Shutter At the Thought

March 24th, 2010 - Up in the Air

2010-03-24T17:58:00.000-07:00

A few weeks I had the opportunity to fly in a 4 seater plane thanks to Dan Greenberg. If you ever get this opportunity to do this, take it. You will feel like you are in top gun. Go with it. Here are a few shots I took while up in the air. We flew to Montauk and then on to Block Island.

Long Island

Our Pilots Reflection

Long Island

Top Gun

March 1st, 2010 - Goodbye Snow Hello Spring!

2010-03-01T13:29:00.000-08:00

Here are a few shots from the storm we had last Friday. I love New York City in the snow but this will hopefully be the last of it for this winter. Bring on Spring!

February 20th, 2010 - Always bring a Camera

2010-02-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

These pictures are my little lesson to myself... always bring a camera!

Long Island City, Queens

Union Square Green Market

February 20th, 2010 - Flushing Lunar New Year Parade

2010-02-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

It's too bad New York City has so many rules about fireworks keeping us from celebrating in the true spirit of Lunar New Year. The NYE I spent in China was marked with so many fireworks going off that night looked like day and if you closed your eyes the constant booming wold make you believe you had been transported to a war zone. You can see some of my images from then in a previous post. I do really enjoy me some dragon dancers though!

Chūnjié Kuàilè New York!

January 31st, 2010: Trash Bar Concert

2010-01-31T18:11:00.000-08:00

Friday night I went to a show at The Trash Bar in Brooklyn...

Hellshot
www.myspace.com/hellshotband

nevereven

nevereven
www.myspace.com/nevereven

December 20th, 2009: It is Snowing

2009-12-19T19:45:00.001-08:00

I like to think about weather like this...

When it actually looks like this outside....

Stay warm!!

Happy Halloween: The Last Masquerade

2009-11-01T14:27:00.001-08:00

In light of my face being covered in white makeup and fake blood I struck out last night with my boyfriends point and shoot and came back with these shots. These were all taken at a party called "The Last Masquerade" which was put on by The Danger in Brooklyn. Halloween rocks my photo world!

Right through the very heart of it

2009-09-12T20:08:00.001-07:00

Broadway
New York, NY

Broadway Station
Astoria, NY

Park Avenue
New York, NY

Broadway
Astoria, NY

These are the take aways from some leisurely wandering in NYC. I really love the taco truck one, its there everyday on Broadway. Part of the scenery in Astoria.

Funk.Struggle.Life.

2009-06-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

This week I attended the NPPA's 2009 Multimedia Immersion in Las Vegas. It was an amazing and intense few days and not without its stress inducing moments. The ones where you think your story is a total goner or question the likelihood of shooting and editing your whole story in the time allotted. There was defiantly some touch and go at times but... it worked out in the end, really worked out and that's the best feeling out there. I of course owe quite a bit to the excellent help I had editing and learning final cut pro, my coaches Matt Ford & Brian Kaufman were incredible.

My Assignment for the week was to cover tent city, a few blocks where the homeless & jobless set up their living quarters and are for the most part left alone by the police. Three of us (all women) pulled the same assignment and approached the situation a little concerned about how we would be perceived. There were some issues of course as many of these people have been taken advantage of in the past or don't want their families to know their situation. Needless to say, they were leery of cameras.

After a few passes up and down the street I met the man who would later become the focus of my story. After he asked about my camera and what we were doing there I introduced myself and we got to talking. He is a Rick James impersonator (among other things), was putting on the show the next night and would be happy to have me photography him. He showed me some pictures he had of himself and directed me to his myspace site (http://www.myspace.com/gpthegoodandplentyentertainer).

The next night I covered his show at the El Cortez Casino by Freemont Street (near the old Las Vegas Casinos). The crowd loved him and after the show we did our interview. I hope you enjoy hearing his story. Thank you for taking the time to check it out.

Funk.Struggle.Life.
Photos & Audio by Corey Torpie

Funk. Struggle. Life. from Corey Torpie on Vimeo.

