The Person I Am Tonight - Magic Through The Lens of Hal Schulman

"For as long as I can remember, magic has been my favorite thing in the world. Over my 15+ years in magic, adventuring alongside some of the art’s finest practitioners, I’ve always had a film camera by my side. For one night only, I invite you to the historic Tannen’s Magic Shop as it transforms into an art gallery for the first time in its 99-year history. “The Person I Am Tonight” is my collection of photographs of magicians on stage and off. Tell your friends and have them tell their friends - let’s celebrate magic together." - Hal Schulman

From the Desk of Mike Caveney:

Two things separate a guy in the audience, holding his phone up in the air, taking a picture of whatever is happening onstage, and Hal Schulman.

The difference is access and an eye.

Though I’ve never seen Hal actually perform a magic trick in front of an audience, somehow, he has gained access into the secret world of the world’s top magicians. Why, you ask, would these keepers of secrets allow a person with a camera to record their every move both onstage and backstage?

There are many reasons, not the least of which is that Hal is a very friendly fellow, but he also has immersed himself in the magic world in ways besides performing. He has worked closely with Tannen’s Magic in New York City and with Tannen’s Magic Camp. As a student of magic, he already knows how most of our tricks work. But the main reason for his unprecedented access, I believe, is his eye. Knowing when and where to click that shutter is what separates Hal from the rest of us.

Normally, when the curtain falls and the audience departs, that’s it. The show just witnessed is but a fond memory. That is unless Hal Schulman was patrolling the area with his trusty camera. Those performances are recorded for posterity in a series of memorable images that will last forever.

The photographs seen here represent just some of those shows. Familiar faces doing what they are known for, at a specific moment in their career. These photos, which today are great fun to look at, in time, will become valuable, historic artifacts. A record of how these performers and what they did when standing in the spotlight.

Long may Hal’s unblinking eye be afforded full access.

Host or Publisher Hal Schulman