Charles Camarda Photographer

Requiem for a Blog

2011-06-16T15:12:00.000-04:00

My heart is broken, my eyes full of tears, my soul heavy and my mouth full of croissant (ok it’s not relevant but it’s morning, and I‘m French)….

So now I am sure you are asking, what’s happening? This croissant is much too expensive, and now I know the real reason for this international economic crisis. But the crisis is nothing compared to the bad news I’m about to tell you…

This post is the final post of my blog…. I know, it’s verrrrrrrrry difficult to read these words but all good thing must come to an end. Please don’t jump out the window, run out into traffic or worse melt your brain watching “Jersey Shore” on TV.

Instead, go on my website www.charles-camarda.com where you will find all the things you loved about my blog reincarnated as News, Gallery, Current Work and very soon, the Picture(s) of the Week.

When I say reincarnation, don’t imagine a zombie from the “Thriller” music video, but something more perfect and evolved like the phoenix rising from the ashes, as in the Harry Potter movie if you have no imagination (but now I am not sure the latter is a good example….. I don’t know what is worse; a zombie dancing in the street or a boy whining his way through 8 movies).

So see you soon on my website, and thank you for loyally reading my blog and for your continued support.

Farinelli

2011-04-15T13:22:00.003-04:00

When you sing, you could have three results. First, the manufacturers of cochlear implants will employ you for life. The second is “yes it’s ok, it’s nice”, in a same tone as “Could you pass the salt please...” The third reaction is; you could find employment in a hair waxing salon and make a fortune. Why ? Because your voice is so perfect, than when you are singing, people’s hair stands on end, and now it’s very easy to remove. (Work with me people!!!!) Or if your name is Carlos Aznarez you could just sing like an angel and be totally brilliant.

I met Carlos, a few months ago, and immediately I liked this guy. The first reason is that we have the same first name. I think this name is a mark of distinction, intelligence, class and of course modesty (One of us has more of the final quality than the other. Guess who?). The second reason is simple, Carlos (not me, the other one) is really, really nice (humph, come to think of it, so am I, so forget the parentheses).

At Christmas I brought Carlos to a friend’s party to sing. His performance is still in everyone’s mind. I have had the chance to spend some time with him, and take some portraits of this talented tenor, singer/composer.

Labalaplablabla...

2011-04-13T12:53:00.004-04:00

Last Saturday I exposed myself to the general public… At the same time I showed some of my work and tried to sell myself and my work. What a surprise, people liked my photographs and even bought some. Why are my photographs more interesting than me? (Remember, I am French and I must take care of my “big fat ego”…)

So more seriously, at this event, one thing was verrrrrrrry interesting (expect me of course), it was…… the food!!!!! I became a sushi addict. Free buffet (means extensive dieting after), all you can eat (means “I am not feeling very well right now, can I go outside for some fresh air”…) And at the moment when your stomach was working harder than your brain, some bands were playing good music. I was happy to be a part of the reenactment of a roman banquet …

Even more seriously, this was public’s first glimpse of some of the photographs from “The Human Face of Science”. The reactions were very good, positive and enthusiastic. Thank you very much, but if I can send this personal message to one of my fans: ”Please go home and don’t stay camped out under my windows, and don’t keeps stalking me!!!!!!!!!!!!!’’ . To the others, see you at the official exhibition…. Soon… Congratulations to the organizers, Labapalooza was an amazing success.

(for one time it's not my pictures...)

Electric Dreams

2011-04-06T11:47:00.002-04:00

Three weeks ago, I launched my new website www.charles-camarda.com . Thank you to the 76 Facebook addicts who have clicked on “I like”. In addition to pleasing your gregarious social networking instincts, you have helped me to have a higher ranking on the search engines. Merci, Merci……..

Marathon Man

2011-03-25T15:20:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday I was hired to take pictures of the New York City Half Marathon. I was lucky because the press agency gave me an accredited press pass. Imagine the frustration of the security guard who saw me go back and forth several times waving my official pass at him just for the pure pleasure of being able to do so.

I have proof that the marathon runners do not come from the same planet as us, or at least as me. Firstly, they are in shorts and tee shirts while I was following my Inuit fashion sense favoring pants, sweater, thick socks, and a heavy jacket. The guy who was cold was not who you’d think. The second proof is that the first man over the finishing line completed the race in 1hour 23 seconds and the first woman’s time was 1 hour 8 minutes 51 seconds. Just in this case, and don’t read anything else into this, I will compare my performance to the woman runner. In 1 hour 8 minutes I would just have time to go to the boulangerie ,and after to stop by the post office, chit chat with the postman and walk home watching the squirrels in the trees. In other words…another world!

In conclusion, I have decided to prepare myself to run with the winning guy next year…or not. (I guess not).

The Human face of the science

2011-01-05T14:47:00.003-05:00

As you may know, I have started a photo project entitled "The human face of science".
By taking artistic black and white portraits of scientists, I'm trying to show their human nature, to make scientists closer and more available for the public opinion and to change the cliché image of the 'mad scientist'.
This collection of portraits is designed for an exhibition or in a further future for a book about scientists. Each picture will have a caption explaining the human side of the scientist as I have seen it.

Several scientists and students from CSHL have already accepted to pose for the project. I have tried to capture their very specific habits, expression or hobbies.
You can view these pictures at : http://www.charles-camarda.com/album/scientist/scientist.html

I'm still looking for scientists to pose and I would be delighted if you joined the club.
I'm looking for people with an interesting history or hobby.
Please let me know if you would be interested. Please do not hesitate to say no if it's the case.

I will be setting up my photo studio at the piano room in Davenport the week of January 10th.
Please let me know if you could come and when so that I can organize a schedule for you and for me.

The typical photo shooting takes less than 5 min, however I appreciate discussing with the people just before the shooting in order to better know them and capture their spirit. The whole process usually does not take more than 20min.
That would be great if you could bring any accessory that you think defines your personality or your hobby (outside of science!).

Please feel free to forward this email to other scientists that may be interested.

Addams family

2010-12-15T15:12:00.004-05:00

A few weeks ago, some friends came to my home for Halloween. If you don’t know what Halloween is, or if you want know what I think about it, go and read this post : http://charles-camarda.blogspot.com/2009/09/usual-suspect.html

Everybody would love opening their door to Nicole Kidman, Liv Tyler (if she doesn’t talk), Pink Floyd (perhaps I need a bigger apartment) or The Beatles (but you need to be God’s best friend)… and on this night, the best option arrived, better than these guys lumped together…….or not…… The Addams Family…. It sucked… Where were Nicole and Liv?

Almost all the family was in my house (my cat is still in hiding). Under their masks, or perhaps their masks were their true faces, some of my friends were here. All scientists, all with PhDs…. And I promise, knowing these guys are working for your health, for your future, for the good of the world is scarier than your worst nightmares…

Sometime evolution plays a good trick, and now, I know why scientists have this reputation for being a little weird and crazy.

