Good Parking In Joshua Tree
Some people get just the best parking spots! One stop along the Hwy 62 Open Studios Art Tour yesterday. This is at Simi Dabah metalwork sculptures in Joshua Tree.
Legs, Shoes, And Envy
I love the photographs we did for Shoeenvy, so very fun! A few have been used so far and there are many more yet. These are the photographs used on the App. What does the App do? “We make shoe shopping convenient and even more fun.” And my favorite quote… “Shoeenvy – because finding the right pair of shoes should be easier than finding the right guy.” By the way, the parent company Envy creates “The Data Platform For The Fashion Industry”. Very cool and my photographs are on their website as well.
By the way, the photographs were shot on digital Hasselblad and the Move 1200L lighting system by broncolor. Nothing but the best producing the best possible details, accurate colors and skin tones.
Black Belt At Venice Beach
Alexandre Michel Franchini came all the way from Saint-Mihiel, France to stand on stage at Muscle Beach. Too much fun having him in front of my camera on the beach in the surf. Truly an amazing, talented and physically accomplished individual. And I must say, one nice guy with a superb sense of adventure. Photographed on only the best, Hasselblad.
Notice Any Difference?
Indian Canyons Golf Resort here in Palm Springs one week apart, Sunday morning to Sunday Morning. Before and after with some water and a couple of light evening rains. No I don’t play golf, but have certainly done photography at golf courses, country clubs and photographed a few golfers. But this time, I was there for breakfast.
Parade Of Planes
The Flying Aviation Expo comes to a close for this year. The airplanes on display at the Palm Springs Convention Center taxi back to the airport and planes from the Palm Springs Air Museum head on home. So very fun to see them under power cruising down the street!
Fly On In
The Flying Aviation Expo is here again in Palm Springs. About 5000 people here for it from just about everywhere. Here are a few photographs from yesterday. Great fun!
Just Needs A Quart Of Oil
Just top it off with a quart of oil and good to go! Ok maybe not. Just brought in to the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday morning. This is a Grumman F9F Panther. The Panther was the U.S. Navy’s first successful carrier based jet aircraft. It was also the aircraft of the Blue Angels from 1949 – 1954. There were 1,382 built and today it is a very rare aircraft. It will go through extensive renovation at the Air Museum and before too will be on display looking like the day it came off the assembly line.
I did some online searching and found what may be a photo (below) of this actual aircraft on board a carrier during the Korean War. It is in the VF-821 Fighter Squadron and may have been on the USS Princeton and the USS Essex. It certainly looks like it was damaged. The photograph below that is an intact Panther on the USS Midway in 1952. I find that photo pretty exciting because I was a photographer onboard the Midway when she was decommissioned and brought into San Diego Harbor where she is today as a Museum.
Faster Than The Speed Of Sound!
Today, October 14, in 1947 was the day that famed test pilot Chuck Yeager flew this very airplane, the Bell X-1, faster than the speed of sound. He reached 700mph at 43,000 ft. It was a speed that had seemed totally impenetrable until then. Yeager nick-named the plane “Glamorous Glennis” in tribute to his wife. This is the actual airplane as I photographed it at The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC.
Credit goes to my friend Brooks Wachtel who in his daily on Facebook “On This Day” covers the most interesting things in world history. Brooks is an Emmy winning writer who co-created the very respected series “DogFights” for the History Channel among his extensive accomplishments.
Behind The Scenes At The Palm Springs Air Museum
So much goes on behind the scenes at the Palm Springs Air Museum. That incredible collection of aircraft goes from restoration to continuous maintenance. It sure is not like just buying a used car and polishing it up. These planes often go from barely recognizable to Museum quality gems. Here are a few photographs I just shot yesterday and I look forward to bringing you more from this incredible display of living history. Please keep coming back to see them. And go visit there, you will love it! Thanks!
No Bra! It’s OK!
It is National No Bra Day today! From my photo shoot with model Aristodeme. The jacket is vintage St. John Knits.
Take A Walk On The Wild Side!
“Killer Heels” a superb exhibit of high heels and more at the Palm Springs Art Museum. From sexy to kinky to fashion to fun. Did I mention sexy and kinky! Got my attention. There are three video installations as well and they are just incredible! I will be going back again but here are some photographs of a few for now. So much art and craftsmanship in these designs!
First a 2012 Prada Sandal that evokes a Mid-Century Modern car design very appropriate for Palm Springs.
Then a sexy bright red 2012 – 2013 Heel by Giuseppe Zanotti.
Pump 2013 Springs/Summer with gold and clear Swarovski crystals by Nicholas Kirkwood. Behind them, 1959 black pumps by Salvatore Ferragamo worn by Marilyn Monroe.
