Looked like one those familiar adventures yesterday in NY. Had a shoot setup, with my bud, RC Concepcion. It was raining, all day. Go or not go? For a magazine assignment, no question. Just go. But a self assignment? Hey, I could have another latte and do some more computer work. Or watch the new Robin Hood movie for the eighth or ninth time. I could stay here and look out the window, or some other equally necessary and demanding task.
Or, I could hoist the backpack, and once again, trudge through the weather with an anvil on my back, and a tripod in my hand. Met RC, who is this wonderful font of shooting enthusiasm, and off we went. Had made arrangements via a dear friend, who has friendly neighbors who have that rarest of NY things–a view.
We saw some blue sky walking over, and our spirits rose. Then we went inside an elevator, and like some beam machine from Star Trek, it transported us to another world. We were all of a sudden up and out on a misty deck–and in the heaviest rain of the day. We stood there, getting soaked. Went inside and started dripping on towels, shoulders slumped, about to have the “What bar do you want to go to dude?” conversation when RC’s eyes went saucer like, and he shouted, “Get the cameras!”
Outside, the skies had cleared, and it was like one of those fellas from Greek mythology just threw a multi-hued javelin right into the park. I think that’s about 83rd St., right in the middle of the Great Lawn. That’s NY, right? Just when you think you got a one way ticket to Pismo Beach, you turn around and you’re in Fat City. (The opposite happens much more frequently.) Never seen a rainbow like this in the park, but that’s mostly ’cause I ain’t ever had a view like this before. In my second apartment in NY, I could see the park from my fire escape if I taped a mirror to a broom handle and ran it out a few feet.
Fall in NY also means it’s time for PPE at the Javits Center. If you see me walking around, talking to myself like a crazy street person who somehow got a speaker’s credential, interrupt me and say hi. Or come to my class this am, starts at 8:45.
Did I say walking around? Make that limping. Went to the chiropractor yesterday. He scanned my feet. See the ones on the right? Those are optimal feet, like, ones that have an arch. The ones on the left are mine. He was shocked. He said, “You have really flat feet!” I guess in chiropractic school there’s a course called “Stating the Obvious 302.”
I’ve been carrying lots of gear on the equivalent of pancakes for 35 years. My body’s basically a train wreck with legs. I’m Irish Catholic, so I readily accept that fact that if something doesn’t hurt, I should check my pulse.
PPE ALERT!
Hey, at PPE, got this thing going. I’m going to BE winging my way by the Adorama booth, where there will be a stash of autographed copies of my new LIFE book. I’ll be tweeting things like, “I”ll be at THE Adorama Booth from 3:15 till 3:30. First one to come up to me in the booth and say some nutty phrase that will be in the tweet gets a book. No hi’s, or how are ya’s. Just walk up and say the phrase, which will be something incredibly stupid I’ll dream up like, “Group A, Channel One,” or, “Ansel Adams used a point and shoot.” Just the phrase. Get a book. I’ll be doing it all 3 days, and will have short times I’ll be at the booth. Got like, 40 books. Hope to give ’em all away. Stay tuned to the twitter alerts!
Welcome to NY everybody….more tk….
How bout’ Kabobs?
Nice shot of the park with the rainbow Joe! Hey, did you notice that it’s actually a double rainbow? The second is very faint but to the left of the brighter one. Also, my wife got me your Hot Shoes Diary book for my birthday this past weekend. Loving it so far!
-Joe
Hey Joe,
Thanks for the chuckle this afternoon. Hey, how come you got in the water last week, but not in Iceland? A camera in a different place…..
Jay
Swimming across the Atlantic now!
double rainbow – what does this mean? 🙂
and yeah, you have really flat feet Joe 😐
if you have any left over books, i’ll take one.
sorry about your dogs. i’m anxiously awaiting my orthotics.
I’m with ya on the flat feet, Joe. I’m 32 and have been going to chiropracters for about 10 years…BEFORE I started lugging photography gear!
Oh, by the way, that’s one of the greatest rainbow shots I’ve ever seen!
Hmm. Might have been the 40lb+ camera bags for 30 years that DID that to your feet! Didn’t have that kind of scan in the 70s, did they? And would it have occurred to you to get one done? Ah the things we do for our art! Think about your ballerina with her jacked-up feet.
Actually Pismo Beach (California) is a GREAT place to shoot! Right on the central coast. I believe Vic Braden used to mock the place as well, saying “Ya wanna be tennis champ of Pismo Beach? Then play my way”. And the truth is, being California, there are many superb players there.
