William Anthony Photography

Happy Fourth®

2009-07-04T11:51:00.001-07:00

I.O.U. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Phoenix (de la France)

2009-06-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

Live in-studio. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Thomas. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

A few weeks ago, while flipping through channels on a Saturday night, I was pleasantly surprised to see the French band Phoenix performing as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. I had photographed them back in April of 2005 in New York for KEXP 90.3 FM. Their in-studio was mid-week, way too early and downright, unapologetically incredible. It was about 8am, the band looked hungover and there were about 12 people there. Half of which had never heard of them. The whole front row was empty. But you'd never know by the way lead singer Thomas Mars performed. All out.

Now, four years later, they're on SNL, Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel and a slew of other big, national spotlights. Kudos to them. And for their first release from the new album, 1901, they've created one of the most creative, beautiful music videos I've ever seen.

Chris

2009-06-27T09:37:00.000-07:00

Blue Note. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Magic hour at the lake house.

On the Road - A Home Depot somewhere in MN

2009-06-26T20:37:00.000-07:00

She found a bird nest. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - Lino Lakes, MN

2009-06-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

92º F. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - Cambridge, MN

2009-06-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

DinoMart (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - Metrodome

2009-06-21T21:38:00.000-07:00

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Robin: "Hey, I think the sun's out!"
Me: "How can you tell?"
Robin: "The circles in the ceiling just got brighter."

On the Road - Off MN Hwy 18

2009-06-20T23:15:00.000-07:00

Make a huge wish. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - Shakopee, MN

2009-06-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

Ham. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - St. Paul, MN

2009-06-18T22:51:00.001-07:00

Como Conservatory nymph. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - Minneapolis, MN

2009-06-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Claes meets Morris (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Web site re-edit

2009-06-12T11:54:00.000-07:00

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I have a lot of new imagery from the past year that needs to get on the web site. So I am doing a complete re-edit. And I am choosing to do it old-school, thumbnails-taped-to-the-wall style.

Let's hear it for analog.

Pepper

2009-06-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

In some circles, photographing the homeless is considered cliché. There—I said it. But yesterday morning, I met a man I had to photograph. Had to. I formally met Pepper, aka "The Mayor."

I'd heard a lot about Pepper. I was told by some long-time residents that despite his outward appearances, he's a great guy. Which made me think about how some of the world's most infamous assholes actually look like decent people. So let's agree that bookcover judging has a poor record. I'd seen Pepper around. He has a swagger not unlike George Jefferson's. And it's a swagger even Weezie would be proud of.

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Pepper is truly an institution around here. His stomping grounds seem to be fluid, though I am told he doesn't stray far from the Los Angeles River. He has many names. "The Mayor, Sheriff and Mouth of the South" to name just a few. A neighbor friend who has lived here in the Industrial/Arts District for 12 years finally introduced me to Pepper. And I'd learn there was so much more under this bookcover than I could have imagined.

Pepper has lived here for 22 years. Yes, TWENTY-TWO. And when he first came here it was a very different, far more dangerous area. Originally from Iowa, he was disowned by his father for marrying "outside his race." He moved to the South where he picked up his strong southern drawl. Sometime thereafter, he ended up in L.A.

As I spoke to him, I could tell he was sizing me up. Yeah I was a friend of a friend, but someone with this amount of street smarts doesn't take anything on its word. I asked if I could take his photo. He grinned his remaining teeth silently and immediately grabbed three dolls he had in his shopping cart and held them in his arms. He was proud. It was then that I noticed his second-hand shirt. An ambulance driver's uniform, probably acquired from one of the many film prop shops around here.

He went on to tell me that some people think he looks like Brad Pitt. (I'll admit there's an undeniable resemblance underneath all the wear.) He also proudly told me that he has starred in at least eight Lowrider magazine spreads with "hot chicks."

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I told him I'd like to photograph him again someday. His response was something to the effect of a friendly, "I don't do nuthin' for free." Which then led me to ask him what he needed that I could give him as payment. To which he responded "I don't need nuthin'."

So, as a sign of gratitude, I told him I'd print one of these photographs, put it in a nice frame and post it to a utility pole in the neighborhood with the caption "Employee of the Month."

He liked that idea. He liked it a lot.

Alicia

2009-06-06T09:42:00.001-07:00

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Even though we met in 1984, I've really only known Alicia for a few years. Granted, they were those unforgettable, hallowed "formative years."

Alicia and I went to high school together. As a matter of fact, we carpooled every day for the better part of those four years with our crazy buddy Mike D. (Think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride but without the safety bar over your lap.) Mike had an old Ford Ranger we'd all pile into and jump the steep hills behind our school. Three people, one truck cab, four years. And Alicia always got stuck riding in the middle. Poor girl.

