‘Senior Dogs Across America’ on the road.
(Source: vimeo.com)
‘Senior Dogs Across America’ on the road.
(Source: vimeo.com)
Maxie (top), Lulu
I am heading to Houston tomorrow for the opening of Senior Dogs Across America at the Houston Center for Photography on May 4, 2012. I am dedicating this work and all the wonderful experiences that have come from it to Lulu and Maxie. They are in my heart forever.
On my way back to NYC from photographing photographer Arthur Leipzig, 93 years old, I have to change trains in Jamaica for Penn Station. I am waiting at Track 2 and I have a realization. The book I just bought from Mr. Leipzig has a photo in it from 1962 called ‘Next Stop New York’ taken in close to the same spot I am standing.
Always fun to see the ‘background’ photos from shoots. These were taken by David Mishler on one of the senior dog trips out west. Absolutely splendid!
All I can say is, what a life! Here is some of what Richard, 88, shared. He left home at 15 and traveled to California. First job upon arrival - a ‘soda jerk’ at Thrifty’s Drugstore. He worked 16 hour days for the railroad and worked the ship yards. At 17, he met a beautiful blonde 29 year old dance studio instructor (see photo) and spent 5 years with her. Somehow enrolled at New York Prep (NYC) without parents. Then Georgetown U. and a PhD at George Washington. He has been to all 50 states and around the world twice, often on a boat. Spent months in a hospital when the doctors thought he had Hodgkins disease and it turned out to be Mono. Married, divorced, son. He picked up his mom’s camera when he was about 6 years old and that is how our destiny’s ultimately converged for a few fleeting moments at a digital lab. The youthful portrait is of a suave 19 year old. The other - his 88 year old self.
Letty, 85, started taking Tango lessons at 70. I met her late one Saturday night at a Tango club on 34th street. She teaches yoga classes in Connecticut. She belonged to ‘Clowns of America’, having been a clown at Paul Newman’s camp, Hole in the Wall Gang. She told me she has a pilot’s license.
Serendipitous Moments. How did the 4 girls dressed in black decide to just keep walking, owning the sidewalk, while the other 4 girls knew they were the ones who had to step aside? And how often do we see groups of friends dressed almost the same as evidenced here?
Concentration with a hand held device or exhaustion seem to be the 2 most prevalent moods on the subway.
