Directing international Commercial for XX by Mexx

As we approach a new year and a new decade, I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a joyous, healthy and very prosperous future. I look forward to sharing many photography tips, tricks and observations in the new year. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite articles from 2009.

1.) Fellowship in Photography

2.) Photography Lighting – White on White

3.) Fine Art Nude Photography

4.) Celebrity Portrait Photography

5.) Dynamic Lighting on Location

Honorable Mentions:

My Voyage of Self Discovery

Fashion Photography on Life in the Fab Lane

10 Must Read Copyright Articles for Photographers

My Favorite Assignment of 2009?

Photographer, Director and guest judge on Germany’s Next Top Model!

Happy New Year!

Jerry Avenaim

Fashion Photographer Jerry Avenaim

I was sitting around this evening having to resize enough photographs to make my head spin. One of my resolutions (pardon the pun) was to have my new web site done for 2010. That resolution was last year, think I procrastinate much? I’m sure my 2010 resolutions will include – not to procrastinate.

Well in about 48 hours a temporary new look to the site and maybe even the blog will be up. This is until the livebooks site is ready. When you come back, have a look at avenaim.com and let me know if you like it, if so, maybe I’l just resize the images and use the livebooks site on another one of my domains. See, it’s late and now I’m just rambling

Back to the point, while I was working away, I received an email about these photography schools, speakers lectures and technology et al. You name it I found it, a great resource for anyone looking for some tips and tricks, you can get them here. Except: Whether you want to get inspired to take photos or learn about the history of the field, there are loads of lectures out there that can let you sit back, watch, and expand your photography knowledge. Here are 50 such lectures that will help you learn about photography basics, famous photographers, photojournalism and much more to get your creative juices flowing and help you hone your craft.

Another great resource is the Profoto blog here. I was honored to have been asked to be the first ever entry in that Profoto blog in the form of a Podcast. You can find it on the link above and iTunes

Cheers,

Jerry Avenaim

Fashion and Beauty Photography Demonstration

Earlier this year, I was giving a lecture and conducting a live cover photo shoot at Samy’s Camera here in Los Angeles for photographers of all levels. I began the lecture with a statement that was so simple, so earnest, you would expect to hear it from your own mother.  I asked each attendee to look at those sitting to each side of them, to see them not as their competitors but rather as their comrades. If they could see that, they would succeed. How do I know this? Because it’s how I have treated other photographers since I began my photographic journey over 20 years ago. And it was because of those comrades that I met at a cafe in Milan I began shooting for Italian Vogue and other Conde Nast publications. This simple lesson has remained with me over the years and it appears the lesson resonates still.  My friend and former assistant Jason Christopher was in the audience and I later found out that my message resonated with him as he passed it on as well in his blog.

As comrades you help each other and experience far more success than you will failure because you are brothers and sisters in arms. To support and help or guide one another is how we not only survive, but thrive in these difficult times! It is beyond me how many photographers today can’t get along with other photographers for reasons so trivial that I wonder when our mothers are going to shout at us  “Play Nice!”

The photographic industry is as competitive as ever with many trying to break in while others are simply trying to survive. I’ll say it again, change your path and perspective and not only will you survive but you shall thrive.  With the tug of war and popularity contest going on nobody will make any progress.

Explaining the Light

Over 20 years ago when I was breaking into this industry, I had access to and was able to soak in information and experience first hand the work ethic of many established photographers, none more so than the legendary Patrick Demarchelier.  From my years with him I learned everything from loading cameras with film, to how to handle my business, and above all, how to treat my clients and my peers. I once owned a book titled, “Seven in New York.”  It was about seven French photographers (of which one was Demarchelier) who went to New York and helped one another establish themselves in the photographic community. The book had a huge impact on my life and I wish I had it while I was working for Patrick.  Not only could I have had him sign it,  but can you imagine what it would be like to read a book about someone who was in the same situation you are currently going through and that person also happens to be your boss?  Think of the water cooler conversation possibilities on that one!

