I don’t watch many shows on television. Maybe like 4 or 5 shows weekly and then, I’m mostly watching via DVR.

When I bumped into Marshana Dahlia Ritchie pictured above, I believe she told me that she was on “The Bachelor.”   I never watched the show so I was totally out of the loop about her but I can now say that she was pretty nice and had great teeth. I like nice teeth!

I did do some web surfing on Black contestants or lack there of on the “Bachelor” & “Bachelorette.” Pretty interesting reading on the diversity front.

Check here to view more of my NYC Analog Street Portrait series.

Yes! It’s true! I’m almost single… I haven’t shared this publicly before now but I am in the process of a divorce.

The last few months of my life have been fairly turbulent but I am committed to pull through this event.

2012 has a whole lot in store for me. The ending of many things & the beginning of many more… I feel ready for it all but that feeling comes and goes like the Dexter bus (Detroit reference).

On A Positive Note:

• My kids are pulling great grades in school.
• Three more months left of school and I will be walking across that stage and joining the Educated Negro Elite.
• My sister and I have reconciled and are back at one.
• My brother is out of the hospital and doing much better.
• I’m now a bowler. Well not really but I am really enjoying this sport. And I totally have to get my own bowling shoes because the rented shoes are NASTY.
• I still believe in the power of love.
• I look great in fancy man scarfs.
• I leave for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in 2 weeks!

Blah…

A couple months ago, I received a referral from a friend (Thanks Bethany!!!) to photograph a small wedding reception that occurred last week. When I say small, I’m talking about really small. Nice. Intimate. Non-intense. Just nice….

The event was at The Whitney Restaurant, a favorite old Detroit establishment and one of the oldest mansions in the city. The place is huge!  I have been to The Whitney before but mostly for events where I was not able to take in the venue and appreciate the architecture.

Last week, I did have that time before my clients arrived & I was in awe of how beautiful this  100+ year old building was.

But that’s not the story, my clients Jeff & Kim are the story….

When Jeff contacted me about the event I was looking forward to it because I had not experienced a winter wedding.

Jeff & Kim arrived at the Whitney after their civil ceremony with family & friends a little before the start of the event so that we could capture some photos. Time was of the essence because it was COLD & the sun was setting fast.

We did some traditional poses then transitioned into the venue where we completed a mix of formal and fun photographs with their guests.

This portion of the job was pretty fun and hectic. Fun because we were in the middle of the first floor where other events were taking place as other restaurant guests walked in. It was hectic because I had to move my clients around a fair amount to accommodate others. Then…. The lighting in the Whitney is BAD so I used my Nikon Speedlights in Strobist fashion to light my subjects.

Crazy trying to light subjects, move lights and reposition myself while working around restaurant goers & staff. Eventually, I was shut down by the host staff but I was able to get all of my shots accomplished.

By the time this was all over, I was a sweaty mess. I was working hard for the money. So hard for the money.

Jeff & Kim were super cool to work with, which is no surprise because I seem to get lucky that way.

While we made our way around the Whitney, I asked Jeff & Kim how they met. Kim gave a small laughed and told me that they met on Last.FM. AND she was in Toronto, while Jeff lived in the Detroit area. The rest is history.

I love how social media makes the world smaller & brings people together. Jeff & Kim are a good example of that.

This morning, I had the opportunity to witness Michele Norris of NPR’s “All Things Considered” give a keynote presentation at the University of Michigan’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Symposium.

I do not know Michele, did not know what she looked like until about 6 years ago but I have loved her for the last 12+ years.  It is that voice… The magic of radio. Her interesting since of humor. How she processes and conveys information to her audience. I love it all.

When I learned that she was taking a break from “All Things Considered” during this election cycle, I was bummed…. Like really. So when I saw that she was going to be in my area, I KNEW that I would be there….

As usual, I was running late & got to the address just as it was starting.

When Michele hit the stage, I actually closed my eyes for a while. It was like some kind of large live NPR episode. Kinda nerdy of me but you know how I do.

Her talk centered around activism, leadership & history. She told several family stories about her father and grandmother that were penetrating. She shared with us how her grandmother used to dress as Aunt Jemima and travel throughout the Midwest doing pancake demonstrations. She told us how in 1946 her father was attacked and shot by the police before being jailed in Birmingham after coming back from war. And much more!

The jarring thing about the stories is that she did not learn of much of her family history until her father and grandmother had passed. She linked this to “ The Grace of Silence.”

