In March I photographed the wedding of my Sorority sister Rebecca Hampton to her love, Richard. It was a wonderful wedding with great people.

Bruce Springsteen used 2 of my images as the cover shot of 2 live CDs he released this year. One found him going deep into my archives to pick anever before published photo. He then went out on tour as THERIVER2016. The River was my first tour in 1980 as a college Freshman, and the first time I ever shot him so I was very excited to see this tour. The timing wasn't supposed to work out since I was to head off to Peru on assignment for cmmb.org but luck was on my side-we had a major snowstorm which delayed my trip. The shows were excellent. When he came back to the area to play stadiums, I found myself going again and was thrilled to capture some images with fans he pulled up on stage.

In late September he released his autobiography "Born To Run" and was embarking on a "meet and greet" book tour where he was going to meet fans and have his photo taken with them. I was so skeptical at first and wondered "why is he doing this" but after shooting the first one at the Barnes and Noble on Rt 9 in his hometown of Freehold, NJ, I found myself saying "this is amazing. He is giving so much to his fans." He was engaging, he smiled, he spent time-and he posed for photos with his fans. When the book tour is over, he will have met and posed for photos with over 10,000 fans. Who does this? It's been quite some time since I have felt the total excitement others felt, but seeing and photographing this has brought back the excitement I have been missing for so long. THANK YOU BRUCE.

I hope you all enjoy an assortment of photos from the last few months...      Rebecca and Richard's wedding   
                                              Lorene Scafaria, Susan Sarandon and Rose Byrne
 Bannerman Castle Dave Navarro Mark Ruffalo sad day when we heard that Prince died The talented Linda Chorney Paul Ford--from my archives

Darren Criss at Elsie fest Karen Mansfield...a major talent Sting CUBA! It was amazing Bruce Springsteen used 2 of my photos on the cover of his Live CDs this year Bruce pulled up college student Matthew Aucoin to play "No Surrender" and Matthew was fantastic Bruce meets and greets fans...many of whom are friends

For the second time in less than 5 months, I packed my cameras and headed off on assignment for cmmb.org. In October, I shot for them in Haiti and it was life changing. CMMB helps women and children with healthcare, medicine and education. Needless to say, when I was asked again if I wanted to shoot for them-this time in Peru, I jumped on it. We were supposed to leave at the end of January and then the massive snow storm hit, grounding all flights. The only positive thing about that was I managed to shoot 2 Bruce Springsteen shows which was great-he is doing the entire "The River" album and that was the first tour I ever shot and attended in 1980.

In Peru, no matter where you head to, you start and end in Lima. We flew in and had a day to unwind, taking in the sights and meeting some great people.

                          Community Health Worker Sara administrating iron since anemia is a serious health problem for children under 3 in Huancayo

CMMB has several therapists who are really making a difference in the lives of women and children. The activities they have are just amazing, and to see so many kids who were once 100% dependent on someone else thrive is just remarkable. Above, Rayda and her daughter Daniela, 8 embrace. Daniela has a learning disability and before working with CMMB,  Rayda told us that she viewed and treated Daniela more like a pet and now she realizes that Daniela can learn and feel just like others. She is very grateful that CMMB educated her.

Auria, 47, and her son Jordy, 15. He is the youngest of 5 children. Jordy has mental retardation. Since working with CMMB he has started to talk, learned his colors and is able to care for himself. These new abilities will now allow him to go to school.

Theresa, 45, with her son Kenji, who is 7 and he has Downs Syndrome. Theresa says thanks to the CMMB's therapists, he can now walk, and talk and is almost able to say complete sentences.

We then left Huancayo and I have to be honest-I was looking forward to it. I had a really bad case of altitude sickness and it was nothing like I expected. I thought it would be like a bad asthma attack but I was wrong. EVERY part of my body hurt...from my little toe to strands of hair. It was hard to imagine I would ever feel better but as soon as we landed back in Lima and then headed to Trujillo, I felt better. In fact, in Trujillo, I felt better than I can ever remember! We went up in the hills. The higher up one lives, the less they have. It always amazes me when I meet people that have basically nothing yet they are warm, inviting, and gracious. They would give you the shirt off their back if needed. If only those who "have it all" would always do the same.

The people of Peru are so loving. Everywhere we met, we were greeted with hugs, kisses on the cheeks...and the same when we left. The children were full of laughter and smiles. It breaks my heart to see how so many of them live and struggle, but warms my heart to see how loving and gracious and happy they are.

                                             Miranda, age 9, uses the hygiene station that her family learned how to build and use from CMMB

Elvira,  a mother of 5 children wondered why she left her house in the mountains to come to Trujillo where life was just as difficult for her family.  Then she became a participant of CMMB's healthy home program which had greatly improved her family's quality of life.

Betsy, age 18, with Leon, age 5 months.  As a young single mother, Betsy appreciates the information and support she gets from CMMB. CMMB has been impressed with her positive mothering skills and interest in learning and improving her life.

Maria Elena, age 32 is the mother of 2 kids, Andy Lionel, age 3 and Miva Nicole, age 11. Below, she is cooking a healthy meal in her kitchen that CMMB taught her

Alejandrina, 35, and a mother of 4 children. Raul is 12 and has CP. When Raul started working with CMMB  5 years ago he was curled into a fetal position with his fists clenched. After many years of physical therapy, progress has been made bit by bit and he is able to sit, bend and open and close his hands.

8 year old Ericka was born with microcephaly, which means her brain and skull did not fully develop. She has been working with CMMB for close to 5 years and she can now open her fists, sit, and support her head. She lives with her Grandmother and both Grandmother and Granddaughter work hard to improve Ericka's quality of life

Jany, 45 and a mother of 4 children. The youngest is 4 year old Juan de Dios. Juan has CP (Cerebral Palsy)  Three years ago he couldn't walk and when he began working with CMMB he has learned to walk and talk. At night he wears special braces on his feet to his shins to help properly position the muscles so he can walk and stand better

Grimaldina, 41, a mother of 5 children. Her youngest daughter Luz Pamela is 4 years old and has CP. Luz Pamela was born normal and at 5 months old she was playing with a plastic bag and partially swallowed it and cut off her oxygen supply. The lack of oxygen caused her disabilities including loss of muscle control and speech. CMMB started working with her 7 months ago and the improvement, while not typical, has been dramatic. She can walk and stand with assistance and she understands everything that is told to her. She is very determined to do things by herself and for herself.

Elvira,  a mother of 5 children wondered why she left her house in the mountains to come to Trujillo where life was just as difficult for her family.  Then she became a participant of CMMB's healthy home program which had greatly improved her family's quality of life. Elvira in her bedroom in front of the closet that built from wood they found to allow them to have more order in their home

My second assignment for CMMB was another life changing shoot for me. The workers with CMMB that I have met from all over the world are amazing and such a committed group who want to make a difference in the lives of others. I don't think I have ever taken anything for granted but when I  come back to NYC and see so many people with the "me me me" attitude, it makes me sad and sick. The people I have met and photographed in both Haiti and Peru-people who basically have nothing by our standards, are happy, loving, and giving. I think they can teach us all something so important.

Thanks to CMMB for these assignments....hopefully there will be more to come...but not in high altitudes!

2 weeks ago today on October 11, I headed off on American Airlines for 2 weeks in Haiti, on assignment for cmmb.org.

CMMB is a global, faith based health organization helping women and children lead healthier lives.

We flew into Port Au Prince and stayed one night at the Marriot which was a beautiful luxury hotel.

The next day, October 12, we headed to the Daughters of Charity in Cite Soleil where there were about 150 mothers with their young babies who come every day for heath care services and about another 50 women who come daily for pre natal care. Cite Soleil has about 400,000 residents and it is one of the poorest and most dangerous places in the Western Hemisphere and one of the biggest slums in the Northern Hemisphere. They also have a school on site for the kids and they were adorable. CMMB provides medicine to the women here that is donated by pharmaceutical companies. There is no sewer system here so most of the kids suffer from worms. Recently, the facility was broken into and the thieves robbed the place and beat the Nuns.

So many of the kids really grabbed my heart. 4 year old Dayana was just the cutest little thing and this little boy kept wanting to dance with me. I am not a dancer but I did my best and he had a constant smile.

Tuesday October 13-we left Port Au Prince for a 4 hour plus ride to Cote de fer. I remember asking if we would be stopping along the way to use the bathroom to be told “there is no where to stop along the way.” That comment was correct-there was NOTHING. Some of the roads weren’t even pathed. Cote de Fer has the Caribbean on one side and a LARGE mountain on the other. Approx 40,000 people live here-with 6000 in the “town” part and the other 34,000 live on what I will call “on the hill.” This hill is not small..it is MASSIVE and spread out over A LOT of area with awful terrain. I have NEVER experienced heat like this is my life and started to question “what am I doing? I can’t wait to go home.” CMMB helps families in Cote de fer and their Community Health Workers make the daily trek up the mountain to help out families up there. They supply the families with nutrition and help teach them a trade so they can start their own business to support their familes. Such trades include making bread to sell in the market, giving them goats that can be used for food or to breed and they can sell the off spring to raise money and a new program where they supply families with rabbits for the same purpose. There has been a 3 year drought (no rain) so it is dusty, dry and beyond sad. There are no cars, no electricity, no bathrooms, no running water, no corner store. It is not uncommon for a woman to walk her child 2.5 hours to school. Walk back the 2.5 hours to take care of chores, and then walk the 2.5 hours to get her child and walk home for another 2.5 hours. This is 10 hours of walking a day. I had a hard time with some of the hills. I live on a hill in NYC and my friends here me complain about it-these people would laugh if they saw my “hill” which is paved.

The homes were 2 rooms at best and if they had one bed, they were fortunate. Some houses were the homes to 10 people. The floors were cement, they didn’t have doors (maybe a sheet). I found it very sad but the people had love in their eyes. They love their families and their community.

We stayed at the Coby Resort right on the Caribbean and when we returned that night-the room was over 100 degrees. The air conditioning didn’t work. I almost felt guilty complaining but it was brutal. After 2 room changes, we finally settled in.

Wednesday October 14-Today is my 14^th Wedding Anniversary and my wonderful husband and I spoke via Whatsapp early.

We were picked up and brought to the nearby office of CMMB where we saw the moringa trees that would be given out to familes on the hill. We went by and saw the construction of the new hospital being built-the Bishop Joseph Sullivan Hospital.

We met a pregnant 24 year old woman who was grateful for the education CMMB is providing her with. We went up and down the hill today in an amazing Toyota vehicle that our driver “Frank” handled like a pro visiting families that CMMB helps. Along the way we passed women and kids going to school (the kids are all dressed in uniforms with their hair in bows) and each kid we passed had a huge smile. We also saw people with their donkeys carrying the goods they bought at the market (Wednesday is market day in Cote de Fer) and lots of goats along the way. We even saw a street sign and it made us all laugh.

I brought some candy over with me but wish I had known how bad Cote de fer is-I would have bought over rice or something more substansial. The hotel packed us a sandwich for lunch and I was not hungry so I asked if we could give them our sandwiches. I was thrilled when Cindy, our CMMB leader said “that would be great.” The look on the face of the women and the children enjoying a sandwich was so heartwarming. I think it may have been their best meal in along time.

After over 10 hours on the hill today, we headed back “home” to our hotel.

Thursday October 15. We met a woman who has a table garden that CMMB supplied her. A table garden needs less water to survive and since there is a severe drought in Cote de Fer, it is the best way to provide food faster. We went to a MUSO meeting. A MUSO is for the 20 women who have completed the CMMB Mother’s Club program and are now part of a micro loan program so they can start up their own small business. One women has a tiny “convenience” store where she sells items out of a large basket. Another woman sells her bread. Today, I had my first coconut water and it was delicious.

Friday October 16-up early for another 10 hour day and a lot of it was being bumped around in the Toyota as we made our way up and down the hill, and over some treacherous area. We passed an area with a river but it wasn’t a river like we are used to as it had very little water. We saw a woman washing laundry, a man washing his pig and another filling a container. We headed to a Mother’s Club meeting and I was already drenched with sweat. Their leader was a woman who obviously loved what she was doing and the women loved coming to these get togethers and learning and sharing. We were going to go to the home of one of the women and we were told she “doesn’t live far” from where the meeting place is. She got in the back of the Toyota and it took 9 minutes to drive her to her house. A 9 minute DRIVE and this is what she walks-and you know it takes WAY MORE than 9 minutes to walk it. Oh and did I mention the HEAT? Her house was small and 11 people lived there. We went to the home of another CMMB Mother’s Club participants who has 9 children and a small house and this ended our time in Cote de Fer. Before leaving, we had a delicious, authentic Haitian meal that was made for us at the CMMB office. As I left, I said “I will never come back to Cote de fer again.” I kept saying BUH BYE. Later, you will read how I have changed my mind.

Saturday October 17- 5 hour drive back to Port Au Prince and back at the Marriot

Sunday October 18-“Frank” picked us up and we started our 5 hour drive to Cap Haitien on the North Coast of Haiti. We went thru LOTS of small towns with beautiful scenery. Sunday in Haiti is Church and laundry day-laundry is done in the river,  and they hang their laundry all over for it to dry. We stopped and bought rice along the way. We passed by LOTS of vehicles that are open trucks called “tap taps”-taxi’s! All over Haiti, you see thousands of motorcycles and it isn’t uncommon to see 3, 4 and even 5 people on a motorcyle. These are taxi’s as well.My favorite comment on one of my photos of 4 people on a motorcycle was “carpooling.”

Cap Haitien has a totally different feel than Cote de fer. It is Haiti’s second largest town, and felt very alive. Part of it is a slum but there is so much more available than in Cote de fer. Haiti doesn’t have a garbage disposal so there is garbage everywhere.

Monday October 19-We went to a hospital (Serepta) which was built by a Priest. We met Nurse randy Moore from Atlanta who travels to Haiti several times a year to help out. From there we went to Divine Mercy which is a Mobile clinic. There were so many people waiting and the heat was overwhelming. The pharmacy was out of the back of a van. CMMB works with both these hospitals supplying medicine for anything from arthritis to malaria, typhoid and diabetes.

Tuesday October 20-2 small private hospitals with waiting rooms that were packed with people. Unlike NYC where you would hear people talking and most likely complaining..the people all sat quietly waiting for their turn. One of the hospitals was in a very rural area and we had to cross a river to get there. I was a little nervous asking Frank “can we make it?” Frank is amazing-he can do anything with this Toyota! We did have to make sure we left before the tide came in raising the river, and we did.

Father Geordani is the founder of  Hospital St. Bertin in Petit Bourg de Port-Margot. When he walked in, the 150 people all stood up and clapped and shouted-they love him. It was an arrival fit for a rock star and well deserved.

There is a school on the grounds of the hospital and all the kids came up to the truck with smiles, wanting to high five us. At this point, I had a Poloroid camera from CMMB and it was great to take a photo and see the faces on the kids (and some adults) as they saw the image appear. I am pretty sure they have never seen something like this before. Then I showed them the photo on the back of my camera and THE SMILES!!!

Wednesday October 21-we visited a few more hospitals, most very primitive and one more modern. All were packed. No one complained. CMMB is doing wonderful, amazing things helping out so many people who desperately need help.

So many life changes happened to me in the 2 weeks I was away. After my 2^nd day in Cote de fer. I was wanting to go home, questioning if I could do this-emotionally, physically, photographically. It has been 19.5 years since I have done any serious documentary photography, and serious connecting with people on this level. I realized I have a way to connect with people and I know they feel comfortable with me, even when we can’t communicate verbally. I have my first real life Haitian Friend, Maelle Magliore as well as Dianne Francois, both with CMMB in Haiti. When I got back to Port Au Prince, my college sorority sister Kathy Schuler Nogueira (who left Haiti the day before I arrived) and I were Facebook chatting and she asked me how I was doing. I told her I was crying uncontrollably and I couldn’t stop thinking of the people “on the hill” in Cote de fer. I have now been home for a few days and I still can’t stop thinking about them. They have nothing…nothing but family and love but no air conditioning, no bathroom, no water, no electricity, no car, some live in a tent with 10 other people. Even my friends here who are worried over their finances have it 100x better than even the best family in Cote de Fer. I know I WILL be back there someday-and hopefully not to long in the distant future and I know what I can do to try and help them more. My friends have heard me complain about the money we give to other countries and they have heard me complain saying we need to take care of our own. Well..my thoughts about this have changed too. People here have the ability to always find electricity, a bathroom, water..even those who are homeless have the option of going someplace for a bathroom and water. A person with no job has an option of finding a job at a McDonalds, WalMart, etc The people on the hill have NO option.

Every person who wrote to me who has been to Haiti before has said how much they love it and the people and love going back. I now feel part of that family-I get it. I feel the same way.

What was another part of this past 2 weeks that was so special? Spending it with my sister in law, Diane Hoey, who was the journalist and how this all came about for me. She asked if I could give her a quick lesson in photography and I jokingly said “I can go shoot.” She passed on my website, and a few emails later CMMB gave me the job. Diane has been married to my brother Craig for 25 years next month and we never spent time together and it was great.

Haiti….you all are forever in my heart. The people “on the hill” in Cote de Fer…I can’t stop thinking of you all. Thank you to the wonderful women who opened their homes to me and my camera.

                                                                                 the waiting room-Daughters of Charity in Cite Soleil

                                                                        4 year old Dayana-Daughters of Charity in Cite Soleil

                                              Marche Cabut section of Cote de Fer-Rose Laure Joseph-20-baby-Sadaika Joseph, 7 months in their house

       Sainticile Nortilus, 28,5 year old-Rouzelene,3 year old-Guerdina,18 Month-Chaverline in front of their home-the hills of Cote de Fer

                                                               Left to right: Ogenie Dieujuste, 26 and her 3 children in Cote de Fer.

Nancy Monvil and her 9 month old son, Myson, in her home in Cote de Fer, Haiti.
She shares her house with 10 other people and she has a table top garden from CMMB that helps feed her family. She has a table top garden because it takes less water and the plants grow faster.

                                                                              the Mother's Club of CMMB in Cote de Fer

Jameson Joseph, 2, plays by the tent he shares with his mother, Juslene Joseph who is 6 months pregnant, and sister in Cote de Fer, Haiti. He is eating bread that was made by a woman who received a micro loan from CMMB's MUSO program. The MUSO program is for graduates of the Mother's Club participants-a 16 week program that educates the woman on healthcare, nutrition, sanitation and other important topics to improve their lives.

           Ainese Mondesir and her daughter Rachel, 11 months, at the Mother's Club in Cote de Fer, Haiti. Her mother made the matching outfits

                                                                                Gina Petion, and son Jamesley in Cote de Fer

                                                                                       the Chervil family-Cote de Fer

                                                                      Nancy Monvil and her 9 month old son, Myson, in Cote de Fer

                   Lisda Alexandre and her new born baby girl who was born 2.5 hours before this photo was taken at Hospital Sarepta-Cap Haitien

                                                                      the emergency room at Hospital Sarepta-Cap Haitien

                                                                    the maternity room at Hospital Sarepta-Cap Haitien

                                                                     the waiting room at Hospital Sarepta-Cap Haitien

                                            Father Geordani at Hospital St. Bertin in Petit Bourg de Port-Margot. He is the founder of this hospital

                                                                 waiting room Hospital St. Bertin in Petit Bourg de Port-Margot

                                                          Cap Haitien, Haiti. They have no garbage disposal service so there is garbage all over

                                                                                         Sans-Soucis Palace-Milot, Haiti

I will take this opportunity to address these uneducated people. Some have stated they wished they were able to make a career in photography but for whatever reason, they never did. Some reasons they may never have done so: they didn't know how, they didn't have the drive, energy and passion, they were not willing to make the compromises. There is not one single full time photographer out there who hasn't sacrificed things for their craft. Depending on their specialty, their phone can ring at any time and they have to be ready to run out the door. But more on all this in a future post..for now-the WHY do photographer's watermark their images.

It is NOT because we want any fame or notoriety. If you work hard and value your work, you will watermark AND copyright it so it is not stolen and used without permission. (Too) Many photographers watermark their images small and in the corner where it can be cropped out. This can result in loss revenue. I see more people getting nasty about photographers watermarking their images yet I never see anyone question why a writer does this, why a musician's name is on their CD, why a real estate agent has their name on their listings or on a board outside a house that just sold. All these professions (and more) do the same thing-our name goes on our work.With photographers, another reason is because in this age of the internet and twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc..photos are shared. What would happen if a magazine saw it and wanted to run the image in their magazine (but images on line are too low in resolution to run in magazines.) Without the watermark, the publication will never be able to track down the photographer. I feel EVERYONE should watermark their images-not just professionals. WHY? For the same reason. Google "citizen journalist" and see how many people were the first on the scene of a disaster and took a photo..and how much some of those images earned. For everyone that thinks it is "cool" to see a photo or video go viral because you gave it away for free..just think about all those places using it (that could afford to pay) and that new lens or camera you could have purchased, or a nice donation a charity could have received.

Both CD's are available for purchase on www.BruceSpringsteen.net

         Liam Neeson is so handsome.I photographed him last month   Actress Bella Thorne in NYC. Loved her in "Blended" Dierks Bentley on GMA's Summer Concert Series Gay Pride Parade with Sir Ian McKellan as the Grand Marshall. Mayor Bill de Blasio and his family Ariana Grande closed out the festivities by playing to a packed crowd at Pier 26's Dance on the Pier Billy Joel breaks the record by performing his 65th concert at Madison Square Garden on July 1, 2015 Boy George on TODAY.He was absolutely FANTASTIC. I am still humming his songs

 Thrilled that I was the only photographer to shoot Adam Lambert's record release party for his latest release, "The Original High." He has one of the most amazing voices out there and I always love shooting him.

Timothy Hutton....I think the first movie I ever saw him in was ‪‎Ordnary People‬ when I was a teenager. I have probably watched it 20x and every time, it is as great as it was the first time I saw it. Timothy was, and still is, the youngest actor to ever win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Every movie I have seen him in has been great. Tonight I photographed him speaking about his latest TV Hit Show, "American Crime." He was very gracious and I still find him as handsome as ever. James Bay blew me away.  I admit when I got the call to shoot him, I had never heard of him. Remember his name-he will go far. I was hired to shoot the opening photo exhibit of images by the late great Ken Regan.And who do I run into? Musician Wilie Nile and Spencer Drake, who designed many amazing album covers.

Ed Sheeran at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn. Ok, I am on the Ed Sheeran band wagon-he was amazing.

27 years ago I shot Taylen Storm, a NJ based band. It was nice to see an old photo resurface as their CD's are being re-released.

Joan Rivers‬ would have turned 82nd this month.  I photographed her daughter ‪Melissa Rivers‬ and gorgeous grandson ‪Cooper Endicott‬ when they attended the celebration of God's Love We Deliver returning to Soho with a dedication of the new Michael Kors building. The new Michael Kors Building at God's Love We Deliver will help ensure that no one in the New York City metropolitan area will face the dual crises of hunger and severe illness.
The new Joan Rivers Bakery was dedicated in New York today by daughter Melissa Rivers and grandson Cooper Endicott.
I volunteered here a few times with my friend Carol Gerber VERY exciting night...Pete Townsend was being honored at the 11th Annual ‪‎Musiccares‬ Map Fund Benefit Concert at ‪‎Best Buy Theater‬. Joining him on stage were Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nile, Billie Idol and Roger Daltrey

                                                   rain falls on my building

                                                                                                                                    Florence and the Machine rocked the crowd at Good Morning America WWW.Infocusvisions has been having photo tours and workshops for professional and those interestested in learning more about photography. I started this several months ago with photographer Fredda Gordon and our classes have been selling out and everyone has been having a great time. We headed back into Central Parkfor a night photo shoot,took a group on the Circle Line and shot the NYC Skyline at night from NJ. Check out our website for more classes and workshops, including a photo tour to Cuba.                                                                  check out www.Infocusvisions.com for photo workshops and photo tours

In 1984, I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY. I packed up a backpack with more camera equipment and film than clothes and set off on a summer adventure, backpacking all thru Europe. I met some amazing people, some of whom are still in my life today. I gave my brother, Stu, specific instructions when I left: "Bruce Springsteen tickets for the Meadowlands and Philadelphia will be going on sale-you have to get me tickets for every night."

I called home from Rome and Stu said "I have good news and bad news, which do you want first?" I said "the good news." He replied, "Bruce is playing 10 nights at the Meadowlands but I got you tickets for one night n Philly." I told him..."I'm coming home."
I sped up my trip and made a quick detour to Scandinavia to see where my new friend, Morten Rank was from (I had met and traveled for 2 weeks with Morten before he headed to Greece.)

I arrived home in New Jersey and went to the Meadowlands and managed to get tickets for all 10 shows.

Bruce Springsteen went deep into my vaults and chose one of my never seen before photos I took of him when I was 22 years old for his latest live CD and digital download of the August 5, 1984 concert at the then Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, NJ. This photo doesn't even appear in my book, "Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012" which was published in 2013.

To purchase the CD, go to:

http://brucespringsteen.net/

http://live.brucespringsteen.net/live-music/0,12491/Bruce-Springsteen---The-E-Street-Band-mp3-flac-download-8-5-1984-Brendan-Byrne-Arena-East-Rutherford-NJ.html

For those who have emailed asking "when are you going back to Central Park?" May 23 is our next outing. YES, we know it is Memorial Day weekend but not everyone goes away and Central Park will be as beautiful as always and NYC tends to be quiet that weekend while everyone goes to the Shore (or the beach, if you aren't a New Jerseyean-we call it the Shore:)

Here are the details: http://infocusvisions.com/?page_id=188

Saturday March 21: today was an amazing day with a bunch of amazing musicians and photographers coming together in Midtown, NYC for a Concert Photography Workshop. Along with my good friend and colleague, and fellow photographer Fredda Gordon (http://freddaphotography.com/), we launched InFocusVisions.com where we are teaching photo workshops and photo tours. As one of the students said yesterday, "this is one of the best workshops I have ever taken. Not only are we hearing great music, but we are REALLY learning how to photograph them. This is great-we aren't just sitting there taking notes but actually shooting." Another student said "Great class!! Deb and Fredda taught us so much yesterday. Meet some great people. The live music was GREAT!! Thanks ladies!!" "Had a great time."

While listening to the great music of Dick Pape and Becca Atkins of GypsyTimeSurf (https://www.facebook.com/GypsyTimeSurf)
Jon Christopher Allen (http://jonchristopherallen.com)

Rob L

and

Bobby Mahoney (http://bobbymahoneymusic.com)...the students got to experience what it wold REALLY be like photographing musicians in a club setting, theater, or stadium. They were given the obstacles of learning how to react fast and change the settings on their camera when the light suddenly changes all while shooting manual, having other photographers or fans get in their way, and what to do when a musician "eats" the microphone and won't move away and many other "real life" concert situations.

Here is just a small sampling of what the students shot.

We have many other workshops coming up as well as a Central Park at night photo shoot on Friday March 27. For this and all our other workshops, be sure to book mark www.InFocusVisions.com and check back ofter.

Any questions..please feel free to ask myself or Fredda Gordon at [email protected]

Double click on registration for or go to http://infocusvisions.com to register

Hope you all have a happy and Healthy 2015.

                                                                              Afro Jack with special guest Sting Dee Snider of Twisted Sister performed to a packed crowd at Fox and Friends. I shoot A LOT of concerts and they BLEW ME AWAY. Just fantastic and Dee's voice is so powerful.                                                                                           Demi Lovato                                                                                                   Ed Sheeran                                                                                               Jennifer Lopez                                                                                                       John Legend                                                                                                    Keith Urban                                                                                  Maroon 5 (Adam Levine)                                                                  Mick Jagger at the "Get On Up" premiere at the Apollo Theater                                 Jennifer Hudson. She is SPECTACULAR! Her stage presence, smile AND that voice...just amazing! I have been hired to shoot scenics and touristy type photos of NYC for a brochure...here is just one. I will post more about this wonderful job at a later date.                                                                                              Brad Paisley I went to the Book Expo at the Javitts Center....my next book, "You Don't Have to be Purrrrfect" will be released next month. I had a blad, and a copy of my "Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012" book and ran into Billy Idol. We smiled at one another and I said "My book is bigger" and he gave me this great look. Billy was one of the first musicians I ever photographed back in 1980 (after I shot Springsteen and Southside Johnny) while a college student at RIT.                                                                                               Lady Antebellum                                                                                                                                                   Heidi Klum. Always gracious.                                                     Simone and Lab get married in Central Park. What a great couple. My FAVORITE assignment of the summer...if not the year. I have loved actor Chris Pratt since seeing him years ago in "The 5 Year Engagement." This assignment was to follow him around as he surprised some lucky kids who were seeing a special screening of his hit movie "Guardians of the Galaxy." Not only is he gorgeous, he is super friendly, charming, down to earth and just a wonderful man. When the movie was over and ALL the kids wanted selfies with him, he did not disappoint. He stayed LONG after he was scheduled to leave to make sure not one kid was left out.

http://thephotobrigade.com/2014/08/nikon-d810-and-80-400mm-f4-5-5-6-review-by-debra-l-rothenberg/

Thanks to The Photo Brigade and Adorama, I was able to get my hands on the new Nikon D810 and the new 80-400mm f4-5.6. One word will describe my feelings about both…WOW! 