The unconscious disease - Part II

2010-11-15T18:49:00.007-05:00

This post is the second part of http://charles-camarda.blogspot.com/2010/10/unconscious-disease-part-i.html and once again, there is “adult content”, so people under 18 should read no further… and may I have a second lens for Christmas please Santa…

When I arrived my English was like a soft drink in a Scottish pub…nonexistent! Within the first few days of my arrival, I spent a weekend with a group of people. I didn’t know anybody, and when the clock struck noon, and our stomachs yelled “famished !!!” We went to the picnic table to have lunch. I think many people have stomachs that share something in common with Pavlov’s dog. At twelve o’clock, even if you were not hungry before, you suddenly are now. So I was in a middle of a big group of people, and because I am a well brought up young man (in appearance), I wished the girl next to me ‘’bon appetit”. I don’t know if it was my accent or that she didn’t know this phrase, but for one second her eyes became so big she looked like a surprised puffer-fish ! I tried to repeat the phrase with the artificial addition of an English accent, but it came out as ‘’booonnne appetiiite”. I got a double puffer fish look. Hiding in the shadows, like the devil ready to play trick, was another person who was watching us. He completely understood what I wanted to say, and apparently he has a PhD in puffer fish behavior. He looked at me and said “Dig in”. Politely, I repeated what I had heard to this girl, and “dig in” became “dick in”. I am sure she had no comprehension of French manners, but she understood the second sentence very clearly. The “devil” corrected the situation quickly by explaining my mistake… This story has a good ending, because nobody in the group was upset by my suggestion, and soon all became friends.

Photographing wildlife is one of my favorite activities. Just as many famous people are linked to a mythical animal, I also have my own personal obsession... One day I was talking to a friend and I said ‘’ My dream is to take pictures of a Harfeng” (I was in the habit of seeing puffer fish reaction). “A harfeng…? What is a Harfeng…” For once it was easy to explain what I meant and drive away this stupid fish.

- Did you see Arry Potter?

- See what ?

- Arry Potter

- A reporter ?

- Yes yes, Arry Potter’s white bird

- ……………….. a reporter’s whtite bird ? No.

- What ? Amazing you’ve never seen Arry Potter !

This is a perfect example of the “H disease”. And by the way a “harfeng” is a snow-owl and my friend never saw a white bird with a reporter, but did see “Harry Potter”. Of course with this terrible malady, when I said to another person ‘’I want to shoot a snow-owl’’ and it came out like ‘’I wHant to shoot a snow howl”, you could imagine the puffer-fish invasion…

So these are some of my mistakes in this country. I am sure many of my friends have more examples, but there are nice to me and say nothing, or perhaps they know, I don’t take pictures, I shoot……

The unconscious disease - Part I

2010-10-27T13:05:00.014-04:00

Before reading this post please be aware, that it contains “Adult content”. So, if you are under 18 stop right here… I know thinking that the younger generation will stop reading here, is like believing in Santa Claus…. But just in case, I can only hope. And by the way if Santa Claus reads this may I have a new lens for Christmas…

A while ago I met the director of a scientific research lab. He saw my project about the ‘’human faces of science’’, and apparently, he liked it. After that he hired me to take pictures of the people in his lab. I decided to shoot these new portraits in a similar way to my original project. The director had liked how the scientists looked: not like scientists. So for this project you have escaped seeing a person shown full length, holding a frame, with his genitalia exposed…. The result is almost the same, without the genitalia, but with a big smile instead…

Now, you must say to you “what the point?”

If you don’t know French person or at least have never talked with one, you might not know a terrible malady he suffers from, “the H disease”. The French drop “H” when they should not and also… add it when they should not.

Do you want an example? I have a friend; everybody calls him Oliver, but not me. To me he is Holiver. When I want to go to eat, it’s because I am angry. Actually I am not in a bad mood, I am just hungry. If I don’t like you, I ate you…. So for my photo shoot, I asked my model, “show me your happiness.” But with the ‘’H disease’’, it came out as, “show me your penis”… My model knows this terrible disease, because he works with French people, and his face broke into a huge smile... I was delighted, “Yes like that, perfect….” I thought he had followed my direction and was showing me his happy face… Two days later, I was having dinner with one of my friends, and she told me about my mistake. Apparently the lab is still laughing, and I had avoided an embarrassing situation with a guy dropping his paint…

This is just the first of the list of my mistakes… I will tell many other misunderstanding due to my “H disease” in my next post.

The proposal

2010-09-02T13:14:00.008-04:00

Spring and summer always come with longer and warmer days, beautiful bird song, butterflies and bees creating new flight-paths between roses and wild flowers, and all nature prays to the sun god… It‘s the quintessential bucolic spirit… Humans participate in this ‘’summer pastoral party’’, imitating the awakening rhythm of nature, by creating firstly… The Barbecue (could anything be further from nature than the barbecue but we do use it outside during the summer and it’s groovy) and secondly, the summer wedding.

I think for many people you have a wedding and “A Wedding”. I am not talking about money, food, or location (although the food, of course, could be the most important). The first type of wedding is when a distant (and not favorite) cousin gets married, and you can only remember him as an annoying brat whose foolishness often caused you to be punished. To avoid this type of wedding, you could volunteer to take care of your mother in law’s Yorkshire terrier with peeling skin, and unforgettable BO (the dog’s not your mother in law’s…. I hope...). The second type of wedding is the friends/sibling, wedding. A day that is almost as important for you as it is for them.

So for the second time this summer I was invited to a wedding. After the episode between Brazilian girl and Australian boy (read http://charles-camarda.blogspot.com/2010/05/my-best-friends-wedding.html if you have forgotten) comes Italian girl and San Salvador boy… The couple asked me to perform my favorite task for them (the first person, who thinks or says cooking, can go paddling to the rhythm of drums on a roman galley.)

Imagine the difficulties for their future child. Which soccer team to cheer? He/she will learn very quickly three languages (Italian, Spanish and English), but faster than this, the art of diplomacy.

You must know this, both of them are scientists. As a scientist I made an experiment; will the groom’s suit dissolve in water? Perhaps for you it’s insane but I am just a photographer and I wanted to know. So I asked the groom to take two pairs of trousers (in case)…. The result is: A very funny and unusual picture!

To finish, I just want to send all my good wishes to Silvia and Agustin…

Eternal sunshine of spotless mind

2010-08-12T13:45:00.009-04:00

When I was a child, I was passionate about space, the planets, aliens, the moon (according to my mum I was always on the moon at this time). The sun had first place on my list of interest.

If you think it's because, without sun, no life is possible, a realization that came to me when I was three or four, I must thank you, because obviously you recognize me as a genius… But that’s not the reason. Perhaps, it’s because it's the biggest ''object'' in our universe ? negative... Because every day they are massive explosions on the sun ? Nope, I was not violent (remember I was on the moon). It's just cool ? no, no no and no........ I loved the sun, because the sun was the father of my first enemy, my first riddle, and my first curiosity..... my shadow !!!

If you want to keep the same image of me in your head, (smart, funny, smart, curious, smart, interesting, smart, sociable, did I say smart ? and very humble ?), I suggest that you stop reading, because it's really me and you don't need to know me any better. For the rest of you, I am sure our friendship will not have any future... Psychologists, please stop reading this ! I don't want to take a vacation in a loony bin...

