Ahron R. Foster - Photography

BAD BLOGGER!!!!

2012-01-16T18:38:00.000-08:00

New York Music Photographer Ahron R. Foster has been remiss in blogging for the past few months. That doesn't mean that I haven't been posting content. If you, or your friends, or your family, or your clients, would like to keep up with the goings on at Ahron R. Foster - Photography, there are so many ways to stay current, such as:

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Print Sales to benefit Pipeline Theatre Company

2011-09-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Pipeline Theatre Company opens the first full legnth show of their 2011-2012 season tonight, Friday, September 23rd, 2011. 'Felix & The Diligence' is written by company member Colby Day and is directed by Pipeline's Artistic Director, Daniel Johnsen. 'Felix' runs through October 8th and has pay what you can nights, discount tickets and great dark night entertainment. Find out all you need to know about the show and Pipeline at http://www.pipelinetheatre.org/ .

As some of you may know, I've embedded myself with Pipeline for their current season. I'm spending as much time as possible with the group in order to document the growth and further cohesion of this immensely talented group of young actors and their supporters.

On October 3rd, Pipeline is having an opening reception for an art show, 'Hung Up', in the lobby of The Connelly Theater where 'Felix' is being performed. I have two pieces from 'The Kaelin Project' in the show. For the duration of this show, all images from the 'The Kaelin Project' (viewable at ahronfoster.com) will be available at a special rate of $500.00, normally $1000.00, and 1/2 the proceeds will be donated to Pipeline. They are a limited edition of 15.

Also, if any patron wants to purchase pieces from the "Out Of The Gates" collection (also viewable at ahronfoster.com), they are valued at $750.00 and a limited edition of 10. I will donate 20% of any sales of these pieces to Pipeline patrons during the run of the show. One of these pieces will be in an auction on October 3rd at the Metropolitan Pavilion to benefit The George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film. This photograph will be in a collection along side images from Avedon, Mapplethorpe, Weston, and many other of the greatest photographers of the modern age.

http://auction.eastmanhouse.org/2011/catalog.pdf - Eastman House 2011 Benefit Auction Catalogue - 'Out Of The Gates' on page 47 of the catalogue

Thanks for reading.

Be well,
Ahron

"Maybe there I’ll finally find what’s real"

2011-07-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

Ollabelle's 'Neon Blue Bird' releasing August 16th, 2011

I've written about all the members of Ollabelle, as well as the band itself, but surprisingly never had an entry dedicated just to them. Mind boggling since I'm such a HUGE fan. Ollabelle is Amy Helm, Byron Isaacs, Tony Leone, Fiona McBain & Glenn Patscha.

Ollabelle is about to release their 3rd studio album entitled 'Neon Blue Bird'. The album comes out August 16th, 2011, but is available for Pre-Order now.

I first met Amy Helm as a client of my father's around 2005-2006. I had just started focussing on photographing musicians and asked Amy if I could come shoot the band. I saw them perform live once or twice and then, for the first time with a camera, went into Brooklyn Recording where they were finishing up 'Riverside Battle Songs'. It was the first time I met the rest of the band and Larry Campbell to boot. I was nervous as heck, but everyone was warm and welcoming and I soon turned into a fly on the wall. I even got to listen to a few of the finished tracks. I think I heard "Last Lullaby" & "Fall Back". Holy crud, I was sold. I love the pics I got that day(some are on ahronfoster.com in the Locations portfolio). For me, it solidified the direction my photography was taking. Unfortunately for Ollabelle, it was also the day I started stalking each and everyone one of them. I saw every show I could, shooting as much as possible and really cutting my teeth with new gear in live performance situations. I also started following other bands that Ollabelle members were friends with or sat in with. I became a fixture, whether they wanted me or not. I don't think they minded too much. I consider them all my friends and am in awe of the collection of talent that lies under the name Ollabelle.

I was so excited when Ollabelle's manager, Jake Guralnik of 2 Jakes Management,

contacted me about shooting the artwork for 'Neon Blue Bird'. They had a photo of a neon sign they wanted to reproduce as well as get some group shots for PR and the album.

