JJL

It was fourteen years ago when I first “met” Jennifer Jason Leigh. I say, “met” in quotation marks, because at the time we met I was a lowly, all black wearing, photo assistant. Even though I was strongly discouraged from entering into discourse with the subjects, I got the impression that Jennifer was a really nice person and an incredible actress. Fast forward to the present. I now have confirmation that Jennifer is very nice and a joy to photograph. I’ve never liked to work with models because they, model. True actors are such a treat to photograph, because they have such control over their bodies and emotions.

Roy S. Johnson

As with Doctors, lawyers and countless other professionals; photographers specialize. Over the course of my career I have been asked many times to photograph headshots, weddings or bar mitzvahs. I always politely say no and explain that I am portrait photographer. Truth is, I have photographed both headshots, two weddings and thankfully no bar mitzvahs. The reason not to photograph headshots, weddings or bar mitzvahs is that they may be the hardest assignments in photography. Dealing with the family dynamics of a wedding or an actor who does not understand that the camera can only lie so much is not an easy job. The main criterion for accepting a job is, if I want to do it and in this case I did. Roy recently became the editor in chief of Men’s Fitness Magazine and needed a set of photographs to be used for his monthly editors column. Monica Bradley called me, the photo editor of Men’s Fitness who is an old friend and client, so of course I said yes. My hunch was right about Roy, he was a very interesting guy that made for a great afternoon.

Atlanta

I just returned from photographing Sara Blakely, inventor of Spanx, for the inaugural cover of Start Up magazine, a spin off of Inc. What are Spanx you ask? More than likely if you asked that you are a dude. Spanx are the equivalent of the modern girdle. I come from a family of inventors and someone who can build a better mousetrap always impresses me.

Modern Anachronism

I took this photo in the Pittsburgh Airport after visiting my Mother in Ohio. The Pittsburgh airport was designed in the late 1980’s and finished in 1992. Obviously, they did not anticipate the popularity of the cellular phone.

Quasi July Fourth

So it was a few days before, the meal was not quite hamburgers and hotdogs, but it was outside and there was beer. I had only had Maryland Crab once before and this time the experience was much the same. As much as it is about the crabs, it is about having a communal meal with your friends and enjoying the summer.

Inc. Magazine July Cover

I have now shot over 25 magazine covers and it is still very exciting to hold the finished copy for the first time. There is just something special about seeing your photograph under the masthead, at the newsstand or better yet when a stranger is reading a copy. My mom has even been known to carry a copy with her to show her friends.

Figure Ground

I always say that my education was divided into three parts, a B.F.A. in Photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology, assisting for Annie Leibovitz and the year I took off from school to play in a band. What I learned during each of these periods played an equally important role in helping me to be photographer. Some background: two years ago on the morning of my wedding, the members of my old band Figure Ground assembled in a New York City practice space to play together for the first time in fifteen years. Guitarist Eric Carlson’s wife, Erica having not seen us play before, became convinced that a reunion show was in order. We were not as convinced until about six months ago, when it came to our attention that a seventeen year old video of Figure Ground, sound checking in Columbus Ohio, appeared on YouTube. Unbeknownst to us, it appears from the comments that we were big in Norway all along. So after seventeen years I am once again in a band and ready to continue my education.

Figure Ground will be playing at the Cedars Lounge in Youngstown, Ohio on Saturday, September 1st and we hope to tour Norway in the future.

Richard J. Harrington

When I Photographed Richard J. Harrington, CEO of the Thomson Corporation, you would never know that he had just completed one of the biggest deals of his career; the purchase of Reuters. Dick, as he is known, was such a nice guy and the conversation flowed so well, that I never even had to bring up the fact that I grew up on Harrington Ave.

Brand Upon the Brain

When I photographed Crispin Glover at the Sundance Film Festival this year, I met Margot Gerber, Margot was the publicist for Crispin’s film Fine Everything is Fine. Margot is now doing publicity for the new Guy Madden film, Brand Upon the Brain. The film is a beautiful, modern, silent movie with a score by Jason Staczek, narration by Isabella Rossellini and elaborate sound effects. To celebrate the theatrical release there was a series of performances, in several cities, with a live orchestra, narrator and foley artists. If you are having a hard time picturing all of this that is where I come in. Margot wanted to get some pictures of the performance showing all of the elements, mainly the foley artists, to convey what a special event it was. For two and a half performances, I sat in my perch and captured the event, completely mesmerized by the foley artists, they stole the show.

Chicago Baby

Last week I went on a whirlwind journey to Chicago to photograph Gordon Segal, CEO of Crate and Barrel, with Guari Nanda, inventor of the Clocky, for an Inc. Magazine cover try. When I say whirlwind I mean whirlwind. The idea was to fly in Thursday night, shoot in the morning and make it back to New York at a reasonable time. In theory it was a great plan. My original flight from LaGuardia was cancelled, with a thoughtful automated message informing me that it would be impossible to get to Chicago until mid-day Friday, just in time to miss the entire shoot. With some fast thinking and even faster phone dialing from Assistant Photo Editor extraordinaire, Kate Spear, I was booked on another flight from Kennedy airport on another airline. Once at the airport we met up with photo editor and partner in crime, Travis Ruse, whose flight had been delayed for four hours. When Travis finally attempted to board his plane he was informed that he had been bumped and was now on our flight, which was also delayed. Add in almost two hours on the ground and then a bonus wait upon arriving in Chicago due to no available arrival gates; it was a full day of travel. This was only the way there. The return flight was best summed up by the reoccurring phase I kept overhearing “Well it’s Friday night at O’Hare.” As for the rest of the trip I was still was able to have a delicious slice of famous Lou Malnati’s deep-dish pizza, courtesy of the also delicious Crate and Barrel cafeteria. What about the photographs you say? Well ever since I bought a book of Carlo Mollino’s Polaroids I have wanted to use bamboo as a backdrop. Thank you Carlo.