The time spent, and lessons learned from those days with Patrick, to this very day affect who I am as a photographer and a person. If you ask me how to do something, I will not only tell you but I’ll draw you a map!  Your body of work is not just the images you create over the years, but the images you help to create even if you are not the one pushing the shutter.  Another photographer is not your enemy, another photographer is your brother/sister in arms.  Just as you can help them grow they can help you.  As Mom says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Jerry Avenaim

Celebrity fashion photographer Jerry Avenaim gives Kimora Lee Simmons a crash course in high-end advertising fashion photography so she can shoot her men’s fall campaign Phat Premium. So, will she sink or swim?

Fashion is one of the most critiqued form of genres in photography, advertising is one of the most financially funded types of photography, when combined the weight of the world has been added to the photographers shoulders.  One would think the responsibility and repercussions of your work could not increase with this already potent combination, but that is exactly what happens when you are the first to photograph a new clothing line.

This was the situation for me when I was asked to photograph Kimora Lee Simmons for Phat Farm’s first ever advertising campaign.  Now over a decade later Phat Farm has called on me again, except this time Kimora will be wearing my shoes as the photographer. In addition to being a Model, a Mogul, and a Mom, Kimora was ready to take the weight on her shoulders and create and capture images for the brand new advertising campaign for Phat Premium.

The pressure of being the first photographer for a new clothing line is intense.  The photographs are laying the foundation of what will become the style and brand of that company for years to come.  My work on the first ad campaign with Phat Farm did exactly that reflecting the style and shape the future advertising campaigns, now it was Kimora’s turn to do the same for Phat Premium.

Enjoy the video, and I hope you get the message, it’s never to late to learn new skills!

Kimora had already expanded Phat Farm and today it’s clothing line to include Baby Phat, Phat Classics, and the Phat Premium clothing line she was going to photograph the launch of.  Having been in front of the lens Kimora knew what poses to do, and now being the photographer she knew exactky the images and style Phat Premium required.

The images shot at Griffith park had traces of the original Phat Farm campaign, however these had a refinement and style that was pure Kimora. Before my very eyes I could see how the images I had photographed years ago continue to shape and influence the current advertising campaign.  Working from the foundation laid down by the original Phat Farm advertisements, Kimora was able to incorporate the past into the future with her images for Phat Premium.

Have fun shooting and feel free to post any questions!

Jerry Avenaim

Polaroid announced at a press conference in Hong Kong earlier this week that it will relaunch its instant cameras and film, with distribution expected in mid 2010. The announcement came largely in response to The Impossible Project, a group of Polaroid enthusiasts in the Netherlands that has been trying to recreate the magic of the film on a low budget and is now tasked with recreating it for Polaroid. As a fashion photographer this is music to my ears. I’ve been shooting 8X10 Polaroid for 20 years and miss the days. I do hope that Polaroid will reintroduce this product as well.

Rob Haggart at A Photo Editor pointed my friend Andy Patrick of livebooks to two impressive documentary videos seen here (or watch below) shot with the Canon 5D Mark II by Danfung Dennis and Yassine Ouhilal, respectively, Check out Rob’s behind-the-scene interview with Yazzy in particular. As a celebrity photographer, I myself have always had a love of cinema. These two masterpieces are opening brave new worlds everywhere.

Battle for Hearts and Minds Trailer from Danfung Dennis on Vimeo.

Bravo!

Mexx magazine advertisement of Mandy for GNTM © Jerry Avenaim

What a great summer it has been. I wish I could have been more proactive in my writing but that has been quite the challenge with all the assignments and television shows I’ve been doing this year. I will do my best to follow this up with all the goings on since my last entry. But just to hold you over until I can really sit down and write the pages I really want to get to, this will have to do for now.

The season started with an amazing opportunity and experience. I was asked to be on Germany’s Next Top Model with Heidi Klum.