'Neon Blue Bird' sounds amazing. It is a must listen to. The writing on the original work is touching, sometimes heart-breaking, and, as always, stellar. As if that weren't enough, Ollabelle has once again taken traditional material and not only revitalized it, but truly made it their own.
Ollabelle, Congratulations and thank you for another spectacular recording.

Byron, Glenn, Fiona, Amy & Tony

Can't wait for the next show. Hope to see you there. You'll be glad you came.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

"a soul can break once, but a heart can break twice"

2011-05-14T06:45:00.000-07:00

Lyric writing at it's best.

My dear friends, Alex & Janel, have a new EP, entitled "You Won't Be Alone", which releases on May 24th, 2011. The release show is at Dominion on May 21st and pre-sale tickets are recommended (at dominionny.com).

I first met Alex Brumel a few years ago at Banjo Jim's. He was performing a residency there midweek early evenings. One night, I went to visit Bill Bell, another great musician and pal o' mine, who was working there. Alex was on stage and there was nobody else in the bar. WelI, the three of us ended up in conversation, and I was going to leave before the music started, but Alex jumped in and said "I guess I might as well start". I felt that I was stuck but the moment Alex started playing, I knew I was in for a real treat. His voice, his song writing and his playing were all amazing. I gave Alex my card and told him to stay in touch. The next time I saw him was with a full band. They were playing to a sold out standing room only crowd at The Cutting Room for the release of Alex's "To Bring You Home" CD. I met his musical partner, the incredibly talented Janel Elizabeth, and their exceptional drummer and good friend (and producer), Eric Novod. The combination of Alex & Janel's voices, not to mention the lyrics and music, was gorgeous. Eric's intuitive rhythmic leadership was impressive, subtle and unobtrusive, but right on the money.

Since then, we've all spent quite a lot of time together, in and out of the studio. Lately, I've been thinking and writing about collaboration. My work with Alex & Janel and Eric has truly felt like a collective journey, not just me photographing a band or musicians individually, but fortunately friends working together to create something new and fresh, or at least entertaining and enjoyable.

I've been privileged to be involved with the "You Won't Be Alone" project almost since its inception. To be a part of the birth and growth of an album is such a pleasure for me. I get to hear songs forming, growing, coming to fruition. To be a part of the process is inspiring, especially with these three talented musicians.

In addition to this stellar trio, keyboardist Glenn Patcha and bassist Byron Isaacs (both have amazing solo projects and both are members of Ollabelle) were recruited to fill out the band for this recording. My dream band.

I am very excited for the release of "You Won't Be Alone", not only because of my involvement, but because I can't wait for people to hear these recordings. This is some of their strongest work to date.

I cannot say how much faith I have in this music.

I wish them success and anticipate this album bringing them the recognition they truly deserve. I'm so glad to call them all my friends and am honored to be a part of this project. Thanks guys. All the best.

FIND THEIR MUSIC

Thanks for reading.

Be well,
Ahron

"Trying to remember what the light was like"

2011-05-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Chris Bergson's latest release, 'Imitate The Sun', officially releases on May 10th, 2011. His last release, 'Fall Changes' was named Mojo's #1 Blues Album of 2008. His New York City CD release show is at The Bowery Electric on June 3rd, 2011 at 9:30 pm. There are a few shows prior, check out his website for details. Dave Rubin has written a great press release for this album, viewable on Chris' Bio page.

I met Chris 5 plus years ago while at an Ollabelle performance. His guitar work was, and is, spectacular. I was immediately interested in working with him. We started speaking and hanging out. I went to his band's performances and began photographing Chris live. Amazing energy and talent. The pictures almost made themselves. Chris' songwriting, singing and guitar work create a musical experience rarely found, even in this city overwhelmed with musicians. I was so drawn to working with Chris because of what he brings to the stage. We basically began a collaboration of sorts. I feel that way about most of the artists I work with, but Chris and I have definitely spent a lot of time working together. I've shot him live countless times, but we've been in the studio, mine & recording, on location and he's had me design the layouts for his last two albums. I would definitely call it a collaboration, one that I am truly honored to be a part of. The Chris Bergson Band is a powerhouse: Jay Collins on Sax and backing vocals, Tony Leone on the kit, Bruce Katz on the keys and Matt Clohesy on bass. All incredible musicians.

