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[December 13th, 2009] |
The Arctic Monkeys really do know how to throw a good after party. I don't know that I would've survived a second night of shooting them, but it was fun. Had I not had a giant camera in hand, I probably would have crowdsurfed, because why not?
I finally moved out of my brother's place a few months ago, but I woke up to some bad news today. My roommate is moving out and I'm stuck in a lease on my own as of January 1st. I posted an ad on Craigslist today and emailed a few people but no luck so far. I'm already frustrated and it's only been about...six hours. I know I'm impatient, but this shit's annoying. If anyone knows anyone remotely sane who just happens to be looking for a place, please let me know.
Also, New York, how have we not had any real snow yet? I haven't lived in Maine for years now, but I'm still used to having had at least one major storm by now. The first thing I'm doing when I get back up to Hallowell in a week is building a snowman.
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[November 20th, 2009] |
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My dearest apologies, Spent, but I was asked to photograph an after party for a certain other magazine's Sexiest Man Alive event tonight. I was contracted through Guest of A Guest though, and aforementioned magazine isn't exactly Spent competition, so it wasn't a conflict of interest. On the downside, Johnny motherfucking Depp was a no-show. Ultimately, that's probably a good thing; the camera that I usually use for GoaG work is so used to seeing dirty hipsters that it probably would've combusted if I had had it out any longer tonight. Too much pretty in those rooms.
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[November 2nd, 2009] |
Clocks changed this weekend and it's completely thrown me off. It's 1:30, but it feels like 2:30, and now I don't know when my afternoon slump is going to hit and - wow, this might be the most boring thing I've ever had the misfortune of writing.
I ran around on Saturday night doing my thing with my camera, blinded a few people, and by the end of the night, ultimately decided that I was too sober to deal with the effects of the bender that the rest of New York seemed to be on. I haven't looked at any of the photos from last night, but they'll be up on the site by tomorrow at the latest. I didn't see as many Where the Wild Things Are costumes as I'd expected, but there were definitely a lot of slutty Alices and slutty Dorothys running around. Lots of Seuss characters, too. Not as many Michael Jacksons as I would've expected. What costume did you see the most of this weekend?
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[October 25th, 2009] |
5:30 AM Gatsby post alert. I get a little obscene after a certain hour. Here, I'll even put it behind a cut:
( Hipster Fleet Week Madness )
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[October 11th, 2009] |
This Saturday night seems awfully quiet. Even Williamsburg isn't as bumpin' as it usually is. What's up with that, Bedford Ave? Did the cold scare you? You barely need a coat in this weather, come on.
Lazy hipsters. You make my job easy when you're actually out there having ironic fun and getting shitfaced off of PBR and soaking it up with tater tots at some random dive. I was supposed to shoot a party tonight but the turn out was so bad that I left. Had I stayed half an hour longer, I would have ended up with two hundred pictures of the same twenty people.
Spent, since the other half of my livelihood has failed me tonight, please tell me you had a better Saturday night than I did, and if you didn't, then why not? Aaaand go.
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[September 29th, 2009] |
I was walking around the art department earlier today, trying to find a screwdriver in the supply closet because I did something weird to my camera, and I overheard someone mumble, "God, she's intimidating" when I walked by. Who was it? Was it directed at me? And if so, what the hell are you talking about? I'm short and harmless! Anyone who thinks I'm intimidating has some weird complex just because they've seen the size of the lens I shoot on. Laaame, whoever you are.
I shot a birthday party in Brooklyn this past weekend. It was superhero themed, and I went as Danger Mouse armed with a camera. I'm not gonna lie; that was one of the best nights I've had in a while.
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[September 11th, 2009] |
I know I just updated, but whatever. I just woke up. All logic has been thrown out the window.
Fashion's Night Out was last night. Who thought of that horrible name, by the way? It begs to be made fun of. Just sayin'. Since I wasn't scheduled to work at the bar, Guest of A Guest decided to throw me to the wolves and have me stalk Anna Wintour and Sienna Miller around SoHo. Well, not really, but most of the bigger FNO events were there and I caught both of them at the Intermix event. It pays to be small and to be able to sneak around when you're supposed to shoot stuff like this. Pointy elbows help, too.
I also ended up with a few amazing shots of Hamish Bowles singing and the Hilfigers dancing. Could I have done anymore name dropping? Yes, but I had to draw the line somewhere.
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[September 9th, 2009] |
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I've put in my two weeks notice at The Crocodile Lounge, so anyone whose face I can recognize who wants an extra free pizza with their beer (that's the deal, folks: a free 12" pie with every pint that you buy) better stop by before Monday night. The good: I don't have to deal with sleazeballs and I won't have to pretend I'm married anymore. The bad: I start at Guest of A Guest right in the middle of Fashion Week, which means shooting at least two parties each night, and probably a few events every day. I'll be a walking zombie by the time all of this is over. I just hope my D90 doesn't get hurt this time around.