It all started in the spring when I was contacted by Dorland and Gray in Berlin (this was the ad agency for the assignment) to shoot a campaign and direct an international Mexx campaign (this is Cover Girl for eastern europe). I was elated to find out it would be for a winner of a competition on Germany’s Next Top Model. One that I would help choose as I sat on the jury panel.

Here is a video clip of the jury panel

So, I was part of the television show as well. It lasted ten days and took place in Honolulu, Hawaii. When we weren’t sitting poolside having drinks, or out to dinner with a couple dozen people we were all hard at work! Whether we were shooting on the set of LOST or Waikiki beach it was tough work, but some poor photographer / director had to do it

Here is a making of video; courtesy of Mexx and Germany’s Next Top Model

Click here for a behind the scenes photo gallery.

More to come!

Jerry Avenaim

I hope you enjoy this 30 minute interview, it went by quickly for us both. There was so much more to talk about And by the way, since this interview was televised live the control booth made an error when showing my name as ‘James Avenaim’ for the first third of the show. Bastards

For those that attended my Samy’s camera seminar, it was a pleasure to meet you!

I will be writing more often I hope, I just haven’t had the time. I will be appearing on Life in the Fab Lane with Kimora Lee airing February 2009 on The Style Channel and E!

Happy learning!

Jerry Avenaim

Fashion photography is a tough game, as is advertising photography. Combine the two and it can prove to be a stress load if you’re not prepared for anything that can present itself. Then again, I feel that way about all my assignments.

I apologize to my readers for not having a chance to write at all in the month of December. I’ve been on full overload (not always a bad thing).

One of the last shoots of the year was for Deliverance Poker. A great client and an interesting series of shoot days in Las Vegas. The reason it was so different for me is it was neither fashion or celebrity. The hook in this advertising campaign, was to shoot it with a glamour edge. In the end, I made it work with my own personal style. And to the clients delight, we created a brand for the present and future image of Deliverance Poker.

I’ll be posting some hero images from the campaign and writing about how they were created next year. In the meantime, enjoy this behind the scenes video. The way I see it, it’s like this; the video is the journey and the photograph at the end is the destination.

When you see the journey, will you be able to figure out how I arrived to my destination? If not, fire away. I’m here for your questions!

I’d like to give special thanks to Iris Productions and Vincent Moreno for this video.

Wishing everyone a joyous and prosperous new year.

Jerry Avenaim

Dr. Phil as photographed for Newsweek Magazine

As you might have read in a previous article, I photographed Dr. Phil for the cover of Newsweek. Since that first cover shoot I have also photographed both Dr. Phil and his wife Robin for several other magazine and book covers.

The experience is always one of joy and fulfillment with truly wonderful people.

One rule I’ve always held firm since I was starting out as a fashion photographer is to get fashion models their prints, and get them there quickly.

Ever since my early fashion days and now in my celebrity career, I’ve always sent gift prints to the people I photograph. Without exception, every celebrity I have ever photographed, I have made certain to send a signed gift print direclty to them and or their publicist.

Well, on this specific occasion, I thought hey, since Dr. Phil tapes his show daily on the Paramount lot, I would just drop the prints off personally, which I did.

I stopped by during a taping of the show one afternoon, and during a commercial break, I presented the prints backstage to Dr. Phil personally. He was so gracious and grateful he called over his wife Robin and many of his staff including his executive producer. After viewing the prints (there were two) he asked me if I would mind if hed showed them to the audience. I said “sure no problem, I would be honored.”

Well as he came back from commercial break with the clam-shell case holding the prints under his arm, he began talking to the audience (and all of America) about what he was about to show, the next thing I knew, the man called me out!

It was a gracious act of kindness by Dr. Phil, and something he didn’t have to do. But it was also a moment I will never forget as long as I live. I hope the portrait will become a part of Hollywood history, because this video is a part of mine.

Jerry Avenaim