I Confess…
Remember when I said I met her when I saw her dancing around a pole on a deserted road around the Salton Sea? Well that might have been a little stretch of imagination.
I first met Nora Zainglein when I saw photos of her from my friend Blanche LeBeau who is the Makeup Artist extraordinaire with Estee Lauder. Blanche had met Nora in NYC and as we spoke I said I would love to shoot her. Blanche said she would love for me to shoot her too. That may have been as long as a year ago. Nora is indeed a fashion model who has worked with some very major fashion houses and beauty brands.
The time had come and Blanche brought me Nora make up and hair style ready. Blanche was on Estee Lauder business here in the Palm Springs area so I met them and Blanche entrusted her in my care. Off we went to the Salton Sea!
From the beaches at the North Shore near the Yacht Club to Bombay Beach to the geothermal plants we had a ball shooting. I dare say it was a different world for a fashion model spending her time in Manhattan. I think she had fun, I sure did!
Nora is just nothing but beautiful and striking. She is endlessly fun, easy to work with, knows what she is doing, and indeed “a delightfully sarcastic deviant”. Love this girl!
So that is my confession! I hope you scroll through my Blog for more of my created intrigue with Nora along with the photos. Actually the happenings are true!
What next with Nora? Well maybe some magazines with the photos we have shot. And she will be back in a few weeks and we are planning something really cool and I must say… well you will not want to miss it. Thanks!
Steamy
With my new found NYC fashion model Nora at Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea, I said I knew of another interesting spot to shoot some more photos. Back up to the story here if you have not been following so far… Hay on my Blog. One more chapter to this story to come after this one.
Off we went further South along the East side of the Salton Sea finally cutting in towards the water. Along the long road was my goal, two geothermal plants. Driving past both and turning around we decided on the one.
The thought of wardrobe now came up. Nora had this little suitcase with a few things but we had used most so far. I pulled over at a discreet spot. She said how about this cute little shirt, it’s really all I have left. I said just fine! Rummaging in her case she said, I have nothing to wear with it but these little thong panties. Not to be disagreeable I agreed with the concept. As models often do, she easily slipped in and out of what she was wearing into the new selection. One trip around the Salton Sea and I am really loving this girl.
Photo Shoot Notes… NewYork City fashion model Nora Zainglein. Makeup and Hair Styling by the Estee Lauder featured artist Blanche LeBeau. Hasselblad digital camera system. Did I mention that I am the photographer? Thanks!
Hay!
Last I told you about my impromptu (it’s all true, I promise) photo shoot with Nora around the Salton Sea and Bombay Beach. The feeling was sultry, I was pouring cold water over her and down through hair, and she was wearing more which was really less. On my Blog here to get you started.
Another oddity at Bombay Beach… a wall of hay convenient to the shore, of course! A recent addition for the Bombay Beach Biennale just past. What better place to lounge and take a break with Nora changing into something appropriate to lounge and take a break in. Well at least for a Manhattan fashion model laying around on hay. More of this tale to come.
Photo shoot notes… New York City Fashion Model Nora Zainglein. Estee Lauder featured Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Blanche LeBeau. Hasselblad digital camera system. Did I mention that I am the photographer? Thanks!
Bring Water
Have you been following my Blog about meeting Nora the fashion model from New York City? The woman I met when she was dancing around a pole on a deserted street at the Salton Sea.
Last I told you we ended up at Bombay Beach. I have seen that sometimes the Salton Sea has kind of an effect on people. Maybe it is the eeriness of the place, the hot sun and the heavy salt water at 227 ft below sea level. Then there is the post-apocalyptic look of the place. Kind of a sensual oddity to it at times. I think Nora was getting into the mood of the place.
Nora had been doing wardrobe changes along the way and now she changed into more. But sometimes as you can see, more is less. Maybe it was the heat, it was hot, and getting hotter. Nora had me pour cold water in her hair and over her. I had bottles of water on ice in a big cooler I brought along. She said it felt really good. So I poured a few or more. I was still feeling the heat, but I liked it.
