In the case of buildings, I create an HDR image using three exposures of the same subject. Then I run the HDR image through Topaz, and out it comes. Sure, it's a crutch. But as crutches go, I really like this one.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
My Crutch
I rely on the Topaz Photoshop plug-in far too much in my photography, especially in the case of homeless people and buildings. It adds a lot of drama, and turns ordinary photos into eye-catching, distinctive ones.
In the case of buildings, I create an HDR image using three exposures of the same subject. Then I run the HDR image through Topaz, and out it comes. Sure, it's a crutch. But as crutches go, I really like this one.
In the case of buildings, I create an HDR image using three exposures of the same subject. Then I run the HDR image through Topaz, and out it comes. Sure, it's a crutch. But as crutches go, I really like this one.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Taking a Step Back
Sometimes, we're so caught up in life, we don't take the time to take a step back. Stepping back means we can see the same thing we see every day in a new way. That new way can be enlightening or shocking or, in the case of these roadside beams, amusing.
These beams were giving drivers the finger for weeks before I finally risked life and limb to get a photo.
Taking a step back can be a powerful tool in relationships. We get caught in the drama, in our own pride and agenda, but often all that's required is a simple step back. Hopefully, not into traffic.
These beams were giving drivers the finger for weeks before I finally risked life and limb to get a photo.
Taking a step back can be a powerful tool in relationships. We get caught in the drama, in our own pride and agenda, but often all that's required is a simple step back. Hopefully, not into traffic.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Saturday, July 24, 2010
A Weird Connection
Former Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn passed away on July 22, 2010. I met him once.
Everyone speaks highly of him, and he was supportive of Spread the Word Nevada, the children's literacy group I volunteer with.
His was a fairly senseless death. Like I said, I didn't know him well, so I can't say it's sad, exactly. But I think he did good things during his lifetime, and that's all we can really do, right? Whatever we can do.
Read more about Kenny Guinn.
Everyone speaks highly of him, and he was supportive of Spread the Word Nevada, the children's literacy group I volunteer with.
His was a fairly senseless death. Like I said, I didn't know him well, so I can't say it's sad, exactly. But I think he did good things during his lifetime, and that's all we can really do, right? Whatever we can do.
Read more about Kenny Guinn.
I Have the Best Job in the World
Yeah, it's true. I'm giving myself over to the fact that I just might have the best job ever. First, I get to write and do photography, all the time. I also get to explore Vegas. The good, the bad and the cross-dressing.
The other night, I met female impersonator Frank Marino. He was signing a cookbook he whipped up to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Good cause, nice guy!
From what he says, he's the longest-running, continuously-employed headliner in Vegas (25 years worth).
I get to meet such interesting people in this gig! From a female impersonator, to someone like comedy-magician Mac King.
I just loved Mac King's show. The guy is a true pro, and seems like just the most down-to-earth person.
I picked these two people because, to me, they exemplify Vegas. They kind of exude it. Their shows and personalities are very different, obviously, but they're not doing what they do for a one-off payday. They're in it for the long run. They do what they do to the hilt. And they seem to really be having fun in the process.
And I'm having a lot of fun lately, too. I meet not only entertainers, of course, but people from around the world. I meet dealers and bloggers and photographers and people who are funny and drunk and talented and, quite often, having the time of their lives.
Added bonus: I get to turn around and write about my experiences and encounters. I get to be funny, and I get to share all the things I love about this town. And they are many.
Just the best job ever, and I'm having the time of my life!
See the latest on the Pulse of Vegas blog.
The other night, I met female impersonator Frank Marino. He was signing a cookbook he whipped up to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Good cause, nice guy!
From what he says, he's the longest-running, continuously-employed headliner in Vegas (25 years worth).
I get to meet such interesting people in this gig! From a female impersonator, to someone like comedy-magician Mac King.
I just loved Mac King's show. The guy is a true pro, and seems like just the most down-to-earth person.
I picked these two people because, to me, they exemplify Vegas. They kind of exude it. Their shows and personalities are very different, obviously, but they're not doing what they do for a one-off payday. They're in it for the long run. They do what they do to the hilt. And they seem to really be having fun in the process.
And I'm having a lot of fun lately, too. I meet not only entertainers, of course, but people from around the world. I meet dealers and bloggers and photographers and people who are funny and drunk and talented and, quite often, having the time of their lives.
Added bonus: I get to turn around and write about my experiences and encounters. I get to be funny, and I get to share all the things I love about this town. And they are many.
Just the best job ever, and I'm having the time of my life!
See the latest on the Pulse of Vegas blog.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Suncoast
The Suncoast is a "locals" hotel-casino here in Vegas (Summerlin, specifically). It has a different vibe than Strip casinos. More serious gamblers come to the Suncoast, as opposed to recreational gamblers. You sometimes get the sense paychecks are on the line.
