I started carrying a camera regularly about six months ago. Its not a crazy expensive camera, just a Cannon Powershot- you know the really compact one that Tennis Great Maria Sharpova uses in the commercial. It cost me about $150.00, is really compact, and fits in a cell phone holster that I can wear on my belt for easy access. I AM an amateur paparazzi.
I usually take my camera with me everywhere, everyday. You never know what you might see on the streets of New York City. For instance, how about that homeless guy sleeping outside of the limelight in the middle of the day. Next to him was a birthday cake with one slice missing. How sad. Was it his birthday? Did someone happen to have a cake that they didn't want and gave it to him? Who ate the one slice? It was totally a picture worth taking.
Or how about that really hot guy with the most amazing body walking down the street. The guy who knew he looked amazing and was just walking around flaunting his beautifulness. That guy that we all wish we could be for just one day.
I didn't have my camera on me yesterday when Ronnie from Make me a Supermodel ended up in the subway with me. DAMN IT!
It was a sunny afternoon when some friends and I decided to go to Lombardi's Pizza. The place with the distinction of being the FIRST PIZZERIA in the United States. Of course when we got there, we had to wait. Tourists go there by the busload because not only is it the first Pizzeria in the U.S. (open since 1905), but because the pizza also tastes really good. I had never been there so this was all exciting for me. As we waited for our table to be called, I noticed across the street, this kid sitting on the electrical box that controls the walk signals. I thought it was an odd place to sit. What was he doing there? who was he waiting for? He was just sitting there taking everything in. I snapped a picture.
The Pizza was amazing. Fresh ingredients, the most thin but crispy crust, and cheese that would stretch for days. I'm lactose intolerant!!!
Fast forward. My company decided to hold a photo contest to find some pictures that they could hang in our lobby area. Pictures that pique your curiosity. I decided what the heck and entered the picture of the boy on the light box, and the picture of the homeless birthday. After all, both those pictures piqued my curiosity.
I had a gut feeling I was going to win. My friends know about my gut feelings. One time, at Splash, there was a raffle going on and as they handed me my ticket, I got that gut feeling and told my friends I was going to win. Sure enough, I won an amazing gift certificate for an amazing dinner. I had that same feeling not with the homeless birthday picture, but with the boy on the box picture.
I did win.
They contacted me and let me know that I would recieve $100.00 plus my picture was going to be blown up and hung on the wall in the 19th floor reception area. Wow! I was a real artist with a real piece of work hanging for all to see!
So ask me again, why I always have my camera with me. It's because you never know when you might snap a winning picture, true paparazzi style. Oh, and by the way, if you know that boy in the picture, let him know that I'll throw him a little something for being my model. Is it strange that a huge advertising company has a photo of an unknown kid on the street in NYC and that this kid doesn't know that a giant photo of his backside is hanging in our lobby?
5 comments:
congratulations on the photo! i need to get a tiny camera like that, too. if i stopped buying frapuccinos, i'd probably be able to afford one.
gotta try me a lombardi's pizza. is it really as good as they say?
Love the pic(s); Happy Birthday homeless man, how sadly ironic...wow, you saw ronnie...was he as cute in person?
OMGAWWWWWWD! Ronnie?!! How freakintabulous!
You're quite the photographer Billy and I LOVE the photo of the kid sitting on the box and how awesome to hear that you won! I hope that kid is found--you should post it up on your facebook and say, Do you Know who this is? lol!
You guys it's amazing how William always finds himself in situations like meeting Ronnie in the subway or taking a cool picture of a random kid (hot boy btw!) and then getting a prize for his pic...his Karma ROCKS!!!
All of the above pics (with the exception of the Fulsom St. boy) are a small window into how interesting and unpredictable William's life is.
Billy you rock! Oh why is the Fulsom Pic an expection you may ask??? Well - just look really closely at the boy.... :)
I love taking pics too! I think back to your Kramer dayz, hehehe. I thought that pic of the guy on the pole was pretty cool. I think I need to invest in a compact camera too. Mine is so bulky (I leave it in the car most of the time).
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