My Hurricane Sandy Adventure

Last night as Hurricane Sandy started battering New York I stayed in my apartment waiting til the power went out. My internet went down pretty quickly but the lights stayed on and I just kept refreshing Twitter on my phone seeing the horrible things that were happening outside. As things got worse my joking Sandy Tweets became outrage and sadness as I saw photos of the Lower East Side under water. The combination of anger and photographic jealousy got the better of me and I decided I had to do something. I needed to help people or take photos or both. I really didn’t know what to do. I just put on a rain coat, grabbed my camera and walked outside.

My neighborhood in Brooklyn was empty but there wasn’t much noticeable damage. I started walking towards the Williamsburg Waterfront thinking maybe there was something I could do there where things might be worse. I promised my girlfriend I wouldn’t walk over the Williamsburg Bridge but when I got to the bridge something came over me and I just started walking over it. As I got to the middle of the bridge it went from the well lit bridge I have walked over a dozen times to pitch blackness once I reached the Manhattan side. Hurricane winds nearly lifted me up in the air as I kept one hand on the railing hoping I wasn’t going to be thrown onto the subway tracks. With a view of a half dark Manhattan and not much else I was half terrified and half exhilarated and I kept walking. At one point I was nearly scared to death when I came upon a couple actually having sex on the bridge. They must have heard me because they were completely still on the wrong side of the guardrail obviously hoping I wouldn’t notice them in the blackness. I didn’t until they were about a foot away from me. I yelled “Holy shit you guys scared me!” and then I told them to have fun and kept walking on towards the city.

When I got over the bridge there were cops everywhere blocking traffic. I slipped passed the barricades and darted up Clinton Street managing not to be seen by any cops. I didn’t want to get turned around before I saw the damage.  Walking up Clinton Street in the dark was one of the wildest moments of my life. It was completely vacated and totally black except for the police lights behind and in front of me. I walked the few blocks to Houston Street and didn’t see anyone except what I am 99% was a grafitti writer putting in work in an empty city. I climbed over a fallen tree to get to Houston. I stood there on the corner of Houston and Clinton for a minute, checked my phone and decided what to do. I wanted to go to the water but it was so dark I knew I wouldn’t be able to take any photos of it, but if I walked towards the police lights over on Ave A, I figured I would be told to get out of the evacuated areas. Eventually I decided to walk up Ave B, then over to C and then eventually over to Avenue D.

For those that don’t live in New York, Alphabet City used to be a dangerous area, but it’s pretty gentrified and safe to a point. When you reach “Avenue Dead” as they used to call it you meet with a series of housing projects that are still pretty dangerous. I used to date a girl who lived on the corner of D and 4th street and we would see people dealing drugs openly on her corner nightly. No one should be afraid to walk around there, but let’s just say I normally wouldn’t walk around there with a $3000 camera in my hand… much less at night, in pitch black darkness. Somewhere in my mind I fancy myself a war photographer or something instead of a second rate pornographer/ hipster party photographer so I decided I needed to see the flood and the only place it was still flooded was in the projects. As I walked north I saw more and more water.

Once I got to Avenue C I realized that most of it had been flooded. Cars were up on curbs and were steamed up from all the water inside them but the water had receded so it wasn’t until I got to Avenue D that I saw any actual flooding. The Jacob Riis projects were partially underwater. By this time I realized the cops weren’t going to stop me from wondering around in the evacuated zone so I tried to use their lights to take photos of the flooding. It wasn’t really working so I walked all the way into the projects and over to where the projects met the FDR freeway. The FDR was closed and mostly underwater. I started to take photos at 6400 ISO at an 1.4 f-stop and holding as still as I could to reduce the shaking from a long exposure. I got a couple okay shots but it started pouring so I put my camera away before it got destroyed. As I walked back towards Ave C I realized there were a bunch of people still living in the projects. I saw candles in the window and a few people walking around. They refused to leave despite the evacuation and four feet of water.

I walked up Ave C towards 14th street and around 13th I ran into several feet of water. I waded in up to my knees because I wanted to get shots of the Con Edison trucks that had floated away from the power plant on 14th and C. I spent a long time wading around 14th and C trying to get shots. I managed to shoot some stuff at 6400 ISO at 1.4 at about 1/8th of a second by holding myself still against a railing and a car and a parking meeter. It is really amazing what today’s digital cameras can do. Making the total blackness of a powerless New York look like daylight is something cameras only a couple years ago couldn’t possibly do. All the light in those shots comes from the sky, police lights several blocks away and one car light that was parked outside the power plant.