The Suncoast also appeals to a more, uh, mature crowd. Oxygen tanks often line the aisles of slot machines.
I like the Suncoast because it's close, and because the table minimums are usually reasonable.
Solid buffet, too. Although pretty much every buffet pales when compared to the buffet at the M Resort, another off-Strip offering.
I think my girlfriend is correct in that I'd probably be happy hanging out in a casino every night of the week. Not necessarily to gamble, but I just like the activity, the lights, the sounds, the energy of casinos. All the things people who know me would say I'd hate. Oh, and the smoking. I don't like it, but it doesn't bother me much in casinos. It just comes with the territory.
I like that people seem to be having fun in casinos. (Not necessarily the locals places, but the other ones.) You're always a quick ride away from a party in Vegas. The party's there whenever you're ready to attend. The hooch flows freely, and often, lots of other freebies do as well.
You never know who you're going to meet, but you can bet they'll be interesting. People from all walks of life come to casinos. So many stories. So many quirks. So many characters.
I do love this town.
The Suncoast also appeals to a more, uh, mature crowd. Oxygen tanks often line the aisles of slot machines.
I like the Suncoast because it's close, and because the table minimums are usually reasonable.
Solid buffet, too. Although pretty much every buffet pales when compared to the buffet at the M Resort, another off-Strip offering.
I think my girlfriend is correct in that I'd probably be happy hanging out in a casino every night of the week. Not necessarily to gamble, but I just like the activity, the lights, the sounds, the energy of casinos. All the things people who know me would say I'd hate. Oh, and the smoking. I don't like it, but it doesn't bother me much in casinos. It just comes with the territory.
I like that people seem to be having fun in casinos. (Not necessarily the locals places, but the other ones.) You're always a quick ride away from a party in Vegas. The party's there whenever you're ready to attend. The hooch flows freely, and often, lots of other freebies do as well.
You never know who you're going to meet, but you can bet they'll be interesting. People from all walks of life come to casinos. So many stories. So many quirks. So many characters.
I do love this town.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Meet Ali
Can't believe I haven't shared this portrait sooner. I love it! Not just because I think it's a great portrait, but also because this guy is such a character. It's Ali Pirouzkar. Look familiar? He had a role in "Casino," and he just exudes Vegas. One of the reasons he caught my eye, and one of the reasons I tracked him down.
I did a big write-up on Ali for the Pulse of Vegas Blog for Harrah's:
Awhile back, while roaming the storied halls of Caesars Palace, this Las Vegas blog spotted a distinctive-looking gent making his way among the shops of the Appian Way, destination unknown.
He looked so familiar. Immaculately dressed. Large, unmistakable glasses. Thick hair and pencil-thin mustache. He just had a presence, and honestly, carried himself like he owned the joint.
So, in the days that followed, we sought out this mysterious fellow. We asked longtime Caesars employees. We talked to P.R. We talked to marketing. But to no avail.
A week or two later, we received “Casino” from Netflix. As a Las Vegas blog, we are obligated to view a steady supply of Vegas-themed movies, and “Casino” is one of the classics about the town, the early culture of Vegas, and, yes, the unfortunate whacking that sometimes took place in Sin City’s formative years.
There’s a sequence in 1995′s “Casino” that we’d forgotten. Sharon Stone is cozying up to a high roller, and gets on a hot roll. She steals some chips from the “whale,” and they get into an argument resulting in her throwing his chips into the air (in slow motion, of course). And there, right there, we saw the very mystery man we’d spotted at Caesars Palace.
So, we quickly pursued our lead and learned the character’s name was, of all things, High Roller. The actor? Someone named Ali Pirouzkar. Now we were getting somewhere!
The Interwebs were fairly useless in our quest, but then we came across a mention in an article by one of our favorite local journalists, John Katsilometes. He wrote that Ali Pirouzkar was currently the “maitre d’ for the fun new supper show ‘Only You’ at Hennessey’s Tavern on Fremont Street.” The trail of clues had gone from warm to hot.
We ventured down to Fremont Street, and sure enough, we met Ali Pirouzkar, a man with a colorful personality and a one-of-a-kind style to match.
It doesn’t take much prodding to get Ali to talk about “Casino” and the history of Vegas.
The Iranian-born Pirouzkar was discovered by “Casino” talent scouts while strolling through the Fashion Show Mall (where he managed a men’s shop at the time). He hit it off with the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, and stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci.
Here’s a little Pulse of Vegas Blog exclusive: On Ali’s first night of filming (at the Riviera), a man snuck into a secure area and offered Ali $10,000 to walk off the film (so the man could presumably snag Ali’s part). Ali, obviously, declined.
Ali’s sequence took 12 days to shoot. Nights, actually, since filming was done during the casino’s off-hours, midnight to 10:00 a.m.
