To paraphrase TV Guide, Maarten de Boer is one heck of a photographer! Check out these images of The Middle‘s all-star cast that he shot for the magazine’s Feb. 28-March 6, 2011 issue, using SYNC equipment:
Author Archives: Dylan Gordon
Hollywood Happenings: February 28, 2011
As the Hollywood Reporter recently pointed out, LA’s art scene has been largely dominated by the Hollywood film industry as of late, and that notion couldn’t be more apparent than in this week’s batch of celebrity-themed gallery shows:
-Opening at the Gagosian in Beverly Hills, filmmaker Gus Van Sant and this year’s Oscar host (and nominee) James Franco will be jointly exhibiting a mixed media show of paintings (like the one to the right,) videos, and other art. The two reportedly came up with the idea back in 2008 when they worked together on the movie Milk. [LA Times]
-SoCal natives and Black Swan tutu designers, Kate and Laura Mulleavey of Rodarte, will present a collection of costumes designed for the film, as well as more than 20 pieces from their recent fashion shows, at the MOCA Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. “The exhibition will explore the transitional states of garments and examine them as vessels without bodies,” said Laura Mulleavy in a press release. [MOCA]
-Finally, at the LACMA, Elizabeth Taylor in Iran, featuring photographer Firooz Zahedi’s images of the Hollywood icon during a pre-revolution trip to Iran, will be on display through June. Zahedi told the LA Times that the actress was doing “much better” since her recent hospitalization for congestive heart failure. [LACMA]
Photo Credit: Gus Van Sant/Gagosian Gallery
Photographer Spotlight: Margaret Malandruccolo
We’re really excited to share the latest projects from photographer and SYNC client Margaret Malandruccolo. Margaret’s portraits are known for their dramatic lighting and cinematic feel, so it’s no surprise that she’s a favorite with musicians and has also directed over 60 music videos! Check out more of her work here and read on to see what she’s been up to lately:
“I call this image ‘Jane.’ It was commissioned by Little, Brown and Co. for their novel by April Lindner – a modern interpretation of Bronte’s classic,” said Margaret.
“We had a blast recreating old Vietnam for the USAA retirement fund, complete with trucks, weapons, and old 35mm Ektachrome transparency film.”
Hollywood Happenings: February 21, 2011
Whether you’re celebrating President’s Day from the warmth of your bed or are happily plugging away at the office like we are, below are few art events that are worth checking out this week:
-In honor of President’s Day, LACMA is offering free admission to the museum today until 8pm. Among the current exhibitions is Larry Fink: Hollywood, a collection of photos the society shutterbug took during Vanity Fair‘s annual Oscar Night parties from 2000-2009. [LACMA]
-Over at the Ambach and Rice @ Kustalle LA gallery, Angeleno Eric Yahnker’s exhibition is being called the “funniest I’ve ever seen here in years” by one Artforum critic. Among other things, the mixed media show features “a six-by-six-foot colored-pencil drawing, framed in diamond shape, of a pizza slice lounging on a bed of tulips.” [ArtForum]
-Finally, gallery-goers have just 12 days left to catch LA-based celebrity portrait photographer Austin Young at the Pop tART Gallery. The public is invited to participate and have their picture taken by the famed shooter, and the resulting artwork will be hung on the wall as part of Young’s solo exhibition at the gallery. Through March 5th. [Pop tART]
5 Questions With…Photographer Denice Duff
We here at SYNC are constantly juggling many hats, so who better to chat with about balancing a multi-hyphenated career than photographer/actress/director (and SYNC client) Denice Duff.
Question: How would you describe your photographic style?
Denice: Fun, spontaneous, natural, not too produced or retouched, and very personal!
What is your favorite camera (or equipment) to use?
Denice: I am in love with my 5D Mark 2 and my prime 85mm 1.8lens. I’ve been shooting music videos with it as well, and its just heaven. It’s so easy to make an impact with that full frame and the great Canon fast lenses.
Does being an actress yourself help you connect with the actors and musicians you shoot?
Denice: Absolutely! I am able to cut to the chase to get the emotional response I need. I know how to give the direction that will keep them extroverted. For example, I usually won’t say, “Think of something that makes you happy.” I’ll first test the professionalism of my talent by saying “Laugh!” or “Look a little angrier” and you’d be surprised how easy it is to snap in and out and not get overly emotional. It makes for a quick productive shoot. Also, when I shoot an actor, I always find out if they are a musician as well because I personally find musicians intensely interesting. Their art is not usually about their exterior looks and when I find the “musician” in an actor they tend to free up and become a more relaxed subject.
Are acting and photography similar in any respect?
Denice: Hmmmm….. well photography is more fun but acting pays better! Hah! I have directed as well and on my first feature film, Vampire Resurrection, I was so exhilarated at the end of 12 hour work days, and I realized that directing incorporated everything I loved about acting, photography and motherhood! As a photographer and filmmaker you are capturing the human condition and as an actress you are conveying it. So yes, they are very intertwined. But what I love about photography is the actor/actress can be …well… bad, inexperienced and nervous, but, through my direction and styling I will make him or her look like a confident genius artist. Whereas in film you cannot get away with bad acting, usually. 🙂
How do you juggle both as a career?
