Appreciating Life...

I just loved this moment...it felt like magic to me.

Happy 4th!

Independence Day hat and outfit


Waiting for fireworks


Macy's Fireworks


Spent it with my boo. :-)

Fandamonium II: Michael Jackson tribute outside the Apollo Theater, NYC

The series continues from last week, the day after Michael Jackson died leaving behind a legion of stunned fans, who gathered at the world famous Apollo theater to celebrate MJ's life and legacy of music.

























RIP MJ.

Fandamonium! Michael Jackson tribute outside NYC's Apollo theater

Suddenly and shockingly, the King of Pop Michael Jackson died yesterday, and today, about a hundered fans packed together under the hot sun, outside the world famous Apollo Theater, to celebrate the life and legacy of the great pop icon. Selections from MJ's extensive song catalogue blared from a boom box and fans danced, sang and pretty much went crazy. I must admit, when my favorite MJ song "BEAT IT" boomed from the box, I had to put my camera down and join the crowd in singing the words (albeit off key), at the top of my lungs. Emotions were raw, but mostly upbeat and the energy was palpable. There were fans of all ages and colors which was testimony to MJ's reach as a musical artist. This was truly an event not to be missed, and I must say, helps in the grieving process.

I'm still in shock about the loss of MJ. It's the sort of surreality that will take weeks to sink in and fathom. I remember dancing and singing like MJ at local talent shows. I never won, but Michael was an impressionable star on young boys everywhere, especially Haitian ones. I didn't have a jherri curl, but I could do a mean Moonwalk! Man, what a loss! The most I could do to commemorate and make sense out of the loss was to photo-document, as I normally do, how the African American community comes together at a time of great tragedy or loss.

Enjoy the photos below, share them with friends, click any to enlarge. Check back next week for more images from this celebration of Michael jackson's memory.




































Street commerce: MJ buttons for $1 apiece.






MJ's fan-base spanned generations. This grandmother was nestled in the dense crowd while sitting in a wheel chair!





Man in the mirror: Self-portrait in the thick of the crowd.






Check back next week for the second part of this series: Fandamonium! Michael Jackson fans gather at the Apollo II.

Street Photography, Harlem, NYC

Street Commerce: Farm Fresh Produce?


Church of God


UP


Chillin' on the motorcycle

20th Annual Tribute to the Ancestors of the Middle Passage, 2009

Here are some images from the annual Tribute to the Ancestors of the Middle Passage, an annual event that takes place on the second Saturday in June in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Similar ceremonies take place around the globe from Africa to Brazil to South Carolina. The annual tribute is in remembrance of the tens of millions of Africans who, after being kidnapped from their homeland, died during the voyage across the Atlantic – the Middle Passage – and their bodies were plunged into the Atlantic Ocean, which was to become the largest African burial ground in the world.

The ceremonies involve singing, dancing, prayer, worship, and drumming all day long. At sunset, a procession moves to the ocean where offerings of flowers, rhum, honey, and fruit are made.

It was a rainy, densely overcast day this year which made photographing a challenge, but that did not stop worshipers including myself from gathering to pay tribute to the ancestors of the Middle Passage. It tuns out the rain was not rain at all, but an anointing and blessing from the heavens---or so the faithful believe.

Click on any image to enlarge and feel free to post comments or reflections! Enjoy!




































































Where ocean meets sky.


Dedicated to memory of Bill Harmon, Larry Knight and Neal Collins...all whom are now ancestors and watch over me.

The Transition of a Hibiscus Flower

Stages of Water

Each month or so, my photoclub (www.fgpo.org) members come up with a theme to shoot images to post on our blog (fgpo.blogspot.com). Last month was YELLOW, and we had an exhibition around that theme. Before that was BROWN PAPER BAG. Quircky, yes, but it really is challenging for me at times to shoot images that are particularly outside of the norm.

This month the theme is WATER. Here are a few of my interpretations:









Visit fgpo.blogspot.com for interpretations from other members of the Fort Greene Photography Organization!

Bead of water

Specimens from our garden II

Flowers in bloom and decay...exploring texture.

Click on any inage to enlarge!

Specimen's from our garden, May 2009

Here are some plant specimens from me and k's rooftop garden. Rather than just photograph the plant in full form, i decided to go for a more abstract perspective. Click any image to enlarge and enjoy! Spring is in the air!



Space



Watercolor--Ocean's (tidal) wave.



Purple



Vein (filled with blood)



Skin



Bell



Jax



Prickly head



Purple II



Graduation



Ancient sun



Three



Winged



Birds in flight