Not a normal post , but one I hope you read on.. a great experience for King Edward :-)
Two weekends ago I was very fortunate to participate with an amazing group of professional photographers from the
"World Photography Organization New York City Project "Diner on the edge of America" led by world renown reportage photojournalist, and New York City knighted KING of photography,
Jez Coulson !! ....Yes, I knighted him !! You wanna be knighted ?? Come and visit me !! ;)
Jez Coulson is a New York based photojournalist and 'reportage artist' , he has won numerous awards for his work in journalism covering conflict in Africa and the Middle East and in Northern Ireland, he has also won awards and accolades for his commercial photography, and for his work as an artist. For more information about Jez, visit his website and blog.
View Jez Coulson's
You Tube Description of Workshop and Jez
I have conversed with many brilliant photographers since I started driving a taxi, and blogging...but this was my first interaction on a practical basis of actually holding a camera, WITH that professional, using the techniques such as composition, depth, focus, and a King's eye hahaha..I already had that last one perfected ;) ...However , I was extremely fortunate to acquire the rest from this extraordinary workshop !
Diner on the edge of America ? In New York City ??....I liked this idea...No..I LOVED this idea !!!
I've been to so many diners over the last 20 years, more of them closed than are open !!! ...I had to participate in this project...A famous reportage photojournalist who eats at diners ??
The King must pursue this...he must....it has to be too good to be true for a fellow blogger to be doing a project on NYC Diners ?...
...nope, it IS TRUE !! Here is a pic in a diner of Jez Coulson on the right and the brilliant Multi Talented Photographer/Editor/Creative Director
Amin Torres on the left who manages the famous blog
BOCETOS, ...unfortunately you see a ketchup bottle that Jez would like to smash over my head right now for not taking it out of the picture before snapping it !!! Hahaha !! See ! I AM Learning !!! ( Sorry Jez!) Just click on their names to visit their brilliant blogs which have won MANY awards and collectively had more than 30 million visitors pay attention to their New York City pictures that will leave the King's blog just a distant memory !....However, please feel free to visit my stale humor and pics every now and then anyway folks. :)
Jez has a gift for teaching, and speaking in front of a group.... he reminded me of a cross between Ewen McGregor, Charlie Sheen, and Atticus Finch...He is from England but has spent much time in America, AND diners...don't get me wrong about the Charlie Sheen reference, Jez has a verbal gift and structure while presenting with an English accent, that McGregor has perfected in his roles...and Sheen has also done extensively with charm and humor, which make them both so successful as actors, and people...but he also has an honesty that he doesn't hide and wants to help you reach the highest level of talent you have without compromising yourself...thats the Finch that maybe I'm not clear on, but you'll just have to book meeting him for his
Chicago Workshop from December 9th to 11th to know what I'm talkin' about !! ..
Jez Coulson, The King of Photographers has been "winning" long before Sheen started saying it...Jez has been around the world in very difficult places to take photos, such as South Africa, Northern Ireland, Rwanda... winning awards and being humble about it...If Jez wasn't carrying a camera, I'd expect him to be wielding a light sabre like McGregor...He's not only a cool dude, he's an artist...not just a photographer...and when you visit his
blog, you'll see what I'm talking about...Trust the KONYH on this one, you won't be sorry.
So how did King Eddie meet Jez Coulson ?? I've conversed with him over the years through our blogs because he has an affinity for New York City Yellow Taxi Cabs, and a great sense of humor.. like me !! hahahaha....thats right :) ..when you see his pics with reflections of yellow cabs in diner windows, it just shows that even though he wasn't born here..He IS a New Yorker...some people live here their whole lives and don't GET New York...Jez "GETS" New York, and it shows in his pictures. Jez has actually done a photo trip with my friend and fellow yellow Noah
NYC Taxi Photo , if you've never seen Noah's NYC Taxi Blog, well... now you will ;-) ...its brilliant.
Here is a pic of Jez taking a pic of the KONYH while my fellow "diner picture taking comrade L to the D to the double Cc ...the beautiful... world famous... photojournalism photographer
Lauren DeCicca as she bites her lip not telling me I'm using too much flash !!" ( sorry :) ) ...they both really have the patience of Saints to deal with the likes of me..Once again, click on her name to see her brilliant work. :)
...and Saturday morning, the day of the first shoot..we began in a diner taking random pics...and I was fortunate enough to meet this lovely woman who was not camera shy...and I began to shoot photos while Jez Coulson told me how to change my point of view...my angles...my rhythm.."keep snapping" said Jez...I snapped...Move your hands..I moved them...take that butter knife and stab yourself..."I refuse"...Jez smiled, ...he said "you have a chance at being a photographer matey" hahahaha :) ....what a beautiful woman. :) ...I kept snapping...
...and kept snapping...
..and even when new customers came in...I kept snapping..
When I traveled to a different diner...I kept snapping...
I love random subway pics...
...The King loves taking a blurry picture...which to my surprise Jez encouraged...He said "Take the Pic"...he wasn't with me, but I heard his opinion on what would make a good picture ringing in my head....I snapped....and kept snappin...thanks Jez....