And for those of you who have not taken that “Walk On That Wild Side”, Lou Reed…
A Rare Photo Out In The Wild… Of Me!
I just found this, didn’t know I was in the photo! A very rare photograph of me out and about with Rosie, who loves photos with her iPhone. This is in the Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal Canada. That is me on the left, and no, those people are not looking at me aghast that I am walking up to the front. They are listening to a tour guide to my left.
Naked Selfie From The Diocese
This one is just funny. On Facebook there has been huge increase of these fake profiles doing friend requests. All cute young girls with flirtatious photos. Of course they are designed to lure you in so they can flood your Facebook profile with spam or even hijack it. I get as many as 10 per day and lately they have been given more of a look of legitimacy with listings of mainstream employment and schools. However the group that created this fake profile made a very funny mistake. Along with the naked selfie, they gave this profile a history of being with the “Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento”. Perfect!
Each Of Us Can Work To Change A Small Portion Of Events…
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – 1966
Please join with me and an amazing resource of living history, the Palm Springs Air Museum, in building this working memorial to the many who have served during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The support we provide now will honor those who have given so much and will influence so many who will one day walk through those doors. Thank You! And please click here… https://www.gofundme.com/fb5e43ac
Palm Springs Photographs
As might be expected, I have a huge collection of amazingly unique and different photographs shot by me here in Palm Springs and around the area. People, places, landscapes, events, tourist spots, museums, restaurants, models, bodybuilders, fashion and more being added all the time. From anywhere from downtown Palm Springs to the Salton Sea and Joshua Tree, the entire region. My photographs have been featured in magazine travel features, advertising, fitness magazines and so much more here in the USA and around the world. Very soon I will be making these photographs available for immediate use and licensing in a searchable and viewable archive resource online. If you are the art director, photo editor, editor, publisher, public relations person or advertising creator please check back or send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com to be updated when these photographs will go live and available. I think you will all be very pleased with what you will be seeing. I am also available for your special assignments within the region and elsewhere of course. I must say that I am very excited about this and additionally I must say, Thank You!
Flying Time!
Coming up on the time of year when the Palm Springs Air Museum starts running all kinds of great programs, events and flight demonstrations. Truly my favorite place! I can’t hang out there enough. Like so many of you I was the kid who built model airplanes of World War I and World War II fighters and bombers and then jets of all kinds. Imagined what it would be like to be behind the stick of these machines speeding above the Earth, close to the ground or catapulting off the deck of a carrier. Later myself taking to the air in a Cessna and occasional other small plane. And very excited to see my buddies like Hunter Johnson take to the air too, this time in the bombardier position of FiFi, a still flying B-29. Too Fun!
Again, Too Good Not Too!
Natalie Lyle says I had already posted this photograph on all of my social media. OK more later, but I think this is worth posting again! She is so gorgeous! By the way, Makeup and Hair Styling by her! And the wardrobe styling.
What Am I Doing?
Editing some photographs from one of my shoots with best buddy Natalie Lyle. This is one of the behind the scenes photos. Anyone want to see any more?
Muscle Beach Thank You!
Thank You to everyone who shot with me over the Summer at Muscle Beach! I had so much fun with all of you and look forward to showing off more of your photos here on Facebook and on all of my social media. And a big congratulations to Sheena Epps and Toto Djong for your wins on stage and my photos of you making the 2016 Muscle Beach banners including the huge 7ft x 14ft banner that will be seen on the famous Venice Beach Boardwalk next Summer. Millions of people from around the world will be admiring your great physiques and dedication! Thank You All Again!
Paris Without The Jet Lag
As was said by my friend Matthew Frary from Hasselblad Bron. Montreal is like Paris without the jet lag. Loved it there! Great fun!
Ogilvy Pipers
Jeff McCarthy, Piper, at Ogilvy in Montreal Canada. Since the 1940’s a Bagpiper has played through the store honoring the store’s Scottish heritage. Much of the store is devoted to designer brands, however Ogilvy itself is a destination complete with a 300 seat oak paneled music hall on the top floor with a huge pipe organ. The history of Ogilvy is worth time reading and time to visit.
Back To School
Back to school in Montreal seems like it might be more fun than where I see parents go shopping.
Women’s Shoes As Art
Since my photo shoot for ShoeEnvy I have been more conscious of shoes as stand alone art. Women’s shoes for me have been that to complement the beautiful women I photograph. Taken by themselves however, women’s shoes especially, exhibit tremendous creativity. These shoes on display at the Musée du costume et du textile du Québec. the Museum of Costume and Textile of Quebec in Montreal. Next I will have to get over to the Palm Springs Art Museum to see their new exhibit “Killer Heels: The Art of the High-Heeled Shoe“.
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