In the City where the CCP didn’t sleep!
The Lucie Awards is to Photography what the Oscars is to film.
The format were invariably the same. The beautifully modern Zankel Hall in Carnegie was decked out just like the Oscars. The awardees were methodically introduced either by their fellow respected colleagues or by their former supervisors or bosses. Some were Editors-in-Chief (of the New York Times or Vogue) or some other notable publishers of news or magazine institutions. Introductions were efficiently followed by a review of their life’s work in a timely manner. It was as if we were viewing the best images taken by each awardee and the most iconic of a generation as some awardees had a prolific four (4) decades in their professional careers in photography. Some working to this day. A few exhibited their familiar and memorable images that we all have seen before but never knew who took them. But the photographers of these images were there, live and on stage and speaking about their images, their lives and their motivations which they all equally share to this day. All of them had the same message and caution for the future due to the culture of division and segregation that predominates today’s political climate. One awardee even exclaimed that, now more than ever, photographers have to work even harder to chronicle the world events and that the photographer’s work is the raw and real editorial before it is even written.
The program was well planned and organized with the unforgettable images of a generation shown on screen. But what made it even more memorable was the highlight of twenty five (25) of our beloved club members marching onstage to see and hear our Club President receive the inaugural Spotlight Award on our behalf. It will be an unforgettable image as we stood onstage looking into the crowded audience with spotlights glaring back at us. A glimpse of what it was like to be on stage in front of the crowd. A once in a lifetime treat and perspective. It felt like we each received the award.
A gentleman by the name of Carlos Esguerra, a Fil-Am photographer and native of New York, made the introduction. He captivated the audience by starting the intro by asking how many in the audience was ninety (90) years old. He knew how to build up our introduction. As members were seated at the back, they saw how the seated audience turn their heads to see what or who the presenter was referring to. And without any script, he extemporaneously spoke a brief but accurate history of the club as if he knew it by heart.
Just as impressive and captivating was Hussein Farmani. He opened the evening with the acknowledgement of photographers around the world who were either in detention or missing in action. A somber reality of our chosen hobby practiced by professional photojournalists in the field, performing a vital service to the world. Of course there were awards for glamour, celebrity, design and fashion but the coverage of so called “All Wars”, past and present, disasters and calamities both nature and man’s own doing excelled. It was images chronicling the human spirit that took center stage. Though raw, real and sometimes sad, these were the most artistic, inspiring awe and emotion. It felt good to be part of this ensemble, to simple in the room as these artists. Ours is a profession and an art with a mission. We met people whose lives were lived to fulfill a mission. And in that one evening they were successful to feed not only our hearts but our minds and soul.
