Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/460267
photography by Mike Diskin (hall); Jack Q. ryan (ryan) Eric LEvin photographer Eric Levin grew his photography business from modest beginnings, gaining recognition by peddling his artistic works on the street. Since then Levin's talents have earned him features in national publications, photo sessions with celebrities (like Morgan Freeman and Andrew Garfield), a host of global clients, and even an Emmy Award in 2013 for his work on Styleboston. Now Levin's Elevin Studios (with locations in Boston and New York City) is a hive of photo and filmmaking activity and an incubator for young talent. In this issue: Levin photographed filmmaker Raber Umphenour for "Talent Patrol." What struck you most about Umphenour? "I've been friends and neighbors with Raber for about a year now. He is an incredibly intelligent, eloquent individual who has a charming way of establishing himself as an authority while somehow remaining modest." How do you balance your artistic and entrepreneurial sides? "When you're an artist and businessman, those two sides battle each other. I've spent my career struggling to keep the artist alive, and as business grows over the years this has been a continual challenge. I'm amidst a major reinvention. Let's call it an internal renovation. What's coming next is going to be very exciting." ALExAndr A HALL writer A native Bostonian, Alexandra Hall studied at Wheaton College in Massachusetts and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, where she wrote for the International Herald Tribune and The New York Times. She has also held staff positions as senior editor at dailycandy.com and as an editor at The Boston Globe. She is currently a freelance writer for magazines including Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, and Elle Decor. In this issue: Hall writes about John Updike's former estate on the North Shore for "Haute Property." What did you enjoy most about the Updike estate? "For any professional writer, writing about a literary god like John Updike is pretty much like visiting the proverbial mother ship. And writing about something as personal as his home, while research- ing and discovering the things he's said comparing homes to novels, was pure serendipity." What is your dream piece of real estate? "I grew up on the ocean on the South Shore of Boston, so give me anything by the sea and I'm like a kid again." Andy ryAn photographer Andy Ryan's photographic career is best described with one word: metamorphosis. Since he began shooting professionally in 1985, he has photographed a wide variety of subjects, ranging from the 1989 crackdown in Beijing's Tiananmen Square to the gourmet dishes of Italian master chef Giuliano Bugialli. Ryan creates images for advertisements, annual reports, books, and magazines. His work appears in Domus, Condé Nast Traveler, and Food Arts. In this issue: Ryan shot the new Café ArtScience for "So Many Dinners." What caught your attention about the restaurant? "The innovative bar experience. You can sit at the bar and watch your drinks prepared in what's essentially a laboratory. The interior is also so open and bright; it was a pleasure to photograph." Do you prefer old-school comfort food or something from the molecular gastron- omy cookbook? "I'm a more-complicated-the- better person." EricA corsAno writer/broadcaster Erica Corsano has her hands in many creative projects. As the lifestyle editor and social columnist for the Boston Herald, she spends most of her time scouring the city for all things fabulous. She is also an image/ brand consultant, freelance writer, and cohost of a local radio show called "Status Report." Her free time is spent with her two Jack Russell terriers, Penelope and Henri; volunteering with the MSPCA; and traveling around the globe. In this issue: Corsano profiles the knitwear giant Nic+Zoe for "Tastemaker." What struck you most about the Nic+Zoe brand? "The tremendous business they do with wholesale accounts. Their foray into retail is a surprising and interesting one. I also love how their new home collection was born out of necessity. It's always impressive when creative brands use that creativity to problem-solve." What is your favorite clothing piece this spring? "My color-block Pierre Hardy sandals with a stacked wooden heel." 30 bostoncommon-magazine.com ...witHout wHom this issue would not have been possible // spring 2015