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

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

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

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