Michael Weinstein

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on July 3, 2024

On July 25, 1942, the Weinstein family brought in to this world their only son, Mike Weinstein. In his own words, he was just a skinny kid from the Bronx. That skinny kid from the Bronx turned out to be one hell of a great human being.

Mike and I happened to go to the same High School in New York. I never thought that I’d run into him in Milford, Pennsylvania… but I did, and we started the second part of our relationship. But I digress, what I should tell you is that he was a United States Marine, went on to become a world class district attorney and world class defense attorney in Milford and one of the smartest, brightest and finest individuals I’ve known in history.

On June 29, 2024, he died in New York. He died way too young.

When I threw the dirt onto his coffin I didn’t believe I was doing it. I’m not sure I still believe it.

I will love and respect him forever, along with several dozen of my dear friends that have moved to the next level of consciousness.

I was there to bury his son Jessie (one of my photographic models over the years), his beautiful wife Luisa who happened to be not only a friend, but also a model I used over the years, and now he joins them.

Once reality hits, I will go back to their grave and put several stones on their grave that I gathered from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. I will do that and then I will know that it is final.

I miss the three of them.

Vaya Con Dios.

Michael went to another level of consciousness, thank god, before the supreme court made the imperial king Donald Trump… thats enough.

Pain (Excruciating Pain)

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 17, 2024

Last week I worked one day with my new assistant, Chase. When he left, I wound up in bed for 4 full days.

When my partner, JoAnne, insisted I go to the doctor because I couldn’t walk, my neck, knees, leg, and back were shot. There wasn’t any part of me that wasn’t shot. Went to the doctor, and the prognosis was Lyme Disease.

My blood is out to the lab to see if I indeed have Lyme disease.

In my career, which stands over a half a century, I never photographed birds. I love birds, I love looking at them, I love seeing them fly, but as something that I’d like to put on digital film… it’s really not up there in my wheelhouse.

Considering I’m having a hard time holding a camera, and holding my head up, here are just a few images that were done specifically for me, and nobody else.

If W. Eugene Smith was alive, he would attempt to beat the living shit out of me for this type of an image.

Guys, it’s just fun, and Photography should be fun.

Frank and Tristan

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on May 8, 2024

Approximately 25 years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting an extremely bright, young man who was working for a dear friend of mine, Peter Poremba, who was the CEO of DynaLite. His name is Jason Etzel. Jason is now one of the super heavy-weights for Sony Cameras. When you need information on a Sony, Jason is the man to go to. For anybody who doesn’t know, I took my first snapshot at age 7, I’ve been making snapshots and, occasionally, a good photograph, for the last half century. Unfortunately, Jasons dad passed away on the 24th of April. I never had the pleasure of meeting Frank, but all indications show that he was one hell of a great guy. Jason adopted his dads dog. The following is a text I received from Jason this morning.

“Tristan passed away after a rough night on my lap this morning. Felt his head go limp, then the breathing slower, and his heart stop beating on my leg.

In many ways, it was the best way something like this could happen. No frantic car rides, no anxiety for him going into the vet … my father is looking out for him now”

I have to tell you, I really got choked up. This is the way life goes. My philosophy is that life is not a rehearsal, you only have one shot at it, so you better make it count.

On my way home from Manhattan the other evening, I took a few photographs, which I’d like to share with you. It’s with my new Sony camera and the new Sony 135-1.8.

When it Rains, it Pours

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 28, 2013

While I was in Australia, I decided to do a walk about. Invariably, when you start a trek like that, you’re going to run into inclement weather. In a rain forest very close to Cairns, Australia, JoAnne captured me during a storm on my walk about. Ok, if you don’t believe that, raise your hands. Wow, thank God you all raised your hands. JoAnne was shooting an ad campaign and needed a model for a test and used me. Never going to be on the cover of GQ! It was shot right outside the studio, the studio lights were still inside, obviously being protected by the rain????? It’s a special type of rain, it’s called hose rain. Sometimes a photo isn’t what it appears to be. But I do try to keep my sense of humor. I did get the hat and coat in Australia. It’s pretty amazing stuff, it’s an oil cloth. I hope it still fits. To all the ships at sea, keep your powder dry, your legs crossed, and a bit of lip gloss never hurt anybody.

You’ll Never Know?

