Maybe I Shoot Bartenders?

I have always been fascinated with bars. Don't know why. I didn't spend a lot of time in them growing up. Never needed to stop for a cold one or a cocktail at the end of a busy day. Maybe the lighting, the shadows, all those bottles and glasses of different colors and sizes were endless eye candy for me.

2009 was a year I spent lots of time in bars and clubs. I had decided in January to pursue a project long dreamed about; shoot blues and jazz musicians performing live. I love the music. Love being out late at night. Love meeting new people. And shooting in difficult lighting situations would keep my photo skills sharp. I just had to find some venues that would allow me to move around among paying customers to create the images. I didn't anticipate that I would also be fascinated by the personalities of the bartenders in those venues. Here are four who said, "OK."

Rosa, at Rosa's Lounge, doesn't like to have her photo taken. After watching me work for an evening she finally allowed me to shoot her, cooperating without seeming to. She studied the finished print I gave her for a long time before finally looking up at me and, barely smiling, said, "OK. This is good." That made my night!

Ken owns the Gallery Cabaret. He wears his "Model Citizen" T-shirt on the third Monday of every month when the Model Citizens big band plays there. They are a fantastic group of outstanding jazz musicians from all over the city lead by the brilliant, whacky Brian O'Hern.

Ken is friendly, street smart and tough. His taste in music runs from 1930s ballads to latest rock releases and you can hear that entire kind of mix anytime the nightly live musicians (different every night) are on a break.

Gallery Cabaret is a sliver of a place. Might well be empty at 9:30, but fills up fast and by 11 PM you might not be able to move. On Monday night! It is quite the friendly crowd with many regulars. Ken was instantly open and supportive of me shooting the band. I am grateful and gave him this photo to express my thanks.

Johnny Z works at Gallery Cabaret. He appears to be a fixture, a force, and an institution. To say he is outgoing is an understatement. Never misses a beat. Johnny is fast behind the bar yet still available to whip around front for a quick dance with a beautiful patron. Lots of jewelry and skulls on his clothing. Johnny flipped out when I gave him this picture. He placed it over the cash register. Every time he rang up a sale he took the photo along with customer change to show it off. Very funny - and gratifying.

Ouisie is the bartender Tuesday night at the New Apartment Lounge on east 75th Street when Von Freeman plays. Customers literally come from all over the world to hear Freeman. Young musicians come too in hopes of playing for him. Von calls the young musicians "horses." "Are there any horses in the house?," he yells. "Yes!!" they yell back, holding their horns, sticks, even a full set of vibes. They jam from about 1:30 AM until about 3:00. What a time!

Ouisie, short for Louise, handles them all. She has an aura about her that gives off both a "What you need, baby?" and a "Don't fuck with me!" message. She has lived a life and paid her dues. I think of her as one of the true royalty of the world. This photo is my attempt to capture that side of her personality.

Shooting these bartenders has kept my skills fresh. The lighting is always poor. I never use flash. Photoshop adjustments are always required. I have to compose and work very quickly. Yet, that's the style I prefer. Very photojournalistic. The style I first saw in LIFE magazine growing up. The style I love.