Photo shoot notes… Fashion model Nora Zainglein. Makeup and Hair Styling by Estee Lauder featured artist Blanche LeBeau. Hasselblad digital camera system. And always bring lots of cold water.
Sexy Back
Interesting how a photo by model Nora Zainglein of herself in a photo on the back of my camera could be so very sexy!
Makeup and Hair Styling by Blanche Lebeau. On a Hasselblad digital camera system. At Bombay Beach at the Salton Sea.
PSPF 2017
My gorgeous buddy Gabriella Muttone and myself (who should stay behind the camera) here for the opening of the Palm Springs Photo Festival all this week. A wonderfully talented photographer herself, Gabriella is also a professional model who has been in front of my cameras twice, including last week at the Redbury Hotel in Hollywood. Those photographs soon! Thanks and now I will get behind the camera again.
In Tune With Harmoni
In tune with my buddy Harmoni Everett at the Hasselblad Broncolor Pro Solutions Workshop this last Tuesday at Siren Studios in Hollywood. She was kind enough to leap about (a lot!) in front of a Broncolor Para 177 reflector powered by a Broncolor Scoro while I pushed the shutter button on a Hasselblad H6D-100c 100 megapixel camera.
By the way, Harmoni is one super duper photographer herself. Check her out on her Instagram here. And she has quite the film history too as an actress and more, her profile at IMDB here. Lucky me, the only time I have ever been in tune!
Just Lounging By The Pool
She lounged by the pool and I shot photographs. The result of good planning. A sexy and edgy photo shoot destined for an editorial series. Model Noel VanBrocklin, photographer me and my Hasselblad digital camera. Thanks!
Bold!
The adventure around Salton Sea continued with my new friend Nora Zainglein, a fashion model from New York City. If you look back on my Blog you will see that I found her dancing around a pole in the middle of nowhere. All true of course! So after the part where she didn’t hear me and the black lingerie we moved on. Her, me, her little suitcase of clothes, my Hasselblad camera and luckily her makeup and hair styled by super duper Estee Lauder star Blanche LeBeau.
Next stop was Bombay Beach which is a little hard to describe. Maybe call it post-apocalyptic chic? With my favorite dive restaurant, the Ski Inn where some people might refuse to stop, but that would be a mistake. Even the famed Anthony Bourdain stopped and shot a segment of his Travel Channel show “No Reservations” there!
However back to my photo shoot with Nora who had now changed into what I guess we would call lingerie or underwear perhaps. We had already shot in a one piece black swimsuit and then a black corset with black garter panties and black nylons. Why would I now be surprised about a bra, panties and long net pantyhose. As I came to learn, Nora is just a little more bold that I had first expected or anticipated.
And that made it sure fun! If you follow my photography, you know I do have a preference for more bold, shall we say. Just scroll through my Blog. So I can say I am loving Nora! Guessing you are loving Nora too by now! And more to come…
Black Lingerie Salton Sea
More of this amazing tale, all true I promise! My new friend, model Nora Zainglein from NYC had this small suitcase with her with clothes. I showed her this shoreline at the Salton Sea and she said she knew just what to wear to do some photo shooting. I just said OK and within a few minutes she had changed by the car and we went off and started shooting.
If you read my prior post about how we met and then how she didn’t hear me, you know more about the day so far. You see other photographers going on with simple statements and direction to models during a shoot but Nora was doing just great all by herself. I had heard from someone who knows, super duper Esteee Lauder MUA, Blanche LeBeau who styled her that morning, that Nora as a model is the “real deal”. So we actually just had some talk getting to know each other.
It crossed my mind wondering how Nora decided to pick gorgeous black lingerie to wear at such an odd place as the shoreline of Salton Sea, so I brought it up. I think here Nora was explaining that it just seemed so obvious to her, obviously the right thing to wear for the moment, or maybe all the time. Looked really good through the viewfinder of my Hasselblad camera. So I could not disagree!
