Welcoming the New Year...

Well here is 2011. The Last Good War has almost sold out of its first print run. Which is exciting news. Most photo documentary books only sell a third to a half of its first print run after release.

I did not get to shoot very much while I was on the book tour for a month and a half. I am exuberant about my future photo shoots in 2011. I have a new project lined up that is going to allow me to travel around the country once again, but I am keeping it a secret for now.

I promise I will do more blogs this year. Having a blog for me is rewarding in the sense that I have to take time out to reflect about my photography work. The Artists Way is a self help book for artists. The book offers numerous possibilities on helping artists grow and achieve their goals. The author has homework for the artist. One of the assignments is to write three pages every morning and everyday of whatever is on the artists mind. This helps for reflection and to clear the mind before the day starts.



Please enjoy several images from my most recent photo shoot with Southbay Fit Magazine.

FINALLY!!!


Can you find it?


I went into Barnes and Noble last night and I found THE LAST GOOD WAR: THE FACES AND VOICES OF WWII in the "NEW" section. It feels so good to see it in a bookstore. SO GOOD.

TODAY IS THE DAY!

DUN DUNNNN DUNNNNNNNNN DUNNNNNNN (INTRO MUSIC IN A HIGH PITCHED VOICE)

Hey Everyone, THE LAST GOOD WAR: THE FACES AND VOICES OF WWII hits stores today all over the country!!!! My book should be in any Barnes and Noble or Borders. I start my book tour on October 26th in New York. I welcome all of you to come to the book tour dates if you live in a city I will be traveling to. I will post the dates towards the end of the month. See More

MILITARY BOOK CLUB!!! HISTORY BOOK CLUB

Hi All,

THE LAST GOOD WAR: THE FACES AND VOICES OF WWII, is apart of both the Military and History Book Clubs.

Take a look!

http://www.militarybookclub.com/pages/nm/product/productDetail.jsp?skuId=1066893077

http://www.historybookclub.com/pages/nm/product/productDetail.jsp?skuId=1066893057

Publishers Weekly 1st Book Review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please see my first book review from Publisher's Weekly!!!!

The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II
Thomas Sanders, text by Veronica Kavass, intro. by Hampton Sides, Welcome, $45 (224p) ISBN 978-1-59962-085-5
Just the cover of this book can break your heart: an aged man in closeup, every wrinkle and blemish visible, holding a U.S. Navy emblem to his forehead, and he appears above the title: The Last Good War. The veterans of that war, WWII, are captured in Sanders's debut--in their 80s and 90s, male and female, black and white. Some wear parts of their original uniforms; others hold artifacts of the time, like battalion photos, newspapers, or canteens. One sailor, dressed in white shirt and tie, still wears his cap at a jaunty angle. Oral historian Kavass has collected brief reminiscences from the veterans that don't underplay the horrors of war, from the Bataan march to the deaths of friends. But most memorable are the faces: solemn, proud, occasionally smiling, some looking directly into the camera, others looking off to the distance as if remembering the events of long ago. Anyone who is close to a member of the "greatest generation" will treasure these wizened faces captured before the entire generation is gone. (Oct.)

Jazz: Clint Stacy and Bobby Brown






I have begun a series photographing older black jazz musicians. I have only photographed a few and there will be more to come.

The first musician is Bobby Brown. I took this photo of Bobby a few weeks ago. I spoke to him recently to make sure he received the photos I had sent him. He told me he got sick and has had to stop playing the saxophone and now has an oxygen tank to help him breathe. Bobby has been playing the sax for 65 years. I sincerely hope he gets better.

Bobby Brown gave me contact information for other jazz musicians. Clint Stacy was one of them. Clint played a jazz CD for me in his van. He drives around in his van listening to instrumental jazz music, and practices singing his lyrics. There was some type of irony for me, standing outside of his van, while he sat inside of the van. The music was cranked loud, and Clint's stage performance was even impressive sitting in his car seat. Even though it was 3 pm and hot as the devil in not the nicest of neighborhoods off the 10 freeway, when he sang the word "moon" he we would look and point at the sky as if the biggest moon you ever saw was 10 feet away. When Clint sang the word "love" he grasped his heart and looked out in the distance, and you would think he was looking at the most beautiful woman to ever live. Yet, there was a empty Burger King cup sitting in the cup holder, and the van had scattered goods all over the backseats. Clint was singing jazz sitting in his van in the driveway, and I was his audience.

I photographed a few images of him singing in the van. Although, I do not think these are necessarily great photos, I want you to see his facial expressions.

ResQWater Arizona


I was in Arizona this past weekend on a camping trip with my girl friend, and we went into a Circle K to see if we could find any of the ResQWater advertisement displays I photographed. We found a big display right smack in the middle of the alcohol section. It is a good feeling to be out and about and see a photo I shot in a nation wide store. Below is a shot from my cell!

Top 20 Book Sellers

I found this link today. It discusses the top 20 books for the fall, from independent publishers. LGW is on there!