I continued my walk West on 14th street amazed how I didn’t recognize anything. I have walked 14th street between B and 1st Ave probably 100 times and it felt like I had never been there before. Stuy Town was black except for the cops and Con Ed trucks. I know I keep repeating myself but the total darkness of the city was so terrifying and magical that I can’t express the idea enough. When I got to the corner of 1st and 14th I looked down into the L Train platform thinking how much I wished it was open. I had been walking for hours and was soaking wet and I was ready to quit. It was at that moment when I saw an actual cab speed by the Papaya Dog and over to Beth Israel hospital and I wondered if he was working or just helping out at the hospital.

I walked over to 2nd ave and started walking down back towards the Williamsburg Bridge and back to Brooklyn. More people were out at this point. There were a few cars, a group of hipsters on bikes, a few security guards doing the Gangnam Style dance outside the NY Eye & Ear Infirmary.  On 2nd and 9th I met two guys who were keeping their bodega open despite the lack of power. They were the only store I saw open in Manhattan and they had pulled two cars up to the door, parked horizontally, with their headlights turned on so the bodega clerks could see what they were doing. I talked to them for a while and continued on down 2nd. At some point I saw another cab and I hailed him. I asked him if he was actually working and if the Williamsburg Bridge had been reopened. He told me it was still closed but he would take me to the bridge for $5. I was feeling pretty miserable so I took him up on his offer and walked back over the bridge to Brooklyn.

Three and a half hours after I left my apartment I made it home. I somehow ended up taking 350 photos, but most of them were complete shit. Taking photos without a flash in total darkness is harder than it seems… okay maybe it’s exactly as hard as it seems. I was left with about five photos I was mostly happy with and a bunch more spooky images that are at least interesting to look at. I didn’t help anyone, the photos I took were disappointing and I probably put myself in more harms way than I needed to, but I don’t regret the trip in the slightest. I will never forget those three hours last night and I am really glad that I was dumb enough to go outside and go on my little hurricane Sandy adventure.

I was very fortunate that the worst thing to happen to me was that my internet went down for a few hours, but there are tons of people suffering today. It’s going to be months before New York City recovers and probably a lot longer before a lot of the east cost gets back to where they were before the storm. I hope anyone who lives in an affected area can help out. If you can’t help physically you can always donate some money. I recommend the American Red Cross and I am going to be launching a fundraiser this week through Dolfans NYC hoping to raise at least $1000 to donate to the Greater New York Red Cross. You can text “Red Cross” to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross right now.

Anyway, sorry for the long post but I had to write this story down somewhere. Again, the pictures aren’t fantastic but I think they are probably worth looking at anyway.

Click here to see all my pictures from my Hurricane Sandy adventure.

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy

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Dolfans NYC MetLife Takeover – 10.28.12

Once again I come to a blog full of nightlife party pictures and naked girls to talk to you about the Miami Dolphins. I know it doesn’t make any sense but aside from being a photographer I happen to run the largest Miami Dolphins fan group in the world. No big deal. My friend Michelle and I founded Dolfans NYC, the New York City Miami Dolphins fan club. So yesterday when the Dolphins came up to New Jersey to play the New York Jets we brought out the welcome wagon. We bought 200 tickets, loaded up two charter busses and threw one hell of a tailgate. It was amazing. We filled two sections of MetLife stadium and were so loud you could hear us on TV. The Dolphins organization even paid us a visit with owner Stephen Ross and minority owner Fergie (yes, that Fergie) came out to the tailgate. Dolphins CEO Mike Dee, Dolphin legend Nat Moore and a bunch of cheerleaders joined them. Dolfans NYC is probably the most successful thing I have ever been apart of and this was by far our best event.

Our fans were nice and buzzed on the 12 bottles of rum Sailor Jerry provided for our tailgate and we were talking smack to Jets fans all game. The Dolphins kicked the shit out of the Jets and we were pretty much the only fans left at the end. Let’s Go Dolphins was the only thing you could hear in the stadium.  It was better than Christmas. We got out of there and were back to our bar, Third & Long, by 5:30pm in time to have a victory drink and get back home before the Subway closed for hurricane Sandy.

Speaking of, not sure what is going to happen when this storm hits so I might be without power or internet for a while. So if this is my last update for a few days I hope everyone out there is safe and has a mostly enjoyable break from real life if you are stuck inside for a while.

Click here to see all of my pictures from the Dolfans NYC tailgate and take over of MetLife Stadium!

Dolfans NYC Tailgate @ MetLife Stadium

Fergie With Dolfans NYC

Dolfans NYC Tailgate @ MetLife Stadium

Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross With Dolfans NYC

Dolfans NYC Tailgate @ MetLife Stadium

Dolfans NYC Tailgate @ MetLife Stadium

Dolfans NYC Tailgate @ MetLife Stadium

 

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New Shay Laren!