The rest is cinematic and Las Vegas history!
These days, the animated and ever-eccentric Ali is still recognized wherever he goes, asked for his autograph dozens of times a day. The “Cult of Ali” is in full effect! In fact, his presence causes such a stir, security at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace has asked that he let them know when he’ll be visiting so they can better manage crowd control.
If you bump into Ali, trust us, you’ll always remember your encounter.
Tell him this Las Vegas blog says, “Hi!” In fact, he even said you can call him anytime at 702-612-3587 (especially if you’re a casting agent). Only in Vegas!
Update (7/17/10): We hear “Only You,” the show for which Ali was maitre d’, has closed. In Vegas, a lot can change in a week! We wish the cast, and Ali, the best in their future endeavors.
I did a big write-up on Ali for the Pulse of Vegas Blog for Harrah's:
Awhile back, while roaming the storied halls of Caesars Palace, this Las Vegas blog spotted a distinctive-looking gent making his way among the shops of the Appian Way, destination unknown.
He looked so familiar. Immaculately dressed. Large, unmistakable glasses. Thick hair and pencil-thin mustache. He just had a presence, and honestly, carried himself like he owned the joint.
So, in the days that followed, we sought out this mysterious fellow. We asked longtime Caesars employees. We talked to P.R. We talked to marketing. But to no avail.
A week or two later, we received “Casino” from Netflix. As a Las Vegas blog, we are obligated to view a steady supply of Vegas-themed movies, and “Casino” is one of the classics about the town, the early culture of Vegas, and, yes, the unfortunate whacking that sometimes took place in Sin City’s formative years.
There’s a sequence in 1995′s “Casino” that we’d forgotten. Sharon Stone is cozying up to a high roller, and gets on a hot roll. She steals some chips from the “whale,” and they get into an argument resulting in her throwing his chips into the air (in slow motion, of course). And there, right there, we saw the very mystery man we’d spotted at Caesars Palace.
So, we quickly pursued our lead and learned the character’s name was, of all things, High Roller. The actor? Someone named Ali Pirouzkar. Now we were getting somewhere!
The Interwebs were fairly useless in our quest, but then we came across a mention in an article by one of our favorite local journalists, John Katsilometes. He wrote that Ali Pirouzkar was currently the “maitre d’ for the fun new supper show ‘Only You’ at Hennessey’s Tavern on Fremont Street.” The trail of clues had gone from warm to hot.
We ventured down to Fremont Street, and sure enough, we met Ali Pirouzkar, a man with a colorful personality and a one-of-a-kind style to match.
It doesn’t take much prodding to get Ali to talk about “Casino” and the history of Vegas.
The Iranian-born Pirouzkar was discovered by “Casino” talent scouts while strolling through the Fashion Show Mall (where he managed a men’s shop at the time). He hit it off with the film’s director, Martin Scorsese, and stars Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci.
Here’s a little Pulse of Vegas Blog exclusive: On Ali’s first night of filming (at the Riviera), a man snuck into a secure area and offered Ali $10,000 to walk off the film (so the man could presumably snag Ali’s part). Ali, obviously, declined.
Ali’s sequence took 12 days to shoot. Nights, actually, since filming was done during the casino’s off-hours, midnight to 10:00 a.m.
The rest is cinematic and Las Vegas history!
These days, the animated and ever-eccentric Ali is still recognized wherever he goes, asked for his autograph dozens of times a day. The “Cult of Ali” is in full effect! In fact, his presence causes such a stir, security at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace has asked that he let them know when he’ll be visiting so they can better manage crowd control.
If you bump into Ali, trust us, you’ll always remember your encounter.
Tell him this Las Vegas blog says, “Hi!” In fact, he even said you can call him anytime at 702-612-3587 (especially if you’re a casting agent). Only in Vegas!
Update (7/17/10): We hear “Only You,” the show for which Ali was maitre d’, has closed. In Vegas, a lot can change in a week! We wish the cast, and Ali, the best in their future endeavors.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Million Dollar Smile
Say "hi" to Barbara. Such a sweetheart, and clearly going through a tough time. Will my $2 help? Not sure. But it can't hurt.
Johnny on the Street
Another day, another guy just trying to make it day to day on the street. This is Jonathan. Like most of the homeless folks I meet, Johnny was on Fremont Street. Soulful eyes. Great smile. And very grateful for the two bucks.
Eyes of the Wolf
This is Wolf. Homeless, and a little intimidating. Not! He looks rough, but before the photo, he was dancing with a friend of his (also homeless) on Fremont Street.
Wolf made a point of saying he's part native American, but his dance did not appear to have originated from any native American tradition. It appeared to have originated from Pabst Blue Ribbon.
