PHILLY CHIT CHAT 2007 WRAP UP – A BIG THANKS TO YOU
I can’t thank you enough for discovering my Philly Chit Chat blog this year. I can’t believe that over 30,000 people have stopped by to check it out. I try and keep it pictorial and not too overly personal with my feelings, but I will be making an exception with this last entry on 2007.
I’ve always been interested things, events and people. I like to photograph all three. I lived in NYC for 18 months on a work assignment. I discovered celebrity photography. My friends were tired of getting my emails with a dozen attachments, they suggested I start a blog, which turned out to be very popular as I posted an entry a day and told people what it was like to be a paparazzi (although I was really a fan shooting celebrities for most of the time I wrote it) http://www.confessionsofapaparazzi.com/ . Then in October 2006 I broke a couple big stories on the blog, which were picked up by People, Us, MTV and MSNBC referencing my blog, and then was hired by a photo agency.
When I returned to Philly in Dec 06. It was depressing, no more nightly celebrity events or interesting people to shoot or I thought. My friend Phyllis took me to a party in Feb 07. I met the incomparable, social butterfly Thom Cardwell (center)
who began taking me to events to photograph. I re-discovered Philadelphia and the people that make it interesting. I started Philly Chit Chat, a blog about Philly people, events and things (with a celebrity thrown in here or there; in 2008 more celebs will make there way in, I am seriously ending Confessions as an everyday blog, as I want to focus on Philly Chit Chat, although I will still be going to NYC to shoot events, just posting them in Philly, because heck I’m from Philly and that’s Philly enough for the blog – LOL)
OK here comes the fun part. I made a list at the begining of the year and I have to say I did everything I wanted except for one thing.
So let’s recap:
1) I shot my first professional gigs on a red carpet at a movie premiere in Philly & NYC (Rocky & Georgia Rules) 
2) I was published in the Daily News (Angie Everhart & Vince Fumo March 07) 
and in the Phila Inquirer (First time: Barry Manilow and back-up singers Sept 07)
3) I broke a few Philly stories including the waxing of William Penn and the Zoning Notice regarding the PNB Bldg (and I have had to hold back more than a dozen things as people asked me not to write about it)
4) I shot both Philly Film Festivals and met some of the Philly Photographers
5) I photographed my favorite singers Bruce Springsteen & Bono (September)
6) I changed Photo Agencies and began getting published nationally and internationally with WENN (September)
7) I got a Press Pass in Philly (October)
8) I was published in People Magazine online [October] (This shot taken in NYC)
And in the glossy US Magazine in November (This shot taken in Philly)
9) I met the most interesting people, attended some great parties and events
Monica Malpass, Mary Patel, Thom Cardwell and Friend
The New Generation Media Giants – Matt Ray, HX magazine; James Duggan, QUEERtimes, and Steve McCann of PhillyGayCalendar
Blog Convention – Joey Sweeney seminar
I met two of my favorite Philadelphians – Sharon Pinkenson and DJ/QZine Robert Drake 
10) I will be getting published in Where Magazine, a publication that I’ve handed out at the Visitor’s Office of City Hall when I have volunteered there.
11) I attended Mark Segal’s Holiday Party and saw some of Philly’s politicians sing the 12 Days of Christmas (I wasn’t allowed to take photos, so I didn’t). I had always read about this party in Stu Bykoskey’s column and really wanted to go someday
12) I lived through insulting the Clay Aiken fans who left over 60 messages in the comment section.
13) I kept my day job and didn’t get fired pursuing my paparazzi passion (in NYC & Philly), got very little sleep, and my heart still beats at only 50 bpm so I am not too stressed out yet.
***Thank you to Mike, My family, 
Katie & Simon for their couch in NYC, my friends in NYC, Margarita, Carmen, Luisa, Kenny, Doug, Vincent, Demis and Cara, and my Philly friends Phyllis, Thom, James, Mary Patel, MK, DG, Philebrity, Gilbert, Paul, John, Amtrak, Greyhound and to my readers; Thank you, thank you thank you and Happy New Year!!
P.S. I never got published in the Metro Newspaper. I tried, and I tried and I tried. They just rather pull their photos from the AP wire. Shows how local they want to be.
Great post, HughE!
Philly certainly wouldn\’t be as \’phun\’ and (inter)nationally represented if it wasn\’t for you! Here\’s to a gr8 2008!
HughE I love both your sites, don\’t kill confessions!
congrats on reaching your 07 goals and best wishes for doing the same in 08. I\’m not one for keeping up with celebrity gossip but I look forward to seeing what you capture in philly. thanks for stopping by my blog. best, erinn
oh gosh! I am BUMMED that you will no longer be posting to Confessions as I am a daily viewer. You keep us all in tuned to what is going on in NYC and always have the most interesting comments along with your photos. I will miss reading your blog… best to you in 2008.
Lisa in Kansas City.
OK I can\’t do it, that\’s all it took was four \”don\’t kill it\” comments. Thanks for your readership, Confessions really is my baby.
Hello I just entered before I have to leave to the airport, it\’s been very nice to meet you, if you want here is the site I told you about where I type some stuff and make good money (I work from home): here it is
While I admit to being partial to the Paris/Shadow incident of 2007, I want to thank you for a great year of photos and colorful commentary, HughE — there are some wonderful moments captured on these pages, my friend. I\’m so glad Phyllis introduced us. Best wishes for a photogenic new year!
What a year you\’ve had! You should be proud of yourself. I love your pictures and I\’m glad I found your blog through Phillyblog.com.
Keep up the good work!
Can\’t wait to see what you do next year