Eric Jost.

Art directed by Will Neville

http://www.eric-jost.com

Will Neville

Portraits from the same session, of my professional colleague and friend, trans-media artist, Will Neville.

Shoah Survivor

This is a posting from an older assignment that I felt was worth sharing:
Irene Weiss, a Hungarian Auschwitz survivor, sitting in front of a photo-mural in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. It depicts a mass of Hungarian Jewish prisoners disembarking from a transport train in Birkenau, Poland in May, 1944. A German officer took the photo, which was found after the war. Ms. Weiss, who was 12 at the time, is pictured on the mural at center left- she is the young girl in the headscarf. Some unusual circumstances caused her and her sister to survive the cruel selections made by the Nazi camp adminstrators, but her parents and other family members were chosen for death, and were killed that very day in the gas chambers.

Ms. Weiss lives in Fairfax VA.

I had a chance meeting with her daughter recently, and it brought this portrait to mind. It was made on assignment in summer 1994 for Washington Jewish Week.

Hungry for Music - Chanukah Feast concert

These photographs are from the soundcheck at this year's sold out Hungry for Music Chanukah Feast concert at the Strathmore Center in Rockville, MD. Pictured are Seth Kibel, Scott Harlan and Helen Housemann of the Alexandria Kleztet, plus Klezcentricity with David Julian Gray, Wendy Morrison, Rich Seidel, with Marc Glickman.

Hungry for Music provides musical instruments for needy kids both in the USA and abroad. A truly worthy endeavor.

Please check their website at:
http://hungryformusic.org
and consider purchasing one of their terrific music CD's and/or making a donation.