Which would you rather hear first?
The story about the Queen?
Or Mick Jagger?
Because Dmitri Kasterine has them both—as well as photos of HM Queen Elizabeth II (1976, Buckingham Palace), Mick, Steve Martin, Johnny Cash, Jonathan Winters, and countless others, including his Schuyler Lake neighbors, in his portfolio and now hanging on the walls of the SEEC Gallery at 287 Main in Schoharie.
Schoharie County Arts held an opening reception for their “Dmitri Kasterine, Seventy Years of Photography” Friday.
Mr. Kasterine, born in 1932, began his professional career as a photographer in Britain in 1961, moving to the United States in 1986.
His first visit to the US was when he photographed Mick Jagger in Los Angeles for the Radio Times in the 1970s.
And the story of that photo was one of many that delighted the crowd in its retelling Friday.
After days of failing to connect with Jagger, Mr. Kasterine was finally advised to park himself outside Mr. Jagger’s hotel room so he could catch him.
He did.
And was there when Mick strolled in at 5am, his “date” on his arm.
Queen Elizabeth II was every bit the royal, Mr. Kaserine said, standing in front of her 1976 portrait.
“She saw it as her job to make things as easy as possible for everyone around her, including me,” he said.
He photographed her with a pond favored by royal ducks in the background.
Ducks=duck dropping—which HM Queen Elizabeth II strode through like there was nothing there.
“She was a true royal,” Ms. Kasterine said.
So, too, was comedian Steve Martin, who unassumingly, came alone, knocking at Mr. Kasterine’s door in 1989, “just there to have his photo taken,” he said.
Mr. Kasterine was the first speaker in SCA’s artist’s talks in 2022 at the American Hotel in Sharon Springs.
His exhibit in the SEEC Gallery runs through October.