My weekend road trip to NYC was much better than I had hoped or expected. We had very few concrete plans & yet everything came together perfectly!!!

I was able to enjoy happy hour at one of my favorite watering holes in the village with a friend, had tons of delicious meals, did a little people watching at Coney Island while getting broke paying for kids rides, randomly met 2 social media contacts in person, I got to dance at the Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson party in Prospect Park, set off an awesome photo shot in Brooklyn & I picked up macarons from MacarOn Café. PERFECT, PERFECT PERFECT!

The trip had several highlights but I think was the Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson party, which was hosted & organized by Spike Lee. It was nothing less than epic!

Over the course of 6 hours, attendees were treated to MJ impersonators, surprise guests like Snoop Dogg & kick ass dancers. What a great way to spend a day in Prospect Park!

Then I had a GREAT photo shoot (images coming soon) around Brooklyn with an awesome Virgo. I’ll spill the beans in a later post but I will say that your boy put in some work!

Next up:

- Fashion week is 9 days away & I’m like whoa! My mind says that I’m ready but it doesn’t feel like it.

- Classes start next week also & I have not registered. I think I will take two classes but one class sounds so much better. I need to hurry up & finish! Blah!

- Today is the last day to vote in the Black Weblog Awards. Please vote for Tafari’s Mindspill for best photo blog! Help me make this happen! >>> http://tinyurl.com/292zw38 AND YOU CAN VOTE MORE THAN ONCE!

Be sure to also check out & vote for some of my favorites peeps & reads!

• Afrobella
• Black and Married with Kids
• Friday Favecast
• The Gentlemen’s Standard
• Kiss My Black Ads
• Mostbeautifullist
• SoulBounce
• What Would Thembi Do?
• Womanist Musings

- In 19 short days, I officially enter my late 30s.

In NYC for the weekend on a little get-a-way. Not many plans but I will be spending a lot of time in Brooklyn this trip.

Right now, I have a 2-location photo shoot in Brooklyn, spending afternoon at Coney Island & chilling at Spike Lee’s “Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson” party.

Before I part for the road trip home, I will be making a stop at the Macaron Café for a dozen of macarons. I cannot wait for that!!!!

If you see me on the streets NYC, holla at me!

This morning I woke up with Biggie on my mind.

“It was all a dream
I used to read Word Up magazine
Salt’n'Pepa and Heavy D up in the limousine
Hangin’ pictures on my wall
Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl…”

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Yesterday, my evening was a little intense after I found out that The NYLA Report’s team was accepted into a major show at Fashion Week. I guess you could say that I was at the point of excitement where you really can’t concentrate.

Then I got caught up in a bunch of text messages, emails, chats & phone calls from all over the place which kinda exacerbated where I was in terms of being able to focus.

Things only got worse when I received this email:

“CONGRATULATIONS!

We are happy to inform you that your application for Press and Industry

Accreditation for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York has been approved.

A schedule of shows will be posted on the event website once it is available. Details on picking up credentials, policy changes, updates and other information will be provided in subsequent emails.

Thanks again for your support of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.”

The text messages & phones calls just put me in a tale spin, then I took to FB & Twitter & poured a few drinks. I was truly a mess in all of the right ways.

I’ve been talking about this for a while, so you know that I am beyond being excited!!!!

A few years ago, this whole process was just a thought, a dream even; today it’s happening & it feels like a dream. Just two weeks from now, I’ll be done with my 1st day @ NYFW. WOW!!!!

Now, I ask the question; Who gone check me boo?

With just 19 days left to go, my plan is officially in motion that now that my travel is officially booked for New York Fashion Week.

No, I have not got my official credentials as of yet but like I said before, I’m gonna make this happen one way or the other.

My friend Asia Willis of the NYLA Report joked that waiting for IMG to confirm press credentials is like waiting for a college acceptance letter & that nobody wants a reject letter. I responded by saying that waiting for IMG is like waiting to hear Maury say “You are NOT the father!!!”

Anyway, I’m still pretty nervous all as a newbie but I got even more nervous yesterday after running into fashion photographer Piper Carter who shared some great stories.

In addition to some fascinating stories from Piper’s experience as a Fashion Week photographer with Vogue & various blogs, she gave me some great quick pointers & lens suggestions.

Looks like I need to pick up a Nikkor 400mm f/2.8 (rental of course) OUCH!!!

On a funny note, Piper asked me if I’d have an assistant while work. I told her no, she then looked at me with this wild look & did this funny body move & was like Hmmm, good luck on that…. Oh shit. After this season, Ill have personal knowledge & see how far I can go it alone.