So one day, I discovered my shadow ! It was very disturbing. Someone was following me all day. At the beginning I was very proud. I was sure it meant I was special. Then I realized all my family had one too, and all our friends, and every single person..... No I wasn't ''special''. It was a humongous disappointment. Angry, annoyed, dejected, almost furious, I decided to divorce my shadow. I started to walk, and she (yes I am sure she was a girl) followed me. I accelerated, she did the same. I ran, she ran too. Ok I must establish a stratagem... I would walk, and pay her no attention, and suddenly I would turn sharply and run and run. Two possible outcomes; first, she might not turn, but I didn't believe that; second, and it was a plan within a plan, the same beginning but just after turning, I would jump up high,, she would pass underneath me, and I would stop and run in the other direction. For me it was the perfect plan, and I tried it ! If you are going to ask me for the result, I think you are even crazier than I was...

After many hours of reflection, I discovered something very interesting. My shadow couldn’t see me inside another shadow. So, I hid inside the shadow of a big tree, and waited.... a loooooong time. I hoped my shadow would leave. That day I discovered a another thing: my shadow was more patient than me...

My rescue came with a slide. When I climbed up the steps, my shadow stayed on the ground... victory !!!!!! But just for the time when I was on the slide...

This is my first real memory. I was three, and I remember everything. The colors, the scents , the sun...and because of this, I want to share with you some pictures of sunsets and sunrises... the moment when shadows are born and die.

PS : I don't know why, but I have the feeling than I look less smart now...

Arlington Road

2010-07-17T16:49:00.002-04:00

No comment...

Dr Frankenstein

2010-06-29T10:51:00.011-04:00

It's very strange, many of my friends are scientists (perhaps they are interested in me because I could be the missing link.)

I notice, when one of my friends says to a new acquaintance : " I am a scientist", I see in the person's mind, a horror movie playing in black and white with a crazy, wild haired man in a white coat, or in the best case, ''Dr Frankenstein" from the Mel Brook's movie.

Many people can't imagine a scientist as a "normal person" (and sometimes it is true...), but behind the scientist (well-hidden) is a normal human being.

I have begun a project to capture the personality of the scientist. For me a scientist is a scientist because he is a human first, with passions, wide ranging interests, a sense of humour, tattoos and many other things like.... you.

To finish I want say thank you to my first guinea pig scientists, it has been fun and / or interesting (depending on your point of view) experimenting, I mean "working" with you.

A. Husbands, PhD in Biology

M. Faleiro MD/PhD Applicant

V. Aranda, PhD in Biochemistry

X. Rocca, PhD in Molecular Biology

A. Chicas, PhD in Cellular and Molecular Biology

My best friend's wedding

2010-05-26T14:42:00.008-04:00

Question ? : when an australian marries a brasilian, where is the ceremony held ? The first who says "in the ocean" can go in with the sharks.... The correct answer is : North Carolina, Duke to be precise... Ok it's random...

For the second time, I went to this state. If you read my blog regularly, you can imagine how happy I was.... no comment...

Traveling by plane was impossible... I have too much equipment, and no stock options in American Airlines... I decided to choose "Charles Car Lines" for this journey (the pilot is nice and the cabin staff charming...) After a short drive ( 9 hours there-12 hours back), I met the future couple, and they were as happy to see me as I was to have stopped driving...

My objective for this trip was not to stop the wedding, but to photograph it. The bride doesn't look like Julia Roberts.... She looks better. I am not saying Julia Roberts could act in a horror movie without make up, ( I haven't seen her in the morning, but I am sure she looks great), no I am just saying that the bride looked better.

For a groom, imagine a tibetan monk with his zen aura of inner peace... or not ! Yes I think it's more ''or not''. To say he was nervous would be an understatement. To understand, you must know this, he asked me, when we were waiting for the bride, "Charles talk to me, it helps me to stay calm". Meaning, " your English and your accent are horrible, and I need to concentrate to understand you...'', ''I waze aapie to bi ov elpe''... He owes me big time, that was a moment...

Like all love stories, she said yes and he said.... yes too, but I am not sure because she said her vows in Serbian ( the Australian groom is originally from Serbia) and he said his vows in Portugese, so nobody understood anything... The vows could have been a shopping list, nobody would have known. All the guests and I assumed they said yes, and it's better like that.

Just to finish, I want say thank you to you both for inviting me and trusting me to be your photographer. I wish you a long life filled with happiness.

Free Willy

2010-04-13T23:43:00.018-04:00

A few months ago I went to California. Sea, Sex and Sun sang Serge Gainsbourg. So I decided to obey his rules and have a date. Here we go, I had a date at SeaWorld with a.... killer whale...??? I admit a killer whale is not very glamorous or fashionable, except if you like to have a girl friend who is stronger than you. The reputation of the french-lover was at stake.

When I saw ''my date'', I couldn't leave because she had already see me. It would not have been very gentlemanly and you know "the French reputation..." But after one look I told myself '' French and gentleman ??? It's an oxymoron. I can go..I must go...'' but it was too late...

So in this case you must make a quick list of the good and the bad things (the first things I thought about were bad...) when you have a killer whale as a girl friend.

So if you have a killer whale as a girl friend the good thing is, you have a swimming pool ! The bad thing is, when you go swimming with her, by comparaison, your style is as graceful as a garden gnome in a wheelchair.

If you have a killer whale as a grilfriend you don't go to the mall to try on new dresses, or buy new shoes. But perhaps after few months staying with a girl always in black and white, you could have the feeling that you are living with a nun.

If you have a killer whale as a grilfriend, there are no hairdressers, no nails or pedicures, but when your girl friend asks for a massage you must book your whole weekend.

No no no, this is becoming impossible, and if she smiles showing all her teeth, you could imagine yourself as Little Red Riding Hood in front of the Big Bad Wolf...

The worst for me was when she came with differents friends and put on a show... I can say a killer whale is not the perfect girl friend for me, but the show was very cool.

I just want to finish this (stupid /funny you decide) post with a serious comment. All my thoughts go to the family of the trainer who was killed by a killer whale during a show at SeaWorld in Orlando. I, and all the people who like killer whales and wild life in general, are with you.

Eye of the tiger

2010-03-31T09:21:00.007-04:00

A few weeks ago, the Chinese welcomed the Year of the Tiger. I went to Chinatown to see the raising of the Tiger.

When I got there I checked my chinese calendar, isn't it the year of the Sardine ? I felt more like a sardine in a can than a spectator waiting for a tiger... After thinking about it, I discovered why. Two reasons : The first is of course it was so crowded. The second is, the Chinese use many firecrackers to scare the demons...

The demons are (possibly) scared by this, and the tiger too. And if you add the firecrackers to the crowd, I am sure of one thing, when the tiger saw the people and heard the noise they made, he ignored us, and went to sleep in quiet corner.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

2010-03-11T08:40:00.021-05:00

Let me give you some advice : don't let your friend take picture of you when you are making funny faces... If you follow my blog you already know that, I frequently make funny faces. One of my friends caught me on camera wearing an embarrassing hat and used this pictureon his blog... thus to day this is a personal message to my ''not-any-more-friend'' Julien.

