- Joined
- Oct 8, 2001
- Messages
- 12,348
Ive tried to compile some thoughts of the weekend for those who are really bored. 
NYCKS Show link
This was the fifth time Ive worked this show, and its the third time its moved. Maybe more. I think the current venue is here to stay. I hope so!
First off MAJOR props to the fine folks at 50/50 Productions for hosting this show: Steve DLack, Kylie, Crystal, Peter, and Sidney always are on hand and always are courteous and smiling. (Well, the ladies, anyway.) As the promoter, Steve tries to place me where I could do my best work. At this venue I was in a boardroom, not so close to the Show. Really spacious, but disconnected. That may change...
The Hotel is the Westin Jersey City. It is almost on the water facing lower Manhattan. REALLY close to NYC. (Ill explain this later in the post.)
I asked my wife Susan to join me the entire weekend. This gave us both the chance to work together and spend relaxation time together. We did so by having Trevors grandmother take care of him for three days. (Our 8-yr-old son: Win/win/win)
We drove there (60 mins) in my minivan, unloaded on Friday morning, and tossed the valet parking keys to the attendant, not to retrieve till Sunday afternoon. They ask for the attendees to stay at the show, and its work commuting, although Ive done it.
I preceded this show with work from RJ Martin. We talked about a week earlier and instead of waiting he sent me (5) knives to shoot at my studio, to be delivered at the show. Perfect. RJ did NOT want me to post these before the show. If I did, he would have sold them all, not gotten any work done from phone calls, and had that much less to bring to the table. As it is, hes now holding drawings on Friday and Saturday; much in demand!
The show was my least productive in portfolio clients, and I dont have a complete answer why. I do blame myself, though. I only did what I normally do and that was to simply show up. These days, that isnt good enough to sell knives, or sell images. I really should have sent out an email blast to my clients and others and announced our presence better.
Last year we were stuck in the Showroom itself. There was plenty of room, and it worked in our favor. Very visible. This year I had all the space in the world, but it was a walk down a hallway. Out of sight, out of mind.
That said, we DID have many visitors and I spent more time IN the show than I have in any show I can remember. Each time I did I returned with a project. Win/win for me and them!
The shots that are most memorable for me were some antiques (1803 Sheffield English Horseman's knife) and a classic RW Loveless brass handled fighter (Yup, this thing is SWEEEET!). They simply MADE my day capturing them!
Nancy and Jay Hendrickson always take advantage of my services and they had (3) knives for a really good client, going over to Asia. Shoot em all.
Darrel Ralph gave me a VERY colorful folder to shoot as a contrast to the colorless HTM (Hand Tech Made) offering I shot for the postcard image. (DDR/Wally Hayes/Rick Hinderer all loved that shot). I enjoy seeing DDR and am pleased for his success.
MAJOR props to Ron Labella (of JD forums) for stopping back often and early. He is such a gift to the forum community, and brought an entourage with him every time. With him:
Shawn Knowles: I got to meet him and we have more in common than knives. We BOTH own hi-performance street cars and I go to his hometown to do time trials at the drag strip. (His 10-second Mustang would dust my 11-second Infiniti! LOLZ!) He brought me a very nice piece. Pay attention to him.
Aldo Bruno: The NJ Steel baron. World recognized and sought after. He was cutting steel at 7am to return on Sat morning!
Butch Harner: Had a trio of absolutely wonderful folding razors, and we shot them as a group. I learned that the edges are so sharp and fragile, that if you run your thumb across to hear or feel the zing youve just dulled them. I only did it once.... LOL!
And then he pulled out a GINORMOUS 36 tuna sword for an NYC chef. Apparently these are real tools to hack open a 4-foot tuna! He gave a demonstration of how it was to be used. Yummy.
Other collectors who came by were Rob Connally and Jeff Laramee. (rconnally and ManixJ) Ill be showing off a Kyle Royer knife again, and a Jason Knight Founders bowie variant. These guys know quality.