There are 2 things that I look for in a camera that are must haves for me-VERY usable images at high ISO and a dual card slot. I don’t want a dual card slot for overflow, but for the extra security of the “WHAT IF” a card fails. I have only had this happen twice since going digital in 2001-both times while shooting Bruce Springsteen- but it is something I never want to happen. One time  was saved because I was reading to both cards and it was a good thing because one of the shows was at the historic Apollo Theater which makes up several pages of my book “Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012” which was published last year It was that day that I fully realized the importance of the dual slots and I can never turn back.

I shoot a lot of outdoor concerts in the summer and to be honest, lugging around my 200-400 f4 is something I have wanted to avoid and the new 80-400 is the perfect lens. On the D810, it was the perfect combo. Since I shoot a lot of concerts, great image quality at high ISO is more important to me that speed-I never really shoot high fps and the 810 was more than perfect.

I never owned the D800 but used it and I wasn’t happy with the quality at high ISO. Some photo friends have said the 2 are so close but I beg to differ.

Right out of the box the D810 felt really good in my small hands. Using my D3/D3s/D4, my hands cramp up after a few hours but the D810 was perfect for all day shooting.

The D810 has another mode I love and used-the sensor crop mode modes, making a 400mm lens more like a 550mm. Some people will say “just crop in during photoshop” but I like the added compression and if I am on a deadline, it’s one less step. This was a feature on the D3 and D3s that I used often and on the D810, it’s amazing at 36 mp. I was able to make a great 8x10 from a very wide scene of singer Jennifer Hudson.

I owned the older version of the 80-400mm and this new one surpasses it in every way. It focuses fast, is sharp and I expected it to be too heavy to handhold but it was not. It was a perfect pair with the 810. I didn’t have the grip with the camera-something I am used to and I was surprised that I was easily able to stabilize this big lens when shooting vertically.

The images right out of the camera without any tweaking were great. I expected to have to sit set the menu but as soon as I got the camera and lens in my hands, I was off to shoot Jennifer Hudson at the Today Show.

As I mentioned earlier, high ISO is very important to me and even at 12,800, the image quality is more than acceptable for the newspaper and magazine work I do. Corporate work makes up for about 75% of my shooting but I purposely did not bring the D810 out on those shoots since I know it is a perfect studio camera as well. I wanted to put it thru the ringers with concerts and other day to day shoots and fully use it with the 80-400.

Do I have any complaints about this camera? Only one but it is minor-I wish it had the voice recorder that the D3/3s/D4/4s have. Other than that..there is not one thing missing on this gem of a camera.

Thanks to The Photo Brigade, Adorama and Nikon

With Bruce Springsteen's tour coming to an end, my book tour has also come to an "unofficial" end. I say unofficial because there will still be some appearances here and there (SOHO Apple Store in NYC on June 16 at 7pm for a presentation about my 30 year career). The other night I went to the Independent Publisher Book Awards where my book won a National award for best book. It's been nice to see how many people have enjoyed the book, as well as industry people. I have met so many wonderful people along the way-from when I first started seeing Bruce in 1980 to all those I met at recent book events. Thank you everyone for the wonderful calls and emails. My favorite question along the way by reporters has been "how long have you been working on this book" and my response has been "32 years." Always good for a chuckle.

The photos from the book signing are courtesy of Mohegan Sun

                      my good friend and fellow photographer Jeff Ross. He has enough amazing images for a book himself                                                                                   old friend Amy Kaplan                                                                 dancing with Maureen Van Zandt-Little Steven's wife                                                                        Santa Claus in May--a song by request                                            Everett Bradley-an old, dear friend. I first photographed him in the 80's. LOVE his energy          the last song of the tour-bring sings "Dream Baby Dream." This song could easily have been my life. I had a dream, and it came true Mohegan Sun was WONDERFUL. ALL the people were exceptional..and their limo ride back to NYC was the fun way to travel. My driver, Guy, was amazing.

                                                                                   Chord Overstreet poses with a fan

                                                                          Andy Samberg-always gracious and funny                                                                                                       Darren Criss                                                                                                      Mindy Kaling                                                                                Jada Pinket-Smith                                                                                                      Martin Short                                                                                                       Ryan Seacrest                                                                                                    Joe LaTruglio                                                                                                      John Noble

I have been so busy with my shoots AND still out on the road with book signings and presentations with my book,
"Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012." It has been really wonderful meeting so many people and hearing their stories and talking photography. I was interviewed yesterday for WCCC in Hartford, CT (Howard Stern's old station) and they asked me if the people coming to the presentations were only interested in speaking about Bruce or photography as well and it made me think-and it also made me happy when I realized how many people LOVE photography as much as I do. May 19th is 30 years since I graduated college and became a professional photographer (making a living solely from creating images) and I have never considered what I do "work."

I headed off to Atlanta for a book presentation and signing at the Barnes and Noble in Buckhead. Allergies and bronchitis have me totally wiped out but the Southern Hospitality was amazing. Some observations about Atlanta:
1.Karen Kirk runs an AMAZING Barnes and Noble in Buckhead. She and her staff are top notch. Upon walking into her store, the first thing I spotted was a wooden piece with the word BELIEVE..this is what I write in my book! It set the mood for the night.
2. EVERYONE in Atlanta in SOOOOOO friendly
3. the cops are really cute, and they all say "hello" when passing on the street
4. there are a lot of handsome men down there. Other than my husband, I don't see many in NYC anymore. A friend keeps telling me "Rudy Guiliani got rid of all the cute guys"
5. the Best Western Plus inn on Peachtree downtown is a great place to stay with the friendliest staff!
6. the Ampitheater is a nice place to see a concert. The security staff there are some of the friendliest I have EVER encountered
7. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band put on a KICK ASS concert!
8. Atlanta is HOT!
9. as much as I liked it "down there..." I am HAPPY to be home with my 3 boys!

This was the first time I ever traveled without a "real" camera...meaning my DSLR. I packed a tiny point and shoot camera and other than a card fail resulting in only a few images that I was unable to retreive in image recovery, I was not at all disappointed. I have never shot a concert with only a point and shoot and I was pleased.

Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012 is now almost sold out of it's 4th printing. It may be out of print soon so if you haven't ordered it and want to, your best bet is to order is ASAP. It can be signed if you order directly from my publisher:

http://turnthepagepublishing.com/our-books/books/bruce-springsteen-in-focus-1980-2012/

Artist Andy Scott

I was excited to shoot the Light of Day concert at night for Parkinson's and to use my Olympus EM 1 for my first big concert and my new 50-200mm f2.8-3.5. I had high expectations of this lens and was REALLY hoping it would be as good as the Nikon 200-400 f4 I have been using. My high expectations were on par and I was thrilled. It's so nice to walk out with a small ThinkTank Turnstyle 20 (http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/turnstyle-20-blue-slate-sling.aspx)  and a Lowe Pro Stream Line 250 for my Mac Air and wallet and some accessories (http://www.lowepro.com/streamline).

Looking at the 2 lenses above, which would you rather carry? The HUGE Nikon 200-400 weighing in at over 7 pounds or the Olympus 50-200 weighing just over a pound? http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/turnstyle-20-blue-slate-sling.aspx  An ENTIRE Olympus lit fits in this bag-2 bodies (one with grip), 9 lenses and 1 flash. My back also loves this system!                                 http://www.lowepro.com/streamline  for my Mac air laptop, wallet, bottle of water and accessories The Light of Day concerts (http://www.lightofday.org/about/index/) are now in their 14th year and is a celebration of Bob Benjamin for his birthday while raising money for a cure. Part of the proceeds of my book, "Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012"  (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938501519/ref=s9_psimh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0ZXFDBBF72EX1QG8YFPH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846) are going to LOD. It's always nice to head back for these shows-it's a reunion of all the people I saw on a regular basis when I lived at the shore and spent almost everyday at the Stone Pony as well as seeing some of the most talented musicians anywhere. And of course, when Bruce Springsteen shows up it's always a nice treat. I was thrilled to be able to capture him using my new Olympus EM1 and the 50-200mm lens. I have to admit-I also had to chuckle when some of the photographers were saying I wasn't going to get any usable images without using a "pro" camera. After awhile, it became moot to inform them that the OLYMPUS IS a PRO camera (and it was voted the #1 camera of 2013) and that it's not the camera but the person operating the camera. All I can say is..I LOVE THIS SYSTEM. And I dare anyone to say my image were not useable. (Rolling Stone didn't agree either as they ran 2 images)                                                                    Light of Day founder Bob Benjamin and Bruce Springsteen                                          the new blood in town: 18 year old Bobby Mahoney shares the stage with Bruce Springsteen.                         Willie Nile NEVER disappoints. This man and his band are incredible. Great music, tight band...never a dull moment.                                                                                    Willie Nile and Bruce Springsteen                                               Jesse Malin is another who never disappoints. You can't sit down when he is on stage                                                                 Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls had an incredible set. After my book signing and slide presentation at Asbury Park Where Music Lives, the amazing Laura Crisci performed a set during the gallery crawl. As always, she was amazing.

The gallery is open to all ages.