I will introduce him. He is very clever ! He has two PhDs, one in veterinary medicine and one in molecular biology, and also won some prizes in pharmacology when he was student. He achieved TOEFL 3 in Japanese, and is also talented in many sports. His is married with a wonderful wife, and is a father of one verrrrrrrry cute boy. At this point every body is thinking, this guy is perfect and has a beautiful life... But, I discovered the dark side of the moon regarding this guy. Like the strange doctor Jekyll, doctor Julien uses his big brain to search for subtle ways of tricking, teasing and scaring people. Don't be fooled by his pleasant face.

One day, I asked him to decorate my apartment for a party. Sometime I want to slap myself ! He brought two bigs box full of fake chips (the polystyrene stuff used to protect the fragile items inside the box), and he spread it everywhere... On the ground, inside the furniture, on the pictures frames, on my tv, under all my glasses, under and inside my bed..... I mean EVERYWHERE... After an intense clean up, I continued to find this ''snow'' for the next 3 months... I considered this a ''casus belli''...

When I lived in Lyon, all my friends had keys to each others apartments. The objective of that was simple : If someone lost their keys or went on vacation, and needed someone to give food to the plants or water to the cat. Every time you went away, your apartment was meticulously redecorated... You would find your oil and vinegar with the cleaning stuff, or the cat-food in the bathroom, the pictures-frames tuned up side down.... one day his wife stopped him, when he wanted to put my cat inside my letterbox and take a picture to send to me during my vacation. It's true my cat could fit inside without trouble, my letterbox was very big.

Here is an example of how this guy uses his brain... In

France

, I used a green toothpaste. One day, during my vacation, my ''friend'' arrive with a syringe, and put some wazabi, inside my toothpaste...

Last month he visited me on Long Island. He reproduced the polystyrene chips joke... But this time generously hide many caramel candies in strange places... The idea would have been sweet if he had brought the candy, but not at all, he used mine...

I arrange a photo shoot of his lovely son. During this shoot, I took some pictures of the father. I was very lucky because I got one picture of Mr Hyde....

So to finish with a good word, here are one or two picture of him and some pictures of his boy. His boy is as cute outside as the father is evil inside..... The good thing is that, I will be visiting them in three weeks, and I will bring many caramel candies....

Dr Julien

The mutation

Mr Hyde

The dark side of the moon

___________________________________

And the lovely cute boy...

Quebec

2010-02-04T12:06:00.018-05:00

During my trip, I didn't go only to the wilderness, I also visited the city of Quebec.

When I lived in France, I talked with different French people about Quebec and the city of Quebec. I am sure you know that French Canada is the favorite destination when a Frenchman dreams about his future hypothetical life. For the French, the province of Quebec is like a symphony, where the name of the maestro is "Freedom in North America"... All the French see Quebec city as an American French city.

When I talk with an American about Quebec city, I always get the same reply, ''Ho it's so perfect, so cute, so European, you feel like you are in France''. Maybe it's me, but I hear the same symphony but with another maestro... very strange.

So, now I will be the judge... American or European ?

The language : the language is French or almost French. You must understand, some French are at war with some Canadians. Who speaks better French ? Who uses more English terms ? If you ask me what I think, I will tell you ''I don't care''. It's not a competition, and I don't think one is better than the other. (But for the score card , the point is for France.)

The food : when I lived in France, all my friends told me : "if you want something good, tell us, and we will send it by mail.'' Ok, sometimes, the TV cooking shows are a little strange (I use this word to be polite, but I think "scary" would be better...). However I have eaten in many different places in the US, and trust me I have eaten very well. Ok not everywhere. Perhaps I will lose friends, but with regard to food, North Carolina is not my best memory. New York, Boston, San Fransisco, San Diego, Key Largo, Miami, Philadelphia and New Haven did not give me an allergic reaction, I could say I ate very well and even found croissants tastier than those in France. As in the US, Quebec is a melting pot for different food civilizations. One specialty, '' la poutine'', is French fries, swimming in a brown sauce with melted cheese on top (but I am not sure the word cheese would be used in France for this)... It is "interesting" (I do not have another word). I do have a name for this : D.I.A, Directly In your Ass. Be careful with "la poutine", it could be dangerous for your health. My stomach still remembers it. So for food, the point goes to the US.

After some considerations, I realized it is strange to try something from one country in another country. Quebec is not American, it is not French, it is Canadian... just Canadian.

Like all cities, I think, it is more beautiful during the night. Enjoy...

Homage

2010-02-04T10:24:00.001-05:00

I want to introduce you to someone who is very important to me.

She made me who I am. All my qualities come from her, and my flaws from... my self ! She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved teasing every body but especially me ! My passion for making funny faces comes from her. At home she loved to get a reaction from her parents by sticking her thumbs up her nose and putting out her tongue. She also taught me to eat fruit and sea food without my fingers ! She was desperately frustrated by my English. She loved western, thriller and romantic movies (nobody's perfect).

She passed away 15 years ago today, but ''her memory is my soul''.

Thank you mum, I miss you. I hope you like my pictures, and if you don't like them call me, and at the same time you can give me your secret recipe for the cabbage...

The lord of the rings

2010-01-19T22:11:00.039-05:00

I discovered something very incredible, amazing, fantastic... Snow mobiles are elfs or have elf blood inside... I noticed this during my trip to the Canadian wilderness. We were with my guide in the middle of nowhere, or to be more precise, the only place where nobody ever comes during winter (except one crazy frenchman and his guide).

We were in a BIG 4 by 4, on a trail, with the snow mobiles on the trailer behind. For me the snow mobiles were there only in case of a problem with the car... This was my first mistake. My second mistake was to believe that the snow shoes on the the snow mobile mobiles were just in case also.... The reality was different. One trail, three "ways'', one after the other...

The snow became deeper, my guide stopped the car. I had imagined that we could go by car to our final destination. When my guide understood my missunderstanding, he laughed heartily for a long time. For me the idea of using the snow mobiles was cool, it would be a real adventure. "It was cool" for approximately one second. To be exact, the time it took me to put on my hat and gloves. The cool part stopped as soon as I opened the car door.... Perhaps the 4 by 4 would be more confortable...

I am ready, I take my backpack with my cameras and my lenses, and like a horse, I ride my snow mobile. The first 15 minutes erase the sensation of extreme cold, because it was such fun. The next 2 hours have the same effect.... because it is so hard and physical. I think my arms are turning to stone, not because I am becoming stronger, but because it is so painful.

The good thing is when my guide stops his engine. I know I have arrived (my arms know nothing, they are dead). I stand up, and leave my engine to walk. But I can't walk. I go one step and ''wumph !!!!" One meter of powdery snow. To this day, I still do not understand why my snow mobile stayed above the powder.... Here is my proof, "snow mobiles are elfs or have elf blood inside", they stay on top of the deep snow like an elf in ''The lord of the Rings".

