Michael Sebastian

Hotel room view, Central Business District, New Orleans, 12/09. iPhone camera.

I’m a week status post PhotoNOLA, and finally starting to more fully assimilate the experience. Bottom line: I’m so glad I went. I learned a lot; got useful feedback; gained some much-needed direction and confidence; and saw a boatload of first-class photography. And all the while throwing down on epicurean food and drink. Not even the cold drizzle could ruin the trip. I’m still trying to make sense of all of it; but herewith, a few preliminary thoughts.

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Up to my neck in recent preparations for PhotoNOLA, I forgot to mention some blog love I’ve received. Grazie mille to Jin Zhu and Jeffrey Michael Smith for giving me the time of day on their respective blogs Shooting Wide Open and Academy A. I really appreciate your showing my work, guys*, and your kind and insightful comments. I’ve added both of these blogs to my feed reader, and I encourage everyone to check them out.

And speaking of PhotoNOLA—I just got back early this morning. I expect to have more to say about the experience here, but for now a simple “WOW” should suffice. On display were both exceptional photographic work of the highest caliber from sixty participants from all over the US and abroad; and a warm and welcoming spirit befitting the reputation of the host city—which happens to be the city of my birth.

More on that once I’ve assimilated it all, and gotten organized.

*Zhu is a female-type person.

Main Street, Louisville, 11/09. T-Max 400, RZ67, 127mm (?), TMAX dev

I came across this affable young man while photographing among the ruins of a demolished fabric warehouse downtown last month. The light was perfect; it was late on a crystal clear fall afternoon.

I watched him for several minutes, snapping a few pedestrian shots of him going about his business. I’m still not sure what that business was, exactly.  He said he was “working”, and it appeared he was sorting and stacking bricks. I asked him if I could photograph him; his brief flash of annoyance gave way to a look of flattered surprise. I didn’t get his name.

So, friend, if you see this, I have a print for you.

Mike Peters is a New Jersey-based photographer with whom I became acquainted after discovering his work on Flickr. Working on film, Mike has produced an exceptional body of portrait work in and around his hometown of Kearny, New Jersey, and NYC.

In addition to the galleries of work on his site, Mike has also put together a slideshow (is that the right word?) of the work, entitled The Dream, that is also highly worth your time.

I encourage you to check Mike out. I could say more—as is my wont— but instead I’ll just let his work speak eloquently for itself. Congratulations, Mike.