Archive for the ‘Nightlife’ Category

Kris Jenner always throws the best Christmas parties, and this year was no exception. Aside from the amazing food and flawless attire, the most enjoyable part for me is watching everyone kick back and have fun for a night.

The Kardashian/Jenner machine is a big one indeed, and their team works incredibly hard to insure smooth running. My thanks to everyone on the K/J team who helped make 2012 a record year for SlickforceStudio, including Noelle Keshishian, Liz Killimond, Jennifer Stith, Sydney Hitchcock, Sheiva Ghasemzadeh, super glam team Monica Rose, Mario Dedivanovic, Rob Scheppy, and Clyde Haygood, and of course the family itself—Kris, Kim, Khloé, Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie, Rob, Bruce, Lamar, and Scott.

The SlickforceStudio family is more vibrant than ever, and it is a daily thrill to be able to work amongst such a talented team. Joyce, Kevin, Christian, Scot, Maribel, Kate, Francesca, and Daniel—you are the best!

And last but not least, I want to thank YOU for your support throughout the years. Creating our brand of magic everyday is a dream come true for this team of artists. Happy New Year to all of you, and wishing you a joyous, healthy and prosperous 2013!

 

This past Saturday, I was in Las Vegas photographing Paul Oakenfold’s show at Marquee. By magical coincidence, it also happened to be Earth Hour at the exact time our shoot was scheduled. So Paul, Christian Arias and I all watched from our balcony as the landmark lights of the Las Vegas strip went dark one by one. (Well, every major casino except Treasure Island.) It blew my mind how much ambient light remained from the street and surrounding city, but it provided the opportunity for some wild exposures. Enjoy!

Kris Jenner’s annual Christmas party is always a beautifully planned and memorable event, and this year I brought my mother and brother with me to enjoy the festivities. Everyone at the party is always so gracious, and they treated my mother like royalty. She was thrilled to meet some of her favorite celebrities, from Bruce Jenner to Alan Thicke to Billy Ray Cyrus. The most adorable memory was Kim Kardashian walking around in her Santa pajamas…definitely a side of her not everyone gets to see! Thanks to Kris and family for an amazing night!

After a year of top secret photoshoots and long nights in the studio, we finally launched WMB 3D with a bang at Drai’s in Hollywood. We were honored to have so many of our celebrity friends come out to support us at our premiere issue launch event, including cover girl and guest-of-honor Kim Kardashian. As the crowd looked on, we presented Kim with framed 2D & 3D magazine covers and her very own blinged-out pair of rhinestone 3D glasses!  The party lasted until the wee hours until the crew finally passed out, grateful to have been able to take our place in history as the world’s first 3D magazine. It was a night to remember, we thank all those who came out to support!

Last month we held our second PhotoKamp in Los Angeles. Students flew in from all over the US—including 2 graduates from PhotoKamp I—and from as far as the UK this year, which was both awesome and flattering. The three-day photography workshop is designed to teach up-and-coming photographers how to handle professional photography and lighting equipment, direct models to desired results, and light subjects in difficult situations.

 

On Friday evening, I took the photographers atop a downtown skyscraper, where they captured the LA skyline from sunset to night, and the results were incredible—especially in an era where even consumer-level cameras feature respectable sensor sizes, robust ISO latitude, and long-exposure capabilities. After the rooftop shoot, we headed indoors to a warmer meeting area where my amazing team arranged dinner during an informal Q&A session between me and the students.

 

On Saturday, we met at SlickforceStudio for an in-depth lesson in professional grip and lighting equipment. We also discussed budget-friendly options, which allow for amazing lighting setups at under $100. It’s always fun to see the wheels turning in the students heads as they learn about new equipment and contemplate exciting lighting setups based on their newfound knowledge. Each student then rotated between the positions of photographer, camera assistant/tech, lighting assistant, and fan operator (always the most fun.) Two models posed for the photographers, allowing for each student to have two full hours per day as photographer, in charge of the entire set. They chose the models’ wardrobe, directed their team and the hair & make-up crew, experimented with lighting, and built sets.

 

On Sunday, we awoke early and carpooled to Ultimate Graveyard in the Mojave desert. Two new models joined us, and while they were in hair and make-up, I showed the photographers solutions for dealing with harsh sunlight and extreme contrast, as well as safetying equipment in high-wind environments and using generators on location. Everyone always has so much fun out in the desert, and there is nothing better than seeing new photographers get excited about cool locations, as I have since the first day I picked up a camera.

 

For more info and upcoming dates, visit the PhotoKamp site!

 

Special thanks to Kevin Savarese for coordinating the weekend, the SlickforceStudio staff and amazing interns for their support, and to Joyce Park & Derek Eskridge for these fantastic images!

When I was a kid, I loved to roller-skate. And I told myself that one day I would throw a roller-skating party with models. It just seemed like it would be, well, the awesomest party ever. Hey, a kid has to dream. Then, in high school, I put away my quads and transitioned to roller-blading. And finally, like most of us, I transitioned again, only this time into the real world, where childhood joys were locked away in a chest and relegated to memories of the past. Until now.

 

As my company continues to be blessed by growth and prosperity, I find it increasingly important to remind our expanding family of those childhood thrills, as proof that dream-chasers can stay connected to the wide-eyed, unjaded enthusiasm that we all possessed as children, before we learned about rules and jobs and taxes. And what better way to do that than to shut down a roller-rink for all of your friends?

 

This year, in conjunction with the wonderful people at Moonlight Rollerway, I opened our SlickforceStudio Christmas party up to more than just our beloved staff. We invited close friends and clients, giving us a chance to show our appreciation to those who have helped us along our journey. At first, many were nervous—not having been on a pair of skates since middle-school—but ultimately we got nearly everyone out on the floor and had the time of our lives.

 

We also celebrated associate photographer Christian Arias’ first magazine cover, of rising-star Ayanna Jordan for Import Tuner magazine. Her work is a testament to the talent of our team, the ever-evolving creativity of the Slickforce brand, and our growing presence in popular media.

 

As we close out a landmark year, one that saw our 6th ModelKamp, my first SlickforceGirl book shoot, and more than 25 magazine covers, as well as the advent of PhotoKamp, Mastering Retouching, Kardashian Konfidential and countless related campaigns, I want to say thanks to everyone who has supported us, especially you, the fans. This is my reminder to you to never stop dreaming!

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

 

INDEX:

1: Aldis Hodge from TNT’s Leverage and brother Edwin

2: ModelKamp instructor Brittany Dailey & friend Courtney, me, Playboy Playmate Jessica Burciaga & model/actress Daphne Joy

3: Director/Cinematographer James Mann, model Ayanna Jordan, and Craig McNelly

4-5: Slickforce Models show their love!

6: Ayanna Jordan and SHOW Art Director Von Jackson

7: Tale of Two Alexs: Alex Saglimbeni and actress/producer Alexandra Merejo

8: Slickforce Intern Jessica Whitehead & Cinematographer David Tayar

9: Alex Merejo, me, and celebrity hair-stylist Rob Scheppy

10: Friends join SlickforceStudio’s associate photographers Cherry Gardner and Christian Arias

11: Me and Daphne Joy

12: James Mann entertains Slickforce post-production supervisor Joyce Park

13: GIRLS editor-in-chief Tanisha Brown and sister Alicia

14-27: Skate-crazy!

28: Slickforce Director of Operations Kevin Savarese joins Ayanna and Christian to celebrate their cover!