I ask my guide, ''Ok why are we here ? where is it ?'' His answer is the same sound as the opening of the gates of Hell...''One hour and a half by snow shoes...." One hour and a half on a wild, non-existant trail, in the middle of a forest, where tourists do not come... I am a diver, not a snow shoes walker... It is so difficult, but but but, the panaroma is perfect !

Rivers, waterfalls, forest... My guide is a very optimistic and reassuring person. He tells me this : "If you fall in the river, I will pull you out... in the spring !!!". With the current and the ice nobody could save you. Welcome to the Canadian wilderness. I love, really love the wildlife, it's almost a part of me, but, my arms are dead, my legs are dead, I am wet, I am cold and tired... At this point, I think I could burn an ecologist from the Copenhagen climate summit.

Let me share with you some pictures of this day, and enjoy them, because during my trip, it's the only day with a blue sky.

Antartica

2010-01-19T21:08:00.021-05:00

I came back from the wilds of Canada last weekend with many images in my head but more importantly more pictures in my camera... During my trip, I came across the cousins of wolves ; huskies and malamutes.

I had an appointment with the musher at 8.00 am, to see how he prepared his dogs for the sled. The first surprising thing is the size of the dog's team. It contains 40 dogs! I arrived at the trail just before the dogs' run, and in the middle of the trail, one big dog was curious to discover who was coming. I didn't know if I should greet this dog like a big puppy or like a wolf. I felt like a turkey during Thanksgiving day.

So, it was 8.00 am, the snow was falling, the temperature was verrrrrry cold, -35°c and adding in the wind factor, it was almost -42°c (-43.63°Fahrenheit). I had on many layers, a big coat, hat, two socks per foot, and gloveSSS. First hypotesis, the musher is the Yeti's brother. Big beard, big shoes, big hands, very big hands without gloves. If you saw me, you could see only my eyes, and to be exact, you could see only one eye. All my friends know that I do not fear the cold, but this morning was extremely hard to bear. Yet I watched this guy take care of the dogs like it was a spring day. Second hypothesis, the musher is a werewolf, and leads the pack like an alpha male. He spoke many strange words to these dogs...

More seriously, he explained the difference between the breeds of snow dogs, explained his life, without any vacation or days off, because he is the alpha male of his pack and he cannot ask another person to take care of his dogs... His life is at the same time beautiful, hard, and difficult...

Thank you for sharing your dream with me...

Miracle on 34th street

2010-01-02T20:50:00.006-05:00

This is the end of the year, holiday, vacation, christmas trees, gifts, chrismas carol being played in the shops or at sung at your door...

So it's the perfect time for me to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Looking forward to see you here in two weeks, where you will be able to read the news after I'm back from my adventures in the north of Canada.

Amadeus

2009-12-19T17:14:00.012-05:00

Perhaps one day, I will write a book, "How to become friends with your neighbors". But this title would be ironic.

At Thanksgiving I met two musicians at a friend's house . They are students at "The Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University", and at the end of the evening, we made an appointment for a photo session at my studio in my apartment.

American houses have a problem. I think the guy who made the sound proofing code was deaf... In France we have a idiom for that, we say : ''The wall are made of paper". I think here it's the same.

My two musicians arrived on time, and I said '' take a seat, forget about me, play and go into your music world ." I never could have imagined the power of the cello and violin... I didn't know if my neighbors knew, but I'm sure they know now !!!

In two hours, I had become best friends or best enemies with my neighbors. that would depend on whether they loved classical music. Fortunately the musicians played magically. Perhaps if they had been beginners (or drummers), the story would have been different.

Godzilla vs the Thing

2009-11-18T23:33:00.026-05:00

Known, in Japan by the name of "Mosura tai Gojira" and elsewhere by the name of " Mothra VS Godzilla", this movie features fairies, scientists and most importantly : a fight between a giant moth and a mutant dragon. This revered Japanese movie is a masterpiece ! You will love it... if you are Japanese.

My giant moth and mutant dragon are a hummingbird and a blue jay. When I was a child (it's a long time ago...) I saw on television a documentary about the hummingbird ; "oiseau-mouche" or colibri in french, (I don't know why, but a good friend of mine laughs at the french name... ''oiseau-mouche''.... It's not really funny but this guy is sometime a little strange I guess). So after this program I desperately hoped to see a hummingbird some day. When you are child, simple things make you happy, to day I need to be a lottery winnner to get the same high. This hummingbird is my Mothra...

When I arrived in Long Island, 18 month ago I saw a beautifull blue bird. My Godzilla. For the rest of the summer I hunted this beautifull bird (with a horrible screeching song... it can't have everythings, it's justice !). This bird loves to play hide and seek with my camera or if I spotted him he quickly flew into the distance.

Since the begining of last summer, I don't know why, but this bird became kinder and more sympathetic towards me. I was able to catch it in different poses. But even more exciting was the shooting of another species of blue jay during my last trip to California !

I don't know which bird is more intersting to me ? So it's my Mothra VS Godzilla.

Enjoy and if you have a recipe for one of those, send me an email (to understand this read my previous post ''The birds'').

PS : My stupid friend who laughed at ''oiseau-mouche'', gave me a compliment today. He saw one of my pictures, - a cactus, and said "Ho it's funny Charles, this picture looks like ''the Mac background plant''... So after ''Windows Vista Pictures'' (read my previous post)I should write a post on ''My future in the world of informartique ltd".

With that I'm sure to have a beautifull career as a photographer...

Humming bird

Blue jay from east coast

Blue jay from west coast

Legends of the fall

2009-11-12T00:02:00.018-05:00

'' I took a picture of a wild beer...'' At this point my friends thought '' Ok, Charles has lost his mind, this guy is over the edge''...

Let's go back a few weeks. I was in California, (I will tell you about this journey in a another post,) but today I want to tell you about one part of my trip - Yosemite... If you are in California, it would be sad to miss this park with these sequoias, rivers, mountains, plains, blue jays, deer, and wild beer...

I took many pictures, but I am most proud of the one of the famous wild beer. Don't imagine a big bottle of Corona, Budweiser, or Heineken. Try to imagine me telling this, with my fabulous French accent, '' a wild beer...'', but if you say it with an American accent it becomes, '' a wild bear !''

I was very exited to tell my friends about this encounter, and you cannot imagine my confusion, when I saw the disbelief in their eyes. Nobody understood me ! At this time, I thought my friends wanted to buy me a shirt, with very long sleeves to attach around my back. The apogee of this moment, was when I impersonated the bear to clarify my explanation. The worst thing was, my mime was a cross between a mummy and a bear...

Now, when I greet one of my friends, when he raises his hand to say ''Hi'', I don't know if he is saying ''Hi'' or mocking my famous impersonation of the bear...

I also met a deer and reindeer, but I did not do a mime for them. Just... nothing. I don't know how to mime the difference between these two animals.

Seriously, you must visit this park, and if you can visit during the fall, don't hesitate,

it's wonderful.

As one my friends said to me, if you go to Yosemite you can take a '' Windows Vista picture" ( I lost his phone number and his address after that comment)....

Wargame

2009-11-11T00:20:00.006-05:00

Unfortunately this is not a game or a funny post. I noticed that my pictures have been ''stolen"...!!!

