10 Favorite Photographers

1. Henri Cartier-Bresson


2. Alex Webb


3. Steve Mccurry


4. Antanas Sutkus


5. James Nachtwey


6. Anton Corbijn


7. William Eggleston


8. Terry Richardson


9. Nobuyoshi Araki


10. David Bailey

Rumble in the Jungle

My response to recent attacks against jungle guide and naturalist Richard Fowler and herbalist Alan Shoemaker who live and work in Iquitos, Peru. Someone waging a very primitive and dirty campaign against them.

At Jungle camp.

I have spent 2 weeks in 2004 with Richard in Jungle. I would do it again in a blink of eye. It’s actually only guide in Peru I would trust. This is very competitive trade, somebody trying to smear his reputation and ruin his business. To get an idea what Richard have to offer, one should read book “Trail of Feathers” by Tahir Shah. Author put dedication on the first page: “To Richard for keeping his promises”. This was after first trip with Richard. Bigger and more interesting part in the book was about Richard. If no Richard book would be weak. Tahir paid peanuts for the boat and Richard’s service. Second trip with film crew went sour because they refused pay what promised. Tahir is good writer, but he is a real blue blooded prince. As we all know, princes are spoiled and like to boss around. Rich people always feel that they entitled to service without paying. I’m on the Richard’s side on this. I found Richard after reading this book, so far it was the best trip I ever had.

Richard with his friend Ramon - tribal leader, shaman and healer. Richard proudly displaying skin of previously unknown Giant Jungle Bat he just discovered.

You should be realistic with your expectations, Amazon expedition is nothing like trip to local zoo or park, and you will be dealing with seasoned Vietnam veteran. He is not a summer camp boy scout leader. He is real human being. And some of them likes to drink beer, tell stories and entertain the way they know. I slept like baby in the jungle just because Richard was around. Richard HIGHLY RESPECTED PERSON in remote villages and he works with the BEST and HONEST people. He is welcome guest to any house.


Richard with local Jungle guides Fernando and Meyaer.

Our expedition waiting for the boat.

I met Alan Shoemaker as well, very nice guy who works in Shamanic/spiritual tourism field. Intelligent, helpful and honest person. His house is wide open for everyone. He will help and advice. Just because Alan & Richard and their charming spouses I would like to visit Iquitos again.
In a whole story just follow the money trail. Not too many tourists in Iquitos, but a lot scoundrels after their money. For them its easy money. A lot lodges build around which sell prepackaged tours. Shamanic rituals for thousands of $$$! Just walk in the street in Iquitos, dozens self appointed guides ready to take you for the ride. It’s easy to spread rumors about competitors and harm their business. “They are foreigners strange, alien, not like us. They have all the money anyway, they taking our jobs” Sounds familiar? “I’m good, they are bad. Give me $100.00!”

Richard making American style popcorn for children.


To Gringos. This is A JUNGLE, my friend. THIS IS SOUTH AMERICA. Not a picket fenced community with $ 5.00 morning coffee and 401k plan. Have you noticed that a lot of people even has no shoes here? Have you seen mangy dogs dragging their spilled guts on the street? Do you know that a lot of children not live to reach their fifth birthday. The ones ho live are infected with parasites and lice.
Do you know that porters who cary you bags abandoned their little gardens and hunting just to please you and earn a couple bucks, while their families waiting hungry. You leave generous tip in sushi bar at home, but here you don’t feel like doing it. Do you know how difficult life for ex-pats here? Try to live here. How long you will last. You came back in one piece and be thankful. Next time go to Disneyland or Las Vegas, Basta!


P.S.: Anyone considering to hire Richard as a jungle guide, please bring him a bunch of Punch Maduro cigars. He likes to smoke more than anything. Not a crack, cigars.

Iceman Breaks the Ice

Stopped by to take a look at the attempt to break Guinness World Record of sitting in ice. Tantric master Wim (Iceman) Hof was submerged in 1,550 pounds of ice outside Rubin Museum of Art on West 17th street. He managed to remain in it for 71 minutes and improved his own record. Very impressive, ice cold baths for more than 20 minutes would be lethal for untrained person. He was quite happy to get out of pile of ice cubes, looked good and healthy. Just like out of sauna.

SWEET!

Most advertising in US is boring and predictable. In rare cases ad hits right strings. Like recent JOE'S Jeans campaign.

Dell at the Apple store

I have spotted Dell store guys checking some videos at the Apple store.
They were totally sucked in.

Total Bizoo

Just coined a new word. Bizoo [ bĭzōō] - an overcrowded place, activity, or group of spaced out individuals.
From "busy", "bizarre" and "zoo".

