AimlesslyChasingAmy

A picture is a fraction of a second in time.  I snap over a hundred a day, yet I am still in awe of a picture’s ability to capture an emotion, a broader context, or a sub-plot that my naked eye has missed.  I am beginning to suspect my camera is smarter than I am.  And as in the photo above, my camera has a better sense of humor than I do.

There are some players that are emotionless and expressionless for most of their time at the table.  To some extent, that is the nature of the sport.  When I have a tough photographic subject, I will sometimes wait for them to engage in a conversation or react to a situation at the table.  So I was pleased that someone came over to chat with David Sklansky.  David usually maintains a bland expression (or worse - chews gum) making him a tough photo mark.  But when I looked back over the pictures, they all were of Sklansky eye-to-young boob.  I had to wonder if my camera had been sneaking online to read the 2+2 forums.

Doing photos at the WSOP has altered my context of the event to some extent.  I notice that my first reaction when a final table is set is assessing how photogenic it will be.  I think about each player’s range of emotions and expressions and wonder how to best capture them.  In a sense, I feel closer to the player and further from the game.  Hopefully I will reach a better balance of player and game as the WSOP progresses.  (David Benyamine, pictured above, is heading to the O8/Stud8 final table today)

I was going to keep this last bit to myself.  But as I walked by Mike Matusow yesterday, he announced to his table, “There’s the woman who will be writing my book,” so I’m guessing this cat is well out of the bag.  I’ve known about, and known, Mike for a number of years now.  When Mike was sentenced on drug related charges back in 2004, I was one of the first people his attorney called from the Courthouse.  There are a lot of pros that people want to read about, because they have become ”poker famous.”  But Mike has a story; it is hysterically funny, heartbreaking, frustrating, and awe inspiring.  During the book interviews, Mike has been articulate and focussed.  And like Mike is - he exposes his strengths and his flaws with unflinching candor.  Dr. Tim Lavalli (aka the Poker Shrink) and I signed our agreement with Mike last week and we are both incredibly enthusiastic about the potential for this book. (the first picture I ever took of Mike: Aruba 2005). 

My mother only watches poker on TV occasionally - and only because she knows that’s what I do.  She recently told me that the only person she thought was crazier than Mike was Tony G.  As I am now working for PokerNews.com, I didn’t have the heart to tell her I now work for them both.