Lessons Learned

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on August 20, 2024

Lessons learned… All Photos © Joe DiMaggio

Almost 6 decades ago I worked on Park Avenue – not the same Joe DiMaggio people know in 2024! I had a short haircut, a Brooks Brother’s suit with button down shirt, and silk tie with a double Windsor knot. I wore sterling silver cufflinks and a matching vest. The suit was a light-weight grey and had black stripes. Of course, I had wing-tipped shoes with matching socks (hard to envision both for you and me.) My boss’s name was Bob Cohen. His boss was the senior VP of Smith-Corona Marchant. I was ridiculously young. After 3 months of hire, my boss decided I was going to be a field supervisor with 12 men working with me NOT FOR ME. I explained this wasn’t going to work because one of the men was a retired NYPD officer with 5 kids and three of his kids, were older than me. Bob explained to me I could do the job. Once a week he would take me to a Jewish delicatessen (not Katz’s) and he’d give me a 90 minute lesson on administration and how to treat people. My dad who graduated NYU, 17 years earlier, was a stickler for honesty, positivity and treating my fellow man always as an equal. I was never better than anybody else! Both men, radically different people but they both had similar concepts on humanity and the society we lived in. One of the ninety minute lessons was – never put a man, woman, or dog in a corner where they couldn’t go left, right, or couldn’t get out. That was unacceptable! What’s amazing is now 60 years later that’s imbedded into my brain.

It seems like the world loves Joe D as long as I says Yes! The minute I deviate from Yes, things become dark grey, swinging towards black. When I left NYC for Centerport and then relocated to the Upper Delaware (Milford, PA), one thing was obvious, I did not need new clients. I had plenty from Manhattan to Tokyo, Rome etc. Many of my friends and I had almost a 40 year relationship. So, the last thing I needed were new friends. I already had great friends that would die for me and I for them. Pat Nap took on 4 men who were beating me possibly to death, when I was just 16, and saved my life. Brandofino was Pat’s best friend and there was no way he’d let anyone lay hands on me. They were both 2 years older than I. So why would I need new friends?

When it came to the arts I had Dennis Wheeler, a world class artist/art director and all around great human being. Dennis was a great guy who’d even sometimes baby-sit my son for hours when I met with clients in NY, and taught him how to paint and sketch while doing so. My son went on to being published in a national Magazine at age 9 (I didn’t get published until I was maybe 23.) Then there was Paul Laddin another great artist who painted in oil. A very disciplined artist and a true master. He was also President of a large Ad agency in NYC on Park Ave. These are just a handful of close friends. There are so many others. At this point I almost forgot my all time best friend, the great photographer and beautiful JoAnne Kalish. Yes, she is a better photographer than I and I just have to live with that! The advantages is that I she has a small ego and I don’t!

We now come full circle to 3 years and 2 months ago, I decided to join AA. Anybody who knows me knows the last thing I would do was join any organization and certainly not AA! The simple reality is without AA my ashes would have been already spread in the Hudson River or the lighthouse at Eaton’s Neck. My brothers and sisters at AA taught me it’s not about me it’s about us. I should also add that my concept of not needing new friends was wrong. I not only needed new friends but want new friends. I love the new friends as much as I love the old friends, whether they are still on this planet or have moved on. I love my life and friends and for whatever time I have left, all I want and need is Health and Happiness for Us All. These are the only things that are important. I will always remember to never put someone in a corner and strongly recommend you not do that either. My “word,” there I go again… Our “word,” Is more important than anything else.

This is Joe DiMaggio master of the run-on-sentences, signing off. God Bless!

Alan Kaplan Rest in Peace

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on March 20, 2024

The average person who knew Alan Kaplan from the many get-togethers parties etc, knew him as a photographer and artist who was married to a beautiful crazy lady by the name of Wendy and also had a lovely daughter by the name of Kyle, although I did not know her well.

Anybody in the professional New York Photographic Community knew Alan as a World Class Photographer and Painter who traveled the world recording amazing images and making films. When I think of f Alan Kaplan I think of him as the “Johnny Cash” of NYC photography. The man in black was a very low key, soft spoken guy who seemed to never raise his voice, not break a sweat, or get pissed off (or you did not know if he did). All and all he was quite the visionary! In the business he was known as a minimalistic and laid back image-maker. In the past 15 years, we’ve had hundreds of conversations on how we should save the world with our art. Rest assured Alan will be painting and photographing on another level of consciousness and will be kicking ass and taking names – but quietly. Unlike some of his contemporaries who are loud, boisterous, nasty and egotistical, Alan was the exact opposite. His talent was what it was all about. He let his talent speak for itself. He did not need to tell anyone how great he was.

I spoke to Alan for a short time last week and only sorry to not have spoke to him longer. Alan, God Bless you and thanks for leaving that signature Alan Kaplan body of work behind for all of us to remember you by. Hope to see you on the other side. By the way say hello to Peter B for me.

Merry Christmas?! Wait a minute, it’s not even Thanksgiving!

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on November 25, 2013

The other day I was privileged to have lunch with a very dear friend of mine. Don Sergeant, an extremely bright, creative and dynamic Vietnam war veteran, whose main responsibility in this world is to save lives; a beautiful man. When we finished lunch, I stopped by The Forge Gallery and said hello to another dear friend, Phil Rachelson. Phil is not only a great artist, he also has the ability of generating great designs in his gallery. He displays the artwork in a way; it’s pleasant to the eye and geometrically sound. It’s a special Christmas show, to all the ships at sea, if you have an opportunity stop by and support the artists and the gallery. Great art at great prices. -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.

