A Hudson Valley Weekend

 

As we begin to close in on the last weekends of summer I jumped at the invitation for a weekend upstate shared among friends. The cool mountain air, quiet afternoons for reading and home cooked meals filled my soul and recharged my batteries. We stayed in this amazingly redesigned Catskills home where nature was the framed art and dancing light our whimsical entertainment. Now the only problem I have is how to stop day dreaming of this peaceful place at the end of the road between tucked between a mountain and a creek…

A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley.

 This summer I have been reading photographer Sally Mann’s memoir Hold Still. There are some books I read on my kindle and then some I have to physically buy so that I can mark them up, make notes in the margins and revisit or even research what I find among the pages. One of my favorite underlined parts so far: 

“Because I am still that girl when it comes to developing film. There is nothing better than the thrill of holding a great negative, wet with fixer, up to the light. And, here’s the important thing: it doesn’t even have to be a great negative. You get the same thrill with any negative; with art, as someone once said, most of what you have to do is show up. The hardest part is setting the camera on the tripod, or making the decision to bring the camera out of the car, or just raising the camera to your face, believing, by those actions, that whatever you find before you, whatever you find there, is going to be good. And, when you get whatever you get, even if it’s a fluky product of that slipping-glimpser vision that de Kooning celebrated, you have made something. Maybe you’ve made something mediocre- there’s plenty of that in any artist’s cabinets- but something mediocre is better than nothing, and often the near-misses, as I call them, are the beckoning hands that bring you to perfection just around the blind corner.” 

A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. A group of friends spend the weekend upstate in the Hudson Valley. Continue reading “A Hudson Valley Weekend”

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “My Lost City”

A look at Manhattan as it was from the window of an airplane

“From the ruins, lonely and inexplicable as the sphinx, rose the Empire State Building.

And just as it had been tradition of mine to climb to the Plaza roof to take leave of the beautiful city extending as far as the eyes could see, so now I went to the roof of that last and most magnificent of towers.
Then I understood. Everything was explained. I had discovered the crowning error of the city. Its Pandora’s box.

Full of vaunting pride, the New Yorker had climbed here, and seen with dismay what he had never suspected. That the city was not the endless sucession of canyons that he had supposed, but that it had limits, fading out into the country on all sides into an expanse of green and blue. That alone was limitless.

And with the awful realization that New York was a city after all and not a universe, the whole shining ediface that he had reared in his mind came crashing down.

That was the gift of Alfred Smith to the citizens of New York.”

F. Scott Fitzgerald, My Lost City: Personal Essays 1920-40

More New York HERE

 

Manhattan from Above

Jamie Beck photographs Manhattan from the view of a helicopter

Being a photographer means always finding yourself in interesting new places and having crazy new experiences. For the #TiffanyNYMinute we found ourselves literally on top of Manhattan in a helicopter to capture the opening aerial shots… and I was terrified. Though the view was so stunning and thrilling to see the city I know so well in a new intimate way I pretty much felt as if we would fall from the sky at any second. But then again, I have an over active imagination.

Though Kevin and I were mostly rolling video footage I did manage to snap a few stills with my Leica in-between the mini-panic attacks I was hiding on the inside. The ground never felt so good.

P.S.~ New York Helicopter allows you to charter a ride for photographic purposes where you can fly anywhere you want and direct the pilot to certain areas or buildings, angles, etc. They also have windows you can open to shoot out of so you’re not hanging out like these guys….

Jamie Beck photographs Manhattan from the view of a helicopter Jamie Beck photographs Manhattan from the view of a helicopter Jamie Beck photographs Manhattan from the view of a helicopter Jamie Beck photographs Manhattan from the view of a helicopter

 

Seeing New York *

New York in the Spring *

New York in the Fog *

New York in the Summer *

Fashion on the Streets of New York *

IWC’s Timeless New York

IWC_Watches__02 IWC has launched a new Portofino Midsize watch for both men and women. When they reached out to me to show me the new line to see if I could come up with a creative idea inspired by it, I kept thinking about time, having time, making time, sharing time. So I thought – to me, time is the most valuable thing we’ve got- why don’t we take time together? So how do you do that with thousands of people and one small city girl? Well, yesterday we had an adventure together on Instagram– I let you decide how to spend my day in New York City, the perfect timeless backdrop to a timeless watch design, through a series of questions where time was of the essence. You chose what coffee we had, where we found inspiration, how we spent the afternoon and what to wear to dinner and I shared with you in real time what I saw. When I woke up yesterday morning I didn’t know where you would send me or what you guys most wanted to see in our city of dreams~ It was a thrilling experiment together…

but most all, thank you for your time.