Cement Garden

I wanted to visit cement garden Las Pozas near Xilitla, Mexico for a long time and finally did. Created by English millionaire Edward James and built by Mexican engineer and architect Plutarcho Gastelun over 20 years period. Reinforced concrete surreal structures scattered around in the jungle, web of stairs leading nowhere, waterfall and lush tropical vegetation forms Alice in Wonderland like magic ambiance. It felt like like I'm lost in someone's dream.

Quote

Technology today is better than you think, but not as good as you would expect.
C.P. & R.A.

Abel's Go Go Tales

I just walked in to the Apple Store Soho other day and it happen that Abel Ferrara was presenting his new movie Go Go Tales and talking about technology. New Yorker to his bones, Abel directed the best films about this city: King of New York and Bad Lieutenant. The Man is real dynamo with the great sense of humor, fun to listen and watch him bouncing on the stage. Even in NY I don't see many characters like him. He even looks a bit out of place these days.
Abel Ferrara working on documentary about Chelsea Hotel, which is about to be transformed to another luxury condo.

CONTROL

Anton Corbijn's movie CONTROL about Ian Curtis career as lead of Joy Division is one of rare cases of passionate filmmaking, when people put out their best to produce work of art. Actors performances real, sets well lived in. It revoked familiar late 70's feel, sometimes I felt like I'm in the movie myself, hanging out in the bar or backstage. Simple black & white cinematography lets story unfold itself without technical or visual trickery. Anton, who is known for superb music photography, probably consciously avoided more stylized look of his music videos. This not a rock movie. This a movie about sensitive troubled soul trapped in the bleak reality.

Metallic Chameleons of New York

My photo show of NYC dumpsters, Metallic Chameleons of New York on view until October 14, 2007 at Museum of Photography in Siauliai (Lithuania).

WERNER HERZOG on HENRY ROLLINS SHOW

Say "Cheeese"

Recently I took my friend's Arunas family portrait. I fired camera with flash unexpected and got sour look instead of proper smiling faces. I like them this way. I always told: Be aware of super nice people who hide real self behind the ever present grin of Cheshire Cat.
"Too much courtesy is proof of a false education", Antoni Gaudi said once.

Bacalhau La Torre de l'Espanyol

Bacalhau with tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and saffron rice.
Recipe I came up while I was cooking for my friends in Catalonia.
Inspired by available local ingredients.
Amount of ingredients depends on number of servings.
Soak Bacalhou ( salted cod ) for 48 hours in cold water. Change water every 8 hours.
Slightly pan fry thick eggplant slices in olive oil, then rub them with fresh garlic.
Put cod in a pot with the hot water for a couple minutes. This will take another part of remaining salt and will lightly precook fish.
Layer baking or roasting pan ( cast iron or ceramic will do the best ) with slices of fresh zucchini, fried eggplant, and fresh tomato. Zucchini on the bottom, tomato on the top.
Put serving size pieces of fish on the top. Bake it 350 F temperature for about 20 minutes, until fish is cooked.
Serve it on saffron rice. As sauce use red bell pepper minced in food processor with a little olive oil and fresh parsley olive oil ( just blend herbs and oil in food processor ). I was using black olive tapenade too, but while it adds flavor it clashes with saltines of fish. No matter how long you will soak Bacalhau, it will be salty. Be sure do not use extra salt while cooking,

100 Most Endangered Sites

The sad fact that monuments of human culture are lost at accelerating pace. Natural disasters, wars, neglect, mindless land development, urbanization and plain human ignorance and stupidity forms unstoppable wiping force. World Monument Watch released 100 Most Endangered Sites list of better known iconic places and objects, but what about millions of others. I doubt if anything can be done to stop destruction process. This is just "Vox clamantis in deserto".

15 books that left lasting impression

1. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

2. Hopscotch by Julio Cortazar

3. The Magus by John Fowles

4. The Story of My Life by Giacomo Casanova

5. Gargantua and Pantagruel by Francois Rabelais

6. On the Road by Jack Kerouac

7. Slaughterhouse-Five & Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

8. Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges
9. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
10. Trail of Feathers: In Search of the Birdmen of Peru by Tahir Shah

11. Fairy Tales by H.C. Andersen

12. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

13. The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolf Erich Raspe
14. The Manuscript Found in Saragossa by Jan Potocki
15. The Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie

10 movies that left lasting impression

1. Apocalypse Now (1979). Dir. Francis Ford Coppola

2. Blade Runner (1982). Dir. Ridley Scott

3. Blow Up (1966). Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni

4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). Dir. Terry Gilliam

5. Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes (1972). Dir. Werner Herzog

6. Fitzcarraldo (1982). Dir. Werner Herzog

7. Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma (1975). Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini

8. Diva (1981). Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix

9. The Sheltering Sky (1990). Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci

10. Easy Rider (1969). Dir. Dennis Hopper