Start Spreadin' the News

2009-05-10T08:14:00.000-07:00

contamination zone.

sharing with strangers.

swine flu.

FunkyTown:ChinaStyle

2009-05-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

Dalian.

Dandong.

Dalian.

Went fishing today in some of my old images from China. It's so funny how look different to you a few months or a year later. Enjoy. I hope you like 'em.

The AQUARIUM Wedding

2009-05-07T06:52:00.001-07:00

So of all the places I've heard of people getting married; museums, botanical gardens, the beach.... I had never heard of an Aquarium wedding. Gorgeous! Fun! The great couple and funky location made this wedding a blast to cover!

These Vagabond Shoes.

2009-04-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Gorgeous Day.

Waiting for the play.

Five dollar sundae.

Martha's Vineyard: Anne & Paul

2009-04-19T13:52:00.000-07:00

At the end of last summer I had the opportunity to shoot my friend Anne's wedding. The whole wedding was done "in house". Everything was taken care of by family and friends, from the food and the engagement ring, to the Martha's Vineyard location. I'm putting together the album now and really want to share my choice pics of the bride and groom.

New York, New York

2009-04-19T11:53:00.001-07:00

our town.

rough night.

all class.

Jackson Heights - The Urban Landscape

2009-04-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Now, I know I know, I almost made it to the one-year mark of not updating with images. I was excited about that too...... not.

Posted below are the first images for a story on the New York neighborhood of Jackson Heights. Having grown up there I do have a predisposed love for all things Jackson Heights, but for those of you who don't know the area personally, trust that it is a truly unique and amazing sliver of New York. A neighborhood of apartment gardens and settling spot for new immigrants. Thoughout this project I hope to focus both on the landscape and the people in it.

Thanks for checkin' in, Corey

Wednesday, May 7th 2008

2008-05-07T03:55:00.001-07:00

The Sun in the Four Thousand Islands

Both sunset and sunrise in the Four Thousand Islands in Laos (in Lao Si Phan Don) were mind blowing each and every time. Skies I have really only seen in pictures before!

Tuesday, April 22nd 2008

2008-04-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Cambodia

Phnom Penh

Traveling in Cambodia was a mixed bag. Angkor Wat did not disappoint, and the scenery was beautiful but the country hosts millions of tourists (myself included) each year... and this has had a noticeable effect. The countries scarred past paired with the influx of tourist money brings a Cambodia of contradictions. Establishments after the tourist/expat dollar crowd in with open air markets,an NGO settles in down the street from a brothel and cutthroat tuk-tuk drivers line the streets; Cambodia is memorable.

These pictures thanks to Diana Saw and the BLOOM team.

From Right: Edany, 40, packages tamarind with her mother Som, 60, and friends from the neighborhood. Som runs a convenience store beneath their home where she will sell the tamarind.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Edany's daughters.
Noi, age 6, and Neang, age 18, get ready to bike home.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Monday, April 14th 2008

2008-04-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the hiatus, uploading pictures could take the better part of a night in most places during our trip. For the next few weeks I will be making those posts that would have gone up, well, ages ago!

It's good to be back!
-Corey

Laos.

Hitchikers
Vang Vieng, Laos

These three little guys intercepted us during a ride in Vang Vieng. After they ran down the road yelling 'tuk-tuk tuk-tuk' we let them hop up on our back seats and took 'em at least part way home.

The Patuxai
Vientiane, Laos

Although still not completed the Patuxai is one of the most visible structures in Vientiane.

On the Public Bus
Tadlo, Laos

It's a good thing the kids in Laos are so unashamedly curious because books are impossible to read during the bumpy rides. He kept me entertained for the full hour he was on the bus with a game of peek-a-book.

Wednesday, March 5th 2008

2008-03-05T02:26:00.001-08:00

Luang Prabang, Laos

I spent 2 days in Luang Prabang, a city heavily influenced by the French that sits on the palm tree lined Mekong.
Monks
Luang Prabang, Laos

Wat roof
Luang Prabang, Laos

Tires are used as signs all over
Luang Prabang, Laos

Drawings of monks
Luang Prabang, Laos

Saturday March 1st 2008

2008-03-01T03:20:00.000-08:00

So these next few posts will probably become something of a travelogue as I take in as much as I can of South East Asia.

