Reflections on Willie (Po' Monkey) Seaberry and flashing back to a Mississippi Delta Wedding
Willie Seaberry (right), aka Po' Monkey, celebrates with guests at Kate (background) and John's wedding in June 2006.
The sad news came to me via a Facebook posting from a friend.
Willie Seaberry, AKA Po’ Monkey and owner of Po’ Monkey’s juke joint, from Merigold, MS had passed away last Thursday.
I only met him once — while photographing Kate and John’s Mississippi Delta wedding in June of 2006 — but I will never forget him or that wedding.
During the ceremony Willie was wearing a red suit.
He was personable, funny, charming — a true character.
He changed his clothes on the day of the wedding on the hour. His granddaughter was an attendant at the wedding and he had friends him and the joint during throughout the day.
When I met him a few hours before the wedding, he was wearing a blue t-shirt, for the wedding he wore a bright red suit, later a white suit, later still a grey suit to eventually wearing a t shirt at the end of the night with a straw hat!
Willie, wearing a t-shirt with his name emblazoned on it, greets me outside his juke joint, before the wedding.
He was no “stand in the background” host by any means. He witnessed the wedding, and then partied with the family and guests because he was like family.
Kate, the bride (left), with Seaberry's granddaughter, an attendant in the wedding (inside the juke joint prior to the start).
He and his juke joint were famous for their blues and for the hospitality he bestowed upon his guests.
Willie with John and Kate, the groom and bride and family members following the ceremony.
Photo greats including Annie Leibovitz and William Albert Allard photographed Willie and the juke joint when they did stories on the blues scene in the Mississippi Delta.
As far as I know, Kate and John’s wedding was the only wedding that was ever held at Po’ Monkeys (but I could be wrong).
Willie's friends outside the world-famous juke joint in Merigold, MS on Kate and John's wedding day.
It was a wonderful day — cool and clear — not a drop of humidity in the air. The wedding was held in the open by a stand of trees, the reception held under a marquee pitched on the grass.
The reception marquee stands in a field next to Po' Monkey's juke joint (background) for John & Kate's wedding.
Guests were bussed to the location because it was in the middle of a cotton field accessible from a dirt road.
Live music under the tent helped make the party even more fun.
Willie sits with the groom's Dad as the party goes on under the marquee.
What an event — the memories of which I will never forget. Thanks Willie Seaberry for making that possible.
Willie Seaberry, aka Po’ Monkey, rest in peace.
John Martin, the groom, who knew Willie well, wrote a fantastic tribute that appeared here:
The moon rises above Po' Monkey's juke joint during the night of Kate and John's Mississippi Delta Wedding.
The Photo World Lost a Gem this Past Weekend
On this summer Monday morning safely back in SoCal after a whirlwind Rte. 66 trip, I had originally planned to write more about the journey.
But something happened this past weekend that made me profoundly sad and I wanted to share about this person.
You see on Saturday Bill Cunningham the famous New York Times Street Fashion Photographer passed away at age 87. He recently suffered a stroke which led to his passing.
If you’re not familiar yet with Bill, I encourage you to first read the NY Times obituary here: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/26/style/bill-cunningham-legendary-times-fashion-photographer-dies-at-87.html?_r=0
To view the slideshow about Bill, please go to this link:
To really get a feel for Bill and his passion for his work, you simply must view the documentary about him that came out in 2010.
Seeing that movie with my wife Nicki was my birthday present in 2011 when it was available in very limited release. I simply loved it then and will watch it again to remember Bill (I never met him personally but did see him when I used to work in NY back in the day).
If you happen to be an amazon Prime member, you can watch it on streaming there by going here:
It’s available to rent on Netflix in DVD form though not available on streaming currently.
What made Bill so special was his love for photographing a subject he loved — street fashion. He was as giddy as a four year old at Christmas when he was working. And he WORKED. Man, did he work. His energy and his enthusiasm for a man in his 80s is nothing short of inspirational.
I loved that he loved photography and capturing life in the moment.
He was a gentle man, a learned man and despite covering the world of fashion, Bill was himself not a fashionista though he had his own inimitable style of clothing.
Bill’s work made it possible for photographers such as Scott Schuman, The Sartorialist. Scott’s success and other photographers doing street fashion (or even street portraits) has a lineage toBill Cunningham.
https://twitter.com/Sartorialist
R.I.P. Bill Cunningham. You and your gifts to the world will be missed.
Carol Anne & Marty Saying Goodbye
Our good friends Carol Anne and Marty are moving this next week and will be leaving California, where they've lived for 9 years (and the only state their kids have lived) for Chicago -- the places where Carol Anne and Marty grew up.
It's bittersweet for us.
On the one hand we're happy that they're heading back to family and a place they really want to be. Yet we're of course sad that they'll be leaving as we are friends and our kids are friends.
So this morning, I headed over to their home to do a very UNportrait session and produced these photographs (among others).
Travel safely you guys -- we will miss you! Our loss is Chicago's gain.
The new Godox V860II-S TTL and HSS Flash for Sony -- initial impressions video
The new Godox V860 IIS (for Sony) flash is one I have been anxious to receive. Check out the video "first impressions" review that I just posted to You Tube.
One of the great benefits of being a Family & Portrait photographer...
One of the things that I really enjoy tremendously about my work as a private, personal photographer is when creating custom portraits for families is that my work becomes a focal point and centerpiece in their homes.
It's as if the homes of my clients became a private art gallery.
Recently, I had a session amidst the wildflowers of San Juan Capistrano and photographing two young sisters — one age 9 years old and another just a few days old!
It was a great session and we were able to get some fantastic portraits of both the girls outside on location late in the day when the lighting for a portrait was optimum.
Tessa, the older sibling, has been a subject of mine in previous years. So it makes it extra special to have watched her grow up in front of the camera. The earlier portraits of Tessa as a toddler and the family are displayed in their home even now all those years later.
And now with a new baby sister there’s the opportunity to do that for Helena.
Here is a gallery of images that we created for Alan and Cynthia at their OC home.
(These are our Folio Box Collection 7 x 10 portraits and the mats were upgraded to 14" x 14" size to allow for a six square portrait grid for their home.)
"Hi Paul,
The photos look beautiful, especially on our living room wall. Thanks so much!
Cynthia"