Nine Feet Tall
Jeff Behar and his wife Diem in front of his giant 9 ft tall banner at Muscle Beach/Venice today. And yes I photographed the banner as well. Fun Day!
Muscle Beach Is History, Be Part Of It!
When Taschen published this sprawling pictorial history of Los Angeles, it was the beginnings of Muscle Beach that made the cover. Be part of that history on Labor Day Monday and come out to the last show of this Summer with beautiful women and guys with muscles on stage showing off their best. I will be there with my cameras for sure!
I Would Have Missed Marie De Lima Gomez…
Had I not been at Muscle Beach for the show I would have missed shooting this photograph of the exotic and beautiful Marie De Lima Gomez. This coming Monday, Labor Day, is the last Muscle Beach/Venice show of this Summer. Beautiful women and muscle guys on the stage. So come on out, it is great fun. I will be there with my cameras for sure!
Monday! Muscle Beach!
It is always a good time to be at Muscle Beach/Venice. Just ask Marc-arthur Moses Dautruchee working out and wowing the crowds along the boardwalk. And Monday will be even better! Come out for the final big show for this Summer. Guys with muscle and beautiful women will stand on that stage where Where Muscles Were Born. The original big three shows at Muscle Beach over the Summers are the most fun you can imagine. So be there! I will and with my cameras!
Kicking It Up!
She is kicking it up and bringing it to others. Maria Bertrand loves health and fitness and is going to share that love. Doing her re-certification as a personal trainer and bringing something very special to social to what she does. And that something very special is herself. I can assure you, very special indeed! Do you know that as a professional model this woman has been photographed and appeared in the most prestigious of magazines and for the most well known fashion houses. She has a very impressive list of movie and television credits. And Maria Bertrand even gets in front of my camera now and then. How good is that! Let’s do it!
Summer Fun At Muscle Beach
It is so much fun in the Summer hanging out at the place “Where Muscles Were Born“… Muscle Beach/Venice. Lisa Marino Sanders having a good time during her photo shoot looking as bright and beautiful as that Southern California beach sun! The Makeup and Hair Styling for the day by the outstanding Natalie Lyle. Thank You All!
How Do You Get Your F-16 Home After Your Photo Shoot?
From The Air At Muscle Beach!
This is really fun! Early in the day at the Memorial Day show at Muscle Beach. Later in the day would have been fun to see as well because the stands were jammed, the boardwalk was filled with people as was the booth areas, the beach and around that Air Force F-16. And yes I was there shooting photos of course! Very cool!
What A Great Photo Shoot!
What a great photo shoot! Lisa Marino Sanders in front of my camera at Venice Beach was just perfect. Lisa looked just incredible, Natalie Lyle did a fantastic job with her Makeup and Hair Styling. And everything at Venice Beach cooperated from the weather to the workout Pit at Muscle Beach to the boardwalk to the ocean on the sand and even the United States Air Force letting us use their F-16 at the Memorial Day bodybuilding and fitness show. Just a Wow of a day! Thanks everyone!
In The Cockpit She Looked Better Than Me!
I was just trying to convince Lisa Marino Sanders into letting me drive. But I remember her diplomatically saying that she probably would look better in the cockpit of the F-16 at Muscle Beach than I would. It was hard to argue with that so I just went back to taking the photographs.
Yes on Memorial Day weekend as part of our photo shoot we got Lisa up in that cockpit. And yes it is a real United States Air Force F-16 fighter jet. They brought it out just for us. Ok… well they brought it out for the big Memorial Day show at Muscle Beach/Venice. The place “Where Muscles Were Born”! Thanks!
And a big Thank You to Natalie Lyle for her great Makeup and Hair Styling all day!
Great Look At Muscle Beach!
Just loving these great looks on the women standing on stage at Muscle Beach/Venice this last weekend for Memorial Day. Tall Bikini competitor Aline Gretler was a standout not to be ignored! Outstanding!
Just Radiant At Muscle Beach!
At Muscle Beach/Venice on Memorial Day I do not get the chance to photograph everyone on stage. I am just too busy with so many people around the show and backstage. But I did photograph who I could only describe as a very radiant and very beautiful Jennifer Henry. I truly love it when I see people having so much fun on stage at the place “Where Muscles Were Born”!
Red Topping On A Great Body!
I love it when beautiful women come out to Muscle Beach to stand on stage and stand out and have fun! Megan Garrison sure did that! Everyone was inspired by the rocking hot body she has built and topped with that bright red hair! Here she was busy concentrating on getting ready back stage in the “Pit” Of course Megan went home with a trophy! She does hang out on Facebook but she tells me she is much busier over at Instagram as @megandelbarrio. Very Cool!
It Takes A Lot To Stand Out On The Venice Beach Boardwalk!