Our trip jumped off in Kunming on Tuesday, where we enjoyed wearing no coats and the laid back attitude that set it apart from many cities in china.

Puppy
Kunming, China

Kunming, China

Market
Kunming, China

Monday, February 25th 2008

2008-02-25T05:40:00.000-08:00

Well, my time is up in Dalian, and I'm off for a month long adventure in South East Asia. To quote from someone who has surely come before, 'its been quite a ride , and I'm sorry its over'. Here are a few last images from Dalian......

Motorcycle Taxi
Dalian, China

Shawn Abraham
Dalian, China

Behind Shawn are fliers for one or two night stays at local apartments. These fliers are quite common in University areas as they help students alleviate their rent.

Waitstaff at a pancake restaurant
Dalian, China

Last night of Spring Festival
Dalian, China

Zaijian Dalian!

Monday, February 11th 2008

2008-02-09T20:42:00.000-08:00

Only a stone's throw from Russia, and offering a wide array of nesting dolls, Haerbin is famous for its creative use of ice and snow. With winds from Siberia bringing temperatures down around -30C, winter is their time to shine, as long as you have three or more pairs of socks in your bag. The festival themes this year were France (snow festival) and the Olympics (ice festival).

Ice Festival (everything pictured is made of ice)
Haerbin, China

Snow Sculpture at the Snow Festival
Haerbin, China

Beme Lei walks across Songhua River
Haerbin, China

Thursday, February 7th 2008

2008-02-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year as we know it in the States, is a time when all China returns home, fills up on dumplings and lights their night skies with fireworks. Red lanterns and firecrackers can be found anywhere and everywhere leading up to the big day, with midnight February 6th being the start of the year of the rat.

Dalian, China

New Years Day
Dalian, China

New Years Eve
Dalian, China

Midnight
Dalian, China

Tuesday, February 5.5th, 2008

2008-02-05T01:13:00.001-08:00

"The Haircut"
Dalian, China

Centennial Monument in Xinghai Square
Dalian, China

To commemorate Dalian's 100 years the city built and open book with feet of varying sizes leading up to it to symbolize Dalian's youth its open future.

Xinghai Square
Dalian, China

Shawn Abraham and Matt Herman, tourist for a day.

Tuesday, February 5th 2008

2008-02-05T01:02:00.000-08:00

Zhongshan Square
Dalian, China

Two friends of mine, Jessie and Tiffany from Chicago trying to light a sparkler in Zhongshan Square. For the month of February fireworks are like water in China, with markets on every corner.

Elva, age 8
Dalian, China

Elva, one of my high level students, shortly after a drawing on the board sesh in class.

Tuesday, January 22nd 2008

2008-01-22T02:14:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone, I've been working on a website for my favorite images of the past few years and its finally done!! I just wanted to take this chance to let ya know and give you the address.

www.CoreyTorpie.com

Monday, January 14th 2008

2008-01-13T23:02:00.000-08:00

Yang Xiu Yuan
Jinshanling Great Wall, Hebei Province

Yang Xiu Yuan, a local farmer and hawker on the great wall, poses on The Wall in front of her crops. This year, she says, has been very bad for growth, and nothing has grown high enough.

JunYi
Jinshanling Great Wall, Hebei Province

JunYi, originally from Mongolia, makes a living by selling postcards, t-shirts and books to tours hiking The Great Wall. By sticking with a group of people as they hike from Jinshaling to Simatai she is able to bargain for higher prices than most hawkers.

Dream Yang
Dalian, China

At eight years old Dream has only studied English for two years and speaks at a shockingly fluent level. She attends English Corners every Sunday evening, which are predominately adult free-talking sessions, to practice her English. Clearly ambitions, her dreams range from diplomat to American movie star, “I want to travel” she says. “I think British English is uncomfortable and unnormal”, as she explains her preference for American English, a sentiment reflected among many students in China.

