Some of my favorite stories and photographic series
The Million-Picture Giveaway…
I’ve begun making my archive available to the communities that I’ve photographed for unlimited free high res downloads. Here’s why.
Lee & Amy’s Secret Surprise Wedding…
Lee had only just proposed that morning, and then Amy found out that the wedding would happen that very same day. She got married on two hours notice, and it was amazing. Here’s the whole story……
Feb 2021 Walk Around Philadelphia: Day 5
The Navy Yard, Platt Bridge, Hog Island. We’d arrived back at Pier 68 before 7am in hopes of a sunrise over the river, but this morning was overcast. The forecast was calling for a potential ice storm hitting in the ~1pm range, and we were hoping it would hold off long enough for us to…
Fear not the rain…
We’ve had a lot of storms and rain lately, and Philadelphians are probably relieved to see sunshine on the forecast. While I like the sun, I’m always a little bit surprised to see how upset people can be by rain. I was recently shooting in Manayunk, where we had a storm roll through our outdoor…
Radio-activism: Everyone Is Photogenic
One weekend invitation that shaped the course of my life… along with a story about work that is shaping our culture and our country.
Shale Gas Outrage
That’s Dana Dolney. Those breasts of hers are fake. I first met Dana in the airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, back in 2002, long before her battle with breast cancer. I was thrilled to see her back in good health, joining the throng of citizens in the streets of Philadelphia for last week’s Shale Gas Outrage,…
Philadelphia’s secret garden…
A tunnel beneath the city,
a canyon between the buildings &
a meadow over the rooftops…
We made it! The February 2021 Walk Around Philadelphia is complete…
I set out on February 7th for my 6th annual (and 7th total) pilgrimage around the city’s edge. One week later, after ~110 miles through snow and ice, detours and discoveries, setbacks and surprises, challenges and connections, I found my way back to the beginning, yet again amazed by the wonder of this city, and…
My first Truth Tour – Everyone Is Photogenic
One more trip down memory lane for JJ Tiziou Photography’s 10yr anniversary… That last post told you about how an invitation to document the creation of an LPFM radio station for a farmworker community in Florida first plugged me into the community media movement; this post is about how I got involved with the Coalition…
Feb 2021 Walk Around Philadelphia: Day 2
Chestnut Hill zigzag, Cheltenham Ave, Tacony Creek to Fox Chase… Rising early to meet Day Two lets us catch some beautiful early morning light. (I’m not always out and about this early, but it’s always a treat to catch the sunrise, and the walk is a good motivator…) We’re intercepted by Kathy & Chloe who’re…
The Fringe Technicians – Everyone Is Photogenic
When I started photographing the Fringe Festival in 2003, I found the folks getting things done backstage to be as compelling as the performers in the spotlight…
Music
Live music – it’s good for the soul.
Delaware days: Recap of 3rd weekend of Fall 2021 walk.
Segment 6:Torresdale towards Bridesburg We started off this weekend’s iteration of Walk Around Philadelphia having already walked halfway ’round the city, from 61st & Baltimore up Cobbs Creek, along City Ave, up the Schuylkill and around Chestnut Hill all the way to Fox Chase (recap of first 3 days) and then all the way around…
If you cook it, they will come…
Here’s one of my recipes for community building… It’s not top secret; please go right ahead and replicate or adapt it for your own neighborhood. I guarantee nourishing results.
Mongolian Landscapes
Images from travels in a vast land…
Feb 2021 Walk Around Philadelphia: Day 4
The Delaware, from Glen Foerd to Pier 68… Day 4 begins where we’d left off, at the Torresdale regional rail station, with a train that was scheduled to get in at 7:09am. There’s more folks joining the walk today, and I’d told those who were intercepting us at Glen Foerd to get there earlier if…
Community Radio
Building low-power radio stations so that we can hear our neighbors…
Surgical images
WARNING: graphic imagery
Why do we compete?
Two interesting experiences from this weekend that I’d like to share: I spent Saturday evening onstage at the Kimmel Center, acting as a judge in Southeast Philadelphia Collaborative‘s talent show. While I’d originally been asked to act as a judge for the visual arts exhibit, I ended up being roped into judging the performance component…
Shale Gas Outrage 2012
My friends at Protecting Our Waters continue to organize against fracking, because we all live downstream…
Feb 2021 Walk Around Philadelphia: Day 3
Pine Rd, the Northeast / Poquessing Creek / Knights Rd… This might be the longest and most ambitious segment of the six-day itinerary, at least for those of us coming from W. Philly / Center City. I was up by 4:15 in order to leave enough time to get ready and make it to the…
Philadelphia’s Secret Garden: another tunnel trek…
Another exploration of the vast tunnel under Pennsylvania Ave… Some hope to transform this mysterious and magical space into a public park.
Halfway there! Recap of 2nd weekend of Fall 2021 walk.
The 8th Walk Around Philadelphia is halfway complete! This fall’s 10×10 edition of the perimeter walk is divided into ten segments that are roughly ~10 miles each. With five of them done, there’s still five more opportunities to register via FringeArts join a group walk in this exploration of the city’s margins. Sept 25/26/27 take…
Lessons from a “failed” Kickstarter
$38,000+ pledged disappeared overnight. Here are a few reflections on the campaign, lessons that I learned, and what might come next.
Le Grand Continental
Chasing after a wild dance performance by a citizen ensemble at the foot of the Philadelphia Museum of Art…