Denice: Hell if I know?!!!! I used to try and hide it but more and more I’ll be booking a client and they will say, “So I really liked you in Subspecies….How was it working in Romania?” And I’m like, “D’oh!” Or a parent will ask me as I am organizing a shoot with their kid, “I see you’ve have done a lot of commercials; how should I approach getting her an agent….?” In a town where people usually poo poo someone who doesn’t specialize in ONE thing, I have managed to have a creatively fun life and have passed that down to my 16 year old daughter who is a 5 ft 11 model with NEXT, an intern with Center Studios as a web designer and a celeb interviewer and who knows Photoshop like the back of her hand….I guess I’m to blame…or thank!! 🙂
Hollywood Happenings: February 14, 2011
It’s awards season in LA, and while we all can’t be members of the Academy, here are some worthy film-related events going on this week:
-The opening party for Known Gallery’s exhibition of The Pride of Lowell is this Wednesday, Feb. 16 from 7-10pm. Photographer Danielle Levitt was asked by The Fighter director David O. Russell to photograph the residents of Lowell, Massachusetts, including the real-life characters in which the Oscar-nominated film was based on, boxers Dicky Eklund and his half-brother Micky Ward. [Known Gallery]
-Although cinematographers are more often found behind the camera than in front of it, five-time Oscar nominated cinematographer Owen Roizman took portraits of more than 75 of his fellow cinematographers. The results are a stunning exhibition currently on display at the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences on Wilshire Blvd. [Flavorpill]
-On Sunday, 89.3 KPCC-FM, Southern California’s public radio station, and the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood will host a live Oscar Preview discussion panel with film critics Wade Major of Boxoffice.com, Claudia Puig of USA Today, Peter Rainer of The Christian Science Monitor, and more. Join them for a live, on-air discussion about which stars should walk away with the statuettes at this year’s Academy Awards. [Flavorpill]
P.S. Happy Valentine’s Day to all of our colleagues and friends!
From the Newsstand: Aaron Fallon for ESPN
We can’t help but think “ouch!” when we look at this ESPN image of LA Kings hockey player Dustin Brown that was shot by the marvelous Aaron Fallon (with the help of SYNC’s gear.) Aaron is making quite the name for himself shooting celebrities, athletes, and musicians alike. Check out more of his work here.
Industry News Round-Up: Fashion Week Edition
East Coasters have had to put up with a lot this winter. Luckily, New York Fashion Week is here to help magazine editors and fashionistas alike take their mind off the blustery, snowy weather.
-In New York but not necessarily invited to NYFW? Don’t worry! For those who wouldn’t mind taking a sneak-peak at the Fall 2011 collections but don’t want to incur the wrath of Anna Wintour or any other “fashion gods” by getting caught crashing the party, Racked has some tips on how to make it past any clipboard-carrying fashion publicist and into the Lincoln Center tents! [Racked]
-And for those of us who are elsewhere this week, check out the official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week homepage to find out what times you can catch the live feed of Badley Mishcka, Michael Kors, Nicole Miller, and other designers’ Fall 2011 runway shows. [Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week]
-Lastly, don’t miss the Sundance Channel’s fashion week documentaries that are airing this week, including David Bailey: Four Beats to the Bar and No Cheating, an in-depth look at the life and career of British fashion photographer David Bailey, whose iconic images of swinging, 1960s London defined an era. (Airs on Wednesday, Feb. 9th at 10pm) [The Fashion Spot]
Photo Credit: Village Voice
Hollywood Happenings: January 4, 2011
Happy New Year to all our clients and loyal blog readers! Although we enjoyed the holidays, we’re glad to be back in the office and are looking forward to a great 2011. In honor of January being LA Arts Month, we’ve rounded up the most interesting cultural events happening around the city this week to help you (and us) get back into the swing of things.
-Over on Hollywood Blvd, the clothing store Confederacy is hosting an exhibition of famed music photographer Mick Rock‘s work to coincide with the release of his new book, Exposed: Faces of Rock n’ Roll. Over 250 previously unseen and unpublished photos of music legends like Lou Reed, Blondie, Iggy Pop, as well as more contemporary idols like Lady Gaga and Alicia Keys will all be on display until March. [Flavorpill LA]
-You don’t have to be a fan of geometry to enjoy the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art’s newest exhibit, Wally Gilbert’s Geometric Series: Squares and Triangles. What sounds like a homework assignment is actually a stunning and colorful series of digital art by a Nobel Prize winner-turned-photographer. [LACDA]
-Lastly, if you want to start the year off laughing, then head over to the Zephyr Theater on Melrose Avenue this Thursday. The comedy club is hosting 50 First Jokes, a show that features fifty of LA’s funniest comedians sharing the first joke they wrote in 2011. [Zephyr]
SYNC’s Christmas Card Extravaganza
SYNC had a fabulous time creating their Christmas card with the help of photographer David Zaitz last week. Their well thought out card even created some hype and was featured on Pix’s blog. Check out the final project below as well as some other behind the scenes photos from the shoot. Happy Holidays everyone!
T.J. & The Vespa
T.J. & David Zaitz
The Set
T.J., James, Kaleena, & Quinn
Scott, James, T.J., Kaleena, & Quinn
Kaleena, Quinn, Chrystal, & Scott
David Zaitz & Kaleena
Gregory Brouillette