Saturday Drive

I went for a long drive today to clear my head. These are a few things I saw.


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


Redondo Pier. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony


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


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


Queen Mary. (Click image for large.) © William Anthony

The Peps.

(Click image for large.) © William Anthony

This is Pepper. (aka "The Peps.") She was made by our good friends Tom and Kristy. Yes, that is her real hair. No, I did not Photoshop her eyes. She really is just that cute. (And better behaved than some celebrities I've worked with.)

Look out Anne Geddes.

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.

Artistic Cross-Pollination

(Click image for large.) © William Anthony

Last November, I had the honor of meeting and photographing the award-winning Los Angeles architect Michael Lehrer. As stated in his feature in Architect magazine, he is a big proponent of cross-disciplinary artistic exploration. In other words, he actively encourages his architects to occasionally take a break from drafting buildings and instead allow some time to simply, and loosely, draw the human form. So a few years back, they began holding life drawing classes at the studio.

While striking our lighting at the shoot back in November, I humbly asked if I could participate in one of those classes. "Of course!" was the answer. "Bring your own art supplies and $10 for the pizza & wine fund," were the extent of the instructions.

Last night, I dropped in and drew for the first time in twelve years. The last time I got charcoal under my fingernails (not to mention all over my face) was several years before I first stained my tee shirts with photographic developer and fix. My last life drawing class was in 1998. Oh how I missed it.


(Click image for large.) © William Anthony

I hadn't imagined how much that college drawing class informed my later photography. And inversely, I was amazed to see how much my photography informed the drawing. Economy of line, line contour, value, shadow—it all came back. But best of all, there were no rules. No equipment failures. No hovering publicists. No weather cancellations. No CF card corruptions.

Paper. Charcoal. Model.


(Click image for large.) © William Anthony

I encourage other photographers to experience this themselves. You don't need to be able to draw well. It's not about that. It's about freedom and exploration. It's childlike. We all did this when we were children. The only difference was that art was crayon or markers and usually ended up on the refrigerator for sibling critique. But for some reason, as "adults" we rarely make time for this sort of freedom.

The world is complicated. Business is complicated. Relationships are complicated. Drawing is simple.

Thank you Michael, Travis and Mary. Thank you very much.


(Click image for large.) © William Anthony

Jetstream

Starfighter (Click image for supersize.) © William Anthony

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was known by its pilots as "Zipper, Missile With A Man In It, Widowmaker, Flying Coffin, Ground Nail, Bullet & Blades, Badmash & Wicked One."

And those are the flattering ones.

Easter

(Click image for supersize.) © William Anthony

I took this photograph March 3, 2003—the evening before we invaded Iraq at a peace rally in Seattle.

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

Dad's '57 Pontiac

Shot in Aledo, TX (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This was the first car my father bought in the United States, brand new in 1957, in Austin, TX. It's a '57 Pontiac Chieftain 2-door sedan. This behemoth spent most of my life draped in blankets in our garage. Every once in a long while, my Dad would uncover it, re-inflate the tires and start up the V8 beast. We'd drive around the neighborhood a few times just to keep everything running. I used to love these drives. My Dad loved these drives. We'd chug along at a comfortable 35 mph while we'd wave to the neighbors. Unfortunately, as quickly as he brought it out of the garage, we'd be pulling back into it. I'd help my Dad cover it up again with the blankets and start dreaming about someday being the guy driving and waving myself.

My brother is now the steward of this great old automobile. When I was in Texas visiting him in '05, we re-lived the ritual. Only this time it was my brother's garage and I actually got to drive it. (And wave. Though this time to an audience of dairy cows.) Since my Dad has such a fondness for his former state of Texas, and it's where he bought the car, we decided to take it out to the wooded back roads and get a nice, proud large format photograph of the Chieftain for him.


Framing up with the 4x5 (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


My Texas fan base (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Last week, while in an antique store, I found this old ad for Pontiac. Very cool.


Pontiac advertisement dated Feb. 16, 1957. (Click image for full size.)

By the way, my Dad loved the photo.