Why be silent? Can silence breed a form of activism? Does this change the dynamic of family secrets? Forbidden information???

Additionally, throughout her talk, she dropped tons of historic knowledge tied to the civil rights era & before. She mentioned Isaac Woodard, Timothy Hood, The Boswell Amendment, Smith v. Allwright, Martin Luther King Jr.’s last meal of catfish & hush puppies…

After the presentation, the audience was presented with “race cards” where we were encouraged to discuss race in six words or less. I was pretty excited about having some race cards that I could play at will.

Michele’s presentation overall was a great way to kickoff my day. I mean, it was a very good day. Spent time with friends, had a good dinner & got a new graphic design project.

This MLK Day, I stayed winning.

Many of my photographer friends have done or attempted to do a 365 project. Oh, a 365 project is where you do a photo a day. Sometimes, the project may entail a self-portrait once a day.

I could never take this on because; I’m just too lazy & can’t commit to anything long term. I just can’t!

When I learned about Jeff Harris’ photo a day project that has been up & running since 1999 I said WOW…

When I saw the photos, I was intrigued. Actually fascinated.

Have a look yourself to see what I’m talking about. Be warned, there are a few shocking images in the slideshow from his bout with cancer (neurofibrosarcoma).

On a related note, some of the backstory on Jeff;’s cancer battle can be read about here…

Everybody knows that I LOVE house music & everything that it stands for!

One of my favorite house artists without a doubt is Osunlade! If you read my 2011 wrap up then you know that seeing him in Chicago last summer was all that & more.

This video interview offers a nice window into Osunlade’s world! Kinda tripped out to know that he lives in Greece. That was unexpected.

I was further amused by saying that he was planning on releasing his music at a much slower pace because after Pyrography was released last year, he said in an interview that he was done all together. So, I guess this is some good news here!

If this song doesn’t make you happy, dance, or do a disco spin then you have some issues in your head!

So many things, people & events made my 2011 great. When I wrote everything out, it was hard to narrow down my list but here I am with what made my 2011 a positive experience. I’m looking forward to a brighter, bigger & badder 2012. Let’s do this together!

The Ted Williams Story – I was so inspired to see this man go from a homeless citizen to an internet & national sensation as someone who got a 2^nd chance. Then I was sent on an emotional rollercoaster as details of his life started to unravel. Overall, he seemed to get help for his substance problems and that’s GREAT…. And I always smile when I hear his Kraft Macaroni & Cheese commercials. He truly does have a great voice.

I was saved from Hurricane Irene – Thanks to my good friends, Mary Brown, Sakina Spruell & Robert Ballatt, I had a safe place to stay after being evacuated evicted from my Manhattan hotel in the wake of Hurricane Irene. They ensured that I had transportation, a place to sleep, great company, food to eat & flowing conversation. I were VERY nervous & could not get a hotel to stay in to save my life and felt so thankful for having people reach out to me. It was truly awesome. And the thing about it is, if it was not for Twitter, I would not know Mary, Sakina or Robert. Social media ROCKS!

Hob Nobble Gobble – For the last few years, I have wanted to take my children to the Parade Company’s Hob Nobble Gobble event but them pricey tickets though…. This year, I was able to make this happen. I was able to get tickets for my momma, Amelia & my nephew, Tony. It was nice seeing the babies all dressed up & running around this massive family oriented carnival themed Black tie event. Amelia is still talking about it & that makes me smile.

Chicago Road Trip – Back in July, I took a road trip to Chicago with one of my good friends to see Osunlade perform with Tortured Soul at The Mid. The road trip part was a hot mess thanks to Mega Bus but the time in Chicago was nothing less than AWESOME. It was my 3^rd or 4^th time visiting Chicago but the 1^st time that I actually enjoyed myself & had fun. We ate good, met up with friends, ate good again & danced like no one was watching. At least I did. Then, there was that roof top lounge…

SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas – It was a conference, I was with my human resources friends, random strangers, stayed at a luxury hotel & that is all that I can say. Everything else is stayed in Vegas…

Working for The NYLA Report – Through my continued work with The NYLA Report, I was able to photograph at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week for the fall/winter & spring/summer shows. You know, I love my time in NYC so adding photography, fashion & friends to the mix takes the experience over the top!

Racial Profiling in The East Village – One night last February while out with my homie Jose Vilson, we were doing a bar crawl and stopped in this one spot where we were the only people of color. As soon as we got to the bar, the DJ played “Africa” by Toto. We both started singing it loudly then realized what was going on. It was such a mess but we owned it. Now every time I hear the song, that night is the only thing that flashes in my mind. Later that night, I had some of the best tater tots on this planet but that’s another story for another time.

