Gail Albert Halaban knocked off her first two Staten Island shoots for her project Out My Window which I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. Assisted by Georgi Richardson, the first task was to frame up Herb Maltz in his Tompkins Circle kitchen with a view looking out into the Hudson Harbor. Herb’s house this day felt very Floridian—the humidity on a 95 degree day, the light oak floors and teakwood furnishings, the airiness—all very seventies-like, gulf-side, naturally.
Using her Canham 4×5 view camera with tripod, Gail works patiently and deliberately. To fill in extra interior light, she used a single strobe bounced from the white ceiling. Herb sipped his red wine while Gail suggested a few different spots near the kitchen table. She shot at least a half dozen Polaroids which looked fantastic—very subtle lighting simulating dusk to a point. Herb framed from waist up, sat peacefully at his table with the harbor in view.
While I made a few documents of the day with my simple Nikon DSLR I thought about the various approaches to making images with different gear. Was my run and gun approach to covering the day any less valid than Gail’s methodical system of image-making? She and I were looking to capture two very different things. I was basically documenting her effort. By using large format, Gail assumed the weight of technical precision which must slow down the photographer. The results are well worth it. But could I potentially capture something important with my method and style? There’s meaning in both efforts. All of the resulting picks say something.
Georgi Richardson (left) looks over a Polaroid with Gail Albert Halaban while Herb Maltz sits at his table.
Herb Maltz sings a classic tune at his kitchen table.
Next shoot…Joe Scaravella, Herb’s next door neighbor. Gail and Georgi set up in Herb’s third floor screened-in deck. More intense heat and humidity. Gail shot down onto Joe’s back deck. I sat opposite Joe—two Italians using a lot of hands—something I think the photographer didn’t mind while we enjoyed an Italian beer on a hot June day.
Joe Scaravella sits outside at his backyard table.
Vinnie Pompa is a good man. His life is defined by relationships which exceed fifty-year commitments to family and community. His wife Marie passed away just a few weeks ago; the wake on Staten Island, was one of the most well-attended services I’ve been to.
In the yard behind his one-level brick house in Mariners Harbor, Vinnie manicures a well-spread garden of flowers and vegetables. It’s deceivingly sparse with an abundant variety. He has a longstanding connection to a nursery which lets him grow and pick the greens of his choice to replant at home.
Among the lettuces, the arugula, clean and tender from a night of fresh rain, is a mouthful of flavor. It’s peppery hot and spiced. I’ve never tasted arugula like that before.
I’ll have to stop by again and get a more detailed sampling of those garden delights.
All images made with the Polaroid Spectra Pro.