If you haven't heard Chris' music, do yourself a favor, go to his site now and listen. There are a bunch of images from the recording sessions there as well.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

"When you're lost in the rain..."

2011-04-07T10:56:00.000-07:00

Lost Leaders is fronted by Byron Isaacs & Peter Cole. They just had an EP release performance for their new CD 'The Perfect Lie' at Rockwood Music Hall. They rocked! Free download of "Miracle Mile" available at their website. You can also purchase the EP from their site, iTunes, CD Baby or Amazon. Enough sales talk, though you should really check these guys out.

I've been working with Byron & Peter for a couple of years. They are both sought after musicians and part of some amazing projects. They have recently focused on recording songs for 'The Perfect Lie' EP and are all ready working on the full album to follow up soon. I first met Byron as a member of Ollabelle, then continued working with him in groups like The Levon Helm Band & The Jim Keller Band. At one point, Byron told me about this other project he had been working on. I went to see them one night at Banjo Jim's and absolutely loved the music. Great rock, beautiful ballads. They were on a break for a while, kids & tours, but they brought me in at the end of last year to start creating images. The image above was one we decided to work with for the EP, a color version.

I wish these guys the best of luck and can't wait to hear the new work for the upcoming album.

Thanks for Reading.

Be well,
Ahron

"Terrible is the temptation to do good."

2011-03-14T15:31:00.000-07:00

The translation varies "to be good" or the "temptation of goodness", whatever the semantics, Pipeline is DOING good and I'm glad they gave in to temptation.

I should have sent this out sooner, but better late than never. Go see Pipeline Theatre Company's production of Brecht's "The Caucasian Chalk Circle" directed by Anya Saffir. You will be sorry if you miss it. That being said, it's only running until March 19th, 2011. Go to Pipeline's website for details. They are on facebook and twitter and have links to some stellar reviews if you need other (more detailed and articulate) recommendations.

Anya Saffir and I studied acting at The Atlantic Theater Company, as did this ensemble more recently. Anya and I, along with our classmates, formed a short lived theater company called The Annex. Pipeline reminds me of what we tried to create those many years ago. Their passion and drive, not to mention their ability, are inspiring. I'm hoping to collaborate with them in the near future.

My acting background has influenced my photography greatly. From shooting live performances to staging specific scenes, finding truth in the moment has been part of my process as an artist for decades. More specifically, Atlantic (Practical Aesthetics created by Mamet & Macy, based on Stanislavsky Meisner) teaches the actor to "live truthfully under the imaginary circumstances of the play". For me, when I create an art directed piece, or even take a portrait, I am trying to capture the truth of that moment. When it comes to music, live performance is truth itself.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

The Trapps at Joe's Pub

2011-02-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

The March/April 2011 issue of Elmore Magazine includes a review by Kay Cordtz of a live performance of The Trapps at Joe's Pub. Above is a photo of mine used for the article. Below is Kay's review.

"A band of laid back, flannel-shirted musicians from the hills of upstate New

York came down to the big city one cold Saturday night in January to show their

stuff at the prestigious Joe’s Pub. Judging by the warm response from a packed

room, they are right on track. Playing songs from their last record Cheap Seats

and previewing others from their upcoming release, the band charted the

emotional journey of singer/songwriter Sean Schenker, who in a few short years

became a dad twice over and lost his own father suddenly. Schenker’s talents

and his band’s musical skills proved a winning combination as they blazed

through intelligent, melodic songs written after Schenker’s father passed

(“Everything Good is Gone”), at his daughter Lyric’s birth (“My Lullaby”), and

toddlerhood (“Do What She’s Told”), and real time political commentary (“Bitter

Pill”), then progressed to some hopeful new themes on “Unfolds” and the lovely

“Quiet Road.” A decade of playing together showed in the cohesiveness with which

they smoothly played some complicated arrangements. Warren Gold’s slide guitar

won plenty of crowd approval, supported by John Burdick and anchored by Seth

Moutal on drums and Jason Sarubbi’s standup bass. A fine, bigtime debut."

-- Kay Cordtz

Thanks for Reading.

