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***NEW ALERT*** In search of my gear - All my cameras stolen!


On August 20th, unknown persons broke into my garage in Marine Park, Brooklyn and into my
Daily News car, breaking a window, and stole the following equipment:

Canon HV30 with Canon Wide Angle lens,
a v-bracket with Senheisser Microphone on one side and a Sony Wireless receiver on the other side
with wires included.

The following is a list of still cameras stolen:

Nikon D3 #2057132
D3 #2044956
D2x #6024708
Nikon D2H #2014687
24-70 2.8 #227153,
70-200VR lens #236468
17-35 #284965
Nikon 12-24 #209068
10.5 mm #539456,
28-70 #259328
60mm #3029892,
24-85 #401621
50mm #4539134
2 (two) SB800
SU800 #273089
SB 80 DX #2088536
SB 28DX #2088536
TC 201 2x extender #430036

They only took camera gear – so we expect to see it being sold somewhere. A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the apprehension of those responsible for this theft.
All of the serial numbers are with police and with Nikon as of Monday.
Contact Todd Maisel at 646-872-5374. All calls will be kept confidential.

Bloggers to cause a change the how we get our press cards
As the result of lawsuits filed by several “bloggers” to obtain the right to hold a valid New York City Press Card, the entire process and requirements to obtain a press card will be changed, according to an attorney for the city and an attorney for the bloggers. New “working press cards” will be issued for a period of two (2) years by the NYPD, with the requirement that applicants must present six clips that prove that they are working media during the prior two year period. Only “working press cards” will be issued and press identifications will be eliminated. Many broadcast media have requested press identification for their tertiary employees including newsroom managers, editors and other lesser employees. This is still in discussions.

The changes were announced at a recent meeting at the New York Law School in Manhattan hosted by civil liberty’s attorney Norman Seigel and an attorney from New York City’s Corporation Counsel. Among those present were: NPPA Regional Director Todd Maisel, NYPPA representatives including David Handschuh, Chip East, Justin Lane, and Richard Drew. Also in attendance was NY Press Club President Glen Schuck and representatives of Society of Professional Journalists.


It was further explained that if an application is denied, the applicant can apply to the NYPD for a hearing within 20 days of the denial. After a hearing, the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information would have to provide a reason for denial within 90 days. If the application is still denied, the applicant can apply for an “article 78” that would seek an addition redress in State Court. A Federal case can be done within three years.

The attorney’s for both sides are putting together criteria for what clips and video might qualify for a “working press card,” but what was made clear is that getting a press card will be easier than in the past. It matters less to the NYPD than before because there are no parking permits being issued to the media. Norman Seigel, attorney for Jose Martinez, a long time writer and blogger who comments widely on City Hall, said he would work with interested parties on finding proper ways to issue the new cards, but the bottom line was to make sure his clients received their proper credentials after having won in court. Martinez apparently didn’t see eye to eye with the mayor, and the NYPD revoked his pass. He sued and won his pass back.

Parking permits and the future
NPPA R2 Director Todd Maisel is working on the NYPPA committee to come up with solutions to the parking permit dilemma. A plan to make changes to the law have been somewhat sidetracked due to the changes that have occurred to the issuance of press cards in New York City. It is no longer feasible for photographers to go this alone, and NYPPA attorney Jason Criss has advised working with other groups to create new rules that would allow the issuance of press parking permits again. NPPA R2 will continue to insist that both still photographers and videographers be represented in negotiations.

A number of issues have arisen concerning parking permits and will be discussed with all the groups concerned. A strategy has been formed, but we cannot disclose details as there are a few government officials who might oppose our efforts.

In the past, we have urged patience, now urge you to speak up to your leaders and ask questions. We will not allow this issue to die and we plan to be relentless in pursuing what is so necessary to our profession – the ability to park at or near our assignments without having to pay onerous parking fees; park so far from jobs that we must haul gear further than we must; or having to go out of our way to park that will cause unnecessary delays in our coverage of breaking news.

Be advised that expired permits can be confiscated, especially from vehicles that are towed by the city. 

Always try to park legally whenever possible. While the city has not gone crazy ticketing our vehicles at major assignments, many have reported being ticketed or towed at jobs where few other media are located for assignment. So be careful where you park.

We cannot give details, at this time but rest assured that we will not rest until the city provides continued access for our vehicles to cover the news.

Change in way we will do business at NPPA. I supported it! By Todd Maisel
A lot of people are wondering what happened at the NPPA Convergence and national board meeting and I can say we passed a new set of by-laws that will change the way the organization does business for years to come.

The change makes six nationally elected board of directors, three additional selected by the president with the approval of the six nationally elected members, and makes regional chairman and assistant chairman still responsible for their regions with a vote for a regional representative that will serve on the board as long as they see fit.

Essentially, this centralizes the board and allows it to concentrate efforts on national scale. It also makes the board responsible to the entire nation, and not just to their regional concerns – while keeping the regions intact. It was always my belief that while regional representation was important, the NPPA needed to concentrate on issues that were important to the entire membership. The organization needed board members who could make decisions that didn’t just represent a regional concern, but decisions for the greater good of the entire world.

The new by-laws give the president additional powers, which some of us have still have reservations. However, we are convinced that the current leadership can make the decisions with the new by-laws that will bring increasing benefit to the membership. By voting for this change, I essentially voted myself out of office as of January 1. In place of this, I intend to run for both chairman of Region 2 and as a national director. I will serve only one term as chairman so that the membership can better get to know my current associate director, Mark Dye, who will then run for chairman of the region.

