benhider.com/blog

There is something that makes me giggle about this website that turns seemingly normal pictures into hungry monsters. I am not sure that it is as much the idea, and certainly not the quality of the images, but more this statement posted below every photo and what that sounds like when sitting at your desk in an office at 1am.

“If you’re not saying ‘Om Nom Nom Nom’ out loud at the same time as looking at these pictures then you’re doing it wrong.”

I found a great website that showcases old snapshots in organized collections based on content, the site is called Square America.. My favorite album is called “the party” and has loads of dated images of people being wild in the 60’s and 70’s. Here are a few of my favorites.

“Pictures, regardless of how they are created and recreated, are intended to be looked at. This brings to the forefront not the technology of imaging, which of course is important, but rather what we might call the eyenology (seeing).” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

In Varanasi, while leaving an Himalaya store, I saw a guy wearing a T-shirt that said “Sometimes when I’m alone I google myself.” This made me laugh because my version would say “Sometimes when I’m at work I google myself.” It always comes up with the same few things like my website, this blog, my facebook and thankfully it doesn’t link my old linkedin page (worst website ever!!!). Following those few things it then lists page after page of the incident on St. Patricks Day 2006 when I was arrested for photographing a flag outside of the White Plains Courthouse. The story made ABC news and a few other sites like boing boing and lightstalkers and then loads of photo based blogs seemed to pick it up. In the mix of all of this there is a babies blog that started and ended very abruptly, but the blogger shares the same name as me. Here is a screenshot of the first post. (Nowhere as cute as my baby nephew Ben Hider… next!!)

“Photographs bear witness to a human choice being exercised in a given situation. A photograph is a result of the photographer’s decision that it is worth recording that this particular event or this particular object has been seen. If everything that existed were continually being photographed, every photograph would become meaningless” - John Berger

1  I think I need a make over - what look will bring out the best of my good looks - I know, I’ll shave a  MOWHAWK
2 I’m really happy with the way my life is going at the moment - how best to reflect that - how about I shave a MOWHAWK
3 As I get older I am discovering a new maturity - why don’t I show that to the world by shaving my head into a MOWHAWK
4   The best thing about getting totally shit faced on a regular basis is that it helps you to make great decisions - like maybe getting a MOWHAWK
5  How can I show my lovely wife that I no longer have any interest in attracting the opposite sex - I know I’ll get a MOWHAWK
6  After all my hard work, and after great expense, I’m finally going to be qualified enough for a great job.  How best to impress the interview panel with my awesome sense of responsibility, my dedication to the work, and my ability to be a good role model to younger students.  Why not shave my head into a lovely MOWHAWK
7  Hey, fuck you, I’m an artist - I’ve got a MOWHAWK
8  We all have a right to look how we want, no matter who it upsets - and what better way of proving that than by by getting a MOWHAWK
9 I think I can really best show that I’m completely grown up and independent by having a MOWHAWK
10   I’m going over to my parents to see my old headmaster for the first time in years.  I really want them to see how well I’m doing and to make my mum proud.  I know, I’ll do my hair in her favorite ever hairstyle, just to please her - what’s that?  Obviously a MOWHAWK

Here is some amazing photography from a German photographer Peter Bialobrzeski that appears to all be shot around Varanasi. These are all images I would never take, but absolutely love.

We love having friends who work at this amazing coffee shop which is based in Ithaca but has two stores in NYC now. They have good email promotions where they give you a big discount, the last one gave us 50% off, and we ordered 10lbs of coffee. This month (expires July 4) they are offering 25% off any internet order if you type in JUN0825 at the end of the order. The “Cup of Excellence” coffees are normally my favorites, but they are all good. The manager of the Brooklyn branch, Mike White, has a blog here. Generally all of the reviews of the place have been amazing, although they have got the occasional bad review based on service at the Brooklyn branch, which I have to admit is often deserved. Service aside, the coffee is excellent and we often order their amazing cappuccino’s or the old drink a “mad cupid” which is espresso, half and half and some ‘lovin’ syrup (an undisclosed flavor of Monin syrup).

Robert Adams (b. 1937)

“No place is boring, if you’ve had a good night’s sleep and have a pocket full of unexposed film.” - Robert Adams, Darkroom & Creative Camera Techniques , Page: 37

I didn’t remember taking this photo on June 10 at Peter Luger’s. I took Amanda there on our first anniversary dinner. We had to book 2 months early to secure a table which gave me plenty of time in India to dream about the night. It is the brightest steakhouse I have ever been in and sometimes has the worst service. We had an amazing time, ordering the bacon appetizer and having steak, creamed spinach and homefries with our porterhouse steak. I’ve just read an older James Frey book, “My Friend Leonard” where they feast on a similar meal throughout the book. Not an amazing read, but a good follow up to his first novel/autobiography “A million little pieces.”

BBCnews posted this article today on the release of some Tibetans. Hopefully they are actual Tibetan prisoners who wer wrongly incarcerated, and this isn’t just a pre-olympic move to rally some support. China has certainly been known to pull sly tricks for some international recognition. the Olympic torch relay happens tomorrow in Lhasa (the capitol of Tibet). Lhasa was an amazing city when I visited in July 2000, it probably doesn’t resemble the new city at all. I hear that there is a greater influx of Han Chinese and the addition of many tall office type buildings has over run the city. It was certainly heading that way before and I am sure that Heinrich Harrer is rolling in his grave. I am sure that the torch relay will be tightly monitered and guarded.

While I think about it, here are some good links to news and such on Tibet.

Phayul.com - A news network specific to the Tibetan community in exile

DalaiLama.com - All the Dalai Lama content you could wish for

tibet.com - Official government in exile homepage

I have been working on images from Ascot today, and was reminded of how incredible the head wear is at these events. Traditionally the hats were worn as the Royal family were always present, and it was considered indecent to be in woman in their presence without a hat on. The races were started by Queen Anne on August 11, 1711 at East Cote (later named Ascot).

This screengrab is from an article from the Daily Mail here. I think we all need a hat that looks like some kind of cheese.

My favorite hat from all that I saw doing a google search is this one below. Does she really need the ashtray, or should it just look like the cigarette was being put out on her head? As it has only been 50 years since divorcees were allowed to attend and only 35 years since women were allowed to wear trouser suits, this hat seems really over the top!

There are a few variations of this pinhole camera on the web. The black one takes 120 film and has building instructions here, and the colorful one takes 35mm. Either way they are awesome, and something I wish I thought of doing when we had that assignment in Photo 1 during my freshman year at SUNY Purchase. The last image is an actual digital camera built by lego which can be used for taking both still images and live video and connects via a standard USB. It can be built into a LEGO robot as seen here.