Water Towers Located!

Hey, so its official. They have been spotted on the set of V and are located in the hallway of character "Ryan" who is actually a V but is trying to leave and join the human race.
I have not been able to watch the shows on the Tele but have been looking at past episodes on ABC's website which has been running them in full in HD streaming format. Pretty cool.

The Artists Lounge, my first selection!

I am involved in a partnership with Kim Crawford Wines in a program they started called The Artists Lounge. You can read more about it on their site and in my post "Lets Start something"

I am one of four artists that will be choosing ideas presented in the Lounge. Anyone can join and present ideas, discussion and even post their own art/photography.

I was asked to select the first idea, something that inspires me to create. There are so many great concepts and ideas being presented in the lounge that it was quite a challenge selecting in itself.

I finally selected an idea about traveling and planning a adventure and looking through maps in plotting out a trip. The idea/concept was posted by member Silverwoody in the lounge. I will begin working on a photograph that incorporates this idea of plotting a travel or adventure and looking through maps.

After being contacted by the staff at Kim Crawford Wines that she was selected as the first winner (one of seven) and accepting the prize (a matted and framed photograph of the finished piece) I was asked to contact her to share with her my ideas for the piece.

My plan for this photograph is to set up a table in a room in front of an old window. I will set up the table with some old maps I have acquired and various other items that will dress up the set-up appropriately. I decided to have maps of New Zealand as this is where Kim Crawford Wines are from as well as the grand prize being a trip there for two.

The location I have planned for this set will be in an old civil war era building with stone walls and old wood framed arch windows. The table will be set with maps as well as other interesting items such as reading glasses, magnifying glass, vase of dried flowers, jar of pencils and pens, old cameras and case, binoculars and various other interesting elements and items.

I plan on using the natural window lighting as well as some reflectors and flash strobes designed to highlight certain areas or objects on the table setting. I'm thinking already that the entire look should have an old and somewhat timeless feel and so post processing will likely involve b&w with very warm tone or perhaps just desaturated colors and selectively applied color. I will address that after the photos have been captured. To help make this a more personal piece for Katie (silverwoody) I have asked her to provide me with a photograph perhaps of her family or loved one that she might have laying out on a table in her own room. I would print it and frame it or perhaps lay it out on the table setting. In addition, she mentioned that she is a sentimental person and has kept some scribbled notes she wrote in planning some of her last trips. She will scan these notes over to me so that I can print them out and lay them in the set-up as well.

This I feel will make it a very personal piece of work and has me very inspired to get started.

As this piece gets underway, I may post some of the set and environment but the actual finished photograph will be presented in the spring on the Artists Lounge during the unveiling of chosen works.

Six more winners will be chosen by us over the course of the program. The next one being selected by the end of this weekend. So get in there now! This is a fantastic and exciting program that supports the arts and artists and I am honored to be a part of it.

Please come in and share your ideas and let us know what inspires you. You have an excellent chance of winning a personal piece of art as well as a trip for two to New Zealand!!

The Artists Lounge

Girl with big chest

So here it is. The girl with the big chest. Probably not what you thought it was going to be, but then whose fault would that be, eh?



Girl with big chest was shot at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

My water tower series on V

The ABC network will begin airing the remake of the epic series entitled V. Four of my N.Y. water tower series prints were purchased by one of the set decoraters working on the show. The prints have been framed and will be used to decorate the apartment of one of the New York characters, so I was told.
I hope to be able to catch the premiere which airs this Tuesday, November 3rd at 8PM EST.
Some of my friends will be "water tower spotting" for me and hopefully during the course of the series (they hope to have four seasons run) I'll have some airtime :)

It actually looks to be real good and I hope to be able to watch sometimes.





Here are the four they purchased from the series.


N.Y. water towers 1


N.Y. water towers 3


N.Y. water towers 5


N.Y. water towers 14

Let's Start Something!

I was asked by Kim Crawford Wines to partner with them in a program they have started called "The Artists' Lounge"

In the spirit of supporting the arts, Kim Crawford Wines launched The Artists’ Lounge online community as a place for artists and those who appreciate the arts to share inspirations and/or artwork with each other. Members get the chance to inspire and win original artwork and a trip for two to New Zealand! All of the artwork displayed within the community will be a true living anthology, reflective of the times.

