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.

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

Toy

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I never noticed how much cat toys look like sex toys.

The only difference is cat toys are more expensive.

Icarus, Poseidon and Helios

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


Detail. © William Anthony

Happy Fourth®

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

On the Road - St. Paul, MN

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

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.

Alicia

(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.

Conan O'Brien

(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.

The American Dream

(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 - Boulder, CO

T&A 4 sale. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Ordered Online

It's amazing what you can order on the internet these days. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

Meet Ace. The newest staff addition to WAP, Inc. For some reason, the manual says to never get him wet and never feed him after midnight. Not sure why. Weird.

NOTE: The Cat Owner's Manual is really a great, great book. More here.

UPDATE: The wonderful folks at Irreference Books blogged about this photo after I sent them a link to this post.

On the Road - San Diego, CA

Mom and Dad's house. (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This was, and still is, my favorite time of day.

On the Road - Torrey Pines State Beach

Overheard: "Yippee!!!" (Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

We are pretty happy. We think we found our wedding location. (Hint: Just up a short road from here.)

On the Road - Tom, Randy and J.D.

(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

This past weekend, I found myself on an Amtrak train from L.A to San Diego. I brought a book to read thinking it would be nice to just chill, not worry about I-5 traffic and watch the Pacific Ocean go by outside the right-hand windows. That scenario lasted from Union Station to Fullerton, the first stop, where Tom, Randy and J.D. got on board.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony

I heard the three get on board (pretty hard to not hear them actually) and strike up conversation with a middle-aged woman who said she was a retired U.S. Marshall. During the conversation I saw one of the guys was wearing a tee shirt for the Funhouse, a punk venue in Seattle owned by friend Brian Foss of KEXP's Sonic Reducer show. When he walked by I asked him about it and we started talking about music, girlfriends, mutual friends in Seattle and everything in between. His name was Tom and he kind of looked like Jesus—holding a Bud Light.

Then Randy walked up and punched Tom in the side.

Randy is tattooed just about everywhere—arms, chest, knuckles, throat... uh... eyelid. And the stories written on his body didn't even come close to the one's he told me over the three beers he drank. Funny guy. Even funnier when he chose to wake up J.D., the third of the three who was asleep in his seat, by dropping trou and giving him a mushroom stamp. Of course, he did this while Tom recorded it on his cell phone, and before the conductor came through to check tickets.

J.D. woke up, then promptly punched Randy in the balls. While Randy squirmed around the center aisle, Tom walked up and poured beer down his ass crack.

I completely forgot about my book or the damn Pacific Ocean.

Once we got to San Diego, where by the way, they were to "see some chicks," I asked for a portrait of all three. They happily obliged, but not before asking a young lady passerby to join. She was all smiles. Something that happens a lot around these three guys I'd imagine.

If, against all odds you happen to find the card I gave you and see this, it was nice meeting you guys.


(Click image for full size.) © William Anthony