Marisa Matluck Photo Blog

I spent this weekend moving (YES!) and had no time to “get out there” and shoot. So I went back back back into my super old hard drives and found some interesting photos of hurricanes and their destructive aftermath.

I think that most of these were from Hurricane Wilma. Remember that one South Florida? The one where we had no power for a week? I remember pushing my car through an entire parking lot just so I could fill the tank with gas at 6 in the morning.

A few years ago I moved one of my very close friends, Michelle, across the ocean to a magical place called Amsterdam. I pulled a New Years Eve all nighter, got on a plane, passed out, and woke up in 10 degree weather in the Netherlands. It was  fah-reeeez–zing (pronounced as it is spelled).  Come ot think of it, as a type, it is very cold in my office and the comparison is remarkable!

Anyway,  I spent an amazing 9 days there. 3 layers of pants, 4 layers of socks, multiple long sleeve shirts, sometimes ear muffs and a partridge in a pear tree!

One may think that you have to be a lover of Mary Jane to enjoy Amsterdam but au contrair! I was able to visit more museums than coffee shops and take more pictures than joints. The streets and architecture in Amsterdam is really beautiful. I even managed to make it to a super cool black light museum and if you (the reader) ever head over there, let me know and I will point you in the right direction. Unfortunately, I was not as in tune with my photography side when I went there and was unable to operate the camera the way that I do now. The end result is a few awesome pics that I went back and edited for blog purposes!

I recently borrowed an underwater housing for my fabulous G11 Camera. I really do love that cam!

On Saturday, I joined my grandmother and my sister for a nice relaxing day at the beach. Lately I have been working so hard that when I have a few free hours I use them wisely and do absolutely nothing! So I brought the camera and the casing and ventured into the great blue. Aside from my sister posing as she normally does, there wasn’t much to photograph seeing as it was a relatively calm day on the ocean. There weren’t even many waves.

I took this opportunity to really meditate and “become one” with the ocean. My name, after all, means “of the sea”. We so often take seaweed for granted. I know that sounds silly but imagine all the amazing little creatures that live in them. Us swimmers usually avoid them and throw them at each other not realizing that they are just a beautiful living thing housing other living things just floating on top of the sea.

On Friday night, I attended an über cool fashion show at a hip, new, members-only burlesque bar called La Fee Verte. It was my second time there and I actually really like the place. You have to be on a list to get in which could sometimes be annoying but they only let a certain number of people in the place. This is great because you can enjoy the atmosphere with plenty of breathing room!

The crowd is cool. Its an ‘anything goes’ kind of place. Did I mention their drink specialty is Absythine?

The reason for the event was a KRELwear fashion show. Krel is a local designer (support the locals!) with such a talent for knitting and color. “The one of kind line embraces flaws with no rules at all; enhancing originality through organic methods, let it run, knit.” I took that from her site. I am not a fashion critic but I have happened to photograph my friend Erin Newberg in her clothing before and it is absolutely, without a doubt,  photogenic! I didn’t include many of her pieces in this blog post because they are featured in my photo gallery on NBCMiami. These can be seen by clicking here.

I was really glad I was able to bring my camera in the place. I don’t think they allow photos to be take which is why I am not showing the faces of the girls that stripped down to everything but nipple covers and undies. I love being able to take pictures in dark surroundings where the light hits the body just enough to see curvature. Lets face it, women have beautiful curves. And this, my friends, is why I enjoyed taking photos that night  (for artistic purposes).

Its been a while since I have been out, wait , thats not true. Let me rephrase: It has been a while since I have been to the Vagabond. So this Saturday night, I headed out with my good friend Joanne. You may recognize her from my post “Downtown Joanne”.

Anyway, her and I were just dancing, minding our own business, when suddenly there was a man on stage getting whipped with a paddle. Crazy! I guess that is how the Vagabond is, anything goes. Its a place where you go if you feel like going out in nothing but body paint and a wig or dressing as funky and independent as you like. A huge jump away from South Beaches “Models and Bottles” rule. It is really a one-of-a-kind place and putting a label like “club”, “bar”, or “lounge”, really does not do it justice.

SO, when I entered the Vagabond, I realized I had left my camera in the car. Not cool. After a cocktail, I went back to get it because I just cannot be without it. What if I miss a great moment… I would definitely regret it! I got back just in time for the festivities…

Enjoy (but not too much)

You can also see more of my photo on nbcmiami.com just type my name in the search field!