Space Ghosts

Mercury program helmet. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

We visited the California Science Center today. They have two actual full NASA spacesuits on display. I was fascinated by the helmets. We find such interesting ways to protect the precious organ that gets us in all the trouble in the first place—the brain.


Apollo pressure bubble helmet. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Happy Valentine's Day

Home of the World Famous... ? (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

A Love Letter to my Magliner

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Maggie,
I remember the first time I saw a cart like you. Strong, smart and sturdy. Another photographer was carrying what looked like thousands of pounds of equipment around with ease. I thought, "what a lucky guy." How come it's always some other guy that gets the good ones? At the time, I was with a partner of far less quality. Her name was Dolly. And she couldn't hold a candle (or much else) compared to you.

I had to have you.

Since you came into my life, I simply don't worry about my weight anymore. No matter how much I put on, you don't mind. Your nitrogen filled tires just squeak and we roll off to battle whatever the world throws at us, together.

I remember one time, while traveling, I was without you. Ho boy, how I, and cervical vertebrae L1-L5, missed you. You never know how much you love something til it's gone. Since then, I can't imagine being without you again. Never again my sweet. Never.

We're made for each other. First, I have no upper body strength. My arms are like stringy little buffalo wings. You lighten my load. Secondly, we love long strolls together. I sometimes lose track of time! And lastly, when we have to turn around in a cramped space, you show off your dancing skills like a saucy salsa dancer twirling about without ever dropping a thing or missing a beat.

This past weekend, when we moved, you really showed me what you're made of. Here I thought you only loved me because I was a photographer. But I stacked you full of all sorts of my personal baggage and you surged on without a peep. You're amazing.

I love you Maggie. (I can't wait to give you a good buffing and greasing later. ;) I'm SO naughty!)

Love,

Wm.

P.S. Pamela is getting suspicious. Just yesterday she asked why I never let her carry my camera bag anymore. So if I let her carry it, PLEASE refrain from spontaneously releasing your brakes and smacking her in the knees like last time.

(Special thanks to Larry Barkdull, Award-Winning, Nationally Recognized Love Letter Writer.)

Bye bye Biscuit

#309 (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

After nearly two years, we've decided to not renew our lease at the Biscuit Company Lofts. It's been a great experience and we could not have picked a better first residence here in Los Angeles. We're going to miss this old building and the friends we've made here.

We've chosen to move on to greener pastures. (Literally, our new place has a yard.) WAP, Inc. is still going strong, just with a new footprint and mailing address.


NW stairwell. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

We feel fortunate to have experienced all the interesting people, places and things we did while here. The 90021 Project is a testament to that. The Arts District is a truly unique place even in a city as diverse and unique as L.A. 90021 is a body of work I am extremely proud of. It's now time to move on and start a new chapter.

From now on, every time I drive down the 5, 101 or 110 and see this majestic masonry fortress standing proud on the Eastern edge of downtown as it has for over 80 years, I'll smile.


Archive photo. Circa 1926. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

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.

Trigger Street Productions

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

All good things must come to an end. And some ends are more fun than others. The following is definitely the latter.

A shoot I did last Saturday marked the end of my personal, neighborhood project I called The 90021 Project. And it's a shoot that's been in the works for months. Here in the Biscuit Company Lofts, one of our neighbors is Trigger Street Productions. Formed by Kevin Spacey in 1997, it's a production company that has produced titles for stage and screen. Also, it's web site is an online community of established, emerging and aspiring screenwriters, actors and waitstaff. (Remember, this is Hollywood.)

But to me, Trigger Street is Dana, Carter, Andy and Matt. Four guys, on a mission. What that mission is, I am not sure most of the time. But whatever it is, it looks and sounds like a lot of fun. Dana's the boss, Carter is the right hand man, Andy sets up picks and assists with the video editing and Matt is the good-natured nice guy that everyone gives shit to. Ok, just Dana. Dana gives him shit. Nonstop.

We quickly became friends when Pamela and I started up Trivia Night across the street at the local English Pub. They were usually the loudest team at the bar. I immediately liked them.