Wolf made a point of saying he's part native American, but his dance did not appear to have originated from any native American tradition. It appeared to have originated from Pabst Blue Ribbon.
It's the Ice Man
This is "Ice." I overheard him telling a couple of his homeless buddies on Fremont Street, "I only need 85 cents to get a beer." So, of course, I offered up the idea of his being part of the $2 Portrait, and he was happy to join in the fun.
Richard
The $2 Portrait Project continues! I met Richard downtown tonight. He pulled a switcheroo on me, too.
After I got the portrait, and gave him his two bucks, I said, "Thanks. That might get you a beer." And he said, "Or maybe I'll have another coffee." Didn't expect that one.
After I got the portrait, and gave him his two bucks, I said, "Thanks. That might get you a beer." And he said, "Or maybe I'll have another coffee." Didn't expect that one.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Hanging With Matt Damon
I got to snag a few photos of Jason Bourne himself today, Matt Damon. He was playing in a charity tournament, Ante Up for Africa, as part of the World Series of Poker here in Vegas.
He seemed an affable, accessible, decent guy. He accommodated every request from journalists, fans and (often annoying) photographers.
His philanthropy is done in a very classy way (it's not about getting publicity for himself), and he's very active with a group called water.org. Read a great interview in Esquire.
As photo ops go, that was pretty damned cool.
He seemed an affable, accessible, decent guy. He accommodated every request from journalists, fans and (often annoying) photographers.
His philanthropy is done in a very classy way (it's not about getting publicity for himself), and he's very active with a group called water.org. Read a great interview in Esquire.
As photo ops go, that was pretty damned cool.
One of the Reasons They Invented "Aieeee!"
Tonight's macro adventure featured a giant, hairy-legged spider that one of our cats detected on the ceiling. With a little help from my critter wrangler, and five minutes of fridge time (doesn't hurt the creatures), this was the result.
Two words: Frea. Ky. Emphasis on the "Aieeee!"
Getting up close to these buggers is pretty nerve-wracking, but when one sees the results, it's kind of worth it. Especially the part about seeing those eerie eyes.
A few minutes later, things warm up, and our subjects are released back into the wild, none the worse for wear.
Hey, some people go on dates. We do macro photography of creepy-crawlies.
Two words: Frea. Ky. Emphasis on the "Aieeee!"
Getting up close to these buggers is pretty nerve-wracking, but when one sees the results, it's kind of worth it. Especially the part about seeing those eerie eyes.
A few minutes later, things warm up, and our subjects are released back into the wild, none the worse for wear.
Hey, some people go on dates. We do macro photography of creepy-crawlies.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
It's Roly Poly Time
Tonight I committed to doing something productive for a change. So, I spent about four hours capturing this photo of a roly poly bug.
Roly poly is, according to the Interwebs, "the colloquial name for isopod crustaceans of the family Armadillidiidae, also known as 'pill bugs.'" Or as our cats call them, "creatures to torment and, probably, eat."
One of the things I find most fascinating about macro photography is you get this new appreciation for life, big and small. When you see that a roly poly bug has a face, it's hard to view them the same way. Ever again.
It's amazing how casually we extinguish lives during the daily course of our own. The line of ants we step on without another thought. The roly poly bug we let kids (or cats) poke and prod and often worse.
I'm as guilty of these acts as anyone. The other day, I killed a scorpion. But what's changed is that since doing macro photography of a scorpion (and other critters), I always, always think twice, and I am always conscious of my decision to end a life.
Because that scorpion has a face. And so does the roly poly and the ant and the roach and the spider. Some of those faces aren't the prettiest. But how many of us are? Do we want that to be the deciding factor as to whether we live or die? Our face. Our height. Our brain size?
All I'm saying is, tread softly. My new pal the roly poly would thank you if he had vocal cords. Definitely.
Roly poly is, according to the Interwebs, "the colloquial name for isopod crustaceans of the family Armadillidiidae, also known as 'pill bugs.'" Or as our cats call them, "creatures to torment and, probably, eat."
One of the things I find most fascinating about macro photography is you get this new appreciation for life, big and small. When you see that a roly poly bug has a face, it's hard to view them the same way. Ever again.
It's amazing how casually we extinguish lives during the daily course of our own. The line of ants we step on without another thought. The roly poly bug we let kids (or cats) poke and prod and often worse.
I'm as guilty of these acts as anyone. The other day, I killed a scorpion. But what's changed is that since doing macro photography of a scorpion (and other critters), I always, always think twice, and I am always conscious of my decision to end a life.
Because that scorpion has a face. And so does the roly poly and the ant and the roach and the spider. Some of those faces aren't the prettiest. But how many of us are? Do we want that to be the deciding factor as to whether we live or die? Our face. Our height. Our brain size?
All I'm saying is, tread softly. My new pal the roly poly would thank you if he had vocal cords. Definitely.
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