© Joe DiMaggio MMIX

Well, a very big birthday just passed. I guess when you look at it, they’re all pretty big, and you know how I love to beat up clichés. There’s one that goes like this I think, “One door closes and another opens”. Well, maybe this is a good example: I just lost two assistants. Thats not good. But what’s great is that I have a brand new assistant that is considerably better than the two that I lost and her name is Moriah. So i guess the cliché works again. And what do you know that on my birthday that after having 7000 other assistants over the years, that lovely Moriah shows up with her equally lovely mother with a beautiful birthday cake and wished me a happy birthday. My god, it doesn’t get any better than that. So I’d like that thank Moriah and her mom for an extremely delicious, outstanding, beautiful cake. And I’d like to see that if they ever remotely think of it again, if they could make it without sugar and calories. Oh forget that. Who am I kidding. It’s all Good, Joe D

You spend 30 years perfecting your style, your visual literacy, the way you communicate with people. All of the things that make you a credible photographer and filmmaker. Then you take on the responsibility of a mentor. It is a very serious undertaking. Your students expect you to know all the answers to all the problems. The reality is you don’t know all the answers to all the problems. So who do the mentors go for help? You go to somebody who is smarter than you are and knows virtually everything about not only his products but the competition’s products. That person for me is Rudy Winston. So let’s be clear right now. You’re not getting his phone number or his e mail so let’s get that out of the way.

I’ve known Rudy for over 15 years. He’s not only a fine photographer, great teacher, great tech rep but great husband and father also. Rudy always has a few minutes to make very complicated matters extremely simple. Simple enough for me to understand. I think if Rudy went into politics he’d be able to solve some problems that other people just can’t seem to deal with he’s that good. So when people want to know who I go to – Rudy’s my Go-To guy.

Having said that Rudy has a beautiful daughter and his daughter’s name is Ciana and out of all the wonderful condolence cards and letters I received for my son Joseph, this one stands out. Rudy you did another great job! By the way, thanks to Chuck and Steve for your condolences also.

Ciana © Rudy Winston & Ciana’s Drawing

I just received a New Years greeting from my dear friend AJ Langer. AJ is an extremely talented actress and beautiful young lady. AJ and her husband Charlie are the parents of two gorgeous children, Jos (almost 3) and Jack (4 months). AJ and I had an opportunity to do several tv shows together in Yellowstone and in Belize. I instructed AJ in the art of still photography. Little did I know, that she knew a whole lot more than she was letting on. When you grow up in front of the camera, you have the opportunity to learn what it’s like to be behind the camera. She taught me a few a things. I will fondly remember during our travels together. She paid me a lovely compliment one time and said “You’re a great teacher, and I’d go anywhere in the world with you.” I’m going to steal a few of AJ’s photos from her email and put them on my blog. Anyone who knows me knows, that I give credit where credit is due. The photograph that AJ did is a world class photograph, not a snapshot. She has become quite, the accomplished photographer.

all photos©AJ Langer

January 1st of any particular year doesn’t really do it for me. I normally celebrate the Chinese New Year. The reason for that is, Chinese New Year was my first date with JoAnne. It is more meaningful to me. When I hear Auld Lang Syne, I well up and think of the past, and then with any luck at all, think of the future. I was moving my office to another building, and I stumbled across this photograph of the Gorilla. It has an interesting little side note to it. It was a photograph originally done for the Image Bank (now called Getty Images.) I received a call from Sally Lloyd, the greatest editor any person could have and one of the founders of the Stock Market that is now Corbis. She told me that the gorilla was sold to Avanti Greeting Cards. No big whoop, until we found out that it out-sold every other greeting card that year! As a matter of fact, they asked permission to run it again for a second and then a third year! Once a year, I’d walk down to the local book store, stand in the corner, and watch people buy cards. I’d watch them pick up the gorilla card. It came in two flavors, one Happy Birthday and one blank version. I just watched their faces and their smiles. One time I walked over to a woman and I asked, “Why did you buy that card?” and she said, “Because I just love it!” You can’t make this stuff up. Hey, here’s some interesting news, that I totally forgot to mention. Chinese New Year, this year, falls on February 14th and that’s Valentines Day too. JoAnne and I will be teaching a workshop for Adorama in Chinatown in NYC on Chinese New Year/Valentine’s Day & celebrating our anniversary. Photos © Joe DiMaggio

I was out fishing one day in the Huntington Triangle and I ran into a wise fisherman. He was quite a character. We talked about lures, trolling, and then we talked about advertising photography. Little did I know, I was in the presence of the president of one of the finest, most avant garde ad agencies in the United States. Here we are 25 years later, and we’re very dear friends. I call him my Rabbi, my brother, my mentor, and my dear friend. Like all relationships it is predicated on the most important thing, respect. His name is Paul Laddin. On top of all of his accomplishments, first accomplishment is, of course, he is married to a beautiful and brilliant woman named Jennie. Second to that, he is quite the accomplished artist. He works in oil and his work is wonderful. If you look closely at the artwork I’ve included, you may recognize a younger photographer, I’m not sure I know his name.

Thank you Paul for being such a great friend. Love you.

Joe D

Painting by Paul Laddin

Photograph©Joe DiMaggio

December 27, 2009

I guess every day you live is a special day, and every day your are productive is even more of a special day. We had great weather for our holiday workshop and I had a wonderful time with you all. For me yesterday was an epiphany. To the best of my knowledge, it’s the first time that a health issue affected my ability, to not only make a photograph, but also more importantly I’m afraid it also disrupted my level of expertise to teach. You all know me pretty well by now, and you know that I take the teaching very seriously. I hope you had a great day and made some wonderful photos.

I’d like to wish you all a Great New Year. Next time I see you, I’m going to be kicking ass and taking names!It was a special day for me, and I will fondly remember it. Please send me any comments and some photographs as I would love to see them.

From Jeff –

Regardless, it was a great day and I will (attempt) to speak for all of us – it was a great day, insightful, educational, challenging and most of all fun. We all knew you were hurting and wished you well. Who knew the crowds would be beyond anyone’s imagination. BTW, on my way back to my car I passed a bomb scare at the Ferrigamo store and the closing of 5th Avenue, and it took me 90 minutes to go from 54th Street to the Lincoln Tunnel. All in all it was a great day, and thanks. Get yourself well (and Dylan too) and see you soon. Have a great New Years. – Jeff

© ’09 Jeff Thomas

A few years back, I remember having an espresso with my dear friend and former CIA agent, Bill DeSmedt, mentioning how I thought it would be great if Joe Lieberman ran for President of the United States. Here it is a few years later, and I was thinking it would be great for Joe Lieberman to run for Dog Catcher somewhere in Tunguska, Siberia.

By the way, Bill denies the fact that he was ever a member of the CIA but I have friends that tell me different. If anybody out there would like to read a great book Bill is the author of Singularity. Pick up a copy; it’s a great read.

Author Bill DeSmedt Photo©Joe DiMaggio
http://www.singularitythebook.com
Listen to the free podcast of Singularity at:
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/singularity