Monday, January 7th 2008

2008-01-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

The Great Wall
Simatai, China

On New Years day we visited the Great Wall and even got to celebrate the Times Square Ball drop with some champagne. Our four hour hike took us from Jinshaling to Simatai, approximately 3 hours outside of Beijing. These sections of the wall are known for their steep inclines and great views, and certainly live up to the hype.

Tienanmen Square
Beijing, China

The View of Tienanmen Square from the front of the Forbidden City. Pictured is The Monument to the People's Heroes (built in 1952) and Mao Zedong's Memorial Hall, where his preserved body is on display in a crystal casket.

Motorcyclist in front of Beijing's "Birdsnest"
Beijing, China

The Beijing National Stadium, or Birdsnest as it has been nicknamed, is still under construction and slated to be completed in early April. All construction in the city, Olympics related or not, is required to be wrapped up by May 2008 in order to ready Beijing for the Summer Olympics.

Happy New Years!

Monday, December 31st 2007

2008-01-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

I was in Beijing for New Years this year and was unable to post for last week until now, my apologies for the delay, but better late than never so here it goes.

We went to a punk show at a local Dalian bar called Hopscotch. The music scene in Dalian has been pretty elusive, or non-existent, we're not sure which but recently Hopscotch has been steppin' up to the plate and hosting quite a few shows. This particular show was to raise money and awareness of the poor conditions in which China's captive black bears endure in many zoos. The music was awesome!

The band names will be forthcoming!!

Monday, December 24th 2007

2007-12-24T05:01:00.000-08:00

Sunday night, after our full weekend of classes, hundreds of our students came back to school for the Future 2 Christmas party. There was food, games and three floors of performances. Most do not celebrate Christmas, but malls have adopted the season's decorations and Christmas trees are not hard to find.

Playing violin
Dalian, China

Dalian, China

Garp and Lena
Dalian, China

Garp and Lena, both age 5, are two of my CP1 (child parent class) students. They performed a Chinese song and dance together.

Monday, December 17th 2007

2007-12-17T05:15:00.000-08:00

The pictures going up this week are from my year spent abroad in Spain. All three are from one of my favorite Catalan traditions, the correfoc (fire run). Most well known are the correfocs that happen during La Merce, a large festival that takes place over three days in September to celebrate Barcelona's patron saint. During a correfoc a group (or in the case of La Merce, lots of groups) dress up like dragons and devils, dance to upbeat drum rhythms, play with the crowd and carry massive sparklers. Spain has really great festivals don't they?

La Merce 2005
Barcelona, Spain

La Merce 2005
Barcelona, Spain

Gran Via Neighborhood Correfoc
Barcelona, Spain

Monday, December 11th 2007

2007-12-10T16:51:00.000-08:00

First snow outside Dalian Financial University
Dalian, China

Dalian, China

Wang Jia Cun at sunset
Dalian, China

Monday, December 3rd 2007

2007-12-03T05:53:00.001-08:00

As happens with everyone, the people closest to you influence your work. It has gotten bittingly cold in Dalian over the past week, so while I have dutifully carried my camera with me all week, my snaps have been limited to the indoor people I know variety. Long johns may be in order for next week.

Shawn Abraham, English teacher, enjoying dumplings at "Grandma's"
Dalian, China

Enjoying some niu rho jiao zi, dan chow fan, and di san xian at a nearby restaurant.

Shawn Abraham, our apartment
Dalian, China

Woody, Frank, Linda and Jason from my C1 class
Dalian, China

C1 is the first level class students can take without their parents. Most of my students are between 5 and 7 years old. Any digital camera is a great way to keep students out of their seats not listening to you. They love to have pictures taken of them

Monday, November 26th 2007

2007-11-26T00:40:00.001-08:00

Turtles
Qingdao, China

These turtles were being sold on a pier overlooking the city of Qingdao.While they were most likely being sold as pets, turtle can easily be found at many restaurants in the North.

