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Gigi Cifali has an interesting story. Trained as a topographer, Cifali spent countless hours staring through a 12-sided viewfinder while documenting the Italian countryside. Bored with simply measuring distance and calculating angles, he bagged the topography job and enrolled at the University of Westminster in 2004 to study photography. The results are staggering. Now specializing in long term, in-depth documentary projects, Cifali has photographed everything from the garbage crisis in his native Naples, the inhabitants of low-income London "tower block" apartments, the flight of young residents in Venice, and my favorite of his subjects, the slow decay of abandoned public swimming pools in the UK. Beautiful photos.

Yonder Is The Clock

The Felice Brothers have a new album out tomorrow called Yonder Is The Clock. I think I'm gonna review it for REFUELED Magazine, but until then check out this video from their last album. I love this band:

Vancouver Special

Ryan Willms at h(y)r spotted this amazing space at 540 Beatty Street in Vancouver. Photographed by Jessica Bushey. If only Austin had raw spaces like this.

My Teacher's Teacher

I started taking a photography class a few weeks ago in Austin and just learned this week that my instructor Randy Ehrlich studied under Arthur Leipzig, famed New York photographer. Born in Brooklyn in 1918, Leipzig's documentation of New York City is "always sensitive to its nightlife, its poverty and poetry, its violence and drama. It is not the ‘moment’ that he seeks, rather the human face, the sense of energy, and of faith." A few of his amazing black and white shots.

Eggleston Quickie

Just because I just came across it reading a NYTimes book review, and it's got LA plates, and a heavy chain, and a GE logo, and maybe a Jax beer can:

Round Top Scores

So this week is the big antique show down in Warrenton / Round Top, Texas. If you've never been, do yourself the favor and check it out. I picked up some good stuff today that'll be available at Uncommon Objects soon. I'm a fan of old apothecary items and found about 40 little bottles today. It's crazy what people used to ingest in hopes of curing their ailments. I guess the same could be said for today's drugs, but now that they're called things like Aleve and Claritin instead of Zinc Nitrate and P. Serpent.

Around the Corner

One of my favorite homefront's ever - right around the corner from me in Austin. Designed by Bercy Chen Studios:

Helen Levitt: 1913 - 2009

The legendary street photographer died in her sleep yesterday at the age of 95:

Kind of Blue

Fifty years ago, Miles Davis and his band changed history.

Wesley Burt

I don't know a thing about the man, but I'm loving his art:

Schutmaat

Bryan Schutmaat was born in 1983, started snapping photos in 2003, received a BA in History from the University of Houston in 2009, and now teaches tenth grade world history somewhere in this massive state of Texas. Nice shots Mr. Schutmaat:

Secret Service LA

A Time To Get really nailed it last night with their post on Secret Service LA, a downtown Los Angeles emporium of items right up my alley. Great sign painting on the glass storefront, a Honda Superhawk out front, industrial display pieces, old photos and books, simple American clothing. It's perfect. Like my friend Chris Hooks wrote me this morning, "Seriously, it's kind of like they downloaded your brain into a store. Weird." A trip to LA is in order:









p.s. - these photos were taken with an iPhone. amazing.

Scan Sandwich

This is great. I'm a sandwich lover of the first degree, so it's cool to see someone take sandwich photography to the next level and start scanning images of their favorite eats. Man I miss M & O Grocery and Cafe Habana in New York. Thanks to Mr. Jon Chonko for these images.

My Hometown

I wish I could've known her in the glory days. Thanks for the pics MJ: