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Lovely, Dark and Deep

Lovely, Dark and Deep

My grandfather’s memorial service was held yesterday in the midst of a snowstorm that rendered the roads treacherous, yet people came from far and wide to pay their respects.   When I got home, I decided to go for a walk and be alone in the snow for a while.

I was reminded of one of [...]

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Perry Golden

Perry Golden

In my earliest memories, I recall a man with a gigantic video camera on his shoulder.  My grandfather, Perry Golden, was the self-designated cameraman for the decades-long saga that was the Golden Family Experience.  He filmed everything- every mundane hour of every family gathering.  The cameras got smaller and better, but he eventually stopped shooting.  [...]

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Bobby

Bobby

I photographed Bobby Coward for USA Today in December as he watched his efforts to make D.C. just a little more accessible for the disabled come to fruition.  This month, twenty wheelchair accessible taxis are now roaming the streets of the city where there were none before.  It’s hard to believe that it’s taken this [...]

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New York State of Mind

New York State of Mind

After the New Year, I had a few more days to kill in the city.  I took my G10 everywhere and lazily shot the mood.  It was cold and dark and wet and I lost my hat and gloves in the mix.

This is a self-portrait of me on the mini-bus to Flushing, Queens.  My good [...]

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A Very Happy New Year

A Very Happy New Year

I know I promised to update at least every week, my darlings.  My bad.  I got caught up in the holidays and other frivolous pursuits.
Back to business.
I went to New York City once again for New Year’s Eve.  I got dolled up and had a lovely time with my friends at a handful of parties.  [...]

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A Very Golden Thanksgiving

A Very Golden Thanksgiving

I took a break from regular updates last week as the relations converged on the Golden household.  The Gilmores came from Atlanta and LA to visit the Goldens who are all in DC.  It was a perfect storm of ridiculousness that I managed to take in stride with a cocktail in one hand and a [...]

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Lovely, Dark and Deep

My grandfather’s memorial service was held yesterday in the midst of a snowstorm that rendered the roads treacherous, yet people came from far and wide to pay their respects.   When I got home, I decided to go for a walk and be alone in the snow for a while.

snowwalk1

snowwalk2

I was reminded of one of my favorite Robert Frost poems.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Jan 31, 2010 | Categories: Personal | 1 Comment »

Perry Golden

In my earliest memories, I recall a man with a gigantic video camera on his shoulder.  My grandfather, Perry Golden, was the self-designated cameraman for the decades-long saga that was the Golden Family Experience.  He filmed everything- every mundane hour of every family gathering.  The cameras got smaller and better, but he eventually stopped shooting.  I don’t remember when.

He was a professional extra for a time.  He made appearances in such classics as Spaceballs and Ghostbusters and Beaches.  His arm was featured prominently in a scene in the movie Batteries Not Included.

He loved to read and preferred history books.  His knowledge of WWII was encyclopedic.

He used to make me these really amazing root beer floats and taught me the importance of rendered animal fats in the creation of extra delicious foods.  He also used to take me to the tide pool in Dana Point, CA where I would spend hours with the sea creatures.

He and my grandmother would board a cruise ship and disembark a week later with a ship-full of new friends.

He loved Ronald Reagan and in his later years, adored FOX News.  Bill O’Reilly and Glen Beck were his constant companions.

More than anyone or anything, he loved my Grandmother, Paulyne.  She passed on a few years ago and now he’s finally joined her in the great beyond.

My grandpa died today.  My mother called me on the phone, crying.  I grabbed my camera before I ran out of the house to join her at his place.  As difficult as this was to photograph- he had already passed on by the time I got there- It’s now my turn to document the Golden Family Experience, for better or worse.  May the worst be behind us.

family

Love ya, Gramps.

Jan 20, 2010 | Categories: Personal, family | 6 Comments »

Bobby

I photographed Bobby Coward for USA Today in December as he watched his efforts to make D.C. just a little more accessible for the disabled come to fruition.  This month, twenty wheelchair accessible taxis are now roaming the streets of the city where there were none before.  It’s hard to believe that it’s taken this long for such cabs to be introduced into the local fleets.  The mass transit options in town are laughable at best- there are so many elevator outages that the train is practically useless and the buses that pick up individuals in wheelchairs can take upwards of an hour to go 3 miles.  It’s good to see a little progress take place.

BobbyCowardThis is Bobby- check out that sweet earring he’s rocking.

Here is a link to the article.  I’d like to note that many of the comments for several of the stories I’ve worked on recently have made me feel not so great about humanity.  I’m not sure if it’s the anonymous nature of the internet, but there are some truly callous, misanthropic individuals out there.  How did they get to be like this?  How can I make them feel better?  Milk and cookies?…  Who the hell doesn’t want to enable the disabled?

Color me exasperated.

Jan 16, 2010 | Categories: Feature, On Assignment, Portrait, USA Today | Leave A Comment »

New York State of Mind

After the New Year, I had a few more days to kill in the city.  I took my G10 everywhere and lazily shot the mood.  It was cold and dark and wet and I lost my hat and gloves in the mix.

Red Me

This is a self-portrait of me on the mini-bus to Flushing, Queens.  My good friend Mark Gong, in addition to being a wonderful fashion photographer, is a connoisseur of authentic Chinese food.  Flushing is home to New York’s real Chinatown where one can feast for a pittance.  We devoured egg noodles in broth and duck sandwiches and Beijing style lamb kebabs.  We munched on Chinese-style pickles and cold potato strings in vinegar.  We ordered 15 dumplings and finished them all.  It was so good, I could have cried- but my tears would have frozen on my face.

Skyline

The free water taxi to Red Hook- nasty day, still beautiful.  It lets off in front of IKEA, the big blue beacon of domesticity and lingonberries.  We walked by it to go to a party and along the way saw a full-length mirror on the ground, shattered and still in its packaging.

Lights

The subway is cheaper, but walking from the west side over to the 6 train on the east side is an exercise in masochism on a 19 degree night with a windchill that’ll freeze water inside of a minute.  We took a cab and rode up the West Side Highway.  This is what we saw out the window- apartments beyond the highway barrier that keeps cars from careening off the edge.  I thought I’d outgrown squiggly long exposures, but I’ll be damned if this one didn’t make me stop for a second when I pulled it off the camera a week later.  This is exactly what the West Side Highway looks like when you’re buzzed on beer, whiskey and a pickle juice back and you’re taking the last late-night cab ride with the only other person in the world besides the driver.

Jan 14, 2010 | Categories: Personal | Leave A Comment »

A Very Happy New Year

I know I promised to update at least every week, my darlings.  My bad.  I got caught up in the holidays and other frivolous pursuits.

Back to business.

I went to New York City once again for New Year’s Eve.  I got dolled up and had a lovely time with my friends at a handful of parties.  I was scheduled to go to 5, but only made it to 3.  Such is the nature of the witching hour- one moment you’re toasting the new year and the next it’s already 3:30 in the morning and you’re wearing a Lady Gaga wig and holding a party cup full of really expensive tequila.

Here are a few shots from the night courtesy of my little G10, which takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

allen3

pete

sam

petandsam

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BONUS WORDS!

Here are my ten resolutions for the year in no particular order:

1) Shoot more film  (I recently purchased another film camera, so this one should be easy)

2) Shoot at least two personal projects

3) Blog more

4) Launch my new website

5) Spend more time on Capitol Hill

6) Spend less money

7) Work harder and more often

8.) Exercise- at least once a week

9) Be nicer

10) Have a little patience

Jan 08, 2010 | Categories: Personal, Portrait | Leave A Comment »