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/44297-rousing-the-sleepers.html

Mrs. B's


I met the owner of Ms. B's Soul Food Restaurant a few weeks ago on a shoot. I mentioned to her I was looking to photograph older women in their Sunday's best, and Ms. B said she has lots of women at her place on Sunday's and to come for a visit. So, I went to Ms. B's and set up my lights behind her restaurant and waited for elderly women coming from church to photograph. For the three hours I was there, I was only able to photograph 3 women. They all thought I was a little strange because I was standing in a parking lot, waiting to take their photo! One of the cooks came outside, and I did get a great portrait of him. I feel it is a rather strong image.

Publishers Weekly: Battle Cry

I love to google THE LAST GOOD WAR: THE FACES AND VOICES OF WWII, to see where it pops up as we get closer to the book release. I found this on Publishers Weekly, the article is about up and coming WWII books for the 2010 fall release. It is titled "Battle Cry," by Natalie Danford.

Portraits of War

In October, Welcome Books will publish The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of World War II, a collection of more than 150 b&w photographs of veterans and text of their recollections. Thomas Sanders, the photographer behind the project, was only in his 20s when he began creating the work.

Publisher Lena Tabori recalls, "It came in last summer as an unsolicited package of photographs—filled with incredible faces. We were fascinated by the idea that a young man had immersed himself, for almost two years, shooting and listening to WWII vets." The house then introduced the photographer to StoryCorps interviewer Veronica Kavass, who handled the text.

Although WWII ended 55 years ago, Tabori says this look at its veterans is of special importance today: "This is a story of a country united being published at a time when that same country is so profoundly divided. We are losing these veterans every day. It is critical to hear their stories and understand how to come together again."

FIRST BOOK ARRIVAL

dun dun DUNN dun dun DUUUNNNNNN dun dun DUUUUUNNNNNNN (intro music)!

I received my first book in the mail yesterday! It is a whopping 224 pages and weighs 4 lbs! You can get THE LAST GOOD WAR: THE FACES AND VOICE OF WWII on October 12th! A lot of exclamation marks, can you tell I am excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is beautiful.







Book Tour Schedule!

LAST GOOD WAR

A Selection of the History Book Club and the Military Book Club.

Veteran’s Day: November 11
NEW YORK- October 28-29-30-31
•New York, Thursday, October 28
USO of Metropolitan New York
625 Eighth Avenue
North Wing, Second Floor

• New Jersey, Friday, October 29
Presentation and book signing
Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial
62 Battleship Place
Camden

PENNSYLVANIA-November 1
• Philadelphia, Monday, November 1
Penn Bookstore
Presentation and book signing, 2pm
hosted by the History Dept
3601 Walnut Street - University Square

Chestnut Hill Historical Society/Joseph Fox Bookshop.
Presentation and book signing, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Stagecrafters Theater
8130 Germantown Avenue


VIRGINIA – November 2
•Triangle, Tuesday, November 2
National Museum of the Marine Corps
Presentation and book signing
18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy



WASHINGTON, DC November 3
•Washington, D.C. , Wednesday, November 3
U.S. Navy Museum
Presentation and book signing, 12pm
805 Kidder Breese St. SE

VIRGINIA – November 4
• Norfolk, Thursday, November 4
Presentation and book signing, 11am
Naval Station Administrative Department

TEXAS-November 5-6-7
•Houston, Saturday, November 6
Museum of Fine Arts
Presentation and book signing, 1-3pm
1001 Bissonnet Street


TENNESSEE-November 8-9-10
• Nashville, Monday, November 8th
Davis-Kidd Booksellers
Presentation and book signing, 7pm
The Mall at Green Hills, Suite 281
2121 Green Hills Village Drive

LOUISIANA –November 10-11-12
• New Orleans, Thursday, November 11, 5-8pm
The National World War Two Museum
Reception from 5-6pm; talk from 6-7pm, book signing from 7-8pm
945 Magazine Street

CALIFORNIA-November 13-November 22
• San Francisco, Saturday/Sunday, November 13-14
•Sonoma: Monday, November 15
Book signing at Reader's Books, 7:30pm
130 E. Napa Street

•Corte Madera, Tuesday, November 16
Book signing at Book Passage, 7pm
51 Tamal Vista Boulevard

• Palo Alto, Wednesday, November 17
Book signing at Books, Inc.
855 El Camino Real # 74

• San Luis Obispo, Thursday, November 18
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Presentation and signing at California Polytechnic, 6pm
1 Grand Avenue
Building 34 Room 227

• Santa Barbara, Friday, November 19
Book signing at Border's, 7pm
900 State Street

•Los Angeles-November 20-21-22

• Pasadena –Saturday, November 20
Presentation and book signing, 5pm
Vroman's Bookstore
695 E. Colorado Blvd

Hollywood --Sunday, November 21
American Legion Post No. 43, 4-6pm
Presentation and book signing
2035 North Highland Avenue


HAWAII- November 22-23-24-25
•Honolulu: Wednesday, November 24
Barnes & Noble, 12pm
Presentation and book signing
Ala Moana Center
1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 1272


CALIFORNIA
• San Diego, November 26-27-28:

The Veteran Museum
2115 Park Blvd.

ILLINOIS-November 29-December 1
•Chicago
Pritzker Military Library
Presentation and book signing
104 S. Michigan Ave, Suite 610