I’ve always believed that national directors should represent all of the members, not just people in one state or another. As most may recall, I’ve taken an active role in fighting for photographers rights in various parts of the country – including helping a student photographer from Virginia Tech get his equipment returned from police who detained him after the infamous shooting murder of 32 people, to the Republican National Convention in Minnesota where I was able to get attorney’s for photographers who were being held by police for no reason.

The same is true for educational seminars as I have been a big supporter of the Northern Short Course which travels to different states each year, as does the Convergence and Immersion programs. These are huge assets for our organization.


The latest program we will work on is the program entitled, “Navigating the Downturn,” in which we will use the national program to help our upstate and Canadian colleagues and bring them information that might help in this economic time. But we must first try to make it work and see if our leadership is right – that we need better expertise on our board and reduce the number of board members to a more manageable level that will allow work to get done on a national level.

There are those who still believe we’ve make a mistake and if that is the case, I will be the first to work to reverse the changes. But we must first try to make it work and see if our leadership is right.

Our friend Robert, takes to a bike

Photo caption: While photographing the Statue of Liberty model being brought across the Brooklyn Bridge this month, we spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Notice on the bicycle is photographer Robert Mecea, our good friend who lost his job from Newsday this past year.
He is currently pursuing a career as a personal trainer, so it is no surprise to see him on a bicycle crossing the bridge.

To see his video on his new career, see NY Times photographer Chang Lee’s video at http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/nyregion/secondchance/index.html

Calendar Items
J&R calendar Photo Opportunities at J&R
You want to make some money? Well, some celebrities will be showing up at J&R Music and Computer World in the coming month. J&R is our friend, so when you show up there, tell them you are a NPPA member and they will get you to the front row for a photo.

Here are some photo ops you should check out:
Tarrus Riley will be performing and signing autographs on Tuesday, August 4 at 12:30 p.m.
His appearance will be in conjunction with his new release, “Contagious,” $13.99.

The Moonlighters will be performing and signing autographs on Friday, August 7th at 12:30 p.m. in conjunction with their release, “Enchanted,” $10.99

The musical sensation Air supply will be performing and signing autographs on August 26 at 6 p.m.
Their appearance coincides with their new release, “Free love.” $13.99

Syracuse meeting to focus on “Navigating the Downturn”
Region 2 and friends from Syracuse will be organizing a seminar in the Syracuse area for October under the national headline of “Navigating the Downturn,” in which we will bring experts and successful colleagues together with those still struggling in this economic time to find ways to succeed.

We are lucky enough to have Seth Gitner who is moving to Syracuse. He is joining the staff of Syracuse University in the fall as an assistant professor. Gitner is moving from Roanoke, Virginia where he worked at the Roanoke Times. He is also an alumni of Rochester Institute of Technology, class of 1995.

Both R2 Director Todd Maisel and Associate Director Mark Dye will be on hand to help host this event. There will be refreshments and a great meeting of colleagues from throughout the region.

The exact date of the event will be announced in the September blast, so stay tuned.

Northern Short Course comes to New Brunswick in March
Next year’s Northern Short Course will be at the Hyatt in New Brunswick, New Jersey from March 11-13. Region 2 is arranging both car pooling from New York City and New Jersey, so anyone wishing to attend this year’s great event, should contact Toddphoto@aol.com In this current economic environment, learning new skills will be helpful in navigating this economic downturn.

Stay tuned for more information on this event.

Exhibits
Nicole Tung, Joe Woolhead and Vicky Roy in WTC exhibit documenting rebuilding
In their first group exhibit, young photographers Nicole Tung of New York City and Vicky Roy of India joined photographer Joe Woolhead in an exhibit entitled “On Site – Documenting the Rebuilding of the World Trade Center.” The exhibit opened on Thursday, July 23 at the World Trade Center 7 building.
This project on the WTC reconstruction was undertaken in March, after Nicole Tung, and Vicky Roy were nominated, and then selected and funded by the Maybach Family Foundation who is working in conjunction with Silverstein Properties for this arts program. R2 Director Todd Maisel nominated her after David Hanschuh, her professor at New York University, recommended her for the project.

Woolhead is a photographer assigned by the rebuilding team to photograph the site from beginning to end and he joined the two younger photographers for this exhibit.

All three have been photographing the 'rebirth' and goings-on down at the site as the new towers and 9/11 memorial rise. The exhibition was held on the 10th floor, where there is a full view of the site from which you can see all the changes that have taken place since 2001.

Call for Entry/Pre 911 group Exhibition at SB Designs
SB Designs is collecting pictures and artworks that contain beautiful memories of Twin Towers once stood. SB Designs seeks to “bring back those wonderful era and joy of having those towers in New York City.” SB Designs is curating the biggest numbers of artists and images that will be showing on multiple digital screens beginning on September 11, 2009 until September 30, 2009.

The deadline is by August 15 for the book, however we will accept the images before and during the exhibition to be presented at SB D.

All the profit from sales of book, excluding the basic cost for book printing, will be donated to
911 Foundation.

Please contact me if you like to participate in at seolbin@mac.com. http://www.facebook.com/l/;www.sbdigitalgallery.com