We reconnected at my 20 year high school reunion. At the time she was living somewhere in the frozen Middle-North part of the country. She and her beau recently relocated to Los Angeles to advance their travel/film production company Studio Red Dot. And despite the 20 year gap of radio silence—a silence filled with a separate lifetime of experiences, friends, partners, and career choices—it was as if it was just yesterday we were skipping our late classes to run down to Carl's Junior for shit junk food.

Doug Pray | Art & Copy

2009-06-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

Dramatic photocopier shot. From DDB Project. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Doug Pray is an incredible filmmaker. I almost wrote "documentarian" but that would be a limiting descriptor. Not all documentaries are as beautifully crafted as Doug's. For some reason, many documentarians feel the subject matter alone is reason enough to carry a film. But ever since seeing the act transition scene showing grainy, handheld camcorder footage of the first time Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was played live in his debut HYPE! I knew this was more than just your average, run-of-the-mill documentary—it was "film." Goosebumps-hold-your-breath-exhale-while-saying-wow-out-loud "film."

Well now Doug has done it again. This time with something many love to hate—advertising. Full disclosure: I used to work in advertising and I have also worked alongside Doug. (See here.) But I have to admit upon learning about his new film, Art & Copy, I gave out an audible "duh." It's a no-brainer. Of course he'd be intrigued by the personalities in advertising. Of course he'd dig deeper into the slogans and taglines that make up our culture's landscape. Doug digs deep. And this new doc looks no different.

And I look forward to seeing it.

Conan O'Brien

2009-05-31T21:32:00.000-07:00

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Tomorrow night, Conan O'Brien takes over the reigns of The Tonight Show. I was a die-hard Carson fan, so I never really got on board with Leno's style of comedy. But I am really looking forward to what Conan does with the earlier time slot.

The photo above was totally lucky on my part. I was on assignment in San Francisco and wandering around downtown when I saw a film crew setting up. A passerby said Conan O'Brien was shooting a bit so I decided to stick around.

Shortly after, this large lanky praying mantis-lookin' redhead dude came running out, turned a cable car around by hand, then ran off. It was Conan.

Completely random. I snapped one frame.

Godspeed Conan.

Paul Solomon

2009-05-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

Crossing the 6th St. bridge with the Biscuit and TOY as backdrop. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

The first time I met Paul Solomon I was looking into a lease at the Biscuit Company Lofts. I had just tugged on the BCL office door only to find it locked. They had closed a half hour prior. It was then that I heard a soft-spoken, "Can I help you?" I turned to to find myself looking directly into the chest of an extremely tall man that didn't match the voice.

Paul Solomon is a partner in Linear City, L.L.C., the company that repurposed, among others, a toy factory and biscuit company into some of Los Angeles' finest live/work loft buildings. I happen to live/work in one now. (After, of course, I learned the office hours.)

As time would go by, I'd see Paul out and about in the neighborhood and began to notice that his hair seemed to be growing uncontrollably. And growing. And growing. At some point, I said to him, "... don't cut that hair until I get a portrait of you." A few weeks later, when the coiff reached apogee, we scheduled a shoot. And by then, the fro was in full glory. I knew I wanted a car. But not just any car. A car that not only fit the style but could actually accommodate the monstrous mane. A 1971 Buick Skylark convertable with a few patches of bondo fit the bill. The results were—and I don't say this lightly—epic.

Thanks Paul.

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

The American Dream

2009-05-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This photograph was not planned. It materialized right before my eyes. Though, I don't think I could have art directed it any better. The mother with 2(.5) kids. Dad pulling up in the minivan and the red "SOLD" sign in the window. The perfectly manicured flora. It's all there.

I grew up in suburbia but I have absolutely no desire to return.

On the Road - Keenesburg, CO

2009-05-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

The Duke. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

We drove right into a tornado warning/thunderstorm/hailfest enroute from Ft. Morgan to Denver. Knowing it would pass quickly, we pulled in to Rooster's Country Grill & Steakhouse off I-76 for some coffee and pie. Great place. Proof was right inside the front door.

On the Road - Aurora, CO

2009-05-24T00:07:00.000-07:00

On the Road - Nederland, CO

2009-05-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

On the Road - Gold Hill, CO

2009-05-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Cody

2009-05-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

1.5 years old. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Cody is the son of very good friends of ours in Colorado. He is also very easy to photograph. This morning, he stealthily stuffed half of his waffle between the sofa cushions while watching cartoons.

I like Cody.

On the Road - Boulder, CO

2009-05-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

Panoramic memories

2009-05-18T12:10:00.000-07:00

While going through the archives I came across some panoramic images I shot while living in Seattle, steeped in the music scene. All images shot with my Widelux camera. Good times.

The Dandy Warhols. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Ian MacKaye and Amy Farina of The Evens. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

John Doe before his live in-studio performance for KEXP FM. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Kinski live. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Kinski for Seattle Weekly. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Interpol backstage. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Schoolyard Heroes backstage. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Kane Hodder crowd. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony