Shout Out on (Oh So) Beautiful Paper's Blog

Last week (Oh So) Beautiful Paper's blog featured my work along with letterpress designer Stephanie Sponsel of Les Fleur de Papier. I originally met Stephanie in a letterpress class at Otis College of Art and Design and we have been friends ever since.

She was the mastermind and designer behind her husband Brian's 40th birthday party at the Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach and it was a spectacular event.

The blog featured her amazing letterpress work which I photographed at the party. I included a photo of the shoes she wore that night because her husband bought them for her for their wedding anniversary (Manolo's no less). Now that's a husband.

The party was also recently featured on Party Spot, which is a division of The Knot. Click here to view that feature.

You can view my slideshow from Brian's birthday party here.

ASCAP Film & Television Scoring Workshop with Richard Bellis

Elmer Bernstein, Maurice Jarre, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Alfred Newman, Max Steiner, Franz Waxman, Jerry Goldsmith, Mark Isham - all well-known film composers

I was so honored that ASCAP asked me to photograph portions of the ASCAP Television and Film Scoring Workshop with Richard Bellis. My first day covering the workshop was at Fox Studios at the Newman Scoring Stage. Each of the 12 participants were given the opportunity to compose an original score for a 3-minute segment from a studio movie and then conduct a 61-piece orchestra. They had 15 minutes each to get a good recording. Talk about pressure.

They then asked me to to cover an evening with film director Tom Shadyac and film composer John Debney and another evening with Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard at Hans' very impressive studio in Santa Monica.

I created this slideshow as a little surprise for ASCAP and they liked it so much they put it on their official website.

Langham Hotel Pasadena - Sanjeet's 30th Birthday Party

I have had the pleasure of working for Sanjeet Nijjar on numerous occassions including their incredibly fun Halloween Party in 2006. Well Sanjeet decided decided to thrown himself a very grand 30th birthday party at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena and it was a spectacular event. Every detail was thought out so well and he hired such incredible designers to work with him including Alex and Dimash of Square Root Designs, Richard Taylor of Dazian and Sheryal Rozzelle of Unique Elegance. Click on the slideshow below or here to view the birthday slideshow.

Their Dream Comes True

My fine art photographer friend Aline Smithson (on the right) asked me to shoot her getting ready to attend the 2008 Academy Awards. For her and her childhood, Donna Bulseco, it was truly a dream come true.

I am such a fan of Aline's work and I was so flattered that she asked me to document her big day. She had a bunch of her girlfriends over the big event too. Aline also has a great photographer's blog. Please check it out.

I created a slideshow of the big day to the Oscar-winning song from the film Once. Aline and I both thought it a very appropriate song for the occasion. Click on the slideshow below or here.

After she received the photos and the slideshow, Aline wrote me the nicest note.

Thank you for the incredible photos...
Thank you for the wonderful slideshow
Thank you for being the enthusiastic, supportive person you are
Thank you for your talent
Thank you for being my friend
XO XO
Aline

Our Very Own DVD Launch Party

I met Cameron Watson in 2000 when I was still a talent agent. We hit it off immediately and kept running into each other at openings of plays at the Taper and the Ahmanson. My friend Scott Musgrove often went with me to those openings and as it turns out they did summer stock together in Alabama in their early 20's. Talk about a small world.

Not only is Cameron an incredible actor but a wonderful writer/director and his first film is finally out on DVD, Our Very Own. It's a lovely tribute to his hometown of Shelbyville, Tennessee. The play takes place in the 1970's and partly revolves around the rumored return of actress Sondra Locke to her hometown of Shelbyville. The movie stars Allison Janney, Keith Carradine, Cheryl Hines, Beth Grant, Jason Ritter and Autumn Reeser.

Allison Janney, Cheryl Hines, Sondra Locke, Peri Gilpin, the legendary Ann Rutherford, the OC's Autumn Reeser and Ugly Betty's Octavia Spencer all attended the party.

Click here to view the slideshow (or see below) from the event I shot last week at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica. It is set to the theme song of the movie "Our Very Own" sung beautifully by Nanci Griffith and Keith Carradine.

Halle Berry

I had the opportunity to shoot a Q&A session for the film Perfect Stranger with Halle Berry, Giovanni Ribisi, James Foley and Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas that was held for students of the Semester in LA program for Boston University. The kids I think got a real kick out of it.

A Star-Studded Cartier Event

The second event for Cartier took place first on their first floor and then on the rooftop of the building. The most amazing tent was constructed and designed by Rrivre Works with catering by Along Came Mary. A special thanks to florist Eric Buterbaugh, the host for the evening (along with Cartier's North America CEO Frederic De Napp), who recommended me to Cartier.

It was a star-studded evening and the emerald and diamond necklace you see is the real thing custom designed by Cartier and given to her as a gift by her husband (who was not in attendance).

House of Cartier

I had the honor of shooting two events recently for Cartier in Beverly Hills. The first one was to celebrate the Cartier International High Jewelry Collection. The jewelry was absolutely spectacular and I truly was surrounded by millions and millions of dollars in jewels. The event also showed designer Michon Schur's designs very capably worn by models.

Sanjeet and Tommy's Halloween Party

When I left the Villa Bellefontaine after photographing Juan and Kim's wedding I knew I would probably return. Well it happened sooner than I thought. Sanjeet and Tommy have an annual Halloween party at their beautiful estate and I was asked to shoot it for them. It was a great party that included 3 Britney's, 3 Clark Kents and 2 K-Feds. A special thanks to my team who made the event go so smoothly -- Laurie Bailey, Deborah Obad and Scott Musgrove. Like an idiot I forgot to get a photo of them that night.

Click Here to View Slideshow

Boston University

Boston University's Today magazine (their online magazine) hired me to shoot their Semester in LA Students for a week. The students mostly live in Park La Brea and have internships at various entertainment companies around Los Angeles. We visited students at Lion's Gate, CBS and Raleigh Studios. It was a week long feature in BU's magazine and my photos appeared in four of the articles (esp. in the slideshows at the end of each article).

The photo above was when the acting students in the Semester in LA program found out they were all getting featured roles this season on SCRUBS. The reaction when they found out was priceless.

Wednesday's Article

Thursday's Article

Friday's Article

Monday's Article

Jaclyn's Bridal Shower

I had the honor of shooting Jaclyn Crow's bridal shower. Jaclyn's wedding and shower will be profiled on the upcoming WE Network series Platinum Weddings. The shower took place at a beautiful home in Palos Verdes Estates overlooking Catalina Island and the Trump Golf Course. An entertainer named Prince Andrew made the shower very memorable and the husband-to-be surprised Jaclyn by showing up at the end of the shower. To see more check out this slideshow