Who is the best photographer in Boston?

Jim Manning

Birthday Party Expert, Celebration Coach, National Family Speaker 

866-33-JUNGLE (toll free)

Email@JungleJimBoston.com

FREE Birthday Party Tools at www.JungleJimBoston.com

I am delightfully exhausted!  Today I did a 5 hour photo shoot with Infinity Portrait Design.  Professional photos have been something we've been wanting to get done for a while, and Susan Symonds of Infinity Portrait Design in Beacon Hill in Boston was the one!  I knew Susan from BNI, and was finally excited to get together with her.  We did so many great photos.  My lovely fiancee Sonya came along for hair and makeup.  Annie, Susan's wife, provided merriment and Upper Crust Pizza.  And Kyle, son of one of Ansel Adams' students and former resident of Brookfield, CT, gave us some amazing ideas with the balloon stuff.  To the right is a photo Susan shot of me on 7/7/07.  If you want great photos, call Infinity Portrait Design: 617-367-9432, or visit them at 59 Beacon Street in Beacon Hill in Boston.  

Happy Easter!

As a professional family entertainer, I often work weekends and holidays. That's OK, I don't mind the sacrifice to do something I love. But I do miss my family in New York and Connecticut a great deal. That's why I decided to climb inside of a 6 foot balloon when Sonya and I visited for Easter. Because nothing says family holiday like climbing inside of a 6-foot balloon!

Jim Manning

Birthday Party Expert, Celebration Coach, National Family Speaker 

866-33-JUNGLE (toll free)

Email@JungleJimBoston.com

FREE Birthday Party Tools at www.JungleJimBoston.com

Balloons and Fashion

On Monday I had the pleasure of meeting Kenlyn, a fashion student. She was kind enough to put me on her blog. Check it out! Here's the pictures:

Twist & Shout

Last month I had the pleasure of attending Twist & Shout, the national balloon convention in Oak Brook, IL, outside of Chicago. Great times were had by all, and I especially appreciated Smarty Pants and Miss Dena putting me up for a couple of days beforehand (although the invoice a week later was a bit surprising, especially the water and electricity charge). People often ask me: Jungle Jim, what is a balloon convention like? I tell them, picture 300 of the most artistically gifted, yet socially different people in the world, and you have a balloon convention! In all seriousness, I learned a lot, and got to do something I had never done. Take a look!

I'm getting more involved with the City of Cambridge. Moving here last year was one of the best things I could have done for my business. The City of Cambridge is supportive for local business and the arts. The Cambridge Arts Council, the Inman Square Business Association, Pizzeria Uno's... I feel lucky to be here.

This picture is of me doing the balloon barrage at the end of my show. I shoot 4-foot tall giant colorful balloons off the end of my fingertips into the crowd. Its a lot of fun, and a really cool visual.

Did you know I play Santa Claus? Check out my website: www.SantaBoston.com

Happy Labor Day!

Jungle Jim

Groundhog Day!

I want to tell you all about an awesome experience I had on Saturday night. As many of you know, I am the official balloon artist for the Brockton Rox. The Rox are a minor-league baseball team on the South Shore of Massachusetts. This is my third year as their balloon artist. The Rox are my ideal kind of client, because they are family-friendly and focused on making sure everyone comes away with a terrific memory of their day.

What you may not know about the Brockton Rox is that Bill Murray, the actor, is part owner of the team. He and his family were visiting Campanelli Stadium this past weekend, and I had the opportunity to twist for him and his guests. His sons gave me many different balloon challenges, including Jedi Master Yoda, a giant dragon and lots of other great stuff. The most fun, however, was when his youngest son asked if I could make Mr. Murray out of balloons. It was as if it was the top of the ninth inning, I had to throw a Hail Mary pass and Pele was in goal. Actually, it was the top of the ninth, and I really wanted to make Mr. Murray out of balloons before the game ended, thus avoiding the awkward position: do we wait for the balloon guy, or do we beat the traffic?

As I raced to finish the balloon caricature, Mr. Murray came out and asked me what I was making. I told him "Actually, I am making you out of balloons." He chuckled and said that he was told that’s what I was attempting and he said it couldn't be done. I told him that I was easily the best balloon artist in the baseball stadium at that moment and that I was, in fact, up for the task.

By this point, the entire suite was watching me. I put the finishing touches on the sculpture and handed it to Professor Venkman. He looked at himself, smiled and said "that's really me." I suggested that the three of us take a picture together which you can see to your right.

Mr. Murray told me "You're balloons are really terrific. I've never seen anything like them before."

Jungle Jim... Balloon artist to the stars?

Faneuil Hall!

So Jungle Jim was accepted into the Faneuil Hall Street Performer's Program this year! This is something I've been working towards for over 2 years, since I became serious about balloon art. I was pretty excited, to say the least. Seven times I was rained out in the month of June, but last Saturday was my first day down there, and I was back again yesterday.



Street Performing, or "busking" for is an interesting position for a balloon artist. On one hand, you're displaying a skill that very few people possess. You are able to bend air into colorful shapes (airigami, as coined by Larry Moss), and most find this fascinating to some degree. So some people are happy to watch. But children, while enjoying the show, have been accustomed to receiving a balloon. Its almost as if a child doesn't receive a balloon, then they feel cheated. So I don't get tipped by the parents if their child doesn't receive a balloon, but if I make balloons that are small and boring, people don't watch and I'm not performing, and therefore not drawing a crowd. I'm just a balloon factory. But if it takes too long to get a balloon, because I'm making such cool balloons, then people don't wait around and I don't get paid.

And that's why I'm happy to be down at Faneuil Hall. I expect that after a few seasons, I will have forced myself to push my medium in a different direction.

Hey, I got the pleasure of watching an awesome Yo-Yo guy yesterday. Check him out: http://www.yoyoshow.com/index.htm

Belated Happy Bastille Day!