When award winning Irish director Niall McKay approached me to work as his Director of Photography on a spot for the annual San Francisco Irish Film Festival I listened carefully as he laid out the idea. Think Ireland maybe 40 years ago. The Pope and JFK. A man of the cloth in bed. With a woman. A dog hanging out. Delicatessen type mood. I couldn’t refuse.
We shot at a location outside San Francisco, an old hotel which is rumored was an old brothel back in 1880’s. Bats nested in the awnings and the mirrors were an oxidized black. I couldn’t get Pyscho out of my head. You could film the perfect horror there or if you were otherwise inclined, get married there. Almost similar, depending who you talk to. Or if you’re like us you could film something a little naughty.
Definitely a fun creative project to work on with a great director who I hope to work with again in the future. My thanks to everyone involved.
The June issue of San Francisco Magazine features a shoot I did with Duggan McDonnell, co founder of Cantina one of the city’s most popular cocktail havens. This was a great shoot, my first with Alejandro Chavetta, San Francisco magazine’s Art Director. McDonnell was an easy subject arriving full of Californian enthusiasm and ready to show off his new Pisco (a peruvian liquor) which will be in stores this month. We shot at Cask a high end liquor store in downtown San Francisco, a veritable candy store for the liquor connoisseur. We also shot in the Tenderloin district where McDonnell’s favorite old school liquor sign could be found. A taste test of Encanto was included and proved popular with the Irish photographer. McDonnell’s new Pisco Campo de Encanto will be in stores this month.
Thanks to Ceri Garfield for photo assistance on this shoot.
‘Economica, Women and the Global Economy’ is a project run by the San Francisco based International Museum of Women(IMOW). The Picturing Power and Potential exhibition is the latest special project of Economica celebrating women as economic participants and agents of change. IMOV has teamed up with the San Francisco Arts Commission gallery to present an exhibition of work from 20 international artists that were chosen from 150 around the world. Jurors included Catherine King (IMOW), Jasmina Bojic (United Nations Association Film Festival), Linda Connor (Artist/Curator/Educator) and Meg Shiffler (SFAC Gallery). The exhibition opens on June 15th at San Francisco City Hall and will coincide with an online presentation of the work in the extensive ongoing Economica exhibit at the IMOV website. Out of 8 portraits of women from North Richmond that I selected from my Richmond v Chevron project 5 were chosen. I am honored to present these incredible people in this way.
So if you’re in San Francisco come along to the opening of what has been described by SFAC gallery director Meg Shiffler as ‘one of the most diverse and stunning photo exhibitions ever created for City Hall’. It opens June 15th with a reception from 5.30 till 7.30 on the ground floor of City Hall and runs until August 27th 2010. City Hall is located at 1 Dr Carlton B. Goodlett Place in the Civic Center of downtown San Francisco. You can take the BART or MUNI directly to Civic Center or buses # 47, 49, 31, 21, and 5 all run close. Biking also encouraged.
The International Museum of Women will launch the online exhibition on June 15th also to coincide with the physical exhibition at City Hall. You’ll be able to follow it here.
