#DandyPortraits on Instagram

Sean Crowley and Andrew Yamato are not on instagram, but you should be!

Are you using instagram, the mobile photo sharing app?  Follow along with me @rcallahanphoto  I use tags #dandyportraits and #iamdandy most frequently, but I post many other adventures as well - like a recent weekend away with the tweed crew above that got dubbed #fancycamp.  It has been a fantastic way to connect with interesting new people - like the man sitting at the bus stop below.  He is John Carlos De Luna and calls himself Barrio Dandy.  Kelly and I met him one beautiful afternoon in his hometown hood of Boyle Heights in East LA.   Follow him and the rest of these dapper men...

John Carlos De Luna @barriodandy

Ignacio Quiles @sartorialparings

Ethan @theteenagegentleman and friend came by our Dapper Day book signing

Mike Haar @mikewillcutyou

Kelly Desmond Bray @kellfire

More dandies to follow on instagram:

@nattyadams

@fineanddandyshop

@dandywellington

@davidplochner

@luca_rubinacci

@leloirenpapillon

@shaungordontiemaker

@yoshimitsu1125

@abrothaseye

@louxthevintageguru

@dapperlou

@doublewindsor

I love to know about more!

2013 - A Year of Beauty, Elegance, and Creativity

Always the perfect glass of champagne at Mister Burton's

I'm sure you've all had the experience where there aren't words to describe how you feel - perhaps it's love, perhaps it's hate, perhaps it's a strange cocktail of many feelings at once?  At this moment I have no words to describe the deep gratitude I have for all the amazing people, opportunities, experiences I've been able to enjoy this year.  What a year 2013 has been!

For dramatic effect I must tell you that in May I got married to Kelly Desmond Bray, the love of my life, and the man who inspired me to first start The Dandy Portraits.  At the same time we were planning the wedding I was contacted by Gestalten to do the book, I am Dandy.  Well, I thought, ok, this is how it's gonna happen.  Alright let's go!  The book happened very quickly, so right off of the tails of the wedding, planning for the launch parties in London, Paris, New York kicked in to high gear.  There were so many people that helped with the parties and promotions - and this has been a big reason why the book is a success.  I can honestly say this - because I am Dandy is in it's second printing!

I want to profoundly thank Kelly, Natty Adams, Gestalten - Sven Ehmann, Lina Kunimoto, Gieves and Hawkes, Ray Fensham, Tony Sylvester, Steven Hitchcock & Celia, Hugo Jacomet, Lorenzo & Massimo Cifonelli, Massimiliano & Sorrel Mocchia di Coggiola, Rocco de Robien of Très Honoré, David Zyla & Chris Poe, The National Arts Club, Bruce Boyer, Glenn O'Brien, Bergdorf Goodman, Amber & Jake of Against Nature/Doyle Mueser, Matt & Enrique of Fine & Dandy Shop.  

One of the greatest moments I had this year was at my wedding when I looked up during the reception and realized how intensely beautiful everything was.  It sounds silly, but it was just one of those rare moments.  I'm privileged to experience such beauty and my greatest joy is to record it.  Kelly and I have decided to dedicate our lives to Beauty, Elegance, and Creativity - so that is my wish to you in this New Year!

Enjoy these photos from Massimiliano & Sorrel's recent trip to New York, and the party Mister Burton had in their honor.

I am Dandy - The Journey Begins

My advanced copy of I am Dandy, finally in my hands!

It's a bit obvious these days that I've been neglecting the meaty posts here on The Dandy Portraits.  But you can understand, what with THE BOOK just about to launch!  Very exciting times.  Most of the action is happening on my instagram these days - so head on over and take a look - I use #IamDandy for all the book related posts.  It's just so easy to use on the go - and the video function is pretty fun too!  I'm also posting to the facebook page for the book.

I'll be in London and Paris later this month, and you bet there will be a lot of documentation.

Here's the moment I actually unwrapped my copy of the book...well, it is big, you'll see!


The image below was posted by Marc Sifuentes of the first spotting of the book in Paris.  I don't even know him!




Dandy Wellington playing around with my advanced copy at Against Nature...



Doing a little time in front of the camera for Gestalten.tv for their upcoming video on the book.  I'm trying!  I feel the pain of all those who don't like the camera.




And as my advanced copy makes the rounds, I get to witness people experiencing the project for the first time, which gives me a whole new perspective on the work.  It brings up some damn good discussions, too!

Natty's View

Visiting James Sherwood in Bloomsbury, London

Artist Paolo Canevari in front of his 1940s Japanese hand painted screen, NYC

Night shooting with Winston Chesterfield around his picture perfect neighborhood in Westminster.

The writer, Nathaniel "Natty" Adams, and I have been having a wonderful time on new shoots for the book.  He finds the same joy in discovering amazing characters and stories as I do.  In recent months we have been in high gear, and have been on most of the shoots together, interviewing and photographing at the same time.  It's extra fascinating to be able to hear their stories as I shoot, because normally I'm kind of quiet and focused.  Certainly whole books could be written on individual men!  

