All The Pretty People

All the pretty people from Hoboken came for the grand opening of W, a new chic hotel along the waterfront. Local and international celebrities walked the red carpet out for the decadent bash, although I couldn't seem to recognize a face. I'm either getting old or losing all pop culture sensitivity. It was also interesting to see the party / paparazzi style photographers go to work, monotonously snapping away at each walking head. Everyone fought for the attention of the subject's eyes and didn't move from their coveted spot on the red carpet.

Golden Gloves

Three Bayonne boxers recently won the Golden Gloves and are going on to the National Finals in Utah next month. Luis "The Garbage Man" Rivera, picture in the middle, is actually a real-life garbage man in Manhattan. He trains all day and works all night. They all seem to work tirelessly. You have to tip your hat to them.

My own brother is emerging on the fight scene and plans to make his own go at the Golden Gloves. Watching these guys train made me proud, made me nervous and made me want to spend some time with my brother. Even if he is always a bloody mess.

Sometimes you just take the picture

Another violent week in Jersey City with two more murders in Greenville. The chaos erupting in the city finds its sobering consequences the next morning in court, and crime reporter Mike Conte and I find ourselves rushing to follow up on the accused.

In another deadly shootout in Triangle Park, one teenager was left dead last Tuesday afternoon after being shot in the head. The accused shooter was quickly identified by witnesses and police, probably because he unloaded about a half a dozen bullets into the crowded urban area in broad daylight. He was brought into court on his first appearance for murder the next afternoon, Mike and I waiting nearly four hours for him to come through the system.

Finally the accused shows up in handcuffs and shorts. He looks like he was ripped out of bed and into the back of a cop car. His face is expressionless when entering and facing the judge. Now, first appearances in court can be quick, I may only get a dozen frames before they are led back into the holding cell. I take a picture of the room, the judge and prosecutor, rushing all the extra info. I refocus on the accused. I keep his expression locked in my frame, trying to find an interesting angle in a relatively dull space. Desperately, I want to make a good photo through composition and geometry.

And then I notice a tear. He begins to silently cry, trying to wipe away the tears with his shoulder because his hands are cuffed behind him. I stop thinking and just take the picture. I realized there was nothing else needed in that moment. Just stop, click and be left with your own thoughts.

For the full story by Mike Conte click here.

Sweat, Blood and Neon Spandex

Here is a frame from some NWS Wrestling last Saturday night in Kearny. Expect much more photos containing sweat, blood and neon spandex in an upcoming story.

Good Friday

A frame from today while following the masses through the Hoboken streets in the Way of the Cross Procession for Good Friday.

Click here to view the slideshow.

"This Is Everyday"

Amidst the chaos of the earlier shooting, I snapped a shot of a woman being detained by the authorities. Her story wasn't clear at the the time, but an officer said they had to detain her because she wouldn't calm down and kept trying to walk into an active crime scene. Her expression of panic, confusion and terror told the story as I saw it happen around me. People were afraid, curious and frustrated.

The woman in the photo came forward the next day, after we used the picture across the front page. She wanted to give us her name and tell us she was actually afraid that her niece had been shot and was trying to get into the park to make sure it wasn't her.

A local store owner, who would not give their name in fear of retaliation from the shooters, leaned over towards me as I took the picture. "This is everyday man. Everyday."

For the follow up story we wrote on Ms. Williams click here.