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 26, 2013

While teaching a class that started at Grand Central Station and ended at Times Square I had one camera and one lens, a 16-35. Did not imagine I’d be doing any portraits. Even though the 16-35 is not a portrait lens, this is an environmental portrait of a gentleman from London. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Joe DiMaggio????

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 12, 2013

“Took this many years ago when he was an assistant manager for the Oakland A’s – wish I would have sent it to him.”

What am I, chopped liver? © JoAnne Kalish

So you sent it to me, the real Joe D!

Wow! This Really Blows Me Away

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 11, 2013

To all the ships at sea, last week ranged from brutal to inconceivable, and back to brutal cubed. I was suffering from negativity, which was probably my doing because I allow things to bother me. Well, enough of that. A young man showed up on our doorstep with a number 2 pencil and a tape recorder and interviewed JoAnne and myself. Separately, as a matter of fact, which I thought was a pretty innovative way of doing it (“no white lies, you’ll get caught!”). There’s something about a consummate professional; there’s an aura about them. In my experience, they’re bright, intelligent, soft spoken, and honest. I’m talking about Michael Hartnett. I normally have some minor defense mechanisms in place, but Michael was able to have me drop them in about ten seconds. Great interviewer, again I was totally impressed. We talked a little bit about some of his art and he showed me this beautiful illustration with which I fell in love. Then he explained that he makes them in the woods. Makes a record photograph and within hours it disappears. The initial concept threw me for a loop. You mean I can’t take it home? I can’t put it on my wall? It’s not archival? It’s here today, gone tomorrow? Then I gave it a little bit more thought and realized how brilliant it is. Just like us; here today, gone tomorrow. He’s written a novel called Tales of Allamucha; expect to see it on Amazon in the upcoming future. What a breath of fresh air! This is Joe DiMaggio signing off. PS, he was writing an article on JoAnne and myself for The Milford Journal. Check out the July issue.

You Can’t Make This Up

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 4, 2013

“I hate artist’s statements. They are pretentious, and I am pretentious enough without adding to it. I have read too many statements about artists who are “exploring psycho/sexual boundaries” or artists who are “Concerned with the tension between x and y…” These statements are more for the artists, to convince themselves that they are creating something meaningful and of value. I reality you buy art because it connects with you, or it matches your couch, not because the artist was “depicting the hypocrisy of gender roles in a post modern America”. I am much more interested to hear what you think about my work, then to tell you what I think about it.”

Thann Clark

There are very few things that motivate me to the point of screaming, jumping up and down, or possibly wetting myself. I was introduced to a young man by the name of Thann Clark and I went to his webpage. What you’ve read above is his artist’s statement. I am totally blessed that most of my friends are artists, whether they use oil, water, pen, pencil, cameras, blues, jazz, poetry, or ballet; they’re all artists. I strongly recommend to Thann that he should get his statement copyrighted and trademarked, because if he doesn’t, I’m going to steal it. This artists statement could go on from here to infinity. I’m throwing a photo in here just because I want to. Just for people to keep records, the above gorilla photograph was the number one selling greeting card for over two years. Canon EOS, 600 f4, 1/100th at f4, ISO 100, Gitzo monopod.

Embrace

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on June 3, 2013

Why would anybody put up this genre of photograph in June when obviously the photograph as taken in the dead of winter? That’s funny, I asked myself the same question. There are two basic reasons: the first is I just found this photo I had been trying to find for the last few years for my book, so I scanned it and now you have an opportunity to see it, and the second is I just liked the feeling. It makes me feel warm. Two lovers outside a coffeehouse in Greenwich Village. Very cold and snowy night. One grabbed shot, EOS camera, 85 1.2, ISO 200, 1/60th at f2. No rhyme or reason, I just like it.

Oh My God, it’s May!

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on May 15, 2013

To all the ships at sea,

If it’s May, it has to be the Indianapolis 500. This photograph was selected by Sports Illustrated as the third greatest photograph in the last 100 years of the 500. They reproduced it in the centennial issue and on their website. That’s the good news, the bad news is they never asked me. Does the word “copyright” mean anything to anyone? Who said “power to the people”? No, it’s “power to the corporation”, step on all the people. In this society, we all have to play by the same rules. Actually, I think someone wrote that in the Constitution. To my friends; go out and make some great photos. Capture history with a camera. Life is good, life is great. Health and happiness to everybody, even SI.