Shay Laren is the easiest model I have ever photographed. Both times I have shot her she has a) had a location b) had her outfits picked out c) been perfect. She is so pretty, has an amazing body, is totally cool and 50% of the photos I take of her come out great. Usually when shooting models that ratio is more like 1 good one for every 10 photos. Ellen Stagg told me about Shay ages ago and she spoke so highly of her and it’s really clear why Ellen loves Shay. She is a god damned professional.

I am still in LA so I am going to stop kissing Shay’s butt and get to the photos, but you should go look at Shay’s personal site right now and also go to Penthouse.com and look at Shay because she is a Penthouse Pet and I get paid if you sign up.

Now click here to look at all the NSFW photos of the incredible Shay Laren!

Shay Laren

Shay Laren

Shay Laren

Shay Laren

Shay Laren

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Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Parties Part 2 – 10.20.12

If you didn’t make sure you check out my post from Day 1 of the Brooklyn Vegan CMJ parties. Day two was more of the same… tons of rad bands at Public Assembly from noon to six and then an after party at St. Vitus from 8 until they kicked us out.

The big difference on Saturday was the free Sailor Jerry tattoos. Starting at 10am people started lining up to get a chance to throw a dart at a dart board to determine what free Sailor Jerry tattoo they would get permanently tattooed to their body.  Seriously, about 50 people got actual tattoos on them based on throwing a dart at a dart board. Matty No Times and Jeremy Sutton from Three Kings came by and did one after another all day. It was pretty amazing. I have a lot of Sailor Jerry tattoos myself but I don’t think I would have the balls to just throw a dart…

As far as the bands that played you can check out the line up here. Everyone was super psyched for Miguel for some reason. It’s not that he wasn’t good, I just don’t get why a bunch of Brooklyn scene kids would smash themselves into a back room for an R&B singer who went on an hour late. Meanwhile I bounced to the other room to check out Brooklyn’s own Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire who rocked a smaller crowd a lot harder. Other highlights were Hunters, Endless Summer  (fronted by a girl I went to high school with) and Kitty Pryde who was pretty mindblowing. Also this Ratking band I am pretty sure my band played with in Harlem.

After that over at St. Vitus there was the Brooklyn Vegan – BBG official CMJ Showcase. BBG is the heavy metal blogger for Brooklyn Vegan and shit got real, real metal. You can check out the line up for that event here. I don’t know enough about metal created after 1992 to talk about the line up so I’m just gonna let you look at the pictures and I am going to go to a pumpkin patch with my girlfriend because halloween is metal as fuck. (For what it’s worth my favorite band was Royal Thunder.)

Click here to see all the pictures from Brooklyn Vegan’s Saturday CMJ Day party at Public Assembly.

And click here to see all the pictures from the Brooklyn Vegan – BBG CMJ Showcase at St. Vitus.

Miguel

Sailor Jerry Tattoos @ CMJ

Kitty Pryde

Mr. Mutherfuckin' eXquire

Caveman

Hunters

Yakuza

Royal Thunder

Enabler

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Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Parties Part 1 – 10.19.12

On Friday and Saturday I shot a total of five events. Four of them were CMJ parties that Brooklyn Vegan threw. Since I am out of town and I want to get all these really fun pictures up we are going to simplify things. First, I am going to post all four parties in just two posts. One post today for Friday and one post (hopefully) Tomorrow with all the pictures from Saturday. Secondly I am going to link you to the flyer so you can figure out what the hell you are looking at instead of me telling you about it. But, I am going to give you a little paragraph breaking stuff down.

Friday started at noon at Public Assembly and people got their drink on early with open bars from Sailor Jerry and PBR. Tons of bands played all day on two stages and the event wrapped up at six. After that we headed over to St. Vitus at 8pm for an “Un-CMJ” after party the highlight of which featured Infinity Spaceship’s live band punk rock karaoke which was pretty much the highlight of my week. Good times. Other Day 1 highlights included Metz, Savages, Toys That Kill and Deap Vally. Also Sky Ferreira is really really hot…

So click here for all the pictures from Friday’s Brooklyn Vegan CMJ Day Party at Public Assembly.

And click here for all the pictures from Brooklyn Vegan’s Un-CMJ after party at St. Vitus.

Sky Ferreira

MS MR

Foxygen

Deap Vally

Metz

Infinity Spaceship Punk Rock Karaoke!

Brooklyn Vegan CMJ

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Moodswing360 CMJ Showcase – 10.17.12

Moodswing360 held their 4th annual showcase at The Studio at Webster Hall and it was ladies night and I was psyched. Three of my favorite ladies in nightlife Maluca, Roxy Cottontail and Jane Bang were all going to be there so I was pretty happy to be getting paid to hang out with them. On top of that the super hot babes that are Nina Sky were headlining and I was really curious to see Chippy Nonstop do whatever the hell she does. Lisa D’Amato was hosting and it was cool to run into her for the first time since hanging out with her at SXSW way back in 2008. Lady Starlight is a fucking awesome rock and roll DJ and she played a Sparks track which was amazing. Sparks are one of my favorite bands of all time but I don’t think I have ever heard anyone play them ever. She also dressed like a crazy person which I totally support. The only acts I didn’t know about before the show were Anjulie They Bobby Effect and they were both pretty fantastic.

