Category Archives: lifestyle

Ahoy, from behind the scenes

by ethan Posted on February 20, 2013

For some reason I’ve had this image in my head for a few years now. It involves Victorian mariners lost on a boat, stranded perhaps, not going to say where since this is just a teaser. I had to get it out of my head and on to film (so to speak), