Moving to Tumblr: My New Blog

Loyal Readers, where ever you may be... I've moved on to a better place, where the photos are larger and easier to see; where the lay out is clean and crisp. Please visit my new blog at:

http://ngingold.tumblr.com/

White Out! A Capitol Perspective

I took a trip to the Capitol today to document a historic blizzard that has shut down most of Washington. It was cold, it was snowy, and it was totally worth it. Check it out!

Not My Typical Thursday: Hanging With Wale

Everyone once in a while I take an assignment from the DC entertainment blog Brightest Young Things, I don't often shoot entertainment but sometimes there are things too good to pass up. Case in point, the filming of the "Pretty Girls" music video for the newest big star to come out of DC, rap artist Wale. Of course stars travel in packs; and on this particular night NFL players Ray Rice and Clinton Portis were in attendance doing cameos for the video; DJ Khaled was also there. Toss in plenty of camera men, a big green screen, and some big bootied women looking for their shining moment... and you have yourself a party.

A note on Wale though, because he does seem to mean a lot to his home town of Washington; I found him to be down to earth, fun loving, and not the least bit Kanye-esque. One moment he'd be goofing around with his friends, a minute later he'd going over notes with the director. Talking to some of his childhood friends, one spoke of his love of the city... evident in the stars and fashion styles he brought to this video in particular. He seemed young and ambitious, and I look forward to being a Wale fan well into the future. Enjoy the photos, and a video of the set.

**Update: Featured on the Washington Post Sports Blog**

Ray Rice and Wale

DJ Khaled and Wale

Clinton Portis

World AIDS Day

In honor of World AIDS Day I decided to take some time to photograph an annual Whitman-Walter Clinic candlelight vigil held in Dupont Circle on this December night. Washington has the worst HIV rate in the country, and so I find it important to photograph these things because in doing so it accomplishes what photojournalism does best: raise awareness. Check out WorldAIDSDay for more info.

DC in Drag: A Series of Portraits

Tonight was DC's annual drag race, a celebration of counter culture on 17th St NW. Hundreds of men dressed in their finest feminine apparel converge on this spot every Tuesday before Halloween. Their objective: to flaunt what they got for a couple hours down the street, ultimately partaking in two-block a foot race in which one lucky high heel-er is crowned the fastest of them all... in heels of course. This event has always been something I've been drawn to photographing. I'd venture to say it makes for one of my favorite Washington-insiders' activities.

This year I decided to shoot it differently than I normally would. While I'm a photojournalist at heart, I thought this would give me the chance to really explore my new found love of lighting techniques and Avendonian-style portraiture... dare I say I tried. With the generous help of Chris Gregory and Alex Hoff holding that damn white background in the rain for hours, and with extra help from CDIA, Paul Morse, and Ryder Haske for various pieces of equipment, I was able to be my own mobile studio in the streets. One background, one light, one camera, one lens.

Hopefully, you enjoy these images as much as I do, although I bet I enjoyed making them a hellofalot more.

Messing Around with Studio Lighting

For some photographers, like myself, there's nothing more fun than having a boat load of equipment at your disposal and simply getting the chance to play. This Friday I was lucky enough to stumble upon such an opportunity, but this time not with a new camera body or a tack-sharp lens. Instead, thanks to friend and photographer Chris Gregory, I ventured out of my safety zone and played around with studio lighting. This was more of a chance to dabble than to accomplish anything, a good way to waste a Friday afternoon, but it comes to show you that nice images can be made with the simplest intentions. No deadline, no one to please, just a couple photog's like kids in a candy store. Add in some of Chris' friends as models (Chris came to model a bit as well), and who coulda guessed, but some of the shots that came out I ended up really enjoying. I hope you enjoy them too.

A Man and his Ukulele

Alex Abnos is a good friend of mine, so when he told me he was going to pursue a career as a musician, the first thing I wanted to know is how I could help him out. A portrait session to make sure he could properly promote himself was the obvious first step. The second would be to check out his band, The White Foliage. They really are a talented bunch, well done and best of luck Alex. Here are a few shots from the shoot, I really like how they came out.