40 The QUEE NS Courier • november 19, 2015 for breaking news visit www.qns.com LIC photographer captures four-legged friends of Gantry Park on camera BY ANGELA MATUA [email protected] @AngelaMatua A Long Island City-based photographer Great Neck Plaza BID Holiday GIFT CERTIFICATE PROGRAM Plaza Merchants Offering a Chance to Save Money This Holiday Season The merchants of Great Neck Plaza have a special gift for shoppers. The Plaza’s Holiday Gift Certificate Program offers an opportunity for holiday shoppers to save money at the Plaza’s local businesses from November 23, through January 31, 2016. With deals ranging from $5 off of any purchase $25 or more to $20 off of any purchase $100 dollars or more, the Plaza is the place to shop this holiday season. Email the Great Neck Plaza BID at [email protected], or call 516-829-1301, to receive a set of discount gift certificates. “Just in time for Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday, the gift certificate program gives holiday shoppers another reason to experience all the shopping and dining that the Plaza has to offer,” said Ron Edelson, Executive Director of the BID Email or call now to receive a set of discount gift certificates and take advantage of this special opportunity. Smart shopping is local shopping. For more information regarding this special promotion, v isit shopgreatneck.com. The Great Neck Plaza Business Improvement District’s (BID) mission is to foster and promote a positive and vital business community through various initiatives including consumer awareness programs, media/advertising campaigns and sponsorship of many events. Log onto www.shopgreatneck.com, www.facebook. com/greatneckplaza , or call 516.829.1301 to learn more about the Great Neck Plaza BID. ADVERTORIAL Photo courtesy of Dennis Martinez Long Island City-based photographer Dennis Martinez captures the dogs of Long Island City on his Instagram account. FREE Eye Exam WITH PURCHASE OF COMPLETE PAIR OF GLASSES OR EYE EXAM ONLY – $25 (REG. $85) COMPETITIVE PRICES with • Personalized Service & Attention • Our Professionally Trained Staff Will Give You A Careful Fit • Newest Styles • No Gimmicks 20% OFF ALL PURCHASES not to be combined with any other offer Varilux no-line bifocals progessive lenses w/plastic or metal frames Choose From Over 300 Frames $170 Some restrictions may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. 2 Pairs of Eyeglasses (Frames & Lenses) $99 Choose From Over 300 Frames Some restrictions may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. We Honor Most Competitor’s Coupons WE ARE A LOCAL FAMILY-RUN BUSINESS, NOT A CHAIN. WE OFFER PERSONAL SERVICE WITH HIGH QUALITY & LOW PRICES HUGE SELECTION! 50% OFF non-prescription sunglasses. Some restrictions may apply. Not to be combined with any other offer. • Lenses Duplicated • Motor Vehicle Exam • Prescription Filled • Adjustments Done At No Extra Charge • Lab on Premises • Tinting • Eye Exams Clifford Optical 38-19 BELL BOULEVARD, BAYSIDE • 718.229.8086 OFFERING THE LOWEST PRICES ON CONTACT LENSES is capturing neighborhood dogs on camera and is looking to eventually create a photo book to showcase their personalities. Dennis Martinez, who grew up in Ridgewood and became interested in photography after taking a class at Grover Cleveland High School, began documenting dogs on his Instagram account two years ago. He adopted Gambit, a Great Dane and boxer mix, around that time and decided to photograph other dogs he came across on his daily trips to Gantry Plaza State Park. Though Martinez became interested in photography at an early age, he did not pursue it as a career until recently. Martinez joined the military one year after high school and served for three years. After his service, he worked as a mixed martial arts fighter for 10 years. Adopting Gambit reinvigorated his passion for the art form and he now works as a photographer full-time, though he is still involved in martial arts as an instructor at Chok Sabai Muay Thai gym in midtown Manhattan. “When I got Gambit, I kinda just picked up my camera again,” Martinez said. “I’ve always been a big animal person, and me and dogs just get along really well, so I just started taking pictures of everyone’s dogs.” Martinez sells the digital prints of the pups on his website for $3 and also sells portraits of dogs and their owners. His Instagram account, @ HoundsAway, is filled with dogs of all sizes and breeds enjoying Gantry Park or posing for photographs in a studio. Martinez and his wife, who he met at Murray Dog Run in Long Island City while they were both walking their dogs, just adopted a third dog, Tank Girl, on Tuesday. As a dog owner, Martinez said he recognizes that each dog has a distinct personality and he wants to create a photo book to highlight the quirks of each dog he meets. “I think an interesting thing that non-dog owners don’t realize is that every dog has its own personality. It’s very intriguing,” Martinez said. “So being around them, you start seeing their personalities. It’s easier to know when to take the right picture because of who they are.” Martinez has received positive reactions from dog owners and began the Instagram account to make it easier for them to access these photos. He has also been commissioned to take pictures of owners and their dogs for Christmas cards. Though Martinez loves taking pet portraits, he is working on two other books before he begins his dog book project. His first “passion project” includes taking photographs of Long Island City residents who lived in the neighborhood when it was “just a boat dock.” “I think their stories need to be told because I grew up in Queens and our neighborhoods have changed so dramatically,” Martinez said. “The cultural melting pot that everybody talks about in New York is Queens. And I feel like it’s not being forgotten but the stories haven’t been told yet.” It has been difficult to find subjects for his second project, Martinez added, which encourages people to dress and present themselves as they view their parents and how they view themselves. Anyone interested in becoming a part of Martinez’ projects or commissioning portraits, dog or human, can visit dennistakespictures. com to contact him.
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