{above~ four of the new IWC #Portofino Midsize watches I rotated between on our journey through Manhattan}

8:34am

I thought we’d spend some time together today, in my city, inspired by the new @IWCwatches #Portofino Midsize. Every minute counts… stayed tuned for a “choose your own adventure” journey with me in NYC! #TimelessNewYork

8:46am

Film or digital? What should I capture the day with? 📷❤️ #TimelessNewYork

A photo posted by Jamie Beck (@annstreetstudio) on

Film or digital? What should I capture the day with? #TimelessNewYork

10:09am

Ok! Film camera it is! According to my @iwcwatchesit’s time for coffee ☕️ Should I go uptown chic to #RalphsCoffee or downtown cool to @Shinola??? #TimelessNewYork

12:20pm

Here we go to the coffee place you all voted for! #TimelessNewYork

A video posted by Jamie Beck (@annstreetstudio) on

Here we go to the coffee place you all voted for! #TimelessNewYork

Continue reading “IWC’s Timeless New York”

5 Favorite Lunch Spots of Tribeca

TribecaLunch_001

We’ve been living in Tribeca for a year now – not that long, but long enough to sample many of the neighborhood’s restaurants and make habits of where we like to go most often. Here are my current top 5 Favorite Lunch Spots of Tribeca

KAFFE 1668

coffee shop turned lunch spot

I’ve been coming to Kaffe 1668 for coffee and organic juices (the Brazil nut is my hangover cure) for months before I realized they have an extensive and amazing lunch menu with many of the ingredients coming from local farms. Their Alkalizing Salad with Quinoa is a weekly staple of mine but when I’m really feeling like an all-American treat I go for the Turkey Club which is TO DIE FOR. Bonus – your lunch items come with a complimentary tea. Yay.

Kaffe 1668, one of my 5 favorite Tribeca lunch places I'm currently loving

Below, outside Kaffe 1668 in Banana Republic’s recent collaboration with designer Roland Mouret which made the PERFECT high-waisted pant I’ve been living in! The collaboration is mostly sold out online but can still be found in-store.

Kaffe 1668, one of my 5 favorite Tribeca lunch places I'm currently loving

TINY’s

The little space that could…

First off, it’s pink. When you’re a building as old as the one Tiny’s hangs out in, you have to really make a splash to be seen. Even if the facade wasn’t pink though, we’d still know about it because the food is DELISH. Why I love it: Perfect lunch spot for business meetings or casual dates with a very ‘hip’ crowd…. and the burata salad with peach compote is on my list of “last meal” items. SO GOOD.

EH9A7386 Continue reading “5 Favorite Lunch Spots of Tribeca”

“Fly the ocean in a silver plane…”

An old propeller plane seen from the ground in South Africa.“…see the jungle when it’s wet with rain…”

As I write this, I am somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean between Europe and the United States. I always request a window seat because you never know when you’re going to get that perfect shot of the sun rising over South America or see a distant thunderstorm illuminate the horizon on your descent into Singapore. I was just lost in thought gazing out the window and thinking about how flying’s magic is not lost on me. The fact that you can close your eyes in New York and wake up in a world you’ve only dreamed of in what seems like minutes still leaves me in childlike wonder.

I ponder sometimes if the pace of our distances allows us more or less? What would Darwin have accomplished in the era of air travel? Part of being a freelancer is never knowing which way the current will take you nor how hard the undertow will be but I feel so incredibly lucky to have seen so much of the world through my lens. I haven’t yet figured out what the ultimate influence will be on my life’s work of all the lands I’ve seen, and to be honest I am still exploring…it’s true what they say: “The more I travel, the less I know.”

A view of New York City from above the clouds.Cover image originally from HERE

Second image is flying out from New York

 

Why do we look at photographs?

Looking up at Franklin Street in Tribeca

A photograph is a moment of our time in life, a brief slice of happening. It’s the capturing of a memory, holding far more detail than we can ever comprehend…the way the light looked, the way it felt to be there. Sometimes, if the photograph is good enough, you can smell the air, feel it along your skin.

You can look at a good photograph and feel it come alive, the image dancing into a mirage of your memories – are they real? are they fact? – blurring the lines between what is my remembering and what is yours, what is a dream and what is your own reality.

I’ve been here before…or have I? I look at this photograph and I hear my heels click on the cobblestone walkway. I am sure I was here. In heels? Perhaps not…that’s something I’ve only dreamt about.

Backstage at Donna Karan

Donna Karan's 30th anniversary collection down on Wall Street for Fall 2014.

New York, New York…

~From the New York Fashion Week Archive~

The city pulsed in every beat at the 30th anniversary Donna Karan show. And why shouldn’t it? New York City has always been the heart of Donna Karan’s work, and this season it serves as the main inspiration. Set in a building along the New York Stock Exchange, the city’s ceaseless motion, glistening lights, and sleek skyline were all captured in the simply luxurious pieces that came down the runway.

These pieces only further served what we all already know – that Donna Karan may be inspired by the city, but she designs for the women in it. “Thirty years later, I see style as an evolution, a unique reflection of who you are, where you’ve been and where you are going,” she said.

