Spectral Motion Shop Tour

Atlas of Clinical Dermotology (Click image for large.) © William Anthony

On the occasional Monday night, I play on a pub quiz/trivia team called "Titicaca." (Don't ask.) One of my teammates in cerebral calisthenics is a guy named Brent Baker. Each of us on the team have our trivial specialties. Mine are biology, aviation, photography and Precious Moments™ figurines. Brent's are TV, film, horror movies and special effects. Which makes sense because he's an amazing special effects artist with a long, distinguished filmography.


Brents. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony

A while back I asked him if he'd be interested in a portrait at his shop. Why? Why NOT? He has one of the coolest jobs in Hollywood. I dream of portraits like this. Plus, I think it's important, every now and then, to turn the spotlight around and shine it on the people who don't see much light because they're quietly working in a non-desrcript industrial shop in Glendale. Thankfully, he agreed.

So earlier today, I got a tour of the Spectral Motion studio for a scout. It was pretty amazing. Being a scifi geek and lover of all things fantastic, I wandered around wide-eyed and slack-jawed. This is an amazingly talented group of people and I felt pretty lucky to be invited in.


Paint shop. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony


Same to you buddy. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony

Spectral Motion has worked on many feature films including M. Night Shayamalan's Lady in the Water as well as Hellboy. And every so often I'd turn around only to be staring right at Hellboy's sawed-off horns or down the jaws of a snarling robotic tinder wolf. Hostile workplace at it's truest.


Hellboy sculpture by Ryan Peterson. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony


Animatronic wolf head. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony

My visit was timed so any and all top secret projects they may (or may not) be working on were not in view. They're currently working on an upcoming Martin Lawrence movie. (See below.) I saw dismembered portions of Mr. Lawrence throughout the shop. His head here, lips there. A leg on a shelf, torso on a table. Really, really surreal.


Martin Lawrence mold. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony

In the next few weeks we'll set up a time and concept for his portrait. And given the location and subject, anything is possible.

Stay tuned.

Southland

(Click image for supersize.) © William Anthony

“I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They're beautiful. Everybody's plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic.” - Andy Warhol

Laurie Records - Casting Director

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Laurie Records is a casting director. She is the sole proprietor of Laurie Records Casting, and fellow Seattle transplant. I was introduced to Laurie by my good friend, incredible musician and all-around awesome human being, Jared Clifton.

Jared's been a big fan of my work since forever and when his long-time friend needed some portraits, he was gracious enough to recommend me. Laurie moved here to L.A. ten years ago from Seattle. We met up to talk photos and ended up talking about our weirdest experiences in Los Angeles. (And there were many. Too many.)


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

We scheduled a shoot a week later. She's an absolute sweetheart and completely photogenic, despite her saying otherwise—repeatedly. She really made my job easy.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Credits
Photo Assistant: Pamela Sunnarborg
Humor Consultant/Stunt Best Friend: Fawnda McMahan

Not a good sign

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Saving this sign may cost millions...

Plan to Save 'Hollywood' Comes With a Hefty Price Tag

Curbed L.A. picks up the 90021 story

Click image, check it out.

*THE* real estate blog in Los Angeles likes The 90021 Project

Now I'm blushing...

A girl named Remy

Framing up. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

A few weeks back, good friend and photographer Remy Haynes asked if I wouldn't mind helping her out on a shoot for her very timely Currency Project. What originally started as me recommending locations here in my neighborhood turned into me lugging lights. Voluntarily no less! I really wanted to see one of her Currency shoots in action. She'd been talking about it for months. Besides, it's nice to occasionally put the camera down and instead juggle C-stands and yell "game off" when a cars come down the street.

I've known Remy for years now. We met while both living in Seattle. As a matter of fact, she was the pathfinder coming down here to Los Angeles. She relocated here about six months before we did. Come to think of it, we used the same movers, car shippers and apartment finders. Needless to say, I owed her.


On set. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Her shoot was with Nate G. and friend Remy N. (Another girl named Remy. What are the chances?) She needed a gritty urban environment for a Twilight-inspired, vampire homage shot. This part of town set the standard for gritty. I knew just the spot.


Nate and the other Remy. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

So as we all headed down to a nearby warehouse district street, I grabbed my old Canon AE-1. It had an unfinished roll of film in it. What kind of film I couldn't remember. The counter simply read "5." I figured whatthehell, I'd just snap a few shots throughout the evening and whatever showed up, showed up.


Lit by her own strobes. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

It was SO FUN. I'd never worked side-by-side with Rem. (Her name was truncated to Rem for the day to differentiate talent from shooter.) I shuffled lights around, lifted sandbags and just generally had fun watching Remy—er—Rem, have fun. You can see the wonderful results here.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I am so glad we've kept in touch over the years. Her attitude and generous spirit is a real inspiration to me.

And best of all, Nate showed up on film! So much for vampire.

City of Sleeping Angels

Detail crop. Click image for full size. © William Anthony

This photo was taken the morning of Trigger Street shoot, as we were setting up atop the 6th St. bridge before the sun rose. In the hi-res version you can see everything from the newly erected Ritz-Carlton at the L.A. Center to the left all the way to the Hollywood sign tucked away just to the left of City Hall. (The triangular roof, far right.)

