Hell Yes!

I can't believe it! I was named one of PDN Magazine's 30 Under 30 Photographers of 2009. It was a surprise to even be invited to submit, let alone be one of the 30.

I will be in NYC from March 4-14 to show my new work and promote the exciting news, then to SF for more meetings.

The other photogs look wonderful, I was especially taken with Jared Moossy & Flora Hanitijo.

My good friend, Lisa Wiseman, was also selected, she does beautiful, atmospheric portrait and fashion work.

As someone who taught myself how to light and shoot, it is really amazing to receive something like this!

The New Year

It has been a slow start to what I hope becomes a good and challenging year. I've had two assignments and meanwhile done a lot of personal work, but, it seems at every turn, people I know are losing their jobs or closing up shop. Leah Wilemon, whose agency ESP, was one of my favorites is no more, my editor friend lost her job because her magazine relocated to Ohio, and more seems yet to come.
It seems to me that those who can weather these times will be in a strong position once an equilibrium is found, but the question in my mind is who, of the up and comers, will remain.
You can be smart with marketing and doing new work and working for free for the publicity, but you have to be able to pay the bills. I hope the people who inspire me and the magazines that allow you to shoot creatively make it through.
As a counterpoint to these concerns, I recently was sent Mikael Kennedy's website. It fills me with wonder and elation. His book looks incredible and his photos make it clear what can be done with no money, some good polaroid and obliging friends.

Love

I just stumbled upon the work of Chloe Mallett, and she is simply amazing. I love her work. She beyond inspirational. She is perfect. The look of her photos as she actually prints her own images, the mood, the color palette, the movements and poses of the models. And her clients are such gorgeous lines. I only wish I could see more.

New Nighttime Shoot

My editor at Jezebel Magazine sent me a link to a recent ad she really liked for H&M, we are now putting together a shoot with the nightlife, energetic ideas of the campaign as the inspiration.

Driving around LA the past few days, I've been looking for locations that are clean, interesting and have some sort of old world feel. The styling is going to be a little punk/edgy, so I want the environment to contrast, to feel thought-through and beautiful, not sloppy and off the cuff.

This will be my first full editorial story shot with only flash, I'm a little nervous. I don't want to just reiterate a Terry Richardson look; I want the flash to be flattering, sexy, unexpected, not reportage-looking with huge shadows looming behind the models.

The image up top is from Juergen Teller for Paradis Magazine, I recently started shooting flash during the day, it is gorgeous. I am going to try it on this shoot and see what happens!

Ears & Cheers

I was sitting in a friend's apartment two weeks ago and she mentioned an actress/comedienne to me, Charlyne Yi, and I put her name on my list of people to google.
Two days later, I got an email about shooting her for the 25 under 25 spread in Venus Zine. A totally bizarre confluence of events and last week I shot her.
Having never shot a comedienne before, I wasn't sure what to bring, as I wanted her to be herself and not feel compelled to "be funny." I bought some animals masks and mickey mouse ears and called it a day.
She showed up early, and was incredibly nice; she knew what did and did not want to do, liked some props and not some clothing options (there was a bolero top) and effortlessly did her thing in front of the white seamless.
I always like to bring props, but I want them to relate to the person I'm shooting, not just be something cute. Charlyne only used what appealed to her which made the whole image work.