They're a different kind of Hollywood production company. Namely, they're not in Hollywood. They moved to downtown to get away from the influence as best they could. (Thankfully they didn't mimic Kubrick and move to England. Oh wait, Kevin did. Nevermind...)


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Once I started The 90021 Project, I thought it would be cool to try and illustrate that outsider ethos in a portrait. But at first, I didn't think they'd be up for my idea for the shot. In time, I got the balls up to ask Dana and he loved the idea.

I wanted shots that typified the Trigger Street attiude and highlight each guy's unique personality. Dana's the guy that can make it though a Mardi Gras riot without messing up his hair or losing a cufflink. Carter often times seems to look on at his colleagues with incredulous disbelief. Andy has dashing good looks that nearly always gets him in trouble. And Matt, well... Matt is just Matt.

We had a blast at the shoot despite the 6am call-time. Dana's fiancée, costume designer/stylist Johanna Argan, did an amazing job with the costumes. Hair and make up artist Tania McComas gave Andy a shiner and a fat lip. (Not the first or last to do so I am sure.)

And with this shoot I close The 90021 Project. It's been a great adventure and I've met some wonderful people during the process.

I just hope I don't have to get the guys Hepatitis shots because of shooting this on the 6th St. bridge...


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Credits
Production Manager: Pamela Sunnarborg
Photo Assistant: Jeff Johnson
Wardrobe/Styling: Johanna Argan
Hair/Make up: Tania McComas

Merry Christmas

Fulton St., Brooklyn, NY (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - NYC (Part 2)

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

While in NYC, I finally made my way down to the temporary WTC Memorial at Ground Zero.

So sad on so many levels.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

On the Road - NYC (Part 1)

Home of Liz Lemon. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Just returned from a week-long trip to New York City to show the portfolio around town and tour a few studios. The following are a few frames of personal shots from around the city.

Christmas in NYC, especially with snow, is amazing. I look forward to returning.


Chelsea Market. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


The Standard Hotel from The Skyline. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


Lone chair near The Skyline. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


Prius with snow and sneakers. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony


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

Out of the Blue - Len Anderson

Then Maj. Len "Loni" Anderson, 2003 (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

In 2003, while volunteering as a photographer for The Museum of Flight in Seattle, I got the opportunity to photograph the Blue Angels as they performed out of Boeing Field for Seafair. As it happened, the one aircraft directly in front of my vantage point, and at the end of my 600mm lens, was the #6 aircraft piloted by Len "Loni" Anderson. The photo above was my favorite by far for its crisp militaryness. (I made word that up.) After the show, I mailed a print to the Blue's HQ in Pensacola and received a really nice message on Blue Angels letterhead and a voicemail from Len thanking me for the photograph.

Fast forward six years to just last month.

While perusing the Twitter feed of my friend, producer Dana Brunetti, I noticed he was followed by a "Lead_Solo." That's airplane geekspeak for one of the solo pilots from the Blue Angels. I clicked and there was Len. Only now he's in the Reserves and in L.A. returning to his theater roots to work on an emerging career as an actor and screenwriter. We reconnected and decided to work on a project together. I had an idea.


Lt. Col. Len Anderson, USMCR (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I was so intrigued by his story I thought it would be a good one to tell through my camera: Former Blue Angel making a career in Tinsel Town. I figured the title Out of the Blue was a good working title. Not only for the obvious story of Len's transition from Blue Angel to civilian, but also how the whole thing came to me out of nowhere.


Security Guard Len (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

After becoming friends on Facebook, I noticed Len had a bunch of self-snaps in the many different costumes he wears while playing parts in Hollywood productions. I thought it might be cool to do it as a more formal portrait series. These photos were shot as a proof of concept. And I like the results.


Detective Len (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I like the idea of Len being static, stoic—letting the costuming speak for itself. Hopefully in the future I'll get to photograph him in many other roles.


Improv Len (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

You can learn more about Len and all his adventures though any one of his many online resources. He's got a Twitter feed, a Youtube Channel, Facebook Fan Page and probably more that I am not even aware of.

Stay tuned for more.