Long story short Maluca was amazing, Chippy was insane, Jane & Roxy held it down on the turntables, Nina Sky gave everyone boners, Starlight headbanged to Bohemian Rhapsody, Anjulie and The Bobby Effect were impressive as hell and Lisa has life changing side boob. Good party, good times. CMJ continues…

Click here to see all the pictures from the Moodswing360 CMJ Showcase at the Studio at Webster Hall.

Jane Bang, Nina Sky, Lisa D'Amato & Maluca

Chippy Nonstop

Anjulie

Maluca

Lady Starlight

Lisa D'Amato

Nina Sky

Roxy Cottontail

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Get Right Records CMJ Showcase – 10.16.12

CMJ is upon us and I have already shot two parties with a lot more to go Tomorrow and Saturday. On Tuesday I headed over to the Box to shoot Benzi’s Get Right Records party. I have been to the Box many times but they mostly don’t let photographers shoot in there so it was cool to get to bring my camera for once although there were no naked acrobats or anything during the party.

The party started off slow and I think it was because of the presidential debates because thirty minutes after they were over the party was fucking bumping and there was a line out the door. Benzi DJd of course but there were also DJ sets from Jason Smith and Solidisco. Master Shortie showed up from London to perform and Silver Medallion fucked the crowd up as well. My homie Shwazye came through as a surprise guest and did one song and my girl Roxy Cottontail hosted and did a couple songs too. It was a good time despite being on a handful of Benadryl after an allergy attack nearly took my life. That might be a slight exaggeration…

Lastly I want to give a shout out to Moodswing360 who sponsored the party and asked me to come shoot it. I shot their CMJ Showcase for them last night too and I should have those pictures up tomorrow so come back!

In the mean time, click here to see all the pictures from the Get Right Records CMJ showcase at the Box.

Silver Medallion

Jason Smith & Benzi

Master Shortie

Get Right Records CMJ Showcase

Roxy Cottontail

Get Right Records CMJ Showcase

Shwazye

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New York Zombie Crawl After Party – 10.14.12

Holy shit. If the NYC Zombie Crawl wasn’t enough there was an insane after party at The Studio at Webster Hall. A lot of the thousand plus zombies went home and missed out on total insanity. It was a little too empty all night for some reason but the couple hundred people who stuck around were in for a treat. There was a Nine Inch Nails cover band fronted by an Elvis impersonator (Nine Inch Elvis), there was an all girl metal cover band (Thunder Box) who blew people away from their opener Ace of Spades all the way to their closer Run To The Hills. Troma’s Lloyd Kaufman showed up and played a sneak peak of his new Class of Nuke Em High remake. Lots of the cast were there and were causing all sorts of trouble. My girl Scarlett Storm showed up with her friend Smurf and they did horror themed burlesque. At the end of the night there was some sort of sexy zombie contest where the only person not dressed up was the only person to get naked. But there was vomiting and sexy dancing. Also there were human flesh pulls, I mean obviously. Honestly the whole night was a fucking blur. I wasn’t drinking but I felt drunk (There was a lot of cheap Sailor Jerry and PBR though) and got a bunch of girls naked in the back room and in the bathroom. It was like an old school DBB night. Lot’s of fun, total weirdness and tons of wild NSFW pictures. Look at them!

Click here to see all the pictures from the 2012 NYC Zombie Crawl after party at The Studio at Webster Hall.

Lloyd Kaufman & Doug Sakmann

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

NYC Zombie Crawl

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The Return Of The New York Zombie Crawl – 10.14.12

The NYC Zombie Crawl is back! This year they started out at Webster Hall before heading up to Union Square, over to Beauty Bar, down to the Continental before heading back to Webster for a fucking insane after party. I took close to 150 photos of the crawl and I am going to break it up into two updates. Today you are getting just the crawl and then I will be back tomorrow with the after party. The crawl pictures are insane because zombie leader Doug Sakman is a lunatic, many laws were broken and there is some NSFW stuff from both Goddess Shea and Troma’s Zac Amico, but the after party pics are full of nudity and heavy metal. Old school DBB naked in bathrooms type stuff. So come back tomorrow. But first check out these pics, and you have been warned. Once you see Zac naked you may never be the same again.

Click here to see all the photos from the 2012 New York City Zombie Crawl!

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

New York City Zombie Crawl

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