I found this fascinating Joe, thanks for sharing, it's a great subject to photograph. Something unclear in the interview... It sounded like Root shot a lot of bars from outside looking in... But it also sounds like he got access to quite a few of these bars at 5am, or at least some of the pictures here look like he must have been inside. Can you elaborate?
Tony, thanks for writing and for the kind words. I asked Daniel your question. He writes, "Almost everything was was shot through the window. A couple of bars I shot through an open door (Nublu Classic when the porter was dumping a bucket of water in the gutter). These four were inside when either the bartender asked me while they were cleaning up or the porter asked me in. They saw me trying to take a shot from outside and said ‘Come in! You’ll get a better shot'."
That is pretty amazing that none of the three photos you showed were shot indoors. Really speaks to Root's skills as a photographer. FWIW, and it's worth a lot in terms of my memories, I sat on those seats at Sophie's and Lucy's MANY a time. Lucy's was one of the very very first bars I ever visited in NYC, my friends on the LES ska-punk scene all hung there, and in fact I was at Lucy's the night of teh Tompkins Square Park police riots. She locked everyone in (quite a few of them wanted to get outside and fght the police). She was like the toughest schoolmistress ever. Didn't need a bouncer, any assistance, commanded total respect. Sophie's sponsored our football team and we were there Sunday evenings after our matches (as I recently wrote about on my own SS), I also saw in a few dawns there in bygone days. They were good times, truly, because I could handle them. And I love NY bars, I really do. There is so much life in them, so many stories, so many characters. I think I have to get this book.
Oh yeah, I've darkened many a joint pictured in this book as well, some long gone. Though he didn't snap Mona's or B-Side or (the inside of) Holiday. Great stuff.
Great piece, man. I need to get this book!
Thanks! Yeah, it's fantastic.
I found this fascinating Joe, thanks for sharing, it's a great subject to photograph. Something unclear in the interview... It sounded like Root shot a lot of bars from outside looking in... But it also sounds like he got access to quite a few of these bars at 5am, or at least some of the pictures here look like he must have been inside. Can you elaborate?
Tony, thanks for writing and for the kind words. I asked Daniel your question. He writes, "Almost everything was was shot through the window. A couple of bars I shot through an open door (Nublu Classic when the porter was dumping a bucket of water in the gutter). These four were inside when either the bartender asked me while they were cleaning up or the porter asked me in. They saw me trying to take a shot from outside and said ‘Come in! You’ll get a better shot'."
Accidental Bar
Club Cumming
Lady Bird
The Nines
That is pretty amazing that none of the three photos you showed were shot indoors. Really speaks to Root's skills as a photographer. FWIW, and it's worth a lot in terms of my memories, I sat on those seats at Sophie's and Lucy's MANY a time. Lucy's was one of the very very first bars I ever visited in NYC, my friends on the LES ska-punk scene all hung there, and in fact I was at Lucy's the night of teh Tompkins Square Park police riots. She locked everyone in (quite a few of them wanted to get outside and fght the police). She was like the toughest schoolmistress ever. Didn't need a bouncer, any assistance, commanded total respect. Sophie's sponsored our football team and we were there Sunday evenings after our matches (as I recently wrote about on my own SS), I also saw in a few dawns there in bygone days. They were good times, truly, because I could handle them. And I love NY bars, I really do. There is so much life in them, so many stories, so many characters. I think I have to get this book.
Oh yeah, I've darkened many a joint pictured in this book as well, some long gone. Though he didn't snap Mona's or B-Side or (the inside of) Holiday. Great stuff.