I have two options. The first is to freeze everything and not put new pictures on my website, or I could brand my pictures like a horse to prove they are mine.

It's too sad ''to destroy'' a picture like that, but sometimes you have no choice. The worst part of this story is this ; I try to take the most beautiful pictures I can, and the people stealing my pictures used a ''print screen''. This is the best way for losing all the quality of an image.

Now, all my pictures will be like the one below.

I hope everybody understands my point.

"Lion King" or "Lyon King"

2009-11-03T13:26:00.012-05:00

Paris, Paris, Paris.... When someone asks me where I come from, (in fact nobody asks me because with my accent everbody knows,) as an echo to my answer I hear a syrupy voice say...."Aaaaaaaahhhhhh Paris" and the person lets out a sigh... Perhaps "Paris" is orgasmic, who knows ? But you must know this, in Paris the streets are covered in dog droppings, the Parisians are rude, it's always rainy and cold, the sun is "persona non grata", and the Parisian soccer team is really crappy...

Ok I confess it's not true (except for the soccer team), but the non-french person must know one thing : Paris is not the only beautiful city in France.

I love Manosque and its mountains, Carcassone and its ''cassoulet'', Caen and its cheeses, St. Raphel and its Mediterranean sea, La Bourboule and its thermal hot springs, the Alps and its ski resorts, Paris and its.... its nothing! As a rule, I don't like Paris... But above all, I love Lyon.

Lyon is an amazing city : gastronomic capital of France, in the middle ages it was the crossroads for the merchants of Italy and Spain, it was a center of silk making... It's the city of Auguste and Louis Lumière, the inventors of photography and the cinema, Paul Bocuse the most famous chef in all the world, the Olympique Lyonnais the best soccer team in the world (ok perhaps I exaggerate a little, but this team has won the national league 7 time in a row), and many other things. The blog is too short to do justice to this city.

If the child of King François the first had not been assassinated in Lyon, the history could have been different and Lyon could be the capital of France today.

In Lyon you can see the evolution of the city. If you stand at the Fourviere Cathedral, the panorama of Lyon is before you. You can see the architecture of the city unfurl in a front of your eyes ; Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the 19th century and now.

When I lived in Lyon, one on my friends, who is very knowledgeable about her city and its history, was my own personal tour guide. She showed me many "traboules", these are old corridors in a building between two streets. The silk makers used these corridors to cross the town quickly and to protect themselves and the silk from the rain. I must confess, sometime it' s a little scary. It's very easy to imagine a cut throat or a pickpocket hiding in a shadows. At this moment of my visit I asked myself if my friend was suicidal. But no, she is psychologist.... ha... that's a point. Perhaps she had a depressed patient just before our visit and now, life is too boring for her... I controlled myself and I tried to listen to what she was saying, the history, the legends (you must know, in the middle ages, one pope lost a big jewel in the old street, and nobody ever found it...), so I preferred listening to her rather than my imagination... This visit was perfect, if you are not a cardiac patient (between your imagination and the topography of the city), try it.

So, in conclusion, I encourage everybody to visit Lyon. You could visit Paris too (execpt if you like soccer, forget it) but come to this city. If you want, I can give you the phone number of my friend and perhaps, if you are lucky, you may survive her tour, and appreciate it. And if you are verrrrry lucky you could find the jewel and it would pay for your travel expenses (don't forget to tip the guide at the end of your trip).

Memento

2009-10-15T20:58:00.013-04:00

I didn’t forget; I know, there have been two weeks without a new post. Some American friends should say to me “Hey man, WTF?!? ( I know my friends are sometimes a little rude, but I promise, all are good guys).

Actually I was very busy, in France we have an expression for that, when you are so busy, and you run everywhere and try to respect your dead line, you can say “I didn’t touch the ground”… In my case it was totally like that.

But, with my apologies, I have two gifts… In the first I have many posts in creation, little visit of the future; I will tell you about “ Moby dick ”, “Underworld”, “Californication”, “ Boston’s Girls ”, “ Finding Nemo ”, “ Escape from Alcatraz ”, “ Pirates of the Caribbean : the Curse of the Black Pearl ”, “ 'Lion king’ or ‘Lyon king’ “, “ The Streets of San Francisco ” and a “ A bug’s life ”…

My second gift are pictures from several of the next posts. Guess which ???...

The Legend of Bagger Vance

2009-09-23T23:12:00.026-04:00

I have never done military service. In

France

it used to be mandatory, but I didn't do it, because of a funny ( I think it's not the appropriate word) reason. Perhaps one day, I will tell you about it...

So I haven't done military service, but yesterday I found myself in the middle of a war zone. I was on a golf course. Let me explain.

In your military jeep (or in this case a little electric car), you travel in all directions, from battle to battle. Each conflicts starts at the border of the previous battle field and you must invade the new land as fast as possible.

To achieve this you have to be a sniper, estimating distances and the wind force, visualizing the target.... and pow !

Be careful !!!!! Sometime the snipers are beginners (or inaccurate marksmen.)Moving in your electric jeep is not risk free. Many white balls fall out of the sky like hailstones. I think helmets should be obligatory.

Often, a few ''snipers'' ''attack'' at the same time and in the same zone. But these snipers are gentlemen and attack in order, one after the other. Just like at the battle of Fontenoy during the Napoleonic war against Great Britain, when a French general invited the English army to shoot first (he was confident of the victory, he was French...), the sniper who shoots the furthest is given the privilege of playing first.

This sport uses similar military vocabulary.... For a difficult sand zone, the Americans use the term ''sand trap'', and the Brits use ''Bunker''... All highly symbolic....

At the conclusion of this day, I wanted to say thank you to the golfers who were with me for the day. They were very pleasant, friendly and patient with me Perhaps one day I will do my military service and buy a golf club membership.

PS : In Fontenoy the French won. But perhaps because the Brits were poor shooters, but probably the French were just lucky...

Usual Suspect

2009-09-17T09:22:00.023-04:00

When I was a child, I regularly had the same nightmare. I arrived at school, all my friends were wearing strange looking clothes, and I was totally nude..... The absolute horror ! I had a variation of this nightmare. Everybody was wearing regular clothes, including me, but I didn't have on my ''normal'' shoes, I was in slippers... I'm sure, with my luck, when I was a child, I would have made this mistake, and it would have been a sports-day at school...

Almost a year ago, the nightmare became a reality but with one modification, (the most important,) I wasn't naked, thankfully, for you...

Halloween ! If you live in Europe, you can't imagine the importance of this day in the USA... By the end of August, you can find all your halloween decorations in the different stores... three months before the date ! If you are a person who is panicked by deadlines, no problem, Halloween is the holiday for you, you can relax. Perhaps the stores are afraid to see a customer leaving with nothing, and disappearing on the horizon....

Why ? Why is this date so important ? I am a fan of crime novels, police movies, thrillers, or, when I am exhausted, even Colombo (it's not too difficult for my foggybrain.) I imediately pose the two important questions ? ''Cherchez la femme ?'' and ''Whodunint ?"