The Sip & See – Everybody knows that a Sip & See is the best way to get friends together…. So I have one whenever I travel and throughout the year in Detroit. Some of the best Sip & See events were the End of Summer Sip & See (Detroit), Sip & NYSee (New York) & Sip & D-See (Washington DC). If you were there, then you already know!

The Moth Story Hour – I have been a fan of the Moth Story Hour from jump and always wanted to attend the Detroit events to tell a story but I could not bring myself to do it. Well, August proved to be a month of courage for me because I did it. I attended the Detroit Moth Story Hour and was able to tell a story based on food. I did not win the slam but I did come in 4^th place. When I left the stage, I felt so good. It was not like I had a fear but it is a different feeling to have a microphone, lights, stage & audience right there but I would so do it again.

The Foreign Exchange – I have been up on the Foreign Exchange for years & have always wanted to see them perform live in Detroit but every time they came to Detroit (twice before 2011), I was out of town. When I learned that they were going to be in town back in May, I locked the date on my calendar.  Not only was the concert kick ass, I was able to photograph it, while singing & dancing with my friends. It was a night for the record books!

NYC Analog Street Portrait Series – I made 3 trips to NYC in 2011 and was able to get some great images for my series! I have been happy to share the experiences here online but I was VERY happy to share the experiences with an audience when I presented at Pecha Kucha Night back in April in Detroit. I know this may sound strange but I felt like I was really breaking shit down like I knew what I was talking about.

America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – It was such a great opportunity to be the official photographer for the Parade Company’s America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year. The event and job was so big & I was able to pull it off with my team of photographers. Truly something that I am proud of!

Air Canada – You may recall when I had that drama with Air Canada who wanted to use one of my photos for an ad but did not want to pay me for it & how the rep that I talked to disrespected me. While that mess pissed me off, it was still a great moment for me because I took a stand on two fronts; no free work while others profit  & I will not be disrespected; especially by someone asking me for help!

My STUNNA SHADES – Need I say more?

When the movie “Shaft” was released in 1971, the entire world learned how important it was for a Black man to have a theme song…. Typically, I have about 3 to 4 theme songs going at one time but this year, 2011, I have had only 1 theme song.

My 2011 theme song? “No Way” by Osunlade from his Pyrography album. The 1st time I heard it, I knew that it was mine. It speaks to me, my life, and several situations.  When it comes on, I do my little dance in my head.

No lie, when I was in NYC back in Sept, I listened to it like 50-11 times while walking around doing my pimp switch. Hilarious I know but I was doing my thing & working my thing. Shit!

About 1.5 years ago, we saw Erykah Badu aKa Fat Belly Bella aKa Medulla Oblongata aKa Low Down Loretta Brown aKa Analogue Girl in a Digital Girl aKa Manuela Maria Mexico rocking pair of “ear wings at Lollapalooza with a golden Mohawk. She pulled off the look like no one else could. Then we learned that she was going to be producing the ear wings along with other accessories.

I thought, what regular woman could wear them & look that fly?

A random sighting in NYC proved that my assertions about a regular woman rocking the ear wings were wrong.

You can tell by these eyes that she knew that she was working these ear wings. She KNEW!

And, I don’t think Erykah ever launched her line of jewelry. I’m just saying.

Check here to view more of my NYC Analog Street Portrait series.

June Ambrose may be one of New York’s busiest fashion stylist but she is always smiling & will pause for the cause and give a photographer the time of day. That’s why she is my boo in my head.

Just in case, ‘you aint know,’ June has her own reality show coming to VH1 Feb 2012… Wonder if it will hit before the start of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week???

Check here to view more of my NYC Analog Street Portrait series.

When at Lincoln Center during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, you run into many fashionable people out and about near the fountain. Many are there to be seen, many are there to work but most are there working it. And like anywhere, some just don’t do it well, especially some of the photographers.

In this case, I spotted photographer Megan Graham working it while working as she snapped photos of the fashion savvy for Stylesight.

When I saw her working, she reminded me of a summer breeze. She looked cool, yet warm. Maybe, it was her fair glow, soft curls & that 70s dress. Maybe it was her smile… You know that I am a sucker for a beautiful smile.

For the record, I never look fashionable when at Lincoln Center. Typically, I look like a mess but I am always working it. You know how I do…

Check here to view more of my NYC Analog Street Portrait series.