A Few Things that Made my 2006 so Awesome, and a look towards the Future

One of my most proudest accomplishments this year was finally having two of my photographs published by Vision Graphics, which is a publishing company of significant photographic images of Philadelphia and other cities around the country. It's fairly hard to have your image picked to be published as just three people make the decision. I had always been a huge admire of the images that were picked, and then when they choose this image of The Betsy Ross House and another of the Liberty Bell, and just recently I got noticed that they will be printing a run of a B/W of the Philly City Skyline, I was really excited and honored. WOW I GOT TO LIVE, WORK and PLAY in NYC FOR A YEAR. A DREAM COME TRUE FOR ME!! This is my favorite shot, from Pier 23 near Battery Park. Its now under reconstruction as a recreation pier.Flat Iron Building to the rightNaked Cowboy in Times SquareI walked through Central Park as often as possiblePoet's WalkI saw the hustle and bustle of the crowd, which sometimes grated my nerves... My 15 Minutes of Fame (See sidebar for explanation) This is the last picture of Reese and Ryan together. This year my sister moved to Boston with her husband, and then they got pregnant. I went up to visit and we compared pregnancies. She's due to drop a few pounds and a baby Jan 24, I on the otherhand intend to succeed in dropping about 50 lbs over the next 7 months. Look for the updated photo in August as I loose my NYC+ weight .

I saw over 33 Broadway and Off-Broadway shows in 15 months After not knowing a soul for the first 7 months, I began meeting the nicest people who would become my friends and who I saw almost everyday for the next 9 months. Simon and Katie at the July 4th fireworks display on Roosevelt Island. Who knew I would discover a subculture of people who had similar interests as I (who would have known these people existed [this is us waiting outside the Ritz for Hilary Duff to return from dinner, eventually one of the girls called the hotel to see if Hilary was in [the girl who must be a huge fan, knew Hilary's secret name, which escapes me at the moment], they connected her to the room where Hilary answered the phone herself and told the girl she went in the backdoor and wouldn't be coming out for the rest of the night - LOL]) Some of the people I hung with the most, Nick, Dee, Cara and Kenny. David Letterman with Rebecca Romjim and the "Fans", crazy out of control "Dealers" who I will talk more about in the new year...(This is the side I would normally stand on as I was not "Press" yet) (Poor Rebecca whats that bump on her bum?)I also met a lot of photographers/paparazzi along the way who after they learned I wasn't a reporter befriended me and taught me a lot about the business. I am really grateful to Fernado who told me that most publications are only interested in photographs that are verticle, the long shot, as it fits on the page nicely next to the written word, it was great to meet Janet, Luis (who gave me a photo of Oprah and Me that he took), Luisa, Rick, coutless others whose names I didn't know, but faces I did, videographers David and Jonathan, Willem DeVries http://www.jossip.com/gossip/willem-devries/ , AND Especially MARGARITA AND CARMEN who taught me more in the 3 months that I knew them then anyone who befriended me in the entire 15 months, Hughie Get the FASHION SHOT. (I am irritated that I can't find the 3 photos I took of them in the midst of the 5,000 I took since meeting them) http://www.photoimagepress.com The shot below is outside of David Letterman's stage Door, in the background posing is Felicity Huffman.I also met a lot of "Tourists" who I spent a few hours waiting for celebs with and felt I had known them forever. It was really an amazing experience with Jane, Janet, Shea, Mike from England, Julie from Austrailia, and so many other people I met while out shooting celebrities. Here is Jane and Janet with Sam Rockwell at the 24hr Play also starring Jennifer Anisten.

Everyday I got to walk by the Library on my way to work. It's a beautiful building, with beautiful artwork inside and a storied past.

There's no doubt about it....Now I am back at home... enjoying the beautiful view from my balcony looking towards Center City PhilaNYC was an amazing adventure, a great work experience, I was wondering about my life in Philly, and really missing Mike (we often spoke 5xs a day). Now that I just spent an amazing three weeks getting to know my old life again, seeing friends, relatives and neighbors who all told me how nice it was to see me again, and that they missed me, it was an easy decision to make and I won't be persuing a paparazzi life in NYC. When the occassion arises I will persue it in Philly, I plan to continue to shoot for exhibititions, and as most of you don't know, my greeting card business, but I am most excited about getting the chance to wake up next to Mike everyday. I don't want to spend another day without him. My blog will still be live and I will utilize it to begin writing the draft to one of the two books I am working on (Frannie do we still know a publisher?). I have covertly interviewed dozens of photographers, dealers and celebrity stalkers and I took fairly good notes. +++++++++ We'll see how it goes, I think after a few entries everyone will be bored with the shallow vapid life of celebrities and their admires, at least that seemed to be the case for the presentation I put on last night at my apartment building for some of the residents (although truthfully they didn't know half the people, but seemed excited that I saw Sophia Loren)- LOL

Happy New Year 2007 -HughE2030