Having some doubt, I decide to forget about ''la femme''. I focus my mind on the tradition of halloween : The children don costumes of spider-man, pirates or witches and they make a racket around their neighborhoods for a few candies. If the costume is not scary enough to frighten people, the children do not hesitate to use threats. Trick or treat has hidden meanings ! Of course all of this is with parental approbation. The children are not alone in using disguises. The adults also dress up... and then process.... on a pub crawl ! Perhaps the adults could use the same stratagem as the children, and save themselves some money !

I scout around the streets discretely, submerging myself in the crowds while looking for a suspect... my usual suspect... After many wild goose chases and dead ends (and popping many pills for my headache,) I recognize them ; The fancydress stores, the candy factories, the dental and psychiatric offices.

One by one, I consider each motive and alibi.

The first supect, the costume store, hibernates during most of the year. Halloween has become essential for it's survival. This day is "the fix" of the book balancing. No, it's a "light-motive" !! Regretfully, my first supect is my first non-supect.

Next, the candy factory : Same motive but the music moves into a minor key. During this day the children are treated to an enormous range of new candies with legions of chemical flavorings. Perhaps they become sugar addicts for the rest of the year, increasing the profits of the candy factories... My instinct screams to me " This is too simple, the candy factories are not guilty... they are only the puppets ". But who is pulling the strings ?

My third supect is the affluent dentist. He rubs his hands in anticipation of huge cavities in baby and adult teeth. Candy is a meal ticket... So evident it must be true. However the country is littered with vending machines selling sugary-soda, in railway station, schools, movies theaters... So he doesn't need Halloween to get bucks and be scared...

So, after this reflection, my mind becomes clear, the guilty party is... Not Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the candle stick but... the psychiatrist in the street with the candies !

Psychiatrists use Halloween to secure the loyalty of the patients starting in childhood providing years of steady income. For the children, the terrror of witches, monsters and ghouls is insidiously translated into their spirit. It's the fuel for the future nervous breakdown. In adults the tradition of the costume feeds their fears and allows the multiple personalities to flourish and fill up the pychiatrists'appointment book. Now the cherry on the cake. When the adult becomes old, all these fears are still present, and the most terrifying monster is the child on Halloween night. Indeed the old person remember his own despicable behaviour on Halloween nights when he was a child, harrassing older people and terrorising the vulnerable.

To conclude my theory, I am sure that the psychiatric's mafia rent a private town house over looking the parade to see if the year will be profitable or not...

Anyways it's a perfect day to shoot pictures with excited people happy to share the fun and show off their costumes and creations.

Gang of New York

2009-09-08T20:34:00.010-04:00

The first thing you must know, New York is the most dangerous city in the world.

Firstly your money is at risk ; all the stuff behind the shop windows calls to you and tells you, "Buy me, buy me...." After one day in this city you can hear your bank manager screaming and crying in his office.

Secondly, the military power in this city must be enormous, because each time the aliens attack earth it's always New York first. I don't know why, perhaps they're afraid of Time Square's electricity bills.

Food here is very important, the proof is the nick-name, "The Big Apple." People are like worms courageously eating their way into the apple. You can tour around the world within restaurants in two streets. You can have unusual and surprising encounters on your plate. One day, I found myself face to face with a jelly-fish in a Chinese restaurant. At this point I didn't know who would eat whom ?

Many street vendors sell hot dogs, bagels and squirrel kebabs... I am not sure of this last point, but with the abundance of squirrels in this city, I think it would be a solution to control the population and it would be more economical.

If you haven't a subway map, you can use a substitution product : a map with the locations of Mac Donalds and Starbucks coffee. It's very funny, but at each public transportation stop you sometimes have one, sometimes the other, but often both.

The most predominant color in NYC is yellow, mainly the cabs. You can have a ride, and for the same price, you get both travel and adventure. I guess the taxi drivers learn to drive with the same instructor as "Mad Max". But if you survive the journey, I think you will appreciate your life even more.

I don't enjoy big cities, I feel oppressed, but I love New York. Living here is great. The heart of this city moves with the population. During summer Central Park is the hot spot. When Christmas arrives, the fairy-like atmosphere reigns in the stores, restaurants and streets. Ice rinks appear in different parts of the city. When you hear people talking in the street, the mix of languages creates a new Esperanto. The museums and the arts are the blood of this city. You always come across new places, and meet new people. You always have something new to do.

I am very happy living here.

Gremlins

2009-09-02T18:53:00.009-04:00

Cats like "The Gremlins" have rules. These rules are the same for both creatures, but not for the same reasons.

Firstly : Never wet cats ! Especially when you are in your apartment because, in two minutes the cat will run around the walls and rearrange your decor, with a lovely and unique "claws'' touch. If you like punk style you can try this but, just in case, don full plate armor for your protection and your own survival.

Secondly : Like "The Gremlins", cats are photo-sensitive ! For a cat it's not the light... but the "photo". When you are with your cat, you play with him, he looks so cute, he lies on his side and looks you with big eyes. It's the perfect moment for the picture. Your cat waits for you to arrive and the moment you turn on your camera, he leaves with a snobbish disdain.

Thirdly : Never give food to your cat after midnight ! Don't waste your time standing up, going to the kitchen and giving him food... A cat will serve himself from the garbage buffet style.

The cat's senses are highly developed. My cat is living proof of this. She can disinguish the screaming of the yogurt pot as it opened, from many other noises. I try to use the same stratagem when I want to call her - I mimic the sound of dry food... With no result...

It's funny, because I notice that my cat chooses the exact moment when I call her, to play her favorite game, "hide and seek". I think her grandmother must have been an ostrich, because she only hides her head... Is'nt a pity to have a cat not conscious of her own body ?

Many people say, '' Cats are very independant, even antisocial !" I do not think it is true. Cats are very social, above all when you decide to eat in front on the tv. At this time, your cat will show you all the love he has for you. This love has the same measure as the quantity of the food on your plate and decreases with it.

Nevertheless, I am a cat person. I love when my cat comes and lies along my arm to sleep, plays with me or purrs... at dinner-time...

The butterfly effect

2009-08-24T18:03:00.012-04:00

A few years ago I had a friend who was a student in psychology. One day she asked me to take a Rorschach test for training purposes. Now I suspect, that she wanted to lock me up in a psychiatric hospital...

So, she showed me the first picture and asked me : "What do you see ?". I answered very quickly :" a butterfly". She wrote my answer, and showed me the second picture and asked the same question. My response was the same for the second : "A butterfly."

I saw a butterfly in each of the first series of pictures. At this point she told me : "you can't see a butterfly in each picture. You must open your mind and try to see something else in this shape, not only butterflies!"

In the second series of the pictures I saw only butterflies... again... I was very annoyed because perhaps I was not normal. Maybe, my imagination was poor.... My attempt to help somebody has turned into a huge inner turmoil.

The years passed and my confusion stayed... One day I was organizing pictures of butterflies, and I remembered this test. I decided that this test exists only to create confusion and self doubt. Psychiatrists use it as an excuse to schedule many appointments and earn money. Those shapes are really butterflies, and if you try to see something else you're in trouble... Perhaps.

