James Hamilton and Peter Schjeldahl in Conversation at The NYPL, December 14, 2010

DATE: 12/14/2010 | BY LUKE P. BROWN

Photographer James Hamilton and art critic Peter Schjeldahl appeared at The New York Public Library on the evening of December 14 to discuss Hamilton's new book, You Should Have Heard Just What I Seen, published by Thurston Moore and Eva Prinz's Ecstatic Peace Library. Topics ranged from bad behavior at the Chelsea Hotel to the importance of working in the darkroom. Schjeldahl also recalled Hamilton's unique ability to capture the photographic imagery of his own words when they worked on assignment together at the Village Voice. Well before the era of the digital camera, Hamilton spent his evenings trolling the night clubs, parties and late-night hangouts of New York's demimonde only to rush home to his apartment/darkroom studio in the wee hours, so that he could develop his footage for the next day's paper.

Schjeldahl and Hamilton, in conversation at The New York Public Library, hosted by Arezoo Moseni.

Following the talk, a book launch and afterparty was hosted by the Royalton Hotel's beautiful new Forty Four Bar and Lounge, where fans and friends paged through You Should Have Heard Just What I Seen, the narrative of Hamilton's photographic world.

Vita Zaman with Stacy Engman, Curator of the National Arts Club.

Maria Bu, Mark Holgate of Vogue and Preia Marendra of Alexander McQueen.

Paul Marlow of Loden Dager with Anthony Hadaway.

James Hamilton and actor/jewelery designer Waris Ahluwalia.