...and I arrived at another diner with a new perspective...I was seeing things differently now...I like this new point of view...I thought I was already a photographer because I took pictures...how wrong I was...I snapped away...at The
Brooklyn Diner, in Manhattan :) Ironic no ??? LOL
...ordered what I always have ordered since I had my fist paper route when I was 7 years old and bought my first Vanilla Egg Cream...My favorite, and have never not ordered it in a diner. :) ..This one was , as expected... delicious...if a diner makes it, its usually delicious...order on, it comes in chocolate too, but I'm a Vanilla Egg Cream Connoisseur and this was GOOD....Damn Good :)
...Saw a Chocolate Milkshake which look pretty good too...Hey !! Remember folks this is about the focus of the plates and the depth of the photo, not the food !! hahahaha Like we can resist !!! ...Like a true NYC diner, Brooklyn Diner gives you the extra shake left in the big tin...Nice !!
...and the Chef's work frantically while I snap away for a perfect photo !
...I asked what was the most popular dish at this diner, and this is what I got....HOLY SMOKES !! ....lets not discuss all the words to describe this
Brooklyn Diner NY Hot Dog..Nuff Said !! hahahaha. :) ...I could not finish it and ate the rest later...Whoa !! Will not do that again !! Holla !!
This diner photography isn't good for my health !!
So I went to the editing session on Sunday , the last day where they pick a picture we took that is worthy... here is a brilliant shot of Universally known Jez, Amin, and renown
Steve Marshall who has the blog
photo-dialogue...Yup , THAT Steve Marshall.... oh, and the fat head looking stunned in the right bottom corner,... well that's me, The KONYH :) ...hopefully you won't delete my sorry blog after you visit these pros !! ;)
Here, Jez is telling me all the things I did right ...AND all the things I did wrong !! Which is why I look like I'm gonna barf !!! The King is being schooled !!...and the best part is I'm lovin' every minute of it, and am grateful to have such a brilliant teacher and colleagues to school me on how to take brilliant photos !! ...Wow..I'm not worthy I'm thinking to myself...sheesh, how the hell did I wind up surrounded by such talent ???!! ...oh yeah, I'm the King, of Hacks :) ...
....and a few days later I arrive at the
Chelsea Art Museum for the exhibition...and am BLOWN AWAY by my colleagues work hanging on the wall ... along with MINE hanging on the wall....Brilliant !! . :) The King's pic is the lady drinking coffee !! Brilliant !! I am in AWE !! Our pics are being displayed til the 12 th of November !! Lovin it !! Come visit !!! Now you have a reason !! Hahahah !! ...seriously you do :)
...and Here's King Edward with the "Mega" ( as Jez would say ) photo picked for the exhibition...one of the proudest moments of my New York City picture takin'taxi life... that would have never existed had I not become a NYC yellow taxi driver...or become a blogger, or have met
Jez Coulson, and had his guidance along with my colleagues to take such a brilliant photo...Amazing is an understatement..felt pretty damn good , thanks Jez and all my fellow workshop mates. :) Our work is being shown at
Chelsea Art Museum until the 12th of November, now that is MEGA !!
Here's a pic of
Amin and
Jez once again laughing at too much flash !! Haha !! Hey mates I'm gettin better !! LOL...OK...I know I'm horrible !!
....and if you find yourself walking into a diner and wondering if your pic is being taken, or if the King is driving by in the reflection of a New York City Minute, through the shadow of a diner..pause and ask yourself why you're not in it , or taking it...or if you're suddenly in the lens of a photographer who is in a Diner on the Edge of America that was taught by none other than Jez Coulson who has a
class in Chicago next month ...do yourself a favor if you're near it and sign up...well worth the money, experience, and becoming a part of the
World Photography Organisation which is second to none.
When I was a young NYC kid, a teacher had forbidden me to be creative...( and trust the King, I WAS creative !!) ...because she said it was ignorant, and my words would offend people... But in my present time, I've experienced enough of life, and have regained the soul of confidence to realize that I can have faith in a world that was almost stolen from me, only to be introduced in the present time as a spectator with a possibility, that my inner being of creativity can exist... and was awakened...in a
Diner on the edge of America....
Like many taxi drivers in New York City where the Autumn days are long and boring, I love taking pictures well into the evening... Then in the evening of a New York City moonlight, my inner being fades with memories, and sometimes those memories are like the whirlpools of time under the Hells Gate Bridge, where my Grandfather almost drowned once, but hung on...it builds a balance that creates hope...the hope of life, and perhaps a picture...that will evoke my emotion..and perhaps yours..I hope.
Maybe someday The King will be a professional photographer, and amongst my colleagues we will all exist equally...maybe... sometimes all experiences blend into one...and King Jez Coulson will guide us through it....like he did me...
New York City Diners were created by the world's immigrants and the hands of a time where an Egg Cream are not soon forgotten.... On some of these diners lie the remnants of a food riot...deep beneath the scars of New York City's appetite are the recipes, and most of the ingredients are yours....
The King is possessed by the photos and food of New York City...and the teachings of Jez Coulson... AND my colleagues... Here are their brilliant links, I encourage you all to visit every one of them... :-)
http://www.worldphoto.org/festivals-events/buy-tickets/city-project-chicago/
...and through their pictures and links there is a Yellow New York City Taxi ....and King Edward drives through it...Thanks for riding with me friends..
Peace out peeps.. :-)
