This Photo Life

I’m sorta obsessed with Mr. Peters’ work right now.
www.vincentpetersphotography.com

Photographer Patrick Hoelck at Terry Richardson’s TERRYWOOD opening.

Photog Michael Donovan at the Lovecat Shin dig.

Glen Burrows

Michelle Laurita

Yu Tsai

Legendary Magnum photographer photographer Eva arnold died yesterday at age 99. Born in Philadelphia she was the very first woman to join the prestigous agency and is probably most remembered for her pictures of close friend Marilyn Monroe although she specialized in “the poor, the old and the underdog”. She said: “It’s the hardest thing in the world to take the mundane and try to show how special it is.” Some of my favorite pictures before I became a photographer were Ms. Arnolds shots on the set of THE MISFITS Monroe and Clark Gables last film and Monty Clifts penultimate film. She also took amazing pictures during the civil rights struggles in the early ’60s..

Asked if she were ever satisfied, she replied: “Never. I think if I ever get satisfied, I’ll have to stop. It’s the frustration that drives you.”

1. Havana prostitute

2.Paul Newman at The actors studio.

3. Miss Arnold at work.

4. Civil rights

5.Marilyn Monroe on set

6. Marilyn Monroe and Husband Arthur Miller on set of The Misfits

“It seems dangerous to be a portrait artists who do commissions for clients because everyone wants to be flattered,so they pose in such a way that there’s nothing left of truth”

Myself and last years awards winner Yu Tsai

I recently popped by the set of my pal Cameron Krones photo shoot down in the financial district. He was shooting next big thing Ieva Laguna.

David Bailey + Rankin

This is excerpts from a great conversation between British photography legends David Bailey,71 and Rankin,43.
DAVID BAILEY: I never use poloroids. By the time you come to shoot film,you’ve lost them completely. You have to hold someone’s interest,especially actors and celebrities. If you can’t keep them amused,you lose them- and you musn’t impose too much of yourself. You musn’t impose too much of your view.
RANKIN: Its has to be a balance.
B: It has to be all about them. Every time I take a picture I have to kind of fall in love with them,whether it’s a man or a woman. Avedon said taking pictures wasn’t a sexual act, but for me it’s a totally sexual act.
R:I agree with you
B:I’m so pleased when somebody gives me their time, that I want to do something that will please them.Sometimes they hate the pictures, and then 10 years later they say to me that was the best picture I’ve ever had taken. Sometimes it takes a long time for them to realize. People don’t really like the truth.
R:That’s funny I’ve never thought of it like that.
B:Everybody has a preconceived idea of who or what they look like.
R:Did you like fashion?
B: I never liked fashion that much. It got me into VOGUE and got me laid-which was nice-not what I started off doing.
R:Are you bored with people asking you about the 60’s?
Yeah, cos I hate the past. I’m more interested in what I’m doing today.
R:What do you live for?
B: fucking.
R:Fucking?
B:and then photography.
R:You like eating? Drinking? and fucking? In what order?
B: I don’t really care about eating.
R:What makes a great photographer?
B: You can’t pin it down. You can learn to take pictures in 3 months. You can learn to draw in 3 months, but only technically. It’s where you go from there.
R:Do you ever take the money and run?
B: No, you can’t. I’m not easy with the clients-I mean I am not a Mario Testino! He’s the most charming man you’d ever meet. If you could bottle Mario’s charm I’d make a fucking fortune-but I think it’s gone too far.
R:So is there anything else about you that we should know?
B: My penis isn’t that big. But you know its what you do with it that counts! One of my heroes John Betjeman (English poet and writer. He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture. Starting his career as a journalist, he ended it as one of the most popular British Poets Laureate to date.)all wrapped up in a blanket during his last interview, was asked if he had any regrets. He said “I didn’t have enough sex.”
R:Well that can’t apply to you?!
B: No, but I do have regrets. I regret not taking more pictures. You musn’t take anything for granted, you must live every moment, do everything. Right, c’mon then, it’s time for your close-up- THEN you can do me.

Photographer @tylershields and his girlfriend at the Black Keys party in Chinatown the other night.