Thank you random stranger guy.

Santa Monica Pier at Magic Hour. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Thank you random stranger guy. Thank you for unknowingly walking into frame and bringing life to a very still photograph.

I don't know who you are, but I hope you got your shot. I got mine.

Thank you.

Don't Crowd

L.A. Coliseum Tunnel (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

UNICEF - Laurence Fishburne

I met Morpheus today.

I know it's just a role, but I couldn't help seeing the long leather coat and the dark pince-nez spectacles as I shook his hand and introduced myself. That's the thing about being in Hollywood—everyone is always more than just themselves.


Mr. Fishburne preparing. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Today's shoot was for another installment in the UNICEF "Believe in Zero" ad campaign.

Credits
Art Director: Brad Roberts
Asst. Coordinator: Ari Schneiderman
Production Manager: Pamela Sunnarborg
Agency: Matale Line

Personal Work - Aaron

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This is Aaron. I've known him for about 15 years now. We were co-workers together in the Navy's Marine Mammal Research Program circa '94. We worked for, by far, one of the worst bosses ever. It's true what they say, misery does indeed love company. We'd be stuck on a little 22 ft. Boston Whaler at sea for hours on end thinking of ways to push this contemptible loser overboard and make it look like an accident.

"I could hit a wake too hard," Aaron would say. "Bump! Splash! Half day!"

"The anchor line could wrap around his foot!" I'd respond. "To the bottom. Quickly."

In the end, the only thing that stopped us was the inevitable paperwork that would ensue. So instead we'd just laugh to ourselves and tell horribly inappropriate inside jokes to one another in front of John. (Who was too stupid to realize we were having fun at his expense.)

Aaron was driving through L.A. from San Diego a few weeks back and stopped by the studio to say hi. And thankfully, agreed to a portrait.

Thanks Aaron. Good times buddy.

Personal Work - Aristocat

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

“Looking good is the best revenge.” - Ivana Trump

On the Road - Seattle, WA

Two classic Seattle fine art mediums—wood paneling and glass. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Last day of the trip. Called up my buddy Ryan for breakfast. He's like a bloodhound for good chicken-fried steak. He had wanted to try Cyndy's at the corner of 105th and Aurora Ave. N. (aka "The last remnants of old Seattle.")


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This place is a time warp. In a good way. Friendly service, bottomless cup of coffee and kick ass food. In my eight years in Seattle I saw many places like this disappear to make way for condos and overpriced clothing boutiques. Shame.


Another endangered species in Seattle: free parking. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

For now, this place seems safe being in the northern reaches of the rougher part of Aurora Ave. But even now, we saw the cranes and condos working their way North like some sort of fungus crawling up an alder. The owners are elderly, and I fear, like McGrath's or Manning's Cafeteria, this too shall pass, be demolished and paved-over. Then replaced with "affordable condos with ground floor retail."

If you like good chicken-fried steak and a waitress who looks like someone's grandma and calls you "honey" with every coffee warm-up, check out Cyndy's.

On the Road - 32,000 ft over Colorado

Q: When is a window seat not a window seat?

A: When you are in seat 32A on an MD-80 aircraft.

That's an engine by the way. A very large, loud, vibrating jet engine.

P.S. Bring earplugs.

On the Road - Greenbelt, MD

Photography: It's now rocket science.

Check out the new sticker. Got it at the Goddard Space Center. Yeah, I am a space nerd. So what. You should see the looks we get on the shuttle busses at the airport.

On the Road - Washington D.C.

Me holding a camera? Or me scratching my head? You decide.(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

The shoot in Philadelphia went great. Even had time to see the Rodin Museum afterwards. Today we had a day off in Washington D.C. before a shoot tomorrow. So we went to the National Mall. Pssshhh. Not even one Cinnabon!

On the Road - Pittsburgh, PA

Light test with lens flare. © William Anthony

We're currently on assignment again for Architect Magazine. (This time only five cities!) Today we shot a portrait at the beautiful campus of Carnegie Mellon University. Specifically at the very cool "Intelligent Workplace" laboratory where they research sustainable construction techniques and technology including those like this solar photovoltaic panel.

Next up—Philly, PA.