Bug Light

In the year of 2000 I was commissioned by Young and Rubicam New York to shoot an ad campaign. One of the 5 ads was to photograph the Long Beach lighthouse located in Orient, NY known as ‘Bug Light’ .

Long Beach Bar “Bug” Lighthouse helps mariners navigate around the hazardous sandbar located between Orient Harbour and Gardiner’s Bay, its bright beacon welcoming them to the protected waters of Peconic Bay in the Long Island area.

The original structure was built in 1870 on screw piles which left an opening beneath the structure and inspired its nickname “Bug” Light, because when the rocks were covered at high tide, the lighthouse looked like a giant water bug.

Weather conditions and tides were going to be significant. So under my direction our lighting crew with equipment, assistants Maura Shine and Francis Catania, Tom Hayes and his assistant from ‘Spotty Dog’ productions, creatives, creative director Robert McDuffy from Y&R, His friend ‘grabo’, an account exec along with agency producer Karen Meenahan and not forgetting the clients, set off on a hired fishing boat to recee and prep the location. It included working out where our final shooting place would be after shooting various polaroids in various view points. Lighting the interior and exterior with 20 and 50 K Ari HMI lights which had to be determined with various lighting set ups with emphasis on balancing the light values between the exterior and interior.  Weather and tide conditions were taken into account, returning the following day with our working lighting crew and agency based in the lighthouse whilst myself, Maura, Francis and Tom waded a couple of 100 meters to our chosen position on a sand bank . Our window of opportunity was short so we had to work fast with reports of a storm.  Our fishing boat captain wasn’t going to wait until its too late! Once we were set up and ready to shoot I was then able to direct the lighting positioning, light intensity and colour by communicating via walkie talkies. The tide was surging and rising , so paying particular attention to protecting the sheet film and camera equipment from the sea water we made a mad dash back to the boat.

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Steamgarden series

This series was shot in Jardin Albert 1er, Nice. This delightful public park in the city centre runs from Place Massena, linking the Promenade des Anglais to the old town of Vieux Nice. Developed during the late 1800’s, Jardin Albert 1er is one of Nice’s oldest public gardens; a large lawn in the centre is surrounded by palm trees, fragrant roses, carob trees, junipers as well as various plants from Japan, China, the Americas, Australia and the Himalayas.

It was recently revamped during the extensive renovations that took place on the Promenade du Paillon. A refreshing mist / steam puffs up from the ground casting rainbows on sunny days.

Quieter than the nearby Promenade du Paillon, Jardin Albert 1er is popular with local workers enjoying a lunchtime snooze and leisurely strollers who’ve drifted in from the Promenade des Anglais. With ornamental fountains and beautiful flowers, it provides a tranquil haven for the Niçois to stroll and relax during their leisure time.

 

Paris in Black and White Pt 2

Paris Part 1

Villefranche Pt 2

Eze Village

This fascinating village in the French Riviera extending from the Mediterranean sea to the hilltop with a medieval village. Its Jardin botanique d’Eze was created after WW11 on a chateaus ruins by town mayor André Gianton and Jean Gastaud of the Jardin Exotique de Monaco. It is sited on a steep terrain falling over 400 meters to the sea with panoramic views of the coast, and known for its impressive collection of cactus and succulents from the Mediterranean region, Africa, and the Americas.

The oldest building in the village is the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix and dates back to 1306. Members of the lay order of the White Penitents of Èze, were in charge of giving assistance to plague victims, who would hold their meetings there. The shape of the bell-turret is an indication that the village once belonged to the Republic of Genoa. A series of sculptures, Earth Goddesses, by Jean-Philippe Richard is interspersed among the cacti and succulents, as well as the castle ruins. Each sculpture is accompanied by a plaque with an enigmatic message. The first sculpture, Justine or Isis, commemorates the Egyptian goddess of fertility who some people credit with giving her name to the village of Eze.

Dublin Coastal

So many challenging and fulfilling memories of shooting in the depths of winter just before the deluge of snowfall. The surrounding coastal areas of Dublin are simply stunning with an abundance of character. Many have been posted before so here’s a best of .

Dublin City 2018