Be well,

Ahron

Paradise

2011-02-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

Blue Horizon Resort on Middle Caicos is literally as close to paradise as you can come in the civilized world. Run by owner Chriti Maddox, this small boutique resort is off the beaten path and secluded enough to make you feel like you are alone on a deserted island at times. That being said, Blue Horizon tends to draw nice guests and non-annoying visitors. You can be social if you want or spend an entire vacation alone. Christi is a wonderful host who takes great care of her visitors. I wouldn't call people who stay there clients or resort guests because you are treated like friends and family. Blue Horizon is planning on building a restaurant on site, but at the moment, you stock your fridge, cook, grab a beer and hit the beach. No worries. Below is a link to some photos form our last two trips there.

Link to Photos from Middle Caicos

Thanks for Reading.

Be well,

Ahron

"You say you want a revolution..."

2011-01-19T06:26:00.000-08:00

The Fab Faux are, from left to right, Rich Pagano, Will Lee, Jimmy Vivino, Frank Agnello and Jack Petruzzelli. This amazing group of musicians recently performed "The White Album" in its entirety at Terminal 5. Spectacular!

I was photographing Byron Isaacs during a recording for his upcoming album and I met Rich Pagano. We were talking for a while and....I end up shooting that Friday for the band. It was a blast. Getting to run around backstage at a show can be extremely cool if the band is great and chill, which they are so it was. They played the heck out of that album. I had been eager to see the band never having caught a performance before. Denny Laine(The Moody Blues, Wings) sat in on a few tunes and the band featured The Hogshead Horns & The Cream Tangerine Strings as well as Erin Hill & Jim Boggia. I got some great shots and sent them off to Rich and their manager, Rennie Pincus. This is what Rennie had to say about the pics, "Amazing shots. I've seen thousands and you really capture something about the guys that most others don't see...awesome." Thanks Rennie.

The band is performing "Abbey Road", and a second set of favorites, at The Wellmont Theater on March 12th. I hope to be there.

Happy ReNew Year!

2011-01-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all. 2010 ended with a great surprise. Our friends at Gigante Vaz Partners have been working with Ricoh on an innovative project. They created Times Square's first 100% solar powered billboard. There is a web cam on Ricoh's website to view it 24 hours a day. Paul Gigante and Madeline Vaz, co-founders Gigante Vaz Partners, brought me in mid-December to help create the new image on the existing billboard. They were very familiar with my portraiture and other work as a photographer. This time-sensitive project went up without a hitch and was on view by December 22nd, 2010. Millions of people in Times Square and around the world got to see this 2 story eco-friendly ad campaign. Ricoh was on hand passing out Happy reNew Year Hats to the crowd. Some of them even ended up on the heads of happy Phish concert goers in the days following. A successful end to 2010 and a great beginning for 2011.

"Do you wanna see me crawl across the floor"

2010-11-30T03:46:00.000-08:00

Last week I had an amazing opportunity thanks to Levi's Workshops. Levi's has a not-for-profit division that has been bringing free community pop-up art centers into different cities. In October, they opened a photo workshop in SoHo(18 Wooster Street) that will be open until December 18th, 2010. At this location, they offer camera lending, free printing on paper and/or cotton, Macs to edit on and two fully stocked studios to shoot in. Very Cool!

As a precursor to an upcoming project, I asked several friends and musicians to come by and have their portraits taken. I was trying to shoot as much as possible in a short span of time. Pictured here are The Mastersons, Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore. Other musicians that dropped by included Alex & Janel, Bill Bell, The Vanity Band and Chris Bergson. Friends and family popped in and my Dad shot some video which I edited into a fun little film - LINK TO FILM. It shows why I love to do what I do. I get to work with great people, who just happen to be some of the most talented people around, and have fun doing it.

LINK TO PICTURES - Here are some more of the photos from the shoot.