Taking a look back at all the shoots as I edit them for the book has raised the question, what do all these men have in common - and, essentially, what defines a dandy for this project?  There are a lot of differences, but seemingly just as many similarities.  I've certainly tried to avoid hard and fast answers in favor of the view of an explorer into a new world.  But the question has come up time and again, and because I've never been able to "answer" it,  it has propelled me deeper into the project.  I've been so immersed, and now I am attempting to try to understand what someone new to the series or concept might think.   I would love to hear your thoughts - if you have just stumbled across this, or have been following from the beginning - what are your definitions, what are your questions, why is it so hard to define?  

All photos by Natty, of course!

Reason to Celebrate

Michael Haar at the Breuckelen Tweed Ride, Prospect Park, Dec 2012

Their are so many reasons to celebrate this last year and heartily welcome the new one.  A big thank you to all my readers, new and old!  I have had such a good time making these images, and to have so many of you enjoy them is a dream come true.

2013 looks to be a huge year for The Dandy Portraits - I will be included in the exhibition at RISD in April,  and more big news that I have to keep hush hush for the time being.  

So have some fun and raise a glass - or your hat - to the coming year!

PS - remember you can keep up with me on instagram for snapshots around town, and tumblr for dandy images I find inspiring, and facebook page for updates to blog, news, and more.

Dandy Talk: Mise en Place

Thomas, Nathaniel, Matt, Dandy Wellington, and Enrique, NYC, Oct 2012

Last night we readied ourselves for the big Dandy Talk this Friday.  The National Arts Club is expecting a maximum capacity crowd (yipee!).  So we all hobnobbed about our take on dandyism, manners, personal style, and how it all connects.  As per usual Natty had some perfect quotes and historical references at the ready.  

The most serious I've ever seen Matt.  Deep in discussion about Beau Brummell, no doubt.

When we were saying goodbye, the variety of neckwear, color, and patterns struck my eye.

Classic Summer

Michael R Davis, aka "The Kid", plays trumpet in Dandy Wellington's band

A dapper party-goer, Michael R. Davis, and Dandy Wellington at the Seersucker Social

We made our way down to Washington DC once again for the Seersucker Social put on by a purely social endeavor:  Dandies and Quaintrelles.  I don't think we have anything like this in NYC, do we?  It's not a club, not a business, but a social group that puts on events to get people to, well, socialize.

There have been a lot of summer activities and I've been getting out more than usual (yay!), so "Classic Summer" seems to be the theme here on The Dandy Portraits.  A bit of vintage, bit of dandy, bit of Americana - whatever you want to call it, the men I'm meeting strive to dress well no matter what the god awful heat.   By the way, why is a boater a summer hat?  They are so hot to wear!


This man with the great stripes came up to say hello to Wellington, and it turns out he is a fan of The Dandy Portraits!  Now if I could just remember his name.... Help me out if you know him please.

A Good Evening

Just a few snaps from a good evening spent with a crew of fine dressed men.

 

Nathaniel "Natty" Adams in his new suit from Doyle Mueser

Dandy Wellington

Mr. Haar, of The Ragged Phonograph, tries to hypnotize me.

And "The Kid" Davis, trumpet player for Dandy Wellington's band

Le Noeud Papillon interviews me!

I was interviewed by Nicholas Atgemis of Le Noeud Papillon, who makes beautiful silk bow ties and men's accessories.  If you ever had questions about the project (Who was the hardest person to convince to be part of The Dandy Portraits?) this may be a good read :)

Stephen Pulvirent of Simply Refined

This dapper young man is Stephen Pulvirent of the blog Simply Refined.  I met him a few days ago when he was visiting from Chicago.  As luck would have it we were both stopping in to say hi to Bruce Boyer while he signed books at the Paul Stuart store.  We all continued the evening at the Blue Bar by the Algonquin Hotel, and listened to Bruce tell his tales.  Stephen's blog is elegant and a great read about gentlemanly endeavours.  As Stephen puts it, "a gentleman doesn’t just dress with style, he lives with style".  Of course, I agree.

Swagger Behind the Camera

Guerre with his camera in Harlem, Nov 2010

This is when I met Guerre.  He was photoing all the dappper guys out front of the Dandy Lion: Behold a Gentleman exhibit for his blog Swagger360.  He had the coolest camera bag I have ever seen, which will remain a secret (sorry!).

Guerre just had an exhibit and video made about his street style photos of elegant men.  He comes across a lot of amazingly stylish folks, and his photos seem effortless, but I know better - photographing people on the street is not as easy as it looks!  But I can see why he nabs the best of 'em - he is a "gentleman of nonchalant elegance" himself.

Hobnobbing with a Top Hat

Paul and Mr. Burton at The Players Club, NYC, Dec 30, 2010

Behind the Scene

Matt, Josh Woods, Michael Andrew, Guerre, & Kelly gather out front of the Dandy Lion exhibit, Harlem, Nov 2010

I watched as all the boys took turns photographing each other for their blogs.  It was very cute and kind of silly.  But hey, gotta show appreciation when people take the time to wear something much more exciting than t-shirts and sweatpants.  Guerre had the coolest camera bag!  Can't wait till he starts selling them cause I'm jealous.