Michael Rispoli Photos photographed in New York City, New York on November 22, 2003 by Terrance Gold article | interview transcript
Sometimes weird things happen. As I look at this photo shoot, it genuinely surprises me that of the 100+ photos I shot of Michael Rispoli, only 8 of them are vertical. And two of those are of Rispoli looking at oranges. What the hell was going on here? • I met with Rispoli on the far upper west side of Manhattan at 112th and Broadway. Devotees of Seinfeld and tourist-hating Manhattanites know that intersection as the home to Tom's Restaurant, the diner that served as the exterior to Seinfeld's Monk's Cafe. The cathedral is on 113th street and, though I will probably regret mentioning this, this block is notable because of the plethora of free parking spots that I've found on it. If you look closely, you'll see my green VW Passat parked on the right (south) side of the street in front of what looks to be a silver Ford Focus. • The photo shoot with Rispoli wasn't particularly eventful... which I will be quick to point out is an extremely good thing. Eventful shoots usually mean headaches and unwanted compromises. About the only thing worth noting about this shoot is a conversation I had with the store manager of the grocery store I shot Rispoli in. Since it is (technically) illegal to photograph people in private areas for print usage, even with the subject's consent, I need to get all indoor locations approved prior to the actual shoot. I introduced myself to the manager of the grocery store, explained that I had hoped to photograph an actor inside the store and wanted to know if I could have permission to do so. "Who is the actor?" the manager demanded to know. "Michael Rispoli," I said. "He was on The Sopranos for a while and in While You Were Sleeping." "I know Michael Rispoli," the manager told me. "I thought you were going to say some fucking idiot like Brad Pitt or something. Sure go ahead." My curiosity got the better of me. "Would you have turned me down if it was Brad Pitt?" I asked. "Brad Pitt doesn't go shopping for his own groceries," the manager said with a wink. "So, yeah, I would have." Finally, a reason not to want to photograph Brad Pitt.