Since they "act" normal, they discourage photographers whenever possible and this was where my Olympus EM1 was once again the PERFECT choice. (it's the PERFECT choice for everything I shoot!) Small, lightweight, and just wonderful. These were all shot using the 9-18mm lens and ISO 1000-4000, depending on the location.

I will be back in Asbury Park, NJ-the city by the sea where I spent so much of my younger days shooting all the bands, and LOTS of Bruce. The opening night reception is at 7pm on Saturday January 11 at Asbury Park Where Music Lives at 708 Cookman Avenue.. Books will be available for those who still need one (or two!)

Then again on Saturday January 18, I will be showing images from the book, and a few that didn't make it from noon til 2.

A portion of all proceeds from photo sales at the exhibit benefit the Light of Day Foundation (www.lightofday.org)

Fighting the Battle Against Parkinson's Disease since 1999

Both are open to the public.

Happy New Year.

I was approached by 2 publishers who were interested in publishing my book but they wanted me to hand everything over to them. I really didn't want another book telling the history of Bruce Springsteen and where he was born, etc. I wanted it to be my story-my journey-one that had me start as an amateur photographer and fan and then become a professional photographer where my entire living came from creating and documenting events. In April 2012, I was at an event where my husband Philip was the photographer. He spoke with a man who was a HUGE Bruce Springsteen fan and this man asked if I had any photos on my phone. I didn't, but pulled up my website and he ran off with my phone. I was a little nervous wondering where he went with my phone but he went to show it to his friend, Roseann Lentin who is the President/Owner of Turn The Page Publishing. When she asked me "so, when am I publishing your book?" I wasn't 100% sure she was serious. I said "we should talk."

We met in the city for lunch and I brought my "book" for her to see. My book consisted of a black loose leaf binder where I had some of my favorite images and the words I wrote after and during the shows. I cleaned it up a bit over the years (it used to be on all sorts of paper, even napkins and business cards!) She loved what she saw, and then started the process of the book. I also loved that her publishing company is based out of NJ and everything felt right!

People have asked me if it was difficult. The hardest thing was having not enough room to use all the images-I had just too many. Some just didn't fit the layout so they were omitted. Other than that, the hardest part was the title. I originally wanted it to be called "Born to Shoot" but it sounded too...I think you get the picture! A few other titles were tossed around and then my friend and fellow photographer, Julie Dermansky, came up with "In Focus." It was a perfect fit!

The number one question I am being asked these days by people, and not just photographers, is "How can I get my book published? Can you help me?" I love helping people, but loathe when people ask me the same questions over and over and don't listen to the answers and wonder why they aren't getting anywhere. So..I thought that not only putting it all in writing but showing the process I went thru will help. Lay out your book EXACTLY how you want it to be. Write what you want to say. Basically, FINISH your book so you have something to show publishers so they see your vision and understand what you want. Throwing 20 pages together is not enough, in my opinion and it won't help you.  It doesn't have to be perfect-that is why there are designers and editors, but have it all done. You can even go to My Publisher or Blurb or Adorama to have it put into book form, but that isn't necessary. These pages here were all done via laser prints from Kinkos and put in a loose leaf binder.

I am now working on books #2 and #3-due out in Fall 2014 and Fall 2015. Both will be a far departure of what people have come to know me as a photographer-no concerts, no celebrities...NO people in both books. It's both a challenge and an adventure and I am looking forward to working on both.

I hope all your hopes and dreams come true in 2014

I spent an hour on WPHT 1210-AM radio with Paul Perrello, News Director at Metro Networks-Westwood One.  It's so hard to call it an interview because once again, it felt as if I was talking with an old friend about Bruce Springsteen and Photography. Rocky Balboa and the Philadelphia Museum. We didn't have anytime to run up the steps so a "drive by" had to do It's been a long time since I have spent time in Philadelphia and I forgot how much I love that city. It has such a great feel to it. As the book tour of Philadelphia came to an end, it is back to NYC for a few hours and then off to Unique Photo on Saturday December 14 for a presentation with Olympus about my book, and using their wonderful products. The presentation is from 6-8 and books will be available. There was a nice ad in my hometown newspaper, The Bergen Record

My book signing and presentation at the Larry Edmunds bookshop on Hollywood Blvd. was a blast. Jeff, who runs the store, is awesome, and so is the store. I can spend hours in this little gem of a store. The books...movies, music, photography-everything that is of interest to me. Seeing old friend such as JD and Matty Karas and Susan Goldman..it's been decades! actor Brian Gaskill on Hollywood Blvd.

The trip was also a great excuse to see some old friends and catch up. It's been over a decade since I went anywhere. With my mother being sick, I was always afraid to leave the area, scared something may happen. She was on my mind all the time and her death in March left a major void in my heart. I know she would have LOVED to have seen all this and gone along for the ride. It's been very touching to get emails and calls from people-strangers-saying what I wrote about her touched them too.

Thank you California for a very fun tour.

Last weekend, I was picked up at my apt. by Keith Gordon from Mullen PR and we drove to Bethelem, PA for the InVision weekend and the chance to meet the other Visionaries and Trailblazers. After seeing the photo of the Visionaries, I was told I was the first female added to the program but I was thrilled to learn that another woman, Tracie Maglosky from Cincinatti, Ohio was the first Trailblazer. Upon meeting her, we instantly "clicked." As soon as we arrived in PA, I saw Jennifer Colucci with Olympus. Jen is a hugging machine-this woman gets so many hugs and that tells you how warm and friendly she is. We immediately met Rick Sasserath, also with Olympus and was our driver and "go to" man for everything Olympus. I met the other Visionaries and Trailblazers-John Sterling Ruth, David Wells, Jamie McDonald, Maitland Lottimer, Austin Lottimer, Victor Rodriguez and Alex McClure and we headed over to the Banana Factory where we saw local artists work and met with people from all over. We then headed to Frank Smith's house. Frank Smith is a very warm, friendly and handsome man who opens his lovely house up to the Visionaries each year for an after party.

After breakfast on Saturday, we headed to the cute and picturesque town of Jim Thorpe, PA and headed on an old fashioned train ride. Sticking my head out the window of the train and turning around, I discovered that there were several Olympus cameras facing my way! After the train ride, we wandered around town, had lunch, and wandered some more. Back at night, we had the Slide Luck which featured images by some of the best photographers around.

After breakfast on Sunday, Victor Rodriguez gave a studio demo to show how he uses the Olympus in his studio. We then went outside and with the old steel stacks as our backdrop, shot a wonderful 15 year old model and one another. I love how 20 photographers can be shooting the same scene, and get 20 totally different images. It was so wonderful to be around this group-all secure with their profession and willing to share-something that I do not find often.

After lunch we headed to the Leigh Valley for Go Kart Racing. Note to self: NEVER eat before racing Go Karts! Who would think go kart racing uses every bone in your body, plus your vocal chords! I asked the men f they were screaming and laughing under their helmets and was pleased to find out I wasn't the only one. I would love to have found out that their was a hidden microphone in the helmet that recorded us! Another note to self: NEVER try to shoot and race go-karts at the same time. FAIL! I came in last place for every race but it was still fun.

After dinner, I unfortunately had to leave to return to NYC because I was called for Jury Duty the next day. UGH! I missed meeting photographer and Visionary Jay Dickman who was arriving later that night.

I am so honored and pleased to be an Olympus Visionary and to be part of this team...a group so wonderful they feel like family.

it's hard to believe one year has passed since this storm wrecked havoc on our region, destroying homes of my friends and devastating the towns I not only lived in at the Jersey Shore, but places so close to my heart. Union Beach, NJ was one of the worst towns in NJ hit,
yet so many people-including people that live in the same county (Monmouth) never heard of it. I knew of Union Beach because my long time friend, musician Mike Wells, is from this town and I spent a lot of time there. I contacted Mike to see if we could get in town to take
photos for a story to show people this forgotten town. So along with my photographer husband and good friend Julie Dermansky who was shooting for Corbis, we met Mike's father, Frank, and the Police Chief who took us around town. At first when people saw us with cameras,
they were wondering why we were there but then upon hearing we wanted to bring attention to this town so they could get help, the people were so warm and wonderful. They lost EVERYTHING, yet there they were-offering us food and coffee. I wrote this last year:


Union Beach, New Jersey is a small town of a little more than 6000 residents. Nestled on the Raritan Bay in Northern Monmouth County, less than an hour outside New York City, it is a close knit friendly town where almost everyone knows one another by name and even
non residents will get a wave as they drive thru town. It is reminiscent of a small mid western town-friendly, warm, inviting, and many of the residents grew up here. Many have moved away, only to return to raise their own families here.What most people don’t know is that
Union Beach suffered the  most damage of all the towns in New Jersey, trailing behind Atlantic City.

This past October 12, I had a launch for my book, "Bruce Springsteen In Focus Photographs 1980-2012" and my best friend from college, Donna Marino, flew in from Indiana. En route back to the city the following day, I took her on a tour of the shore towns since she never
really saw them (she grew up on Long Island). I especially wanted to show her Union Beach.
Almost a year later, the rubble is gone and there are empty lots and some construction but the people are still as warm and friendly. I told her how much I love this town and if I moved out of NYC, how I would love to move there as people waved to my car as we drove past. the roller coaster from Fun Town Pier in Seaside Heights, NJ.  I know this town so well...I lived there for several years in the mid 80’s in a cute apartment on a lagoon and went
on this roller coaster LOTS of times. I feel guilty saying this is one of the most beautiful images I have ever taken because it is just full of so much sadness.
I remember texting fellow photographer Chris Smith who lives in Lavalette and planned on staying put throughout the Hurricane. I told him I thought he should leave town,
saying this hurricane was going to be worse than Irene. He insisted on staying. It was 2 days later that I FINALLY got a hold of him-THANKFULLY, he did leave town but lost a lot
of things, including his new boat.
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year and so many people are still so bad off, without homes. Living on the Upper West Side in NYC, I have said we live in a bubble-we had power and
didn’t even have much rain.  We are fortunate that we have an extra room and bathroom and were able to house friends who lost everything. It was the first time int he 10 years
living here that I realized why we moved from our tiny studio in the Village. I hope we never have to see another Hurricane like Sandy, but I am fearful that this was just the
first of many we will see in our lifetime.

a house in the bay in Mantaloking, NJ

Angels Gather Here-708 Brook Ave, Union Beach

Made for a fun ride.