This wonderful light is almost good enough to get me up earlier in the morning more often.

Almost.

When concrete blushes

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Color study in concrete and cellulose.

Six Feet Under House

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Oh how I miss the Fishers.

I was perusing YouTube last week and came across some clips from the epic HBO series Six Feet Under. Ruth, Claire, David, Nate, Brenda, Federico, George—it all came back. I didn't have HBO when it was on the air. I rented DVDs. I figured I'd watch the pilot first because everyone WOULDN'T SHUT UP ABOUT THIS SHOW. I wanted to not like it because of the hype. I almost watched it out of spite. After the final scene of the pilot, when the bus pulls away from Nate, I was emotionally exhausted and totally committed to the Fishers. From then on the routine was simple, rent a DVD, return it and get the next one. I think I watched the entire series in a two weeks.

After moving to Los Angeles, I decided to investigate if the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home was an actual building or just a set. To my glee, I discovered it is a real house. And not five minutes from where I live.

So last night I took the 'ol 4x5 out to it and snapped this photo not far from where Claire took her last photo.

Now I need to buy the box set. Unless, of course, there's someone out there who wants to gift it to me...

Architect Magazine - December '09

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

As mentioned before, I photographed architect Michael Lehrer for Architect Magazine for the December 2009 "Best Practices" section.

More here.

Ma vie en rose

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Your life in pink
It goes deeper than you think
It goes deeper than I go
Deeper than you know

An F for freak
And D for dog
Lost in the fog ?
Your life in pink

You know it's never gonna stop
You know it's never gonna end
Your life in pink

Yeah, I'm like a disco ball
Crashing down your head
But somehow I don't fall

To your life you got to sink
To your heart you got to drink
Your life in pink

It's always high and not low
It's always bright and not dull
Your life in pink

Yeah, I'll never let you go
It goes deeper than you know

DTLA by 4x5

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

The clearest days in Los Angeles are immediately after rain showers.

It rained yesterday.

Getty Center

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

We have a friend in from out of town. Perfect excuse to go to the Getty Center. If you have never been to this museum, you have not seen one of the best museums on the planet.


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


The hand of Saint Ginés. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Cirque du Santa Monica

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Cirque du Soleil is currently in Santa Monica. The tent is adjacent to the pier, on the North side.

The first time I saw the chapiteau was in 1986, when it suddenly appeared in the parking lot of the old Navy Hospital in Balboa Park in San Diego. I was in high school and my only exposure to the circus was the kind that smelled like elephant poop.

I remember walking up to the tent, nearly 25 years ago, to inspect the odd behemoth. I circled it like it was a beached whale, or an asteroid that just landed in a corn field, trying to figure out what it was and why it was there. At the time, no one had heard of this French circus with an unpronounceable name. It was early in the day, so no one was there yet. Even the ticket trailer was closed. But the price list was in the window. I remember saying out loud, "Fifteen dollars?! For a circus ticket? Yeah... right. Good luck with that here in the U.S."

Last night, I approached a very similar tent again—with the same sense of awe. Music pounded inside the tent as I looked through the ground glass, sea air blowing under the focusing cloth. A show was in progress.

A lot has changed in the years since. Not least of which is the ticket price.

Michael Lehrer - Architect

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Earlier this week I photographed award-winning architect and art teacher Michael Lehrer at his studio in Silverlake for Architect Magazine. It's a wonderful, open-floor former manufacturing building directly adjacent to a preschool. Michael is a big proponent of artistic "cross-pollination" and the value of playfulness in design. During the day, they open two huge garage doors and the studio is instantly filled with a soundtrack of children playing. I imagine some of those squeals and the laughter make it to the final design of some of their buildings.

Once a month, they order pizza and host a night of life-drawing. Also, there's a workshop where designers are encouraged to use their hands after hours of just their brains. The small, cramped little workshop has birthed composite resin chairs, end tables made from old catalogs and coffee tables with legs shaped like deer hooves.

Michael was a great subject. Open, playful and talkative, he made my job incredibly easy.

He also had two dogs, Lolita and Ginger. They had their photo taken as well. But you'll have to wait til the issue comes out to see them in their debut.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Credits
Production Manager: Pamela Sunnarborg
Photo Assistant: Jeff Johnson

Philip Lumbang III

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

A while back I blogged about these cavity-inducing, sweet bears some street artist was putting up all over Los Angeles. I discovered the first on Mill St., right near the studio in the Arts District. After some research, I discovered they were done by artist Philip Lumbang. His web site had his contact e-mail address, so I sent him a message asking him if he'd like to participate in my neighborhood photo project 90021. Not surprisingly, his response was friendly and open to the idea.

So after a few weeks of e-mail and phone exchanges, and a very successful solo show of his work I might add, we set up a time and place for the photoshoot. Knowing he's the type to collaborate (be sure to check out his piece "Bear of the Dead" with Ernesto Yerena) I asked him if he wouldn't mind doing a mural specifically for the shoot. Not surprisingly, his response was friendly and open to the idea.




(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

After securing a permission wall (thanks Yuval!), Phil and I discussed ideas. When I see Phil's street work, the thing that strikes me is how seamlessly it fits into the harsh, gritty environment despite its polar opposite mood. Litter, grime and concrete meets fur, smiles and positivity. And somehow, it works. He's THAT talented. I proposed a concept where the lines between the real world and the land of "Awesome Bears" merges.

We agreed on an idea whereby a sampling of his large, rich cast of characters would be watching him paint them. Even down to the last little raccoon interacting with Phil himself.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

By the time he was wrapping up the mural, I realized the beauty of this phenomenon Phil's created. It's HIM. He is the bears. He is the raccoons, the elephants, the little long-eared rabbit looking for trouble. The best art is always a pure reflection of the artist himself (or herself). Phil is softspoken, laid-back and above all else really, really positive. If you met him in a coffee shop, you'd probably sense that right away. Even without the bears. But he's just one guy and can't be everywhere. But these little critters can. So in a sense, Phil's awesome, positive, laid-back fun attitude is popping up everywhere.

And I bet he's pretty friendly and open to that idea.

Follow Phil on Twitter.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Time-lapse video of the painting/shoot:

Philip Lumbang Paints His Portrait from William Anthony Photography on Vimeo.

Credits
Production Manager: Pamela Sunnarborg
Photo Assistant: Jeff Johnson
Video Producer: Dana Brunetti/Triggerstreet.com
Videographer/Video Editor: Andy McCallie/Triggerstreet.com
Music: "Red Hat" by Ethan Kalar
Special thanks to Yuval Bar-Zemer

Icarus, Poseidon and Helios

Redondo Beach (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


Detail. © William Anthony

Picture Train

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This past weekend they were filming Leonardo DiCaprio's latest film Inception downtown. How did I learn this? Why, the full-size, drivable locomotive parked on Hill St. that's how.


That's going to be a bitch to tow. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Jeff

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Meet Jeff.

Jeff's a good friend of a good friend of mine. He's also a fellow photographer and a kick-ass photo assistant. We worked together for the first time on the Jackson Fans series. I had no idea what to expect.

The hardest workers are always the quietest. And unlike me, Jeff is a man of few words. But he busts ass and his brain works really fast. I found myself, on a few occasions during the Jackson shots, thinking about where I wanted him to light something only to find him already there—waiting on me. The only thing that slows this guy down are old AA batteries and a pile of cole slaw at The Original Pantry Cafe on Figueroa St.

I look forward to working with him in the future. With fresh AA batteries.

Scott Hindell

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the recommendation of a good friend, I recently teamed up with consultant Scott Hindell to go over ways to improve my business.

Scott doesn't give advice. (If he did, he'd have me lie down on a couch, talk about my upbringing and charge me three times as much per hour.) Scott helps you figure out who you are—then do it well. What attracted me to his services the most was he is NOT in the photography industry. Lately, my inbox has been flooded by industry experts looking to help me (and therefore themselves) through the recession. I wanted core self-reflection, without the photography markup.

I was reticent at first. I've always lived by the DIY ethic. But his insight and guidance really helped in ways I hadn't considered.

I highly recommend his services.

Michael Jackson fans outside the Staples Center

UPDATE: All the Michael Jackson Memorial photos can now be found in the "Jackson Fans" section of this web site.

Pepper

(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.

Paul Solomon

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

Office Space

Free chair heater. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

After a long delay, we finally remodeled the office area of the studio. An important part of the remodel was the painting above my desk. It's a cheesy litho copy on a warped frame called Breakers at Sunset by Carlo Rossi. This painting was above our sofa (on wood paneling no less) my entire childhood. And because of it I've had a lifelong love affair with the ocean. For all intents and purposes, it was the first piece of art that ever influenced who I am. So it's current home seemed like apt placement.

Much credit to Pamela for the redesign and space planning.

PDN - City Guide: L.A.

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I was recently interviewed by PDN Magazine about my new home, Los Angeles, for their City Guide series. Upon getting my issue in the mail today, it was nice to see that some of my comments were included.

As I've been doing a lot lately, I talked up my new neighborhood, the Arts District. But this isn't just blind evangelization. I was proud to share what's going on down here in our little dusty corner of downtown.

In addition to the sub headline lead-in on the first page, my recommendations of Church & State and Café Metropol made it into the "Where to Eat" inset. (For the record, I also recommended the Royal Clayton's.)

Leaflets

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Whenever a location shoot is scheduled in a public space, the private, non-profit organization Film L.A., Inc. places these labels on or near the areas affected. Film L.A. Inc. coordinates and processes filming permits for on-location motion picture, television and commercial production in the Los Angeles region.

And sometimes our neighborhood is so covered with these things it looks like a military aircraft dropped propaganda leaflets. As mentioned before, this area is used for the production of thousands film and TV productions. (See Grey's Anatomy and CSI:NY)

Though at times these ubiquitous notices resemble litter, they do serve an important purpose to local residents. Without them, the late night explosions, flood lights and car chases would seem a bit odd.