She Didn’t Hear Me
If you read my prior post just below, you know about my chance meeting with Nora Zainglein at the Salton Sea. Also especially lucky that I had my Hasselblad camera with me. Just one of those things when you meet a New York City fashion model dancing around a pole on a vacant road. It is all true! Trust me!
So we drove down a dirt road I know which takes you to a somewhat hidden way to get on the shore of the Sea. Nora seemed to have a wardrobe idea for this spot and changed by the car. Makeup and hair had been somehow perfectly readied by the premier Estee Lauder artist Blanche LeBeau.
No one there of course and the Salton Sea was beautiful in it’s usual eerie sort of way. Noon and the Sun was high and the temperature hot. Nora embraced the feel and view of it all. Just having been in Manhattan the day before made it quite the scenic change for her. Amused by the long line along the shore of mummified Tilapia, I was sure that thoughts of lunch were not on her mind.
Walking along she raised her face to the Sun and closed her eyes. I said “Nora what are you thinking about?”… She didn’t hear me.
More to come…
It’s All True!
So this is the story, it is all true, I promise!
I was driving down to the Salton Sea, and just past the International Banana Museum I see this girl kind of dancing around this pole. So of course I stop and figured I would check things out. She tells me her name is Nora Zainglein and that she is a model from Manhattan, as in New York City, who has been modeling for ten years and worked for Calvin Klein and Forever 21 and others. Well around the Salton Sea, the unusual does happen.
Lucky for me I had my Hasselblad camera with me so I asked if I could shoot some photos. She said, well that sure is a big one so go right ahead. We shot for a while right there and we got along pretty good. I told her that I really know my way around the Salton Sea and I could show her the sights, and we could shoot at some more cool spots.
That’s all it took! She grabbed her little suitcase, with more clothes in it, and jumped in the car and off we went. Models always have little suitcases stuffed with more clothes. And how good was it that she had just had her makeup and hair done by a big time Estee Lauder makeup artist, Blanche LeBeau. Amazing how some things just fall into place.
Anyway we shot at some fun unusual spots around the Salton Sea for the rest of the day and finished up by having dinner at Bobby Mao’s Restaurant in Palm Desert. And you won’t believe this, who showed up too? None other than Blanche LeBeau. Quite the beauty herself I must say!
It is all true, really! And I will show you some photos from more of our photo shoot over the next week. Of course there is more to the story too. Thanks!
Twin Beech
Always something fun going on at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Yesterday the B-25 bomber crew arrived to fly their plane for the Doolittle Raid On Tokyo flight demonstration. And they arrived in style in this vintage 1952 “Twin Beech”.
This is that 1952 Beechcraft D18S “Twin Beech” starting up and departing. Continuously produced from 1937 to 1969 (over 32 years, a world record at the time), over 9,000 were produced, making it one of the world’s most widely used light aircraft. These aircraft saw military use as light transport, light bomber (for China), trainer (for bombing, navigation and gunnery), photo-reconnaisance, and “mother ship” for target drones. In World War II, over 90% of USAAF bombardiers and navigators trained in these aircraft.
75 Years Ago Tomorrow
It was 75 years ago on April 18, 1942 that sixteen B-25B Mitchell bombers did the impossible task of flying off the deck of the USS Hornet aircraft carrier en route to Tokyo. Without fighter escort, without fuel to guarantee a safe landing, the brave flight crews flew into uncertainly to deal the first major blow against Imperial Japan following the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor.
Tomorrow, Tuesday April 18th at the Palm Springs Air Museum at 11:00 AM, come hear the story of the “Doolittle Raid”, the “Raid On Tokyo”. And following at Noon watch the “Pacific Princess” B-25 start up right at the Museum and do a flight demonstration. Then imagine sixteen of these thundering aircraft taking off from the carrier deck right in front of you!
Your presenter will be Lt. Col. Blaine Mack, World War II P-38 pilot, later F-86 pilot and Strategic Air Command pilot flying B-47 and B-52 bombers. What an incredible opportunity at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Please come join me! Thank You!