It's always a great day when I get to photograph actor Paul Rudd. Not only is he a great actor, but he is funny, charming, and so handsome. He also gives back. He hosted an All Star Bowling Event to benefit Our Time at Lucky Strike on 42nd and 12th and I was able to put my new Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens to the true test. It was a great evening.

Founded in 2001, Our Time is a non-profit organization that helps young people who stutter improve their confidence October 21st, Our Time – a non-profit organization that has been helping children who stutter for over a decade – will hold its 2nd Annual Bowling Benefit in NYC, hosted by actor Paul Rudd who is a member of the company’s Board of Trustees.  The event will feature bowling and billiards with celebrity lane captains (listed above), and more, as well as the young participants of Our Time’s programs.  The evening will feature a special performance as guests are treated to bowling fare and an open bar.
 
Paul Rudd’s All-Star Bowling Benefit will raise vital funds to support Our Time’s unique programs and services for children who stutter.  Since its founding in 2001, Our Time has been providing a compassionate community where children who stutter have as much time as needed to express themselves without fear of judgment or ridicule.
 
Participants gain communication and social skills, as well as enriching friendships with peers who share their challenges with speech.  Programs are designed to ensure that all participants experience motivating success while receiving validation from adult mentors and from each other.  This therapeutic experience helps youth transform their fear and shame from stuttering into confidence and self-acceptance, enabling them to succeed and reach their fullest potential.  Through the generosity of its supporters, Our Time is dedicated to serving kids from all economic backgrounds.  Financial aid for program tuition is available to families in need, and since Our Time's inception, no child has been turned away due to a family's inability to pay.

Last night I was in Easton, PA presenting a slide show and discussion about my career and my new book, Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012 . The crowd was wonderful and there were so many great questions. There were some "old timers" in attendance and when I say that, I mean professional photographers who remember the old days of film. And darkroom work.

As I was standing up there glancing out at the crowd staring back at me, I had a thought...what if Bruce Springsteen never existed? Who would we all be following for decades, passing on his legacy to our children, which musician would we sing with, dance with, cry with, and grow up with? I can't think of any, for no other writer has moved me. Do you agree?

Asbury Park Press
October 11, 2013

THANK YOU to my high school class mates, Alpha Xi Delta Sorority sisters, my college friends who flew in from other states including Donna Marino, and Robin and David Shaffer, old co workers Matthew Worth, Keesha Patterson, Laura Kirkpatrick, Kathleen Tevlin and Anne Simon (Anne--PLEASE get in touch), Lori Smith and Stan Goldstein for all the hard work, Brad Pastrick and all the Springsteen people I have met over the past 32 years (and those I met for the first time), family and EVERY SINGLE one of you who came to the launch for my first book, "Bruce Springsteen In Focus 1980-2012 Photographs" at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.   In my wildest dreams, I would never have imagined it to be like it was. I honestly expected to sign a few books, mingle, and be asked to sign a few more here and there. But I NEVER imagined almost 4 solid hours of signing 725 books.

Hearing DJ Lee Mrowicki spin the tunes and seeing so many of the old faces from the 80s return-it was just so special.

As I said that day, this book is not only my tribute to Mr. Springsteen, but to every music fan that has ever stepped foot inside the Pony and the other clubs in Asbury and every musician...past, present and future, that plays in the city by the sea. I was there 6 nights a week in the 80s shooting every and any band that graced that stage, and I really learned photography there from shooting, shooting and shooting. The community is just wonderful.

If you were there and did not have time to get the book signed, all future book signings will be on my photo facebook page. Please bring your book or email me and we can arrange to try and meet somewhere.

The 2 women who were turned away at the end especially--PLEASE get in touch with me so we can meet and get your book signed.

Here are some photos for you all to enjoy:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151962391563081.1073741833.49859873080&type=3

NJ.com

download to be able to see full size

Bergen Record Northjersey.com October 1, 2013

The Coaster

download to enlarge and read

Asbury Park Press
October 11, 2013

download to enlarge and read

Shoreworld
The Aquarian
October 9, 2013

download to enlarge and read

NY Daily News Sunday October 6, 2013

download to enlarge and read

TV Host Chris Cuomo enjoys my book on New Day NY

The launch party is tomorrow, Saturday October 12 from 3-7pm at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN IN FOCUS 1980-2012
Photographs by Debra L. Rothenberg

Turn the Page Publishing

release date-October 1, 2013

DEBRA ROTHENBERG




For Bruce fans, Debra Rothenberg's book is essential. It follows Springsteen's career from when he was 31 until last year. "Bruce Springsteen In Focus Photographs 1980-2012," Rothenberg's first book, has riveting shots from an expert photographer.


"I learned photography from the Stone Pony," she says from her office in New York City, referring to the legendary Asbury Park club that was a starting point for Springsteen and other New Jersey legends. "I didn't have that many opportunities to shoot in college, so when I moved back to New Jersey I was there every night they were open."


Springsteen was known for coming into venues like the Stone Pony unannounced at 1:30 or so in the morning. The book has photos of the Boss playing for all different types of audiences, from small clubs to stadiums, with different band members and jamming with various musicians. "Whether he is playing to 50 or 100,000 people, the energy is exactly the same. He loves what he does," she says.


A few of the photos show Springsteen off stage, like the cover photo, which captures him in a relaxed moment as he is walking in front of a vintage 1957 Ford. The pictures are arranged chronically so you can see him get older, but he has an ageless quality when performing. Some of the last photos have him doing acrobatics that very few 63-year-olds are able to pull off.


Rothenberg's expert use of camera angles and knowledge of lighting give you a feel of being present at each concert. Springsteen always looks terrific, whether he is laughing or making  a dramatic gesture while holding his guitar.



"I heard he doesn't like to be photographed when he is smiling. Thats hard to believe, because he is always smiling onstage." She says the he is generally indifferent to having his picture taken, since he is totally focused on his music."


Rothenberg has never had a conversation with him, however. "I chose not to. I would rather take his picture. Of course, she says, she would like to hand him her book personally.


Rothenberg has seen Springsteen on a hundred or so occasions. "Watching him got me through so pretty rough times," she says. She recalls friends who told her "I hate Bruce." "Have you ever seen him in concert?" she would ask. "If you go, I'll buy the ticket. If you don't like it, you don't have to pay me back." Rothenberg has not lost money on these deals, and Springsteen gained a few fans who have followed him across the country.



Rothenberg says you never know what Springsteen is going to do. Known primarily for his work with the E Street Band, he has worked with extended groups that include horn sections and done many solo performances. "If he does two nights in a row, each one is different. He will change it up by pulling out something obscure," she says.


Rothenberg has photographed other rockers in concert, including Paul Mccartney, Sting, Steven Tyler, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Usher and Britney Spears. "I try to make them look good, hoping they will like the picture."


In the years that Rothenberg has covered Springsteen, the technology has changed, with digital cameras replacing film. She says she loves black and white from the "old days." and many of the best shots in the book are not in color.


"I have a love/hate relationship with digital It takes longer with the time you sit at the computer. I used to be able to look at negatives and immediately see which was the best shot."




Dave Howell is a freelance writer.

Jodi Duckett, editor
[email protected]

Easton Library Talks


When: Thursday October 17, 2013



WHERE: Easton Public Library, catherine Drake Meeting Room, 515 Church St, Easton



How Much: Free but registration is required





I will be speaking and showing some of my images from the 30 years I have been a professional photographer at the Easton, PA Public Library on Thursday October 17. The event is free and open to the public

http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/music/mc-easton-authors-libbrary-stroby-searles-rothenbe-20130920,0,5611321.story

Amazon just sent me an email saying I may be interested in one of their Arts and Photography books. The book? My own!<br/><br/>But order it from #Booktowne to receive an exclusive 8x10....call 732-722-7255

Wall Street Journal says Bruce Springsteen IN FOCUS is one of "The Best Photo Books For Fall"

                                           

A day I will never forget. A day we all should NEVER forget.

Summer is unofficially over and the summer concert series wrapped up. The highlights was definitely Cher. I had never photographed her in concert before and if I had a “bucket list,” she was definitely on it. When I got the call the shoot her ending Gay Pride Week, I was super excited. I went in with a major headache and left feeling on top of the world. The crowd was one of the best crowds I ever experienced in my 30 plus years of shooting concerts and shooting with my friend Kristina made the show even that more enjoyable. I didn’t know anything about Macklemore and Ryan Lewis other than my nephew asking me if I ever shot them. So, when the opportunity came to shoot them, I did and all I can say is WOW! It’s been a VERY long time since I shot a band I knew nothing about and would have liked to have had more than 3 songs. This is a band I think will be around for awhile and here is the amazing thing-they do not have a record label and have achieved success all on their own by doing it their way. Lil Mix and Emblem3 are 2 other groups I never heard of but when I was asked to shoot them inside the Good Morning America Studios and a friend from California told me her daughter was friends with the guys in Emblem3, I thought it would be interesting. Both groups had a ton of energy, nice personalities and very catchy songs that I found myself singing the rest of the weekend. 98 Degrees Reunion. What can I say? I like these guys. When I first moved to NYC in 1999, I was asked to shoot them backstage at Jones Beach in Long Island receiving their platinum album and they were just the nicest guys. 14 years later-they are the same. Still cute too! One Direction-I think I still hear ringing in my ears from all the girls screaming. Gary US Bonds birthday bash along with Southside Johnny and Chubby Checker-a great night! BB King at BB Kings-a legend playing at his own club. SUPURB! Alicia Keys-love her. She has never disappointed. A lot of other shows that were huge but I don’t really understand why. I love music, and to me, MUSICIANS should SING, NOT lip sync. People will always defend these saying “but they are dancing-it’s hard to sing and dance.” All I can say to that is-Pink REALLY sings and her show is very physical. Bruce Springsteen, who I have been shooting since 1980, SINGS. His shows to this day are 3 plus hours and he is close to 64 years old, and he really SINGS. And-he doesn’t stay in one play on the stage-his stage is huge and he is running all over it, body surfing the crowd and jumping on the piano. If he can sing, why can’t everyone else? Why? Because so many of today’s “music” can’t sing-their voices are pitiful and mastered in the studio. So here is some advice for all those that do lip sync-LEARN to lip sync so it LOOKS like you are really singing. When the microphone is away from your face and we still hear your voice, that’s pretty bad. Fall is here and I look forward to shooting Cher again on September 23 and then the launch of my first book, Bruce Springsteen IN FOCUS Photographs 1980-2012 which is officially released on October 1. The book launch party is from 3-7pm on Saturday October 12 at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. It is free and open to everyone. To order a book, call Booktown in Manasquan, NJ at 732-722-7255.

the beach was beautiful.

Asbury Park, Where Music Lives at 708 Cookman is a great space with amazing images and artifacts on the walls Confections of a Rock Star at 505 Cookman makes the most amazing cakes. Kimmee and her staff are top notch! The cake she is making for the book release party is going to be delightful! 10th Avenue and E Street in Belmar has a great replica of Bruce's Esquire Guitar.

This young man came all the way from Arizona and performs in a band with Clarence Clemons youngest son Tent City in Ocean Grove

Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ After a long day in Asbury, we accomplished everything we set out to to. Hope to see you all October 12 at the Stone Pony for the Book Launch. 3-7pm with special musicial guests at night. The book launch is free and open to anyone

Stone Pony-913 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 3-7pm.

Musical guests at night TBA

BE SURE TO PRE-ORDER the book directly from BookTowne (171 Main Street, Manasquan, NJ) by calling 732-722-7255 or online at www.booktowne.com

Save on shipping costs and place your order by 9/13/13

Pick up book at store or at Stone Pony the day of the event

Make a weekend of it in Asbury Park.

Hear music at the Stone Pony, Glenn Tilbrook is at the Wonder Bar and the amazing singer Amy Broza is at McCloones.

ALL restaurants in town will be open-whether you want a beer and a burger or seafood

click on any image to enlarge

I was hired once again to shoot a 3 day Hospitality Conference and I just love the people. Bob Woodruff of ABC News was the guest speaker and he is very inspirational.                    Click on any photo to enlarge

Then there was a great assignment to shoot Cyndi Lauper at Sardi's where she had a character unveiling. I was thrilled when Cyndi won a Tony Award for "Kinky Boots." She is always a joy to photograph.

Gary "U.S' Bonds had his 74th Birthday Party and book release party at BB King's in Times Square with a host of special guests, including Southside Johnny and Chubby Checker. I have always loved Gary and his music, and my old friend Hal B. Selzer is his bass player so it was an extra special night. Hal is also on Broadway in "Rock of Ages." Seeing Gary is also like old home week-I get to see many long time friends. Emblem3 and Lil Mix played inside the Good Morning America Studios in Times Square due to a monsoon of a storm outside. I think it was one of the few times the cancelled the outdoor summer concert series and moved them inside. I wasn't sure what to expect from these 2 bands, but it was a great morning. There isn't anything about what I do that I dislike, but I just love when I

shoot new bands that are great performers. The 2013 Book Expo was held at the Jacob Javits Center and my book got a nice plug in the Show Daily put out by Publisher's Weekly. Actor Jim Carey even wants to swap books! The biggest thrill, however, was when my favorite photographer, Lynn Goldmith, stopped by to talk for about 40 minutes. Thank Lynn! Several years ago while taking the train from NYC to Rochester, NY, I passed this most amazing sight sitting in the Hudson River on an Island. I found out it was Bannerman Castle, near Beacon, NY and 3 photo women friends and I made the trek to my new obsession. It was a glorious day and I will definitely go back. John Legend performed a mini concert of about 6 songs on Good Morning America. And I will end this post with one of my favorite subjects to photograph, actor Paul Rudd. Almost every photographer in NYC was shooting Brad Pitt at the NY Premiere of "World War Z" but Paul Rudd is tops with my lens. He and Julianna Marquiles were at a benefit reading of "The Mercy Street" at the Lucille Lortel Theater on Christopher Street

an

Winners Kellie Pickler and her dance pro Derek Hough arrived first, and Derek was shooting the crowd with his IPhone. I never tire of shooting him. I love watching him dance, and he and Kellie were just amazing to watch.

  Zendaya Coleman and Val Chmerkovsky...hard to believe she is ONLY 16!

       (click on any photo to enlarge)

The following day I was hired to shoot a 90th birthday party and I was pretty excited. Turns out, the woman got sick but everyone forgot to tell me and I found out upon arriving at the location. So, I wandered around and saw some sights worth shooting-it is one of the MANY things I love about being photographer-seeing the world differently than most.

Whether it is a man showing young children how to blow huge balloons, the "birdman" who can be seen daily in Washington Square Park feeding the pigeons and squirrels, a woman with curlers in her hair or the beautiful Flatiron building, there is never a dull moment in my photographic life.

It was a joy to get the assignment to shoot 98 Degrees. It is hard to call them a "Boy Band" as they are all men. I remember shooting them backstage at Jones Beach in 1999 when their album went platinum and thought they were so nice. 14 years later-they haven't changed-they are still 4 very down to earth, wonderful men. I can never get bored shooting them, or looking at them (and I know there are many who feel the same way :)

I WANT MY MTV! Great time shooting and listening to 4 of the 5 original VJ's from MTV-when MTV played music! Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn and Alan Hunter-it was so much fun hearing your stories. Original VJ JJ Jackson passed away several years ago

Hollywood visits NYC-and my street. Love walking out of my apartment and seeing Ben Stiller shooting "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"

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I miss you dearly, Mom, and my love is forever.

Can anyone foster this kitty? She is in Union Beach, NJ. I saw her on November 16, amongst the rubble of what was her home, looking for her family.

Visit Rebecca's Rescue on FACEBOOK

From Rebecca's Rescues: Even after about a month after the Hurricane there is still so many suffering. One of which is this poor tabby cat. The picture shows her in front of what used to be her home. She is said to just cry all day in front of the house. : ( She is very friendly and just wants the life she knew back. Unfortunately, she is now pregnant too. We REALLY want to help this girl. She has suffered enough but we NEED a foster for her. Please if you can open your home to a cat in need let us know! We will provide the food, etc. Please help us stop her suffering!

photo from Rebecca's Rescue

AMAZING night of music honoring Little Steven Van Zandt with the "Big Man of the Year Award" at the Hammerstein Ballroom on October 16, 2012. It was several hours of ALL songs written by Little Steven and sang by Michael Johns, Michael DesBarres, Kris Allen, Southside Johnny, Darlene Love, Jesse Malin, Dion, Gary "US" Bonds. Jake Clemons, Ruben Blades, Elvis Costello, the Little Kids who Rock group and Bruce Springsteen! Littlekidsrock.org raised over $800,000 this night to keep music in schools. All I can say is...HOW CAN THEY EVEN THINK ABOUT TAKING MUSIC OUT OF SCHOOLS????

RUN to see GRACE at the Cort Theater before it's too late-it is a limited engagement thru January 6. The 4 actors are just terrific. I was fortunate to be given 4th row center seats and I was really in my glory. This play was so good that I think I stopped breathing at certain moments. Walking out, there were 2 older women behind me and one said to the other "you know, Paul Rudd really isn't a good dramatic actor" and I was going to turn around and scream " WHAT???" when she said "HE'S FANTASTIC. Why isn't he in more dramatic roles?" Someone asked his this at the press conference for the play and he said he would like to get more dramatic parts. I would go see him in anything, but I would love to see some more dramatic roles too. Get your tickets fast, before you miss 4 amazing actors in a great play

One: The Shape I’m In (Warren Haynes), Long Black Veil (Haynes and Gregg Allman), Trouble In Mind (Jorma Kaukonen and Barry Mitterhoff), This Wheel’s On Fire (Levon Helm Band w/ Shawn Pelton), Little Birds (Levon Helm Band), Listening To Levon (Marc Cohn), Move Along Train (Mavis Staples), Life Is A Carnival (Allen Toussaint and Jaimoe), When I Paint My Masterpiece (John Prine & Garth Hudson), Anna Lee (Bruce Hornsby), Ain’t Got No Home (Jakob Dylan and Rami Jaffee of Foo Fighters/Wallflowers), Whispering Pines (Lucinda Williams), Rag Mama Rag (Mike Gordon and John Hiatt) Set Two: Don’t Do It (David Bromberg and Joan Osborne), I Shall Be Released (Grace Potter, Don Was and Matt Burr), Tears Of Rage (Ray LaMontagne and John Mayer), Rockin’ Chair (Dierks Bentley), Genetic Method (Garth Hudson) > Chest Fever (Dierks Bentley), A Train Robbery (Eric Church), Get Up Jake (Eric Church), Tennessee Jed (John Mayer), Up On Cripple Creek (Joe Walsh and Robert Randolph), Ophelia (My Morning Jacket), It Makes No Difference (My Morning Jacket), The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down (My Morning Jacket and Roger Waters), Wide River To Cross (Amy Helm and Roger Waters), The Weight (Everyone)

with actors Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel, Kevin Chapman and Taraji P. Henson. If you have not watched this show yet, make sure to tune in to CBS this Thursday for the season premiere. It will leave you on the edge of your seat--easily one of the best shows on TV

This bag is the perfect “blend in” with soceity bag and so perfect because it does just that-it blends in. No one would ever think you are carrying close to $8000 worth of Professional camera gear inside. The bag comes with a removable padded camera box and even though the bag is not made to carry a Pro DSLR, my full size pro camera DSLR (Nikon D3, D3s, D4 , Canon Mark2N) with one lens (not attached) fit. I had my Nikon 24-120mm f4 lens in the padded area and still had room for my SB800 flash in the pouch that the flash arrived in. There was plenty of room for an over sized wallet, press ID, keys, spare batteries and a large bottle to keep hydrated.