Neil Ostroff / TNK is rehearsing to host the Grammies with his stand-up routine. Always a joke emanating. Especially as you are out of earshot, so Im told.
There was a number of Japanese makers who frequent this Show: Koji Hara, Ohta, Kansei Matsuno, and Chicci Yoneyama. He is so VERY polite and remembered Susan played concert violin. He gave us a knife to shoot and signed off to her saying Make the very nice music. Hes a pleasure to know.
I got to meet the elusive and uber-talented engraver from NYC: Jon Robyn. I dont think there is anyone better than him in his field. And he covers many styles. Highest of praise to him from Joe Kious, Paul Shindler, and Gary Levine.
In the evening Susan and I walked a block to a large indoor mall, where we saw a bunch of people streaming out, across the street to a large building and doorway. Non stop. What WAS in that doorway or building...? We walked over and saw why: It was an outlet for a PATH subway back to Manhattan under the Hudson River. 200 yards from the entrance of the hotel. ALL of NYC at your footsteps for $2. We learned this on our final night. Next March ECCKS: Little Italy for dinner.
We ended up eating a couple of blocks away at a Bertuccis. Although it was a chain and we wanted local charm, it was close and tasty. The next night we ate next door at a Mexican restaurant which had art from the Mexican celebration: Day of the Dead. Skeleton art. Madonna's with skulls. Lovely. It was kinky and fun, and filling again.
Susan and I enjoyed a drink at the hotel bar before going out. We sat next to a fellow from Angel Sword. She got a graphic lesson on how Japanese tatumi mats are the equivalent of an arm, a thigh, or a torso, depending on how many are used. They hold the equivalent World Record of severing something like twelve men in half. Ummm, Susan was very polite and appeared interested, but this was something to share on Howard Stern, not just before we were going out on a date. LOL! Gotta love knife people!
Lastly, Mace Vitale was pacing the show, displaying his infant daughters pics on his cell phone to anyone who asked. That would be us. Shes a sweety!
Ill post some photos in a bit. This is my start.
BTW: Feel FREE to post your experiences in this thread.
Coop
NYCKS Show link
This was the fifth time Ive worked this show, and its the third time its moved. Maybe more. I think the current venue is here to stay. I hope so!
First off MAJOR props to the fine folks at 50/50 Productions for hosting this show: Steve DLack, Kylie, Crystal, Peter, and Sidney always are on hand and always are courteous and smiling. (Well, the ladies, anyway.) As the promoter, Steve tries to place me where I could do my best work. At this venue I was in a boardroom, not so close to the Show. Really spacious, but disconnected. That may change...
The Hotel is the Westin Jersey City. It is almost on the water facing lower Manhattan. REALLY close to NYC. (Ill explain this later in the post.)
I asked my wife Susan to join me the entire weekend. This gave us both the chance to work together and spend relaxation time together. We did so by having Trevors grandmother take care of him for three days. (Our 8-yr-old son: Win/win/win)
We drove there (60 mins) in my minivan, unloaded on Friday morning, and tossed the valet parking keys to the attendant, not to retrieve till Sunday afternoon. They ask for the attendees to stay at the show, and its work commuting, although Ive done it.
I preceded this show with work from RJ Martin. We talked about a week earlier and instead of waiting he sent me (5) knives to shoot at my studio, to be delivered at the show. Perfect. RJ did NOT want me to post these before the show. If I did, he would have sold them all, not gotten any work done from phone calls, and had that much less to bring to the table. As it is, hes now holding drawings on Friday and Saturday; much in demand!
The show was my least productive in portfolio clients, and I dont have a complete answer why. I do blame myself, though. I only did what I normally do and that was to simply show up. These days, that isnt good enough to sell knives, or sell images. I really should have sent out an email blast to my clients and others and announced our presence better.
Last year we were stuck in the Showroom itself. There was plenty of room, and it worked in our favor. Very visible. This year I had all the space in the world, but it was a walk down a hallway. Out of sight, out of mind.