Field of dreams

2009-08-17T19:47:00.018-04:00

Baseball.... This word, for many people, is religious. Now the interesting question is, which team does God cheer for ? For me the answer is the team that Jesus played on, because, as you know, a good father always supports his child's team. If you want my advice, don't ask the true fan this question... or say ''Yes'' to all he says. Your life may depend on this.

Out of curiosity, I went to see a baseball game. Prima facie, this game is scary, very scary. Let me explain why. As in " West Side Story", where "the Jets" and "the Sharks" are in confrontation with each other, two gangs are on the same field. One guy on a mound, looking at another guy (his enemy) with dark eyes... Holding a projectile in his hand behind his back. The second guy has only a piece of wood (sometimes the more modern gang uses a piece of aluminum), to hit back the projectile... If he is successful in hitting the projectile, the rest of the gang try to catch the projectile and throw it back at him...

More seriously, many people have said to me, " you'll see, Baseball is boring..." Perhaps it's true, but I love it...

For me it's like a volcano, you know something is going to happen, but you never know when... Before each throw, an intense calm reigns on the field, the electricity is all around us. And when the batter hits the ball, the little sound on the bat resonates like thunder in the fan's heart.

I love this game and for the photographer, it's the perfect game.

The Birds

2009-08-09T18:59:00.020-04:00

A short time ago, a friend (or now I'm not sure) told me : " You French, if someone gives you a head of garlic, you could eat it all....,'' you must understand, because we eat snails and frogs... You know what ? They're very tasty...

One day, I was walking in the countryside, and I shot different birds (with my camera, I wasn't looking for my diner), and big surprise, I don't eat these birds.

Two possibilities ; the first, I haven't any garlic. The second I haven't a recipe for this type of bird. However if you have garlic or recipe, you can send them to me by e-mail (good luck with the garlic).

Another possibility exists, you can watch these birds like me, just for the pleasure of it, (but perhaps they are tasty... with garlic. I don't know.)

I will publish a specific post for these sea eagles. I love them, and without garlic...

Back to the future II

2009-08-03T12:33:00.024-04:00

Excited by my previous journey back in time, I decided to use my DeLorean-Hyundai to take me at 77 mph to revisit the past ( actually, 35/45 mph because the cops have the perfect piece of paper for bringing you back to the present day).

I was looking forward to seeing Charles Ingals from "The Little House on the Prairie" again , to relive the peace and quiet of a bygone era. But, but but........... Perhaps, my car went too fast, and I found my self in the middle of "Gone With the Wind"... The Confederates and the Union troops engaged in a battle for a little church... Much noise and confusion, many dead on each side, but the power of beer and the friendly mood resuscitated everybody for the next reenactment.

My second visit to the Bethpage Restoration was even better than the first. Many different characters, more new-old professions on show. I even saw a photographer taking pictures with an fully working early camera.

It was a good journey, and like the last time, I suggest you go with your children.

For my next journey to the past, I will try to meet " The Little Big Man", at least I hope...

Dancing Queen

2009-07-22T21:13:00.017-04:00

A couple of months ago, a woman sent me an e-mail. She was looking for a photographer to take a picture of her and create a website, She said to me, ''I am a belly dancer, and I dance with a sword! I would also like some pictures with a snake"... At that moment, I believed I had lost my mind, or travelled to the twilight zone"... I thought, '' qu'est ce que c'est que cette zinzin..." ( I know it's in French but that’s how I think). The translation is "Who is this nutty lady" or as my Swedish friend would say “The wheel is turning but the hamster is dead!”...

When I met this woman in person, she told me about.... I don't remember, because she spoke such a lot, I just remember thinking that I must concentrate on keeping my ideas in my head.

After a few meeting to plan the photoshoot, we got to know each other, and now meet regularly… she had many problems with her computer! I can now say she is little eccentric, but primarily she is a wonderful dancer, and she is a very good human.

She dances at weddings, parties and other events. But to visualize her professionalism and grace, I suggest you visit her website www.serpentinebellydancer.com.

Thank you Leslie for being who you are.

Night at the museum

2009-07-20T14:51:00.017-04:00

Who has ever had this dream : to stay alone one night in a supermarket or a museum ? The Metropolitan Museum would be the perfect place.

The crowds are very polite and respectful everywhere except in the main entrance hall. There it's more like a circus. The only person I came across who wasn't polite was one guard. For me, he had in his DNA, a trace of German shepherd... So forget this guy, and enjoy the visit.

I visited the Egyptian galleries. They're totally incredible. The museum has organized this section with a great respect for history and civilization. I am a real lover of history, and walking in the middle of these treasures gives me the impression I am Champollion, Aylward Manley Blackman or, more exciting, Indiana Jones.

All the objects are an invitation to travel. For the person without enough time or money , or for the person who is afraid of the vaccine's needle, it 's a good way to be closer to this magical and historical epoch.

With the glass, the lights, the people, it 's not very easy to take a picture, but I tried and this is my journey in the museum...

The famous egyptian duck, for me it was new.....

Lion statue

head of pharaoh

Goblet

The real world of Tom Otterness

2009-07-13T00:55:00.020-04:00

In Hudson Park in New York city you can see "The Real World" by Tom Otterness.

How can I describe these sculptures ? I would say, they are phantasmagoric, enigmatic, mysterious, and genius... totally genius. For me, they are an allegory on capitalism and its results. I looked at each little character for a long time. They are, at the same time, both simple and deep. I am a big fan of these sculptures.Thank you Mr. Otterness.

Back to the future

2009-07-08T22:51:00.010-04:00

Did you ever have the funny feeling that you are not in the right place or in the right epoch ? As if you are out of sync with the present ? This was my impression when I visited the Bethpage historical village, close to New-York on Long Island.

In this village, many people dress in period costume and do the typical work of the early 19 century.

When I arrived in this village, I was expecting to see Charles Ingals from " The little house on the prairie" at any minute.You can watch the hatter, the weaver, the seamstress - A microcosm of a pre civil war life.For the History lovers and for children, it's a wonderful journey into the past.

The goonies

2009-07-08T20:50:00.007-04:00

Sometime you organize a photoshoot, but the weather is against you..... So, no problem ! A quick setting inside with a neutral background, no reel preparation, and the most important thing : the children... running, playing, crying, laughing... their activities are so much more interesting than this guy with his camera...

Max...

Stanley

Angella and her baby

Washington

2009-07-08T17:31:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago in May, I went to Washington. If you have never been to this city, you can't imagine the size of the obelisk. It is huge, amazing, and makes us think that it must be an alien's monument.

The mall is like the obelisk, on a huge scale and impressive. The Capitol, the Lincoln memorial, the White House, the Memorial of the second world war, the Vietnam memorial and the Korean war memorial... It's vast.... vast and beautiful.

WWII memorial

Same spot at night

WWII memorial

Lincoln memorial

My best fan

2009-07-07T19:20:00.004-04:00

Just one minute to introduce to you my best fan.

She is always with me when I am working on my computer.

She eats everything and in huge quantities if possible...

Her name is Zabka.