Category: Jewelry

Light Table: Portrait of the Day

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Deean: Close Ups 1990’s
 

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Photography and Text by Tony Ward, Copyright 2018

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DEEAN: Close Up 1990’s

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During the 1990’s my studio was located a block away from South Street, one of the most famous streets in Philadelphia for attracting the avant-garde artists, photographers, musicians and stylists who frequented the trend setting strip. It runs East to West from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill River several blocks South of center city.  Because of my studios proximity to South street, I often met interesting characters to photograph for my portrait work. Deann was one of those distinctive characters that I grew attracted to as a subject. One day when I was walking between 6th and 7th streets on South in a neighborhood called Bella Vista,  I noticed she was working at a  body piercing shop just around the corner from my studio which was located at 704 South 6th..  When I discovered where she worked it  prompted me to introduce myself since we were practically neighbors.  During those days, I was intrigued by a  growing interest in the art of tattoo and body piercing as a subject for various series I was working on at the time.  South street was known for attracting all types of unusual subjects.  Deann was not only known for being stylish and having a distinctive look, she also was known for being a perfectionist at body piercing.  On a day that I felt particularly daring in the Summer of 1997,  I walked into her shop and made an appointment to have her pierce one of my ears. The first time I was inclined to have a piercing performed was in college in 1974, after I saw the movie Serpico.  It was a defining display of individuality in my early twenties when I saw the character that Al Pacino played (a police officer) adorn his left ear with a single gold earring. 

So as a way to revisit the nostalgia of the past, and after the successful procedure to pierce my ear was completed,  I mustered up the courage to ask Deean to model for me. I wanted to include her in a series entitled, Close Ups.  She wanted to think about it. On the surface she appeared to be a bit reserved, timid and shy in contrast to her outwardly dramatic appearance.  A short period of time passed and then a magical moment of happenstance occurred.  On a night while I was out at a nightclub photographing subjects for another project, low and behold there was Deean seated at the bar having a beverage wearing a sharp shirt and tie with a conservative pin-stripped sports jacket.  I spotted a simple wall near where she was sitting and then proceeded to turn on my flash as I asked her to turn and look straight ahead so as to feature her distinctive profile.  She eventually agreed.

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To access additional work from Tony Ward’s Close Ups 1990’s, click here: https://tonyward.com/early-work/close-ups-1990s/
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To access additional diary entries by Tony Ward, click here: https://tonyward.com/2018/09/beach-report-last-days-of-summer/

 

Thomas Kramer: From Riches to Rags

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Thomas Kramer at Home on Fisher Island, Miami Florida
Thomas Kramer. Photo by Tony Ward, Copyright 2018
 

 

Photography and Text by Tony Ward, Copyright 2018

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FROM RICHES TO RAGS

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A little over a decade ago in the Spring of 2007,  I received a phone call from a journalist from Hamburg, Germany to discuss a photo assignment. He wanted me to illustrate a photo story he was working on for the German Press about Thomas Kramer, a property developer that ignited the real estate boom in Miami Beach during the 1990’s. I was immediately intrigued by the story and agreed to take the assignment.  I met the journalist in Miami Beach, at a cozy boutique hotel  located on Ocean Boulevard.  At a meeting on the eve of the shoot the journalist provided more background about the reason for the story.  I was told that Mr. Kramer had just been sued by one of the wealthiest families in Germany for fraud. The lavish lifestyle that I was about to witness may be short lived.

We arrived at the mansion on the magnificent Fisher Island at around 10:00am the next day to be greeted by a gregarious man who appeared to be happy to have our company as I photographed him around his lavish estate. Mr. Kramer mentioned the suit quite openly during our time together but evoked a certain confidence throughout the day that he would prevail.  During our lunch break, he had several servants serve us a wonderful lunch with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables lean meat and fresh juices.  There were a few ladies around as well since he was known for being an unapologetic playboy.   After the first day of shooting he  invited  me to a Shaquille O’Neill party (his neighbor) who also resided on the tiny exclusive island.

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Thomas Kramer on his way to a Shaquille O'Neil party
Thomas Kramer on his way to Shaquille O’Neil’s party.

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One of the most memorable moments of the photo shoot with Thomas Kramer was when he invited me and my assistant to visit his master suite.  I vividly recall seeing in his bathroom, a massive amount of fragrances of all the various designer brands that lined his vanity of excess.  During the tour, in the same setting, was a security door where he placed his palm on what appeared to be a keypad. He said it was his safe room. The room was not that big like other rooms in the mansion, but it was lined floor to ceiling with a seemingly endless supply of various types of  guns and other weaponry. Clearly the man was paranoid and for good reason.

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Thomas Kramer and his Gold cross.

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It would take another 10 years, but on September 28, 2017; Thomas Kramer lost his battle in court and received a $192.4 million judgment against him.  His greatest paranoia may have been realized.  The plaintiffs in the case used that judgment against him to credit bid foreclosure and ultimately take title to his luxurious lifestyle and property. He seemed to have had fun while it lasted.

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To access more Diary entries by Tony Ward, click here: https://tonyward.com/2018/04/diary-a-fashion-shoot-at-the-jersey-shore/

 

Studio News: A Passion For Fashion

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Pia Sulau and Rima Ker Keri of Hamburg, Germany

 

 

Photography by Tony Ward, Copyright 2017

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Text by Pia Sulau and Rima Ker Keri, Copyright 2017

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Rima and Pia got to know each other during their studies in the city of Hamburg, Germany. They have completed project work and housework together. Both of them quickly realized that they are a good team and complement each other in a variety of interesting ways. They became fast friends mainly because of their common passion for fashion design. They have now both finished their studies and would like to make a hobby their profession. Rima and Pia, currently are active in the commercial and service sector, and would like to start a professional reboot and of course geared towards the fashion industry. Their business idea is to give fashion blog tips on fashion and styling. You will also find trend patterns as well as key pieces here. Rima and Pia are hoping that their dreams will come true and that their fashion tips will become popular, and that their names create a buzz in the German fashion sector.

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Sittings Editor: Suzaan Talib
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