Thanks to everyone that stopped by and helped and thanks to everyone at Wooster Street, such a great crew.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,
Ahron

'All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand'

2010-10-19T04:47:00.000-07:00

In my former life, my teens and twenties, I was an actor, which has greatly influenced my photography. While finishing my degree at NYU, I studied at the Atlantic Theater Company. It was an amazing experience with a great group of teachers and directors, including the current Artistic Director Neil Pepe. My fellow students from those days are some of my dearest and closest friends. Some have left the business, as I have, and some have branched out and embraced other aspects of the craft. Maggie Kiley, fellow Rochesterian/New Yorker, is now living in LA with her husband Matthew Puckett (un musicien extraordinaire and maybe the first musician I photographed) and their adorable daughter, Molly Moon. Not only is Maggie acting and teaching, but she is also directing. Her latest film is a short entitled 'Some Boys Don't Leave' with Jesse Eisenberg and Eloise Mumford. It has been accepted into film festivals all over the country and has been receiving awards and accolades wherever it has screened. Maggie was in town recently for the Woodstock Film Festival. While visiting NYC, I was able to book a little time with her to catch up and spend some time in the studio. Thank you, Maggie. Always great to see you.

Thanks for Reading.

Be well,
Ahron

It's Alive!

2010-09-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Mike & Doug Starn, aka The Starn Brothers, aka The Starn Twins, are the mad scientists of photography (in the best possible way). They are changing the way we should be looking at and experiencing art.

I first found out about them a handful of years ago when my father took me to see a show at The Rubin Museum of Art. The museum was pairing himalayan art from their permanent collection with contemporary artists from around the world. One of the Starn Twins' " 'alleverythingthatisyou' 'sno' " pieces was in the show. This was a 4' or 5' print of a snowflake. Unbelievably gorgeous. I was floored.

Not too long after that, I went to the annual AIPAD (Association for International Photographic Art Dealers) show at the Park Avenue Armory. Galleries from all over the world have booths and show work by the artists they represent. The first gallery booth I walked into was HackelBury Fine Art who coincidentally rep The Starn Twins. My friend, Sandra Anton(LBI Memories), and I started talking about The Starn Twins with the gallery reps and they mentioned that they were taking people to The Starn Brothers' studio in Brooklyn the next day and would we like to go. YES! It was amazing. I got to spend 20 minutes alone with them just hearing about their work. Totally blown away. I started experimenting with different media and processing. Definitely gave me a kick in the creative pants.

Their latest work, Big Bambu, is growing and changing on the rooftop garden of The Metropolitan Museum of Art until October 31st when they will begin to dismantle it. If you can, go. You can get tickets to have a guided tour on the structure itself or you can just go to the rooftop and admire it from below. Either way, do not miss this moment in art history.

Through The Looking Glass

2010-09-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

Before the weather got really warm in NYC, when the wind felt like it was biting our ears off, I had the pleasure of taking a portrait of Philip Glass. I had a few minutes in one location, Jersey Street Alley, and a few in a second spot, Bond Street. No assistant or strobes, just guerilla shooting. This photograph was taken with available light at a high ISO.

If you've visited my blog before, you may have read about Jim Keller, a friend, spectacular musician and Philip's manager. There was a great article in The New Yorker about Jim and how he met Philip which you can read at jimkellermusic.com. After working with Jim in support of his recent "Sunshine In My Pocket", he asked me to photograph Philip for an upcoming project. We are continuing to work on it and I am extremely excited to be involved.

Thanks for Reading.

Be well,
Ahron

Kodak Memories

2010-07-23T10:51:00.000-07:00

My friends Alex & Janel just finished a tour with singer - songwriter Micah. It brought them all over the Northeast and to Rochester, my hometown. I went up to see my family and to catch a couple of their shows, which were great as always. We were able to spend a day together and I took them to the George Eastman House. The founding father of Kodak had a wonderful mansion that is now The International Museum of Photography and Film. We toured the house and the exhibits and came across a collection of vintage Kodak cameras. I have a small collection myself and we threw around the idea of trying to shoot with them.

Back in NYC, pulling out bins from storage, I decided to begin this journey with a Kodak No.2 Folding Autographic Brownie. This was one of the small bellowed types not the boxes. They take standard 120 film. I shot two rolls. one color and one b&w. I got the film developed and they negatives looked ok. Before I scanned the negs properly, which came out more sharp than the image above, I took a pic of the negative with my iPhone, emailed it to myself and processed it in Photoshop. It looks great. Can't wait to do more. By the way, this is a photograph of Alex Brumel in front of Banjo Jim's getting ready for his final performance as part of the line up of the Hearts on Fire Tour that brought them to Rochester.

