Waiting for the Bus...

...I spotted this little poem.

Sicken Easy or Die Hard?

Got to catch a sneak preview of the new Michael Moore documentary SICKO, a marvelous muckraking over the coals of the health care crisis in the United States. I've always been a fan of Moore, who I see as one part cinematic Sinclair Lewis/one part political P.T. Barnum. Sure, Moore's always in control of the edit and sure he often employs entertaining clips and music cues to make his point, and he stacks his films like any good propagandist (in the best sense of the word) would.

But the beauty of SICKO--and what might surprise many of his critics--is how direct and human this film is. Moore puts only one really big stunt in the film, toward the end, one most have already heard about, but nevertheless the stunt itself makes a very interesting point, and the result is still illuminating and ultimately very moving.

I recommend everyone go and see SICKO next weekend, since opening weekend box office is what Hollywood pays attention to, and the film is up against--the new Die Hard movie. Oh the irony.

Digital Integration

Okay--first I must disclose that I love photographer Annie Leibovitz. It's easy for people to knock her work (due to its ubiquity or their jealousy), but I think her portraits are quite striking, and she's given us some of the most memorable images of celebrities we have.

But I find it hard not to question the ethics of shooting world famous people in separate photo sessions, and then Photoshopping them together and calling the portraits "historic" for a series about Africa.

Michael Shaw at HuffPost alerted us here.

Had I not read his post, I, and I bet nearly everyone else looking at a newstand would have marvelled at getting Bush and Bishop Tutu together for such a session. Or many other of the pairings (only one shot actually of two people in the frame at the same time).

Sure, I know that all glossy magazine covers are P-shopped within an inch of unreality for the sake of making the subject look good (or guilty, in this infamous case). But this particular instance, billed as "historic," breaks new ground in obfuscation. Shame on you, Annie, and shame on you Vanity Fair.

Trippin

Lots can happen in a few weeks. Queer Eyes 3 opened to a nice crowd. I got mixed reviews on the show as a whole, and negative reviews on my work in specific. Then had to make an unexpected trip back to Idaho, where I snapped some of these shots, and also scattered the ashes of my father on Father's Day Weekend.

It's been a rough month.

Construction Zone

Unfortunately--as you can see from this photo shot from the corner where the gallery showing the Queer Eyes 3 exhibit is located--getting to the show offers some interesting driving and parking challenges...

Portrait of the Model in His Native, Domestic Habitat

(With all due respect to Marcel Duchamp.)

This Week in Andyland

This week brings nearly a year's work to completion when the Third Annual (despite missing 2006) Queer Eyes photography show by Image Collective debuts on Saturday with a preview evening gala, from 7-10 p.m.

I am serving as show moderator as well as exhibiting several pieces, which I also hope to sell.

William

I met William almost a decade ago, and I've been asking him to pose for me for all those many years. Finally, this spring, he brought up the subject and said he was ready, even if he "wasn't quite in shape yet." I told him we'd shoot anyway, and if he didn't like the shots, we could do another shoot after the "got in shape." Today, we shot these images.

Metro Pieta

From a ride home from work this afternoon (and no, its not a self-portrait).