Brooklyn Grange Bees

Photo © Valery Rizzo

Apprentice Day at Brooklyn Grange Bees, Brooklyn Navy Yard. Part of my next feature for Nona Brooklyn.

Rooftop Farming

Photo © Valery Rizzo

Sungolds, Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm at The Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Visiting Artist Program at The Brooklyn Navy Yard

All images © Valery Rizzo

I was thrilled to be selected for the Visiting Artists Program at The Brooklyn Navy Yard. Which means as an artist I am going to work on several projects within and focused on The Brooklyn Navy Yard and it's tenants. Some of which will be intersecting with and part of other projects such as my next photo feature for Nona Brooklyn which is about the new Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm and Apiary at The Yard. 

I feel really grateful to the folks over at Brooklyn Grange and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Center at BLDG 92 for giving me this opportunity to document the amazing work and farming going on at this beautiful Rooftop Farm.

Recent Work - Assignments and Projects

New Amsterdam Market for Sweet Paul Magazine (fall 2012)

Wedding work and The Catskills for Eating Brooklyn

Chickpea Magazine, Vegan Quarterly, Summer 2012

Flower power, Park Slope, Brooklyn, 2012. for my Brooklyn Book Project

All images © Valery Rizzo

Brooklyn Book Project: Riding

Photo © Valery Rizzo

Riding, Kensington, Brooklyn, 2012.

Brooklyn Homesteader and New Amsterdam Market

Photo © Valery Rizzo

Some photographs I took of Megan Paska (Brooklyn Homesteader) for an upcoming story for Nona Brooklyn about Hayseed's Big City Farm Supply in Greenpoint, Brooklyn were published on Grist.org. Grist delivers environmental news and commentary with a rye twist.

All images © Valery Rizzo

I also went to the New Amsterdam Market for the first time last weekend, actually to visit a fishery whose CSF (Community Supported Fishery) I bought a share of this season. I had a ball photographing all the food vendors there. Posted some shots on Facebook and now these shots and many more will be published in the next beautiful Sweet Paul Magazine. Really looking forward to that.

So we went out to dinner with some friends who are photographers and in talking about my work, one friend described it as naturalistic in style and it got me thinking about how everyone now seems to be doing so much post production to their photographs to give it a certain look. I don't really do too much of that personally, I like contrast and I alter the exposure of the images to affect the mood and give it the feeling that I prefer but other than that I always believe the work should remain how it was shot and that is where the creative process should begin. We never altered film. But it has me thinking about whether I should be exploring more filters and such, is that what creates a unique style? What do you think about post production?? Is anybody out there? reading this blog?? 

Recent Work - Assignments and Projects

All Photos © Valery Rizzo

Some recent photographs from assignments and projects I have been working on lately.

Carroll Gardens Old-school Italian Culinary Treasures for Nona Brooklyn.

Hayseed's Big City Farm Supply for Nona Brooklyn.

Raaka Virgin Chocolate

New York Food Book Fair for Eating Brooklyn and Kinfolk Magazine.

More photos for iCi Restaurant Fort Greene.

My Brooklyn Book Project.

Good Friday Procession Carroll Gardens

All images © Valery Rizzo

While shooting my recent monthly photo feature for Nona Brooklyn, an Old-school Italian story, (about some of the generations-old Italian restaurants, bakeries and Italian specialty shops in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Carroll Gardens) which you can see here, I heard about the procession performed on Good Friday. I have only seen processions in Italy and the fact that it happens right here in Brooklyn as well, I found truly interesting.

Brooklyn's oldest Italian parish, Scared Hearts - St. Stephens Church process through the streets of Carroll Gardens marking the Holyday of Good Friday. Traditional Italian hymns, an Italian funeral band, processing men, women and children re-inact the last steps of Christ to his tomb, by candlelight. More information about the procession can be found here.

The first shot will be part of my Brooklyn book which you can see more of here.

Bike Kill

All images © Valery Rizzo

Bike Kill is an annual festival of homemade bicycles in Bushwick, Brooklyn and features bike jousting, debauchery and destruction. People from different bike gangs ride back and forth up and down the same Dead-end street in Brooklyn on their creations, performing daredevil stunts, sometimes wearing costumes, throwing food and playing loud punk music, and of course there is also drinking involved.

Sneak Peek...Nona Brooklyn April Feature, Old-school Italian: Carroll Gardens

All images © Valery Rizzo

A sneak peek at my next story I am working on for Nona Brooklyn. A photo feature which celebrates the Old-school Italian food establishments and culture of the historical neighborhood of Carroll Gardens. Some places have been there for over 100 years. Look for it in April...