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[August 31st, 2009] |
Note to Duke: before you read this, please take an anti-anxiety pill of some sort.
I really need to quit bartending. The tips are nice, but the hassle isn't worth it. I can handle it when drunk, rowdy men try to ogle their female bartenders. Tits mean tips. It's cool and I manage, but I either need to change venues from one that's less frat house and to another that's a little more chill. I had to hose down a dude with the club soda nozzle earlier tonight after he wouldn't leave one of my colleagues (wow, I sound so professional...how weird) alone, and I've taken to wearing one of those cheap rings with the fake bling that you can buy at Claire's or something like that on my ring finger just to ward off any extra trouble.
I should've stuck with party photography on the side. Maybe Guest of A Guest is hiring again.
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[August 15th, 2009] |
So...this whole apartment hunting thing is a little nuts. People say to avoid Craigslist, but it's almost impossible. I found my apartment in Baltimore that way, so it's worth a try, and it's pretty easy to figure out who the idiots and douchebags are, anyway. Take this guy, for example:
( $130 Awesome deal...open minded female only (East Village) )
I think this genius was at the bar a couple of nights ago. I'd link to his picture, but it's kind of skeevy and I don't want anyone's computer to end up with some sort of electronic STI.
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[August 9th, 2009] |
Duke wins points in the Best Big Brother category for humoring me and letting me drag him out for some glow bowling at midnight last night. He somehow had never been. Everyone should go glow bowling at least once. I'd suggest Bowlmor Lanes near Union Square.
I have three weeks to find an apartment before aforementioned big brother tries to kick me out. I probably should have done some more looking last week, but...I didn't. Does anyone have any tips on how to avoid skeezbags on Craigslist?
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[July 31st, 2009] |
My brother seems to have a problem with the fact that he walked into his apartment tonight and saw me making dinner. Surprise? Personally, I don't see anything wrong with this. I have a set of keys, and I was cooking a meal for him, right? Kind of like a 'thanks for letting me crash with you while I get settled into New York' meal. What did I get instead?
Yelled at for almost setting off the smoke alarm (it was an accident and he distracted me with the funny faces he was making).
I'm still running on Pacific Standard Time, so I know I'm a few hours behind, but come on. 10PM isn't that late for dinner. It's 7PM in California.
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| Narrative. |
[July 28th, 2009] |
The Skullset was another one of those photography collectives, traveling around town (or various towns) photographing people who were most likely drunk, dancing, or both. Gatsby had spent the past year working with The Skullset; before that, it was Last Night's Party out in Los Angeles. It was fun. Late nights that went into the early morning - it wasn't unusual for her not to end up at home, or at the hotel, or wherever it was that they were staying, until a few hours past dawn, if she even came home at all. They were people with hectic travel schedules and healthy frequent flyer mile numbers, and each of them toted a camera or two of their choice wherever they went.
This was it. Her going away party with the rest of her Skullset friends, in usual Skullset style. Gatsby had been given the choice of location (within reason) and the rest had been organized by everyone else. She watched as her friends laughed and danced and drank, hiding their liquor bottles from anyone who might come check up on the rambunctious group of twentysomethings who had started a small campfire on the beach. Her hoodie zipped up to her chin (it seemed unusually chilly that night), she sat and drank, absorbing everything, not wanting to miss anything that happened that night.
She had family at home, back in Maine, but this family and this lifestyle was what she'd had for the past few years. The life of a freelancer was so different than that of any other career, and there she was, giving it up to make the big move out to New York to live with big brother - even if he didn't know it yet. For the nth time, she tried to imagine herself living in the city. Getting lost on the streets, getting lost on the subway, getting lost at work, and but finding herself in the end. She would adjust. She would learn to be comfortable.
But for now, for just this moment, a campfire and a camera was all she needed to be happy.
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![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) spentmod |
[July 23rd, 2009] |
Character Name: Fawn 'Gatsby' Dukes
AIM: gatsby goes
Desired Position: Freelance photographer
Character's DOB: September 10, 1985
Location of Residence: SoHo, Manhattan with chdukes
Education: 2003-2007: General Fine Arts, BFA, Maryland Institute College of Arts, Baltimore, MD
Experience:
- 2002 - present: Freelance illustrator and photographer
- 2007 - 2008: Last Night's Party, freelance photographer, Los Angeles, CA
- 2008 - 2009: The Skullset, photographer and production assistant, all over the place
- 2009 - present: Bartender, Crocodile Lounge
( the great gatsby. )
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