Thanks for Reading.

Be well,

Ahron

Jazz Mafia HIts NYC

2010-06-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Friday Night, June 25th, 2010

Le Poisson Rouge, NYC

Adam Theis and Jazz Mafia performed 'Brass, Bows & Beats' for the first time in New York City, and with a 40 some odd piece orchestra. Fantastic! They just came East after playing the Playboy Jazz festival and after the gig in NY almost immediately bussed north the Montreal Jazz festival. They are also scheduled to play the Newport Jazz Festival.

Here is a little background on the group courtesy of Wikipedia.

" The Jazz Mafia is an American musical collective, based in the Mission District of San Francisco, California, that writes, plays, and arranges music in various jazz, electronica, soul, funk, big band, orchestral-crossover and hip-hop genres. Its founder and leader, trombonist and bass guitarist Adam Theis, participates in at least ten member bands, including Realistic Orchestra, Shotgun Wedding Quintet, Shotgun Wedding Hip-Hop Symphony, Jazz Mafia Horns, Supertaster, and The Joe Bagale Band.

^{In 2008 Theis was commissioned by SFJAZZ (a local jazz organization), under a grant from the Wallace Alexander Gerbode and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundations, to write a symphonic work that would be accessible to a diverse audience. The result, Brass, Bows, and Beats, is an hour-long piece for large brass band, string section, orchestra, turntablist, singers, rappers, and keyboardist.}

^{The premier, featuring a 60-piece orchestra at San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, was sold out and received "ecstatic" reviews. The success of the first performance encouraged the group to continue performing, including 3 sold out performances in August, 2009 at Yoshi's, a large San Francisco Jazz club."}

Thanks For Reading.

Be well,

Ahron

Southern Exposure

2010-06-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

I recently headed down to Gettysburg, PA with my father-in-law, Ron Aven. He is a civil war buff and Nikon shooter. He has been experimenting with HDR and he peaked my interest in trying it out myself.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) images have a larger dynamic range of luminances (a measurement of light passing through or coming from different areas in an image) between the brightest and darkest areas of a photograph. Basically, creating an image that is, in this case, well lit throughout every part of the picture. By shooting several frames of the same image at different exposures, you get the best exposure for each area of the image. Many softwares have HDR compression/conversion capabilities that merge the x amout of images together into one dramatic portrait. This is also known as LDR or SDR (Low or Standard).

Head spinning from tech talk. Ron not only influenced my work on this trip with his dabbling in new techniques, he also gave me the grand tour of the battlefield. Not knowing the specifics of this battle, it was an extremely informative visit.

This image is a view of the battlefield from Little Round Top. The Confederate Army unsuccessfully attempted to flank Union troops on the second day of battle at this site.

Great trip. Great company. Great pictures. I had a blast. Thanks Ron.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

Up On The Roof

2009-08-16T17:28:00.001-07:00

How does an image happen? As I've joked many times, I'm just the monkey that pushes the button. Sometimes it is just luck or being at the right place at the right moment. For highly art directed shoots, it's a little different.

Ideas for shoots sometimes happen long before they are created and sometimes they happen because of a collaboration. A lot of times I'll have a basic concept for a shoot and then I'll find a musician or group that is a perfect fit for that idea. Meeting musicians or hearing their music will spark an idea for a project as well.

I met Alex Brumel at Banjo Jim's several months ago playing a solo acoustic set. I was there to see my friend Bill Bell and was heading out. Alex started to play and I ended up staying to hear his set. I loved his music and offered to shoot his "To Bring You Home" CD release at The Cutting Room. I met his partner in crime, Janel Elizabeth, for the first time that evening, as the rest of their full band. I found out that Alex and Janel were now a duet and had an album, "The Millstone", they recorded together coming out at the same time. Now performing as Alex Brumel and Janel Elizabeth, I began shooting them live and then we moved into the studio and did some outdoor location work. We developed a good rapport (now, a friendship) and they were very comfortable with me shooting them.