Second Saturday is something I look forward to at the beginning of every month. For me it is a time of rejuvenating my creative expression. This month I started off on my own, just me and the camera, in my friend Karina’s art gallery. I was actually super impressed with this months exhibition (as well as all her past exhibitions). Her gallery featured instillation art by Yucef Merhi entitled “Words”. It was a myriad of lights and screens and projectors all used to evoke emotion in “Words”. Truly brilliant. It also made interesting photos for me as it was different to the other Tungsten lit galleries.

After roaming the streets and going from gallery to gallery, I was joined by a first time gallery walker. I love it when people are “devirginized” to the Wynwood gallery world. It is a great thing to do on a Saturday night and there is always something cool to see!

I hope you enjoy viewing the photos from Artwalk. If you would like to see more, you can check out my weekly photo gallery on NBC Miami. (woooohooooo!!)

I have to mention one last thing… While stepping into Butter Gallery, I noticed the bartender had a nice sign on his bar that said “Women of Wynwood.” Now, while driving to the studio on many a morning, I have noticed women wearing bright pink uniforms that dawn the logo “WOW”. So I asked said bartender what it was and he explained to me that it was a way to get women out of the homeless shelter and give them jobs taking care of the Wynwood neighborhood that so many love. I found it to be a great initiative and I look forward to lending my services to this cause. If you would like to help or for more information, please visit their website by clicking here.

Yesterday, April 11, 2010, marked Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Day of Remembrance. For me, it was an important day and a day of reflection and memories. In 2000, I went with my classmates (in high school at the time) to Poland and Israel on a trip called the March of the Living. This trip takes students from all over the world on a tour through Poland during Yom HaShoah and then to Israel for Israel’s Independence Day.

On this trip to Poland, I was taken to many different locations where this terrible genocide took place. I visited death camps like Majdanek, Auschwitz, and Birkenau as well as landmarks like destroyed Jewish cemeteries and the Warsaw Ghetto. It was very hard to stand in a gas chamber where so many of my ancestors were murdered (as well as POW’s and any non-arian person). Walking through Majdanek, a camp that can be up and running in 15 minutes, was an eerie peak into the past. There were so many apartments overlooking the camp that I couldn’t help but wonder what the inhabitants of those apartments must have thought of their view. In a place where so many were beaten and starved, little kids now played and kicked around a soccer ball. I have to give credit to the survivors that joined us on this journey. It must have been really difficult to return to these memories.

This trip was a harsh reminder of what hate can do. It taught me respect for my fellow man, regardless of our differences.

I have been fortunate in my life not to experience anti-semitism and hate. I chose to go back to the photos I took many years ago and share them on my blog. I was taught to tell the stories of what I had seen and NEVER FORGET!

As we sit in front of our computers, there is a genocide in Darfur. To learn how you coud help prevent genocide, please visit Help Darfur Now.

I also have a friend, Michael Pertnoy, who directed an incredible film about genocide and its survivors. He is currently trying to get it into schools throughout the US to help teach children. Please watch the trailer; The Last Survivor

Last night I witnessed vocal perfection! I went to see Erykah Badu in concert. I had never seen her live before and all I can say, is, her vibe was magnetizing. The minute she walked on the stage, my annoyance at her late start (10:00 pm) had disappeared.

She sang an amazing medley of songs ranging from “Love of My Life” to her very controversial “Window Seat”. I was quite surprised to realize that I knew most of the songs due to the fact that I have never purchased one of her CD’s in my life.

I had to post these photos today while the energy of the concert was still flowing through my veins. I took as many photos as I could given my seat and the security there. The minute an usher saw me taking a photo (towards the end), he flashed me with a light and my camera battery died. Its funny how that works out!

Hope you enjoy the photos of Erykah Badu as much as I enjoyed the concert

Sorry I missed my usual post date yesterday… I was so sick this past weekend and had so much work to catch up on that I did not have a minute to do blog work!

But today (although I am squeezing this in) I found some time.

A few weeks ago, it was bring your best friend to work day. So I brought Maria. After many hours of editing I became quite restless and noticed the amazing sunset going on outside my window. I said to myself, “Self, what a great opportunity for a quick little photoshoot!”

So I took Maria upstairs to the roof of the building and we had ourselves a little fashion photo shoot. I should mention that Maria is no stranger to modeling as this has been her passion since I have known her (and thats a loooooonnnnggggg time).

To see more of Maria’s modeling and acting, check her out on Facebook by clicking here. There are links to her online portfolio on her Facebook page but you should pop in and say hello!

My last post was so well received I just had to put some more!