It takes a lot to stand out on the Venice Beach Boardwalk and Lisa Marino Sanders sure does that! At times she was surrounded by people wanting to take photos with her. It started the moment we got out there and went on all day during our photo shoot. I would have stopped in my tracks too to take in the view of this beautiful woman standing 6-2 in those heels. Just Wow! Actually it was a lot of fun!
Lisa is a Physique Competitor on her way to National competition to grab her IFBB Pro Card fresh from the show the night before our shoot at the NPC California State Championships National Qualifier. How better to celebrate than in front of my camera at Venice Beach!
A big Thank You to Natalie Lyle for a superb day of outstanding Makeup and Hair Styling and all her help!
The Best Fun At Muscle Beach…
The best fun at Muscle Beach/Venice for me… seeing friends old and new! All time greats and legends of bodybuilding Tony Pearson and Bill Grant cheering on Jeff Behar winning the day yesterday at the show.
And I have to Thank so many of you who made it a part of your day to come see me as well. You yelled and texted and had other people find me amid the crowds and so much going on. I am so very flattered by you! Thank You Thank You Thank You!!
A Real F-16 At Muscle Beach!
I knew it was coming, but it was a secret, a big secret. A real F-16 jet fighter courtesy of the United States Air Force at Muscle Beach at Venice Beach for the big show tomorrow. Very Cool!
You Will Find Me At Muscle Beach!
It is that time when you find me at Muscle Beach/Venice for the big Memorial Day Bodybuilding and Fitness Show. I will be headed out there tomorrow Sunday for photo shoots and photographing at the show and all around on Monday.
Here is one of my photos from in the pit during a show with Andy Haman wowing the girls on the boardwalk. It has not changed at Muscle Beach almost forever. It is the place “Where Muscles Were Born” and only gotten better and more fun! And I will tell you a secret… tomorrow the United States Air Force will be rolling in to set up a real F-16 Jet Fighter to show off right there at the show on Monday! How cool is that!
On This Day 1941, The Tuskegee Airmen…
It was on this day, March 19th in 1941 that the 99th Pursuit Squadron was activated at Chanute Field in Rantoul, Illinois. These enlisted men became the core of other “black” squadrons who went on to be known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
It was my honor to photograph members of the Tuskegee Airmen honored on Memorial Day 2012 at world famous Muscle Beach. From left to right… Levi Thornhill, Buford Johnson, Heather Clay, Brig. Gen. Roger W. Teague, Edward Tillman, and Ted Lumplin.
Muscle Beach 2014
The Summer shows at Muscle Beach. The only real Muscle Beach shows at the place “Where Muscles Were Born”! And the 2014 banner with my photographs of two Muscle Beach favorites of muscle and beauty, even better!
Doing Good!
A big shout out to my friend Marc-arthur Dautruchee. He made his way to stand on the Arnold stage this past weekend and did good! This guy is impressive and has a lot of heart. We are going to be seeing a lot more of Marc! He also impressed the crowd working out in the pit at Muscle Beach over the Summer. Good thing I had a camera!
All Eyes On Cara…
One magazine publisher said to me “I hate it when Cara is around because I can’t see anything else but her”. Another photographer said “From now on when I dream, I am going to dream of Cara”. Another model said to me once “She doesn’t walk into a room, she sweeps into the room and all eyes just follow her”. My good friend Cara Jo Basso in front of my camera at Muscle Beach/Venice. One of the most very special, creative, beautiful and talented people I have ever known.
Legendary Bodybuilder Bill Grant…
My good friend Bill Grant featured on the Stars of Bodybuilding in one of my photographs.
Legendary bodybuilder Bill Grant being inducted into the Muscle Beach Hall Of Fame on July 4, 2006 at world famous Muscle Beach at Venice Beach California.
Lifetime Achievement!
John Balik, publisher of Iron Man Magazine along with Al Pacino inducting Eddie Giuliani into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame. Much to say about everyone here, of course, but this post is about my friend John Balik. John is this year going to be given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the “Arnold” this year in Columbus Ohio.
It is funny, John was just telling me about when his Iron Man Magazine was one of only three sponsor booths at the very first Arnold Classic. Now the Arnold Sports Festival seems like it takes over the entire city of Columbus Ohio and brings in hundreds of thousands of people.
John’s life has always been bodybuilding, starting out lifting and competing himself when he was 14 years old. Very early he began producing his own shows and even produced the AAU Mr. America in 1970 with Bill Pearl. An accomplished photographer, John was shooting almost half of all of the photographs you saw back then for Muscle & Fitness and Flex magazines. John went on to acquire Iron Man Magazine in 1986 and has been a continuing major influence in the industry and sport of bodybuilding and fitness.
So a huge congratulations to a wonderful individual who is one of those great people we have from the golden age of bodybuilding. Thank You John Balik!
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