Excitement, beauty and power. Description that fits my photo shoot with Stacey Naito. Always more on my Website at SecondFocus.com.
Stacey Naito featured on my website. Makeup and Hairstyling by Blanche LeBeau.
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The Palm Springs Air Museum Gala
“The Palm Spings Air Museum Gala is coming. 2/12/16 we are honoring 8 Green Berets that held off a reinforced NVA regiment (2,000+ men) at the Battle of Ton Le Chong (8/67). Ken MIles revcieved his Silver Star for the action for airstrikes that saved the 8 Special Operations troops. We have reunited the “Mike A” team from all those years ago. I have attached the video promoting the event. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to honor these troops.” – Fred Bell, Palm Springs Air Museum Managing Director
Join me for this once in a lifetime opportunity, I will be there. Thank You! More info and tickets at http://palmspringsairmuseum.org/gala/
Never Got In The Way
I was just watching “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” on Friday thinking how amazing it was that I was the still photographer on one of his movies not that long ago. His last movie as it turns out, “Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks”. Then yesterday I read the news of the passing of Vilmos Zsigmond, one of the greatest cinematographers of all time.
Vilmos won an Oscar for Close Encounters and was nominated for “The Deer Hunter”, “The River” and “The Black Dahlia”. However you have seen his work in so much more such as “Deliverance”, “Blow Out”, “The Long Goodbye” and “McCabe and Mrs. Miller”.
During the seven weeks on set with Vilmos, I was astounded by his unending energy and drive. He was there before I showed up and was there after I left. And I was on set pretty much longer than anyone. Vilmos had an ease of professionalism and confidence that was so very apparent.
Throughout, more people asked for his autograph than anyone else. At our wrap party, after what was another long day ending at maybe midnight, Vilmos paid me what I was told was about the best compliment ever from him. He said “You can work on my sets anytime, you never got in the way”. Made me laugh then, makes me laugh now. Thanks Vilmos!
Camera in place for shooting in the ballroom on “Six Dance Lessons In Six Weeks”
Also From A January 3rd
January 3, 2012… Starting out the New Year searching for words… “Magnificent Creature” crosses my mind! Ava Cowan from a photo shoot we did as she was first becoming known to everyone. Ava has gone on to be one of the most pre-eminent and respected women in the world of bodybuilding and fitness.
You see Ava in almost every magazine every month, she is hugely popular and deservedly so. Much more than just a great body built in the gym, she is a personality of tenaciousness that we can all admire. In only eight weeks from now you will next be seeing her on stage at the Arnold. Ava Cowan!
My Wall Friends Like Her Too!
Kind of sums it up! The person I photographed more than anyone else in 2015 is someone who never ceases to surprise me. How lucky am I to have as a buddy this amazing person Maria Yvonne Bertrand. And to get her in front of my cameras… WOW!
Let me tell you about her. Director of Content for the Fashion Platform Envy, she is also an accomplished writer for magazines and entertainment.
As a professional model, Maria has been seen for Guess, Versace, Gianfranco Ferre, La Vie en Rose, Dynamite, La Perla, Armani, Coca Cola, Le Grenier and more. She has been in and on covers for Vogue, W, Chatelaine, Elle, Sante, Living Fit, and Femme D’aujour’hui. Commercials for Audi, Miller, Bud Light, Baskin Robbins, Molson Dry, Coppertone, Pela Windows, Comcast, Michelob Ultra and Club Med. Then there are movies and television with some of the biggest names in the business.
There is much more, I am told her Mom keeps better track of all of it. But for now, me and my friends on the wall are just amazed that Maria puts up with me and my cameras! Looking to see what we do for 2016!
Photographed on Hasselblad. Only the best!
Flyover Muscle Beach
If you were on stage at Muscle Beach or just nearby on Memorial Day, this is one of the memories you are carrying in your mind from 2015. One you will not forget soon! The only bodybuilding and fitness show to open with the United States Air Force flying a C-17 overhead at roof top level. You saw it, you heard it and you could feel the excitement. Only at the real Muscle Beach shows! That is where you find me with my cameras for over a decade.
A Thousand Words
One of the reasons I love shooting photographs is because it is said “A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words”. For Kerstin Schulze in front of my cameras, just a thousand words would not be enough. The wonderful Makeup and Hair Styling by Natalie Lyle.
Loading Unloading – An Environmental Tragedy
In the distance you see the Salton Sea from what is a boat launch ramp. Perhaps a 1/2mile away from where I am standing to shoot this photograph. The disappearing of the Salton Sea, if allowed to happen, could be one of the greatest environmental tragedies to take place in the United States. Water, air, food, commerce, economy, and health will be impacted like a tidal wave starting at it’s epicenter but unstoppable with it’s reach.
Interestingly enough, there is an identical tragedy that has occurred on the other side of globe, cause and effect almost identical. The crisis of the Aral Sea, called “One Of The Planet’s Worst Environmental Disasters“. There is now very little time left to Save the Salton Sea.
My Idea Of Festive
I was thinking the red tires are very Christmas looking. Maria Yvonne Bertrand is always very festive. And she is not guilty! Makeup and Hair Styling for our photo shoot by Santa’s first choice for helper, Natalie Lyle.
Hiking With A Challenge
Without 4 wheel drive, getting to the site of the abandoned Naval Base on the shore of Salton Sea was a little over 2 miles each way in soft sand and high winds. Well worth the effort to see and photograph a part of history.
The Salton Sea was also the location of testing of dropping the first Atomic Bomb. Crews from the Crews from Wendover Air Base made hundreds of practice runs near and over Salton Sea dropping 10,000 pound dummy bombs from B-29 bombers at 30,000 feet.
The base was turned over to the Atomic Energy Commission in 1946 through 1961. Abandoned it was subsequently used off and on by the military for live munitions training and Gulf War training maneuvers.