For a couple of years I've been aching to shoot an urban picnic. The juxtaposition of city skyline, a filthy rooftop and a touch of old timey recreation. This pair of young singer/songwriters were perfect for the concept and were excited when I proposed the shoot to them. The rainy month or July 2009 had us rescheduling 3 times. Finally blue sky, white clouds and several trips to the roof later. We got it. Check out ahronfoster.com for more shots of Alex & Janel.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

This Wheel Is Burning Rubber

2009-08-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

I have had the pleasure and honor of working with some amazing musicians over the past few years. One of my favorite experiences has been to work with the incredible Levon Helm. I met his daughter, Amy, a few years back and became friends with she and her now husband Jay Collins (hell of a sax and frontman). I started shooting for Ollabelle, the quintet Amy belongs to, ended up shooting and still shooting all the time for them. One day, out of the blue, Amy called and asked me to come up to Woodstock to shoot for 'Dirt Farmer'. The rest is Grammy history. Most of my friends and fans are familiar with that story and those pictures (see ahronfoster.com). Levon's new album, 'Electric Dirt' just came out on June 30th and is getting rave reviews. The tour to support the album is being hailed as amazing as well. You can see some of my photos from 'Electric Dirt' at ahronfoster.com, or you can always purchase a CD. Also, Rolling Stone featured a portrait of Levon and Amy that I shot in Woodstock in the August 6th, 2009 Issue #1084.

Thank for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

Something up my sleeve.

2009-08-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I met Jim Keller, formerly of Tommy Tutone, through Ollabelle's Glenn Patscha and Byron Isaacs. Jim is a great guitarist, songwriter, singer and the list continues. I photographed him one evening at Banjo Jim's and he liked what I sent to him. He asked me to shoot a few images for the interior of his new album. We shot live and in a rehearsal studio, played around a little after a gig. He ended up using a handful of shots for the booklet of his new CD. 'Sunshine In My Pocket' is just about to release and it is definitely worth getting a copy of. Keep an eye out for Jim in the East Village. He lands at Lakeside Lounge some evenings. An intimate venue to see your favorites up close, which Jim will end up being one of.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron

"My God, It's Full Of Stars"

2009-06-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

For my first post, I've chosen to write about a project I shot last August. My friend, collaborator and ubermuse Glenn Patscha was finishing his now released "Songs From The Jefferson Highway". When I first heard the album, I was inspired beyond words. I had and have so many visions of images that I wanted to create based on Glenn's beautiful music.

The track "Interplanetary Salvation Army Band" was of great interest to me after hearing Glenn discuss his childhood and the origins for the song before a performance one evening at Banjo Jim's. I wouldn't dare to paraphrase Glenn's story, but as you can tell from the title of the song he has an amazing imagination.

His imagination fueled mine and we ended up having a great shoot one afternoon in my studio. I had been shooting Ollabelle for a few years. Ollabelle is a band that Glenn is in with Amy Helm, Byron Isaacs, Tony Leone and Fiona McBain. I had shot the group live and in the recording studio, but had yet to get them in my studio. Glenn and I, and the rest of the band, got to know each other over the years and were pretty comfortable. I could basically photograph them in any situation and be a fly on the wall.

When Glenn arrived at the studio, I had a 9' black seamless hung with christmas lights strewn across it. On the table by the door was a large glass bowl. I wasn't sure how Glenn would react when he saw what I had set up. Luckily, he was excited about my ideas and willing to take a dive into the crazy world I had in my head. I described that I wanted to capture him as a spaceman. Images of 60's sci fi guided how I art directed it. We shot for a couple of hours then broke for lunch. Glenn took me to a cool little italian joint in the neighborhood. We came back and shot some clean press shots for publicity. A successful day in the studio.

After a handful of days of post, Glenn and I were extremely happy with the final outcome of the days labor. Six weeks later, one of the images was hanging in a gallery. The American Society of Media Photographers had chosen it to be part of there ASMPNY Close Up 08 collection.

Glenn and I plan to continue this project in support of his new album. I am extremly excited to see what we come up with next.

Shoot what you feel, if that makes any sense. What ever drives you is what usually works. At least that's what I've experienced.

Thanks for reading.

Be well,

Ahron