Wedding Photography
Qingdao, China

A bride waits to have her wedding pictures taken in a park with the fall leaves. These two brides were among a dozen or so other brides who were crowding the park with the same idea in mind .

"Muscle Beach"
Qingdao, China

Temperatures down around 7 degrees Celsius didn't stop locals from their workouts at Qingdao's version of Muscle Beach. Speedos prevailed in a variety of activities including swimming, volleyball and weight lifting.

Wednesday, Novermber 21st

2007-11-20T16:39:00.000-08:00

Hot Pot Restaurant
Dalian, China

Hot Pot is an extremely popular meal here in Dalian, as well as in many other Chinese cities. It features veggies of all kinds and sliced meats (usually pork) which you cook yourself in a heated broth at your table, which tend to change regionally.

Skyline from the Beach
Qingdao, China

Qingdao is a coastal city a bit further south than Dalian where the Sailing portion of the Olympics will be held in 2008. The city is also known for its German architecture and the Tsingtao Brewery.

Child with barbecue
Qindao, China

Chinese Barbecue, which can range from meat on a stick to vegetables rolled in tofu skins to spiced squid, is found on many a street corner at almost any time of day.

A few extras

2007-11-12T18:16:00.000-08:00

Shendong River Boatman

Yangtze River, China

Shendong River Boatman
Yangtze River, China

The Shendong River Boatmen operate in a tributary of the Yantze River. There are famous in the area for their unique boating style, which invovles pulling their boats along shallow parts of the river using bamboo and ropes made from it.

Miao Minority Woman outside on Ping'an
Longji Rice Terraces, China

The Longji Rice Terraces are located about four hours out of Guilin, boasting some terraces that climb up to 800 meters. As tourism in the area increases so does the strain, with fresh water supply being one of the main issues.

Harry Young, Chinese Teacher at Future English
Dalian, China

November 12th, 2007

2007-11-12T00:41:00.000-08:00

Clear sky reflected in a puddle
Wan Jia Cun, China

The haze and smog from the summer months has finally lifted and Dalian is seeing more and more crisp, clear blue days. Hopefully, they'll stick around for winter too.

Sylvia, age 3, studying
Dalian, China

Sylvia (pronounced Si-rai-uh), age 3, the daughter of an ex-model and my English protege, reads to herself in Chinese during our English lesson. Our bi-weekly sessions are largely playtime with a side order of English. There is a high demand in China for children to attain fluency in English even at such a young age .

Temple in the later afternoon haze
Da Hei Shan, China

Dalian is a peninsula surrounded by mountains and Da Hei Shan (Big Black Mountain) is one of the more popular areas for hiking. This temple is located near Jinzhou, outside of Dalian.

November 5th, 2007

2007-11-04T15:35:00.001-08:00

Vegetables Hanging in Wang Jia Cun
Dalian, China

Dalian, being pretty far north, is coming up on winter quickly. Since the temperatures dropped we have noticed quite a lot of vegetables being stored outside windows and dried along the street. Our boss offered the explanation that mostly the 'older generation' does this as a way to make sure they have enough fresh veggies in the winter when prices rise.

Making Tea
Dalian, China

One of our neighbors making a large pot of tea in Wang Jia Cun.

Halloween
Dalian, China

Halloween is not widely celebrated in China, in fact, many of my students knew little to nothing about it, except what had been imparted on them by previous foreign teachers like me. That being said, this little bit of Halloween popped up at a nearby mall.

Enjoy!

The Dalian Zoo

2007-10-31T01:59:00.000-07:00

Dalian Forest Zoo
Dalian, China

Elephant Show, Dalian Forest Zoo
Dalian, China

October 29th, 2007

2007-10-29T03:12:00.001-07:00

Haircuts
Dalian, China

Saturday morning market
Longsheng, China

Longsheng, China

Travelscapes

2007-10-29T02:47:00.000-07:00

Hong Kong, China

Macau, China

Longji Rice Terraces, China

Longsheng, China

Shanghai, China