In general, I will need to get my aggressive Detroiter skills in full effect just incase I have to check someone that TRIES to check me.

I hate having to be aggressive while working but you gotta do what you have to do to get the shot….

This evening I worked an event for the Woodward Avenue Action Association where they celebrated a new Tribute light feature on Woodward Ave in Pontiac.

This newest Tribute light feature is the 2nd on Woodward Ave with the 1st being in Ferndale.  If planning goes well, we will see a 3rd in Detroit next spring.

If you’re not from the Detroit area, Woodward is a significant stretch of roadway because it is thriving as the premier business, creative, cultural, recreational destination in metro-Detroit. Woodward has been recognized as a Michigan Heritage Route and National Scenic Byway & it’s considered as Michigan’s “main street” as it travels along 27 miles through 11 communities.

The timing of the event was perfect because there is TONS of traffic up & down Woodward Ave as people gear up for the Woodward Dream Cruise. Classic cars were all over the place.

Even at the Tribute event, there were several classic Pontiac cars that were built in the city.

So after the event was over, I decided to head to Sonic for a slush & fries & got caught up in all of the madness along Woodward. The traffic was basically bumper-to-bumper for miles on end. People were our looking at the cars, the cars were creeping along slowly as the drivers were flossing the muscle cars, candy coated paint jobs, fat tires & white wall.

It was really a stimulating spectacle.

At one point, I noticed a banana yellow car parked in a light & I basically broke my neck to get over to it.

It was a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air & it was PERFECT & so bright. The interior was even more impressive as it was totally new.

After I finished taking snapshots, I jumped on the road & wondered why cars have no imagination anymore.

Will anything we’re driving now be exciting to see in 50 years? I don’t thinks so but then again, I’m no car enthusiast.

Yesterday, I worked an assignment for The Detroit Parade Company at a Detroit Tigers baseball game.

Initially, I thought the assignment would be pretty easy but I was far from correct in my thinking.

The assignment was to photograph different festive elements, visitors & the 1st pitch of the game.

What made this assignment somewhat tough was the HEAT!  It was so hot & humid yesterday. I was wondering when I would drop from a heat stroke.  Luckily, that never happened but I do think I had a mini stroke at one point.

At one point, I was blinded from sweat dripping in my eyes & that was not cool. All of napkins that I had in my pocket were soaked from sweat. I was just a sweaty mess. From the image above, you can see just how sweaty I was. People were asking me if I spilled a drink on myself & sadly I had to say no, it’s sweat.

After, my job was done, I was actually able to sit, cool down & enjoy the game with friends.

Well, I enjoyed the game as much as I could because toward the 6th inning, it started raining. I just threw my hands up on looking and feeling decent for the day.

If you know me, then you know that I’m no sports fan whatsoever, but I was so excited to see the Tigers break their losing streak with a good win against the Tampa Bay Rays. It’s clear that they won because I was there!

What a day. A fun day nonetheless!

If you follow me on Twitter of Facebook, then you know that I’m planning on being at New York Fashion Week this fall.

As I said, I’m PLANNING on being there no matter what! My application to photograph has been submitted to IMG & the plan is to work with my home girl, ace boom cool & style-watching partner Asia Willis of The NYLA Report.

While I sit & wait for a yes or no, I’ll be dreaming that I was chosen to work some of the hottest runway shows with a fun team of style/fashion journalist led by Asia.

So if I am not chosen, I will still be in the city with an obviously reduced schedule of events. I plan on just being out & about doing street photography & wrapping up my Analog Portrait series.

Which ever jumps off, it will be a great opportunity & I plan on having a ball because I have chosen to see the silver lining. But, I so want to be chosen.

Speaking of being chosen, just 24 more days before the voting for the Black Weblog Awards are closed for voting.  If you have not already voted, please consider choosing me for the best photo blog.

Your vote can be cast here for “Tafari’s Mindspill” (best photography blog on page 4).

If my blog is chosen for the best photo blog, I will post a video of my doing my happy dance while doing my bitch scream. I know you want to see that so cast a vote!!!!!

By the way, I got my little apprentice Olivia to help me compose this shot. She’s great but hardheaded around my equipment. I guess she’s a lot like me.

And… you will see more of this chair. It’s my new “gentlemen’s chair” that I won in an auction. I saw it in the window 3 months ago at DuMouchelles auction house & I had to have it. One month & 1 bid later, it was mine. Sadly, it fits nowhere in my home but I will find a way to make it work!!!!