In New York City or out of it, we’ll be going with you, Donna…congratulations on 30 wonderful years…

 Donna Karan's 30th anniversary collection down on Wall Street for Fall 2014. Donna Karan's 30th anniversary collection down on Wall Street for Fall 2014. Donna Karan's 30th anniversary collection down on Wall Street for Fall 2014. Continue reading “Backstage at Donna Karan”

Timo Weiland

Timo_Weiland_02

Good taste never goes out of style…

I’m all about having a great drink, and as you all know, I live for a beautiful fashion moment. So I was thrilled to hear about the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation, a marriage of great taste between Italian wines and awards for emerging fashion designers.

The EDFF and their elite panel of judges works hard to select the best of the best, and their choice of three emerging designers receive a grant to go toward their presentations at New York Fashion Week. In their 13 seasons, the EDFF has given $1.8 million to designers, many of whom now have flourishing careers such as Joseph Altuzarra and Derek Lam.

This week, we’re featuring the three winners of the EDFF award. Being able to talk to up and coming designers about all aspects of their work – personal style, inspiration, and dreams for the future – is so wonderful and eye-opening for me. As a photographer I love beautiful moments and being able to tell stories, so hearing the tales behind stunning collections makes the experience even better.

For our first interview, we got to talk to the three designers behind menswear winner Timo Weiland – Timo, Alan Eckstein, and Donna Kang. They were so lovely to talk to, it felt like friends just hanging out…which is exactly what their collection is about.

Timo_Weiland_03

Who ideally wears Timo Weiland?

Alan: For menswear, it’s classic with a twist. It’s a very wearable collection but it has signs of care, great tailoring, and personality to it.

Timo: Everything we do is classic with a twist, I think. There’s definitely a New York feel and inspiration. And we’re constantly inspired by our circle of friends and their personalities.

Timo_Weiland_04

How do you think winning the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award will affect your business?

A: It’s incredible. It’s pretty much our greatest honor to date. Every designer needs some sort of validation, and this is definitely a really great thing for us. It’s a great community, it’s a great award. We respect so many past winners – we look up to people like Proenza, Alexander Wang, Rag+Bone. And it’s a really good year – we love Degen and NOVIS too!

It also gives us the chance to show. We may not have been able to show men’s this year for budgetary reasons, but now we’re able to.

Continue reading “Timo Weiland”

Jenny Packham

Jenny Packham's fall/winter 2014 collection at NYFW

Jenny Packham‘s Fall 2014 collection was inspired by Bianca Jagger, the dark-haired beauty and 1970s fashion muse. The show was full of sleek silhouettes, full-length skirts, and intricate beading all with a laid back attitude and hands-in-your-gown-pockets-ease. If last season Jenny took us frolicking through the countryside fields, this time our muse has gone to the city and she is looking for a great night out on the town…

Jenny Packham's fall/winter 2014 collection at NYFW

Jenny Packham's fall/winter 2014 collection at NYFW

Jenny Packham's fall/winter 2014 collection at NYFW

Continue reading “Jenny Packham”

Monique Lhuillier

Monique_Lhuillier_02

Monique Lhuillier always takes us on a enchanting, feminine adventure, but this season had a darker feel…like a forbidden romantic tryst at midnight; meeting a modern, glamorous woman in the alleyways of Paris…and you know how I love love in Paris

Monique_Lhuillier_05 Monique_Lhuillier_06 Monique_Lhuillier_07 Monique_Lhuillier_08 Monique_Lhuillier_09

Continue reading “Monique Lhuillier”

“Photograph” a poem by Allan Andre

JamieBeck_KevinBurg_02

One of the most amazing things about living in New York is the world of unknown possibility  that awaits outside your doorstep. You never know what you may find on a walk to a cafe, or what adventure awaits by taking a different commute home. You never know who you’re going to run into on Houston and Elizabeth st or what new thing you’ll discover by just being out in the world of Manhattan. I was running errands, walking through Union Square from Fishs Eddy to The Strand when I saw a darling man alone with his typewriter, very lost in thought. He asked me for a word, something with meaning, so I said “Photograph“, and this is what he wrote for me on that crisp fall day…

 

 a favorite photograph, 

                            to be shared again and again.

the light,   the texture,

                     give it strength.

  where is the eye?

             the shattered remnant of a

        perfect seeing, 

                                the ghost of a life well lived.

 the angles, the framing,

         give it context.

                 where is the absence?

  who has witnessed

               such a heart-rending deficit,

                                  such a need,

            an urgency to possess?

                               where is the photograph?

does anyone imagine

                               they are less than sacred?

           touch it up, then;

                                 show what you can.

 

 

 

– allan andre

    9/20/13

Seeing New York

As a photographer I show you the world through my lens on a daily basis. We all look at New York, she demands our focused attention. I’ve been thinking about the art of looking. The importance of focusing and what we see. This past March I bought a pair of Giorgio Armani frames in Geneva, classic per usual, and I decided to put them in front of the frame. To see what I see.

To show you a day in New York through my lens

 

 Giorgio Armani’s #FramesOfYou / my Giorgio Armani frames 

OTHER Armani beauties