One end of the bag zippers to give more space if needed-50% more space to be exact.

There are times when I am shooting my corporate or public relation jobs and I need a bag to hold an extra lens or 2 along with spare batteries and this bag is the perfect fit. A backpack bag gets in the way and a roller bag is out of the question for when I need to maneuver myself thru the crowds and the LowePro Passport Sling II is the perfect bag. The black color with red interior and small red stripes on the outside makes this bag fit in whether you are wearing jeans or a nice outfit. My photographer husband used it while shooting a corporate shoot wearing an Armani suit!

On days when I don’t want to carry my full size pro gear, this is the perfect bag for my Micro four thirds system. This bag easily holds my Olympus EM-5 body with the 12-50mm kit lens attached as well as the 14-140 and 20mm pancake lens, along with the Olympus FL-300R Wireless Flash, wallet, batteries, water bottle and keys.

The sling bag makes it super easy to grab your gear fast, whether you have time or are running to your next job and need to grab your camera fast.

She is DEFINITELY one of my favorites. Each time I see her, I love her more. Even the rain doesn't scare her off (MOST performers won't come out from under the tent-she didn't care.) LOVED seeing the little kids (approx. 6 years old) singing EVERY word to her songs-and she did too.

Paul Rudd, Ed Asner, Kate Arrington and Michael Shannon at the Cort Theater after the first night of previews for GRACE

(Kyle Cook,Rob Thomas, Paul Doucette, Brian Yale)

this summer I spent a few days with my Sorority Sisters from College (Alpha Xi Delta from Rochester Institute of Technology) at a Lake House on Hunter Mountain in the Catskills. We reconnected back in 2007 and many of us get together at least once a year. For 20 something years, we had no contact with one another and to be back in each others lives (and to have met other sisters who were either older or younger than us and in the house at different times) is so special. Waking up to good friends and beautiful scenery is paradise.

WOW! I arrived at Central Park at about 6:30 am and there was so much trash, tents, chairs, sleeping bags and other personal belongings all over the place. 2 park workers were cleaning it all up and making some comments along the way. All of a sudden, I heard the roar of the crowd as the Backstreet Boys took the stage for their soundcheck. It was so loud on the outside that ear plugs were needed. I was in shock-I had NO idea the Backstreet Boys were still so popular. Once the press was allowed in, there was no way were were going to get to our riser-the crowd was shoulder to shoulder--EASILY the BIGGEST crowd yet-bigger than Beyonce and Lady Gaga from last summer. We actually found a police officer to give us an escort to the press area! The Backstreet Boys were, surprisingly, very entertaining. I have photographed them before but this time they were much better. They mentioned that they are going out on tour and if you were a fan from long ago, you won't be disappointed.

Arthur Ashe Day at the US Open...I always love shooting sports and don't seem to get enough assignments these days so shooting tennis greats Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Andy Roddick was worth being in the hot sun all day/ Singers Carly Rae Jepsen, The Wanted and actor Matthew Morrison from "Glee" were also on hand

My friend, photographer Derek Storm, has been raving about this band for quite some time now. He has been photographing them everywhere and already has enough amazing images to make a great book. Needless to say, I was really looking forward to seeing and photographing them to understand what he was talking about. I expected a "boy" band, but they aren't boys-they are men, and they DO know how to perform and get the audience really involved. It is very apparent that they love their fans, and their fans love them. The OWN the stage.

This young girl seems to be taking the country by storm, with everyone singing along to her catchy song "Call Me Maybe." She delighted the audience, all who were singing, along with Matt Lauer, Olympian Ryan Lochte, Star Jones, newscasters Jeff Rossen and Al Roker

I love when I am assigned to shoot a concert and I know little to nothing about the performer. This doesn't happen often, but what makes it so great is when I see someone new and they turn out to be great. Country singer Luke Bryan was just that. He has a great voice, amazing stage presence and a great look. GMA Weatherman Sam Champion riding a mechanical bull was a great sight to see too.I love when I am assigned to shoot a concert and I know little to nothing about the performer. This doesn't happen often, but what makes it so great is when I see someone new and they turn out to be great. Country singer Luke Bryan was just that. He has a great voice, amazing stage presence and a great look. GMA Weatherman Sam Champion riding a mechanical bull was a great sight to see too.

I have been shooting musicians for over 28 years, and Adam Lambert has one of the best voices out there. I LOOOOOVE this guy. Everyone who was fortunate enough to be at the MLB Fan Cave for this intimate little concert in NYC were not disappointed. If you don't know who he is-look him up. 

This was the first year that 5 women made ((L-R) Christina Cha, Sabrina Thompson, Survivor One World Winner Kim Spradlin, Chelsea Meissner and Alicia Rosa attend the "Survivor: One World" Finale at Ed Sullivan Theater on May 13, 2012 in New York City) it to the top with Kim Spradlin winning the $1 million dollars and top survivor in the hit TV reality show Richard Hatch, winner from the very first Survivor, made a special appearance and even showed off his new tattoo of a shark, so he will never forget being bitten while playing the game

The Beach Boys performing during the first of their 2 sold out concerts for their 50th Anniversary Tour at the Beacon Theater

Only in NYC can a photographer wake up, walk out her front door, and have Ben Stiller filming "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" right on the street she lives. And then to get a call from a high school friend who is an actor telling me he is filming with Jane Fonda and Sam Waterston for the HBO show "The Newsroom." Today was a 2 movie set day and probably the fastest shoots ever.

more photos:https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150833956788081.444204.49859873080&type=1

Bruce Springsteen put on an epic 3 hour plus performance last night at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. I have been seeing/photographing him since 1980 and at age 62, he has more energy than he did in 1984! He is all over the stage, jumping out into the audience, crowd surfing from one stage to another and just having the time of his life doing what he does better than any one else-perform!

For a full review, read writer Stan Goldstein's article:

http://www.nj.com/springsteen/index.ssf/2012/05/bruce_springsteen.html

All photos taken with a Panasonic GF1 camera and 14-42mm lens

Michael Emerson                                             Kevin Chapman

{click to enlarge}

Last month I was hired to be the still photographer on set for the new Gavin DeGraw video for his song, "Sweeter." I was very excited since I have shot him several times in the past, both live, and in the studio on the old MTV show "TRL." Everytime I heard him sing, I liked him more and more and being able to shoot his video was a joy. The entire cast and crew were absolutely wonderful and a joy to work with. I can't wait to see the video as it airs tonight on "E! News."

I know who I will be rooting for for this season's "Dancing With The Stars." TEAM GAVIN!!

(New York – March 15, 2012) Gavin DeGraw will premiere the music video for his current album’s second single “Sweeter” exclusively on E! News at 7pm PT/ET and eonline.com at 5pm PT/ 8pm ET, today. On Friday, March 16th at 5pm PT/ 8pm ET, the video will go live on music video website VEVO and VH1 will include the video in their Top 20 Countdown on Saturday, March 17th. Dancing With The Stars will air a clip of the video on premiere night kicking off its 14th season with Gavin as a contestant on Monday, March 19th at 8pm on ABC. The video for “Sweeter,” directed by Lenny Bass and shot in Brooklyn, features Sports Illustrated model Genevieve Morton. The video begins in a bar setting where Gavin woos Morton away from a less than enthusiastic boyfriend and they take off on an afternoon adventure together. “Sweeter,” co-written with OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder, is the second single and title track from DeGraw’s third studio album. The album’s first single, “Not Over You,” also co-written with Tedder, was certified platinum earlier this year and continues to climb sales and radio charts since its June release.

British boyband One Direction continued their assault on America today as they performed in front of thousands of screaming fans at New York's Rockefeller Plaza. The five-piece band - who rose to fame on the British version of the X Factor in 2010 - were mobbed by fans as they arrived on an open-roof tour bus for a live appearance on the Today show It marked their first performance on American television. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2113904/British-boy-band-One-Direction-cause-fan-frenzy-make-U-S-television-debut-performance-Today-show

the first and last time I will probably ever be able to walk to a concert!

Bruce played the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem as part of celebration of the 10th anniversary of XM/Sirius Satellite Radio

Bruce Springsteen's set list at the Apollo:

We Take Care of Our Own
Wrecking Ball
Badlands
Death to My Hometown
My City of Ruins
The E Street Shuffle
Jack of All Trades
Shackled and Drawn
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
The Promised Land
Mansion on the Hill
The Way You Do The Things You Do
634-5789
The Rising
We Are Alive
Thunder Road
* * *
Rocky Ground (with Michelle Moore)
Land of Hope and Dreams/People Get Ready
Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
Hold On, I'm Comin'