I was chosen by Kim Crawford Wines to be one of the community’s “Artists in Residence,” and will be searching for inspiration within the community to create original artwork. From now through January, myself and three other artists from different art mediums will select ideas and create new works of art. Share an idea now if you want to inspire artwork for me or the other artists!


Kim Crawford Wines views winemaking an art as it strives to capture the true aromas and flavors of New Zealand in each bottle by combining a passion for excellence with a vision for exploring new boundaries.

I’m excited about this program, and encourage you to join the community and participate in sharing artwork and/or inspiration with its members!

Artists Lounge

Self Portrait 2009

self portrait 2009

This is a self portrait I had been working on for a bit. I had scouted the location and went back a few times. The first time I attempted this I had only an on camera flash which i tried bouncing off a back wall for fill lighting. It looked ok, but I was not quite illuminated enough and too much of the interior became lit as well, taking away from the dark and moody ambiance of the area. So, I went back with a few flash heads and a light stand and came up with something I feel is close enough to what I was trying for.
So, anyway, here it is. Would love to know what you feel about it.

The old shack door

Old shack door


This was the door of an old shack I had come across while taking the back roads through Pennsylvania. This is in Nicholson, PA. The weather and lighting conditions were just all wrong for me to get a good shot of the entire shack, so in that situation I just try to focus tightly on detail elements of the subject itself, rather than in its surroundings. Of course, I did take some photos of the entire shack, but was very unhappy with the outcome as I predicted.

What I like about this is not only the weathered and rustically wonderful door, but the contrast of the vibrant green grass growing up in front of it. Its a marriage made in heaven. . .

Some old windows

Grungy window


Window and clothes rack


Window and red fire escape

Here are some old windows I found in my archives while sorting through some images. These were taken this past summer from the Manhattan Bridge. The windows are level with the bridge at this point and are from an old building in Chinatown. I always find it interesting what people keep inside, and outside of their windows. . .
Sheila, I thought about you when I found these. :)

Fathers for Justice!

This is a place I venture through once in a while. The grafitti always changes as new people wander through here and tag about. I thought this little section was interesting and even conjures up some stories in my head about the significance of the words and the burnt car seat.

Restrooms, a bit of dark humor

Just a bit of dark humor. . . this is something I found in my archives from a few years back. Enjoy!

Once upon a time

This is a photo from my "View from within" series. While displayed at a gallery, poet/writer S.David was inspired to write his thoughts on it.


Once Upon a Time
[by S. David] [art by Gary Heller]

Tragedy after tragedy
Finally she just
Picked herself up
Packed up
Walked away
Abandoned the house
Abandoned the furniture
Abandoned her
Once upon a time
Filled with joy home
A widow burying
Her young child
Time time time
She never sold
The house just
Left it then now
Twenty years and
She can face it
Again does she
Want to

Historic Ithaca's 2009 Barn Survey photo contest

It was announced that I am the Grand Prize winner of this Barn Survey photo contest! I get to sleep in the barn for the duration of the winter,in the hay, free!! ;)
Shown above is the winning entry. It is an old barn with various additional add-on structures. I was told by the owner while I was shooting this scene that they plan on burning down this wonderful gem by the years end. hopefully, the county can intervene and help keep this preserved. It would be a shame to lose such wonderful pieces of our great agricultural history such as this.

Here is a bit of the letter informing me of my photograph entry.

"Dear Mr. Heller,

Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that one of your entries has been selected for Historic Ithaca’s 2009 Barn Photo Contest. Your photograph was selected as the Grand Prize winner, for a photograph with artistic merit that captures vital information about the barn’s use, construction, or relationship with the landscape. Your photo beautifully shows the growth over time of the barn complex. The winning photographers will be recognized at the 12th Annual New York State Conference on the Preservation of Historic Barns, on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Over 70 photographs were submitted and all of the entries will be displayed during the lunch break at the conference."