What is the Eye?

My favorite Photo Blog with-out doubt is  “L’OEil de la Photographie” translated “The Eye of Photography”. The brainchild of Jean-Jacques Naudet the former editor-in-chief of the French PHOTO and editor-at-large of AMERICAN PHOTO.

Imagine my pride to be a featured photographer in the edition of Wednesday 07 January 2015 

see post here

What is the Eye?

The Eye of Photography is the ultimate digital magazine where everything about photography is published daily, highlighted, discussed and archived for all professionals and amateurs to see... for free. Whether you are working in this industry as a buyer or a collector, in a festival or a gallery, as a professional or simply an amateur enthusiast of photography, The Eye was made for you. The Eye informs you of the latest trends, record breaking auctions, breaking news, reveals a long awaited book publication, shares the discovery of up and coming stars, allows you to read in depth interviews and offers all you need to know about the next must see exhibition whether you live in New York, Paris, London, Berlin, Tokyo or Shanghai.

The Eye was born from the realization that no site on the web today regroups events, news and updates of the photography world all in one place. We believe that at a time when 1 billion people communicate through images using Facebook, Instagram, Flicker and other social media sites, it is time for Photography to have a place where all its forms, colors and trends can be expressed, visualized and archived.

Translated every day in English, French, and now Chinese, The Eye wants to be the indispensable search tool for all the who’s-who and what’s-what in photography, as well as a place of inspiration for all amateurs and photography lovers. It has already become the most trusted and recognized web based photography magazine read by all professionals around the globe.

The goal of The Eye is to be the ultimate reference guide for the millions of people who everyday visit a museum, a gallery, buy a photographic book or a print or need information on anything regarding the photographic world.

Scarpati on Etsy

Most top music photographers tend to shy away from the public eye, and Scarpati is no exception. Over the three decades that he’s been creating iconic images for everyone from Jane’s Addiction to Kenny Rogers, he has only granted a handful of interviews.

So it’s especially interesting to see Scarpati finally stepping out of the shadows and becoming more visible online via his personal Etsy shop.

Scarpati’s lens has chronicled a staggering range of rock, metal and punk acts including Poison, Circle Jerks, Social Distortion and Rush. His work has been cited by the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, PDN, and more. His photos of the band Fishbone are in the Smithsonian Institute’s permanent collection. He’s been called the house photographer of the Sunset Strip.

Now he’s offering unprecedented access to museum-quality art prints of select images, along with lovingly restored movie lights from Hollywood’s golden age.

To describe this shop as one-of-a-kind would be an understatement.

Looking through the prints available, it’s clear this project is a labor of love. Large-format archival prints, and museum-quality canvas, elevate the works to a level rarely seen in the genre. Clearly, the intent was to make each one a true statement piece.

And the movie lights? Apparently even a jet-setting photographer needs a hobby. Scarpati has taken to scouring old Hollywood studio supply warehouses in search of restoration-worthy examples. He tends to favor lights by famed makers like Bardwell & McAlister and Mole Richardson. Made between the 1920s and 1940’s, each is a one-of-a-kind original, complete with vintage stand or tripod. They exude the sort of patina that can’t be matched by cheaply mass-produced repros. Yet ironically, the lights in his Etsy shop actually cost less than the replicas available in upscale malls.

How did all of this come together?

As the photographer himself explains, he wanted to be a painter. He wanted to be a rock star. He ended up being neither – and both. Scarpati, whose images have become some of the most enduring icons of metal, rock and punk, was raised in New Jersey, came of age in San Diego, gained notoriety in Los Angeles, and now calls Nashville home.

Success often comes in waves, and clearly the surf’s up for this beach-loving lens junkie. He’s shot epic album covers for country megadiva Lee Ann Womack, as well as the pinker-than-pink packaging adorning the New York Dolls’ critically-acclaimed comeback album. Apple even chose the Dolls cover to feature in an ad campaign promoting hot new iPod colors.

Then there was that call from a little place back east known as the Smithsonian. As a result, a series of images culled from Scarpati’s first shoot with the band Fishbone is now part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (to be completed in 2015).

The TV blockbuster Nashville recently used large-format prints from Scarpati’s Eyes Wide Open compilation to adorn the walls of a recording studio set.

Scarpati’s name was again thrust into the limelight recently when renegade indie record label captain and obsessive art collector John Edward Mermis, a.k.a. Long Gone John, acquired a large-format silkscreen of a classic 1984 Scarpati photograph as his birthday present to himself.

Mermis has amassed a collection of art and pop ephemera rumored to be worth in the millions. His label, Sympathy for the Record Industry, has released recordings by hundreds of bands from all over the world. These include early efforts by the White Stripes, Courtney Love and Redd Kross. Clearly, Mermis has a keen ear (and eye) for quality. It’s not surprising he’s focused in on Scarpati’s work.

Find Scarpati on Etsy here.

Neu video for Neulore

If you haven’t heard the incredible Island Records band Neulore, you must. If you haven’t seen the video for their latest effort, Native Skin, you will. Resident genius Rory White aka Rorshak conceived, lit, shot and edited this masterpiece almost single-handedly. We know, cause he did it in the magical atmosphere of StudioVilla.

You’re so Nashville if…

So my writer friend Michael has had at least one piece of his vintage hi-fi gear make an appearance on the TV blockbuster Nashville. Not to be outdone, my own Eyes Wide Open series was recently used to adorn a recording studio set on the same show. Take that…

New York shooters love StudioVillas vibe

Brooklyn-based music photographer Michael Weintrob has become part of the extended family here on Belmont Blvd. He recently spent five wild and wonderful days over here shooting the Nashville component of his celebrated IntrumentHead series. 75 – yes, 75 – larger-than-life portraits of Nashville-based musicians will soon be on display at OZ Arts Nashville’s massive warehouse space. More info.

Our very own boy wonder at it again

Taylor Smith had the studio buzzing recently as he shot megamonster electronica artist Gramatik for the cover of ROOSTER magazine. Globetrotting Gramatik is notorious for not being easily pinned down for sessions like this. Taylor caught him on his way through town, and the rest, as they say, is history.

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