That said, we DID have many visitors and I spent more time IN the show than I have in any show I can remember. Each time I did I returned with a project. Win/win for me and them!
The shots that are most memorable for me were some antiques (1803 Sheffield English Horseman's knife) and a classic RW Loveless brass handled fighter (Yup, this thing is SWEEEET!). They simply MADE my day capturing them!
Nancy and Jay Hendrickson always take advantage of my services and they had (3) knives for a really good client, going over to Asia. Shoot em all.
Darrel Ralph gave me a VERY colorful folder to shoot as a contrast to the colorless HTM (Hand Tech Made) offering I shot for the postcard image. (DDR/Wally Hayes/Rick Hinderer all loved that shot). I enjoy seeing DDR and am pleased for his success.
MAJOR props to Ron Labella (of JD forums) for stopping back often and early. He is such a gift to the forum community, and brought an entourage with him every time. With him:
Shawn Knowles: I got to meet him and we have more in common than knives. We BOTH own hi-performance street cars and I go to his hometown to do time trials at the drag strip. (His 10-second Mustang would dust my 11-second Infiniti! LOLZ!) He brought me a very nice piece. Pay attention to him.
Aldo Bruno: The NJ Steel baron. World recognized and sought after. He was cutting steel at 7am to return on Sat morning!
Butch Harner: Had a trio of absolutely wonderful folding razors, and we shot them as a group. I learned that the edges are so sharp and fragile, that if you run your thumb across to hear or feel the zing youve just dulled them. I only did it once.... LOL!
And then he pulled out a GINORMOUS 36 tuna sword for an NYC chef. Apparently these are real tools to hack open a 4-foot tuna! He gave a demonstration of how it was to be used. Yummy.
Other collectors who came by were Rob Connally and Jeff Laramee. (rconnally and ManixJ) Ill be showing off a Kyle Royer knife again, and a Jason Knight Founders bowie variant. These guys know quality.
Neil Ostroff / TNK is rehearsing to host the Grammies with his stand-up routine. Always a joke emanating. Especially as you are out of earshot, so Im told.
There was a number of Japanese makers who frequent this Show: Koji Hara, Ohta, Kansei Matsuno, and Chicci Yoneyama. He is so VERY polite and remembered Susan played concert violin. He gave us a knife to shoot and signed off to her saying Make the very nice music. Hes a pleasure to know.
I got to meet the elusive and uber-talented engraver from NYC: Jon Robyn. I dont think there is anyone better than him in his field. And he covers many styles. Highest of praise to him from Joe Kious, Paul Shindler, and Gary Levine.
In the evening Susan and I walked a block to a large indoor mall, where we saw a bunch of people streaming out, across the street to a large building and doorway. Non stop. What WAS in that doorway or building...? We walked over and saw why: It was an outlet for a PATH subway back to Manhattan under the Hudson River. 200 yards from the entrance of the hotel. ALL of NYC at your footsteps for $2. We learned this on our final night. Next March ECCKS: Little Italy for dinner.
We ended up eating a couple of blocks away at a Bertuccis. Although it was a chain and we wanted local charm, it was close and tasty. The next night we ate next door at a Mexican restaurant which had art from the Mexican celebration: Day of the Dead. Skeleton art. Madonna's with skulls. Lovely. It was kinky and fun, and filling again.
Susan and I enjoyed a drink at the hotel bar before going out. We sat next to a fellow from Angel Sword. She got a graphic lesson on how Japanese tatumi mats are the equivalent of an arm, a thigh, or a torso, depending on how many are used. They hold the equivalent World Record of severing something like twelve men in half. Ummm, Susan was very polite and appeared interested, but this was something to share on Howard Stern, not just before we were going out on a date. LOL! Gotta love knife people!
Lastly, Mace Vitale was pacing the show, displaying his infant daughters pics on his cell phone to anyone who asked. That would be us. Shes a sweety!
Ill post some photos in a bit. This is my start.
BTW: Feel FREE to post your experiences in this thread.
Coop
