I hope everyone had a good weekend! I’m writing this in bed. The house is empty. 
I do these monochrome posts one or twice a month. It’s an opportunity for me to revisit some of my favorite color photos and fall in love with them all over again as black and white images. This first shot is from Pasadena, CA. The client creates and sells Wiccan teas and herbal remedies. This was part of an advertising and marketing campaign and we shot throughout the Clark Gable estate. Many of the photos were indoors but this shot was outside in the garden. Flowers were in bloom, and although they were beautiful in color, the contrast in this new black and white is striking in its own way.
This next shot was also taken in Pasadena, but at City Hall. It’s a beautiful area. Spanish inspired architecture, fountains; absolutely stunning. I’d shot several times with this client over the years but this was my favorite of our collaborations. The hair, make-up and wardrobe was dramatic and we shot at dusk. The low light created a timeless film noir look that still stands out as some of my best on-location outdoor work. This shot is a time capsule of a very chaotic chapter of my career. It don’t remember much from these years but images like this established me as a name in the LA pinup scene.
This last portrait is of a model named Bettie. She participated in a photography event I held in 2015 in Los Angeles. This was taken downtown at a historic hotel that used to host the easiest Academy Awards in the early 1900’s. One of the things I love most about this photo is it’s vulnerability and softness. Most of my dark pinup shots are very posed. This was a natural moment of movement that I was able to capture while she adjusted her wardrobe. It’s rich in color in the original, but I find this to be one of the most effective monochromes I’ve taken in my career.