RE: De agony of de feet: The Dr. School “custom” orthotics helped me a lot. Worth $45 to try them.
Best,
Chris
Guess that is a…. double rainbow 😀
Hey Joe, at first glance, I thought that you stole a picture of my feet! Your scan looks like the wet “pawprints” that I leave poolside. Good peasant stock, I always say.
Here’s to comfy shoes!
You have turned into the most incredible landscape photographer as this gorgeous photo along with photos in your new book demonstrate! And why are we not surprised?
Dorothy Lives! Over the Central Park Rainbow. Gorgeous!
DOUBLE RAINBOW OH MY GOD
Come on, your feet can’t really be that flat. But it is a pretty convincing Photoshop job. Something else you’re getting better at. Funny post as usual. See you in NYC.
Never again will I be able to see a double rainbow, or any rainbow for that matter, without thinking about that nutjob of a video. Whoa! Double rainbow! What does it mean?
Love the shot and man what a view!
Man, I was not there to say Flux Capacitor…maybe next time eh?
I hate you Joe. I was in Union Square when I saw that rainbow, and I’d have killed for a view like this. You are one lucky sonofa…
Nice set of wheels you got there, Joe, ‘cept you gotta couple flats. Get some ‘run flat’ shoes.
Great job on the exposure for rainbow shot. Not easy.
I was born with Tibial Torsion. One of, if not my first, childhood memories is waking up in the middle of the night with a Denis Browne bar strapped to my feet. Screaming in agonizing pain it was reminiscent of some Halloween type horror movie. Tibial Torsion is cause when one is too big for the womb (Dam I feel bad for my mom)… and not so surprisingly I have grown even bigger since. I am constantly worried that I’ll be walking around one day and pull a Joe Theismann under my own weight. As a result of my height and misshaped form, since puberty, I have had orthopedic inserts in my shoes.
Finally after 15 years my first set of inserts wore out. I decided… I don’t need these anymore. Big mistake. Within a month I had herniated disc, or two, and needed a few 12 inch needle steroid injections in my back. I got new orthopedic inserts very soon afterwards but my back has never been the same. Oh well… I just take it easy now, and don’t do any crazy lifting etc.
Well, maybe your feet can be that flat – but do not fall for the beaucoup $$$ othotics that the orthopods want you to buy. Just high yourself to the drug store for some Dr Scholl’s inserts — or to the local sports store for the “custom” inserts that you put in your oven — or to a shop or online retailer that sells Earth shoes (remember them — you’re almost old enough!!).
Lots of reasonable options…..
BTW – very cool rainbow shot (thank RC for keeping an eye out).
That is an amazing shot of Central Park. Nice double rainbow.
Will be there tomorrow (Sat). Hope to see you and possible snag a copy of your book. I loved the other ones. Keep up the good work with the blog. I relish your language. I wish I could work with you and listen to the wise words daily! Thanks for all the education.
What I wouldn’t give to be in New York!
What an amazing rainbow…and over Central park, no
less-gorgeous shot!! And thanks for morning chuckles-funny stuff 🙂
If you stare long enough at the image of Joe’s right foot, you can see the face of the Burger King.
Sorry to hear you are in bits Joe..You never stop to make me laugh “I’m Irish Catholic, so I readily accept that fact that if something doesn’t hurt, I should check my pulse”.
As a paddy myself you crack me up every time you mention the Irish connection..
: )
Just remember those feet have seen amazing things that some of us would only dream about!
Keep up the great work!
Wow Joe. I am insanely jealous. I was just in Quebec and we probably missed the best of the leaves by two weeks and when I got home here in Calgary I found it to be brown and dull.
To get those fall colors AND a double rainbow? Wow.
Looking forward to your workshop here in Calgary by the way. (Two weeks! I am so excited!)
How high did that elevator go?! Looks like you got a photo of the pearly gates!
Reading your LIFE book right now. There’s a wealth of good advice in there. I really appreciate the work you put into this and other aspects of your career.
Beautiful shot Joe! Looks like a nicely done HDR composite, though I’d be excited to hear if you did it more “naturally”.
Hey Joe!
Really enjoyed the Location Lighting class today in Atlanta! Winning the On-1 plug in suite during the lunch break was just icing on the cake for me(such a surprise!) Really hyped about using what I learned. Gonna see if I can find friends people that need headshots done…. thanks again for coming to town!
Now that’s some crazy looking feet.
“In my second apartment in NY, I could see the park from my fire escape if I taped a mirror to a broom handle and ran it out a few feet.”
Hehheheh!