Art By Wheeler

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on May 13, 2013

Dennis Wheeler is one of the finest artists in America today. He has to his credit: his work is in the permanent collection in the Museum of Modern Art, and his artwork is in the National Portrait Gallery in Washington DC. When he talks about Andy, he’s not talking about Andy Rooney; he’s talking about Andy Warhol. He also has 40 Time covers to his credit. He’s one of the smartest and most creative people I’ve ever met. Extremely bright, creative, and quite humble. If you ever have an opportunity to be in Hillsdale, stop by his gallery. It’s absolutely awesome. And he makes a mean martini! How bad could it be?

Have a great day, Joe D signing off.

Will a Rainbow Put a Smile on Your Face?

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on April 1, 2013

Hi to All the Ships at Sea,

It’s a little known fact that JoAnne and I had an illegitimate son, by the name of Dylan (just joking.) Please understand across the studio just came a comment…”You’re out of your mind what are you saying?.” So let’s just be honest, I am out of my mind, I agree, it’s just the nature of the beast. Dylan at a very young age had a babysitter, by the name of Dennis Wheeler. Dennis’s art is in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art. In my humble opinion he is one of the finest artists of our time. In those days we lived on the sea and rainbows were relatively commonplace. They usually happened after it rained…I never quite did figure that out. One day Dylan decided to paint rainbows. He painted, I don’t know, somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty different rainbows. I think JoAnne said to him one day, “Why don’t you sit outside on the stoop and maybe you can sell the rainbows to people who pass by.” (You can tell who the mercenary business person is in our small company) That’s why she is the brains and the beauty.

Dylan sat outside with the rainbows as people would come by and pick them up for 2 cents each. The timing on this was approximately ten months after Musician Doug Stegmeyer went on to playing bass on a different plateau. There was a knock on the door and it was Peggy Stegmeyer, who lived down the street. In her hand was one of Dylan’s rainbows. She very softly said, (I am paraphrasing) “Joe, this is the first time a smiled in almost a year.” I’ve been known to say, all the great things in the world are free and occasionally a great piece of art may only sell for 2 cents. But it made some one very happy.

All the Best, Joe D

You can now follow me on Twitter @dimaggio_photo
Visual Impressions with Joe DiMaggio, Sponsored by Adorama
www.adorama.com
Adorama Learning Center

Will Barnet 1911- November 13 2012

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on November 28, 2012

As a man or woman makes the journey from birth to death along the way they meet people who change their life. It’s given with our parents and family. There are maybe 8 or 10 people who radically changed the direction of my life other than my parents of course . Today I will just talk about one – Will Barnet who passed away November 13 at age 101.

My partner JoAnne Kalish had an assignment to photograph Will and she did these amazing and iconic portraits of Will and they became close. One day Will invited us to lunch and on that day I learned more about art, art appreciation and art history in a very short period of time then any other time in my life.

There will only be one Will Barnet – He was a warm, kind, generous, exceptionally talented, and a humble human being. I’ve been known to say the greatest things in life are free. On New’s Years Day 2012 Will Barnet gave us a million dollar gift by merely calling to wish us a Happy New Year. My God does it get better than that?

Black and White

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on August 4, 2012

To all the ships at sea; we very rarely see a photograph of JoAnne and I together because most of the time she’s working on one specific project and I on another. The one good thing is we always agree; she says black, I say white, she says up, I say down. It makes for one hell of a relationship. Artistically, it really works. She is an extremely fine photographer and a difficult producer. As for me; best described as pain in the ass. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it. Recently, there’s been a new artist community social network organization, the Milford Arts Alliance Open Gallery Tour, and we’ve had our first gallery opening for them which was extremely successful. A total of 60 clients came through with four sales. Great conversation; I thoroughly enjoyed it. A big thank you to Amy Bridge and her publication The Milford Journal, and a big thank you to Micheal Hartnett for a great photo. Have a great weekend.

Sistine Chapel: The Rules

Posted by Joe DiMaggio on April 18, 2012

Back in the day a trip to Rome would be incomplete without a once-in-a life-time experience of seeing one the greatest and most popular works of art known today. I have been back at least a dozen times, and I always discover something new in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. It was commissioned by Pope Julius the II and was painted between 1508 and 1512. Back then, with the proper credentials I was able to photograph the Chapel for fifteen minutes before it opened. Today photography is no longer allowed, and when I ask why, security explained, that they sell photos, so there is no need to take one. Rules are rules, and we all must adhere to them. I found it very interesting that photographers with 35mm cameras are stopped but people with I phones and such were not. It seemed a bit unfair to me. I normally try to spend more then an hour trying to study the color, balance, and composition. I always leave the Chapel with my jaw on the ground, and when someone says that my photos are a piece of art I am humbly appreciative, but we all know better. Tip for today, as always pre-select shutter speed aperture, focus, over-expose by three quarters to 1.5 stops, camera on silent mode, lay the camera flat on a bench, accidentally hit the self timer button and hopefully you will have a precious image of one of the greatest pieces of art of all time. The rules are the the rules, don’t break them.