Hold That!

Do I really need to say it again: having friends who also happen to be great photographers is a wonderful thing. One finds it so convenient to be able to pick up the phone and arrange a photo shoot with an artist one can count on for superb images. Don’t you think? Well, with “The Project Known As Ham” I’m running through these folks like water. Beth Schneck was the first, back in late-spring. Her candy-colored images captured the essence of what I think touring the show will be like for me personally. I’m anticipating having Kyle Ericksen do a portfolio of the interior of the camper itself. Kyle was the official Acme Housing photographer and, since I like to think of Canned Ham as Acme’s final project, it’s only fitting Kyle should be the gal to shoot it.

But just yesterday the Ham and I got to stand in front of the lens of not one, but two fantastic shutterbugs. And, what’s more—simultaneously!

I have some magazine stories (about me, not by me) coming out in the next couple of weeks and I thought it would be good to have some fresh photos to accompany them, so I called on my pals Hudson Wright and Mr. Pam. I know them both from my Gus Mattox days (more proof, if any was needed, that terrific and terrifically talented people of all stripes have been involved in that business from the get-go) and they generously offered to schlep upstate and work their magic on me. One of the (three, if you can believe it) local drive-in movie theaters very graciously offered us their location and both Hudson’s and Pam’s pictures came out spectacularly.

Hudson shot the bulk of the images, while Pam shot some behind-the-scenes stuff and provided on-set entertainment.

Obviously I’m not going to publish here the images I chose to send to the magazines, but I’m happy to post a few corollary shots to give you an idea of what we all accomplished.

So, what we’ve got here is:

1) The drive-in sign. (by Mr. Pam)

2) Pam blotting “the talent.” (by Hudson Wright)

3) Hudson and me on the set. (by Mr. Pam)

4) The image we determined, based on the corresponding time stamps, that Hudson was shooting at that moment. (by Hudson Wright)

5) The luscious Mr. Pam. (by Hudson Wright)

6) Hudson doing… something. (by Mr. Pam)

Much more to come…

Oh, and incidentally (“incidentally,” hah!) rehearsals are going great. Thursday night at Jason's Upstairs on Warren Street in Hudson (8 PM) might be a wee bit rough around the edges, but my director Kevin Malony and I are having a ball with this thing.

My new Canned Ham column on Advocate.com

Canned Ham September 23/24 at Dixon Place in NYC.

Tickets available here.

Canned Ham t-shirts available here.