Thanks to your help, I’m excited to announce that I’m a 2010 Black Weblog Awards finalist for best photo blog [insert a "hell fuck yeah" here]. I was astounded to see that there were over 32,000 nominations & I still made the cut [insert a "go boy" here].

In the photo blog category, I’m in good company with four other photographers so this will be interesting because we are all so different.

Outside of my own finalist position, I was very happy to see MANY of my friends listed as finalist in other categories ranging from business, fashion, web, design & culture. So many winners even without this contest that showcases the nest of the Black blogosphere.

While YOU’RE VOTING FOR ME (Tafari’s Mindspill), be sure to check out some of my peeps & consider casting a ballot for them as well. None of them disappoint!

• Afrobella
• Black and Married with Kids
• Friday Favecast
• The Gentlemen’s Standard
• Kiss My Black Ads
• Mostbeautifullist
• SoulBounce
• What Would Thembi Do?
• Womanist Musings

To vote: Visit here & select your blog choices accordingly. And make sure to vote for Tafari’s Mindspill in the “best photography blog” category!

Black Weblog Awards on Twitter for updates on the awards. BTW, vote for me! OK. Thanks. Bye!

Art Credits:
Model: My sexy ass
Photographer: My main home slice Myron Watkins

On my recent trip to NYC, thanks to a friends referral (THANKS Renea!!!!), I was able to pick up NY area actor Christine America as head shot client. Love my friends!!!

Christine & I talked maybe twice before actually meeting & we clicked. I love when that happens!

We settled on meeting at Battery Park, which was pretty interesting. I say interesting because I showed up maybe about 30 minutes early & actually just sat at a bench & watched the tourist be tourist.

It was quite seeing people be so excited about the city, taking pictures & boarding tour buses etc. I guess because I love watching people I found it more amusing than maybe I should have.

So, during my session with Christine, all I did was laugh & sweat. She’s quite the comedienne & it was soooooo hot out.

I teased Christine for having a ready-made electric smile & she kept bringing it making my job smooth. Going through Christine’s images was a joy, because I just saw so much to work with & that smile was popping.

It will be great if she can attract some acting work with this fresh batch of head shots!!! My last headshot client has been hot ever since I did her head shots. She actually landed a VERY nice role in a movie staring Gerard Butler where she has some hot & heavy scenes with him.

Anyway, I’ll be back in NYC in a month & I’m hoping to pick up more business. I just don’t know how to go on vacation without incorporating a little work to balance out my fun times.

Looking forward to my lovers road trip get-a-way this weekend to celebrate my 11th wedding anniversary along with BFB & The Good Dr. Long, who will be celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary.

During the trip, we are doing nothing specific so I’m hoping for tons of random goodness.

I know one thing, Suite Suzy & I are looking forward for adult time together! Kids are a challenge in the summer time & its certainly time for a break from these crumb snatchers.

While in NYC, I plan on photographing elements the city in 36 frames with my Mamiya/Sekor 500DTL camera. My theme is somewhat determined but I will see how it flows once I get on the ground running. Stay tuned!

On another photography note: I have a scheduled photo shoot with a NYC actress, which should be pretty cool. From our initial conversation, I know that she will be quite fun to work with. Get money!

I know I said I was gonna be on a lovers road trip get-a-way but a brotha has to make some cash!

Photo history:
Taken with my old iPhone 3Gs on top of Rockefeller Center, processed in Adobe Lightroom.

As I mentioned in a previous post, this was the 1st year that I ever attended the Detroit fireworks. This occasion was also the 1st time that I photographed any fireworks & it was quite fun to do.

Once I had my settings in place (each image was shot at f/16 with a 6 second exposure & 200 ISO.), the rest was history. I may try to make it to another local fireworks display in the next few weeks to give it another try to see if I can get sharper results as a test to myself. We’ll see! For now, I hope that you enjoy this 1st attempt!

So I get a call from my little cousin Precious Jules earlier saying, I think I see you daughter on a Citgo ad. I’m like no way.

Minutes later I had a screen shot in my inbox.

Upon opening, I was like OMG! Look at my baby snaggle toothed baby on a Citgo “Fueling Good” ad campaign.

I guess I’m just really happy that the ad was not for BP.

My images sell all over the world via Getty & I never know their final destination so this is quite funny. And ironically, I ran across a thread on the Getty contributors site where a photographer wanted to know what his photographs were being used for.

As a matter of fact, it is highly umproefessional/inappropriate to contact clients who purchase your images through a stock agency. When you sign on as a stock seller, you give up certain controls. It’s business & it is what it is.

Original image here.