It Flies!
From Saturday at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Watch this plane takeoff in barely the length of a couple of regular home driveways. Owner and builder Steven Lund doing a flight demonstration in his replica World War II Fieseler Fi 156 “Storch”.
Way Fun!
Great fun yesterday at the Palm Springs Air Museum photographing Steven Lund fly his replica Fieseler Fi 156 Storch World War II airplane! Will be posting some really cool video tomorrow.
The Storch Has Arrived
You must come see this airplane and watch it fly! At the Palm Springs Air Museum today, Saturday April 15th. It is really interesting in person! Owner and builder Steven Lund will talk about his replica Fieseler Fi 156 Storch World War II airplane at 1:00 PM and then do a flight demonstration after the program at about 2:00 PM. With a stall speed of only 21 mph and a little headwind he could be in the air for a long time! It looks like it would be like flying a greenhouse with a rear machine gun! And yes indeed, Steven Lund built it! Come see the Storch for sure!
Not The Usual
When we think of historic wartime aircraft we think of planes like the P-51 Mustang and the B-17 Flying Fortress. But there are so many other interesting and unusual aircraft that have flown in air combat services. And tomorrow Saturday, April 15, 2017 you can see two of them at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
The Grumman Tigercat F7F was the first twin engine fighter to be used by the United States Navy. It missed combat in World War II but flew in the Korean War as a night fighter and attack aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps. Too big for smaller carrier service, it required the Midway class of aircraft carriers. Actually a very rare plane, there were only 354 of them built and now there are perhaps only 12 still around!
From 10:30 – 12:30 you can sit in the cockpit of this huge Tigercat that flew at 460 mph and up to 40,000 ft! Think about firing off it’s four 20mm cannons or it’s four .50 caliber Browning machine guns. Get your photo taken too!
Then at 1:00 PM a really unusual military airplane, the German Fieseler Fi 156 Storch. Owner and expert, Steven Lund will talk about how this airplane, first flown in 1936 became pivotal in wartime events. In 1943 a Storch was used to rescue deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and it had a less than glorious role in the last dogfight on the Western Front. Very “prized”, one became the personal aircraft of British Field Marshal ‘Monty’ Montgomery.
Following the presentation at around 2:00 PM, Steven Lund will do a flight demonstration in his Storch replica! Come check it out! Tomorrow Saturday, April 15th at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Not the usual! See you there!
Coachella Rocks At The Air Museum!
In the Los Angeles Times, just yesterday. April 12 2017. Such a great place to visit and my personal and professional interest and photographic avocation. Some highlights from the story at “Coachella’s second hottest ticket? The Palm Springs Air Museum“…
“The Palm Springs Air Museum has emerged as the (second) hottest ticket in town during Coachella week, on the strength of two massive off-site, Goldenvoice-sanctioned concerts held amid the vintage aviation equipment and military artifacts.”
“This is going to expose the museum to a lot of folks who would probably seldom come in here,” said Fred Bell, the museum’s managing director. “It’s an industrial setting that lends itself to these kind of events, and if it gets some people interested in airplanes, it’s a win-win.”
“The museum, which opened in 1996, first dipped into the Coachella-crowd scene last year when it hosted an event for Splash House, a Goldenvoice-presented, EDM-focused multi-site festival that proved music fans do have an interest in Palm Springs attractions beyond the polo fields and the hotel pool. “That was super positive for us. We’re a museum of living history. We’re not out to just teach historical facts,” Bell said.”
“Fans who come back for some non-music programming on April 22 can even take a spin a Vietnam War-era attack helicopter (they can’t drop you off at the festival, alas, much as it would be nice to skip the Coachella lines in a Cobra AH-1F Bell).”
Makes it my kind of place for sure! Hope to see more of you there and please visit and like the Museum Facebook page for more of my photography and video clips! Thanks!
She Takes Off!
As a long time photographer in the bodybuilding and fitness business, the first thing I noticed is that she works out. The World War II Bomber “Pacific Princess” visiting at the Palm Springs Air Museum. You can watch her take off again on this April 18th to commemorate the day of the “Raid On Tokyo” on April 18, 1943.
Flying Corsair
Great fun yesterday watching this World War II F4U Corsair take to the air and do flybys. Always any aviation enthusiasts favorite airplane. And to see it fly close up is just fantastic. At the Palm Springs Air Museum.
By the way this plane has the distinction of being the oldest air worthy Corsair. It arrived in San Diego and was assigned to Navy Squadron VF84 in 1943. Thanks Planes of Fame for bringing it on out!
Assignment Air Museum
Although not my photographs this time, I am now helping with the Social Media for the Palm Springs Air Museum. In the future you will be seeing more of my photos and videos. So please take a moment and “Like” the Palm Springs Air Museum Facebook page. Thanks! https://www.facebook.com/palmspringsairmuseum
And here is today’s post for the great events at the Air Museum for tomorrow…
Wow! Big day tomorrow, Saturday April 8, here at the Air Museum!
Guadalcanal…. one of the words that we see or hear that instantly causes us to remember our World War II history and the fight in the Pacific. One of the heroes of Guadalcanal, described as stubby and unforgiving and tricky to fly, was the Grumman F4F Wildcat. With all of it’s downsides, the Wildcat’s rugged build, heavy armament and fast diving speed made it, in the hands of the Marine Corps pilots, an instrument of destruction against the attacking Japanese Zero’s.
You can sit in the cockpit of that hero Wildcat of Guadalcanal from 10:30 – 12:30 and check it out and let your imagination take flight. You can get your photo taken too! Now that is a selfie! And to help with your imagination, watch The History Channel Dogfights Episode “Guadalcanal” co-created by Air Museum friend Brooks Wachtel. It is really great… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8eOo3nnGuA
Did you know we had a “Cactus Air Force”? No that is not sipping Tequila at 30,000 feet on your way to Las Vegas in a 737. The “Cactus Air Force” was the name given to the airplanes, including the Wildcat, that fought on Guadalcanal. Only months after the devastation of Pearl Harbor, the United States was still well under prepared for major conflict. But in August 1942, the Marine Corps landed on Guadalcanal for the purpose of denying the Japanese the ability to threaten Allied supply and communications.
At 1:00 PM come hear the story of Guadalcanal and the “Cactus Air Force” presented by Aviation and Military Historian Michael Parra. A United States Marine and thirty year law enforcement officer, pilot and helicopter pilot, Michael Parra was also a consultant on the Warner Brothers motion picture “Memphis Belle”. Not to be missed!
Still more and maybe the best for last! Following the presentation, be on the tarmac around 2:00 – 2:30 for a flight demonstration. If you asked any bunch of aviation enthusiasts what their favorite airplane would be, way at the top of the list would be the F4U Corsair. You will be seeing a Corsair take to the air! Capable of carrying incredible armament and a top speed of 446 mph, the Corsair was also a motion picture hero in “Flying Leathernecks” with John Wayne, and the movie and television series “Baa Baa Black Sheep”. Seeing a Corsair fly right in front of you… Very Cool!
Much to do! And making it easier to stay the day, get some good food in the Freedom Cafe. Then take home a souvenir, a cap, a cool t-shirt from the Museum gift shop!
So come on by, Saturday April 8th! You will love it!!
I Get Asked The Most About…
In my years as a photographer in the world of bodybuilding and fitness, I have for a long time been asked many times over and over…. “Have you ever photographed ________?”. And the person I always get asked about more often than any other has always been this glorious, gorgeous, wonderful creature on Earth…. Ava Cowan. One of the world’s best known, most popular and respected IFBB Figure Pro’s ever. Over 1,000,000 Facebook fans alone. So the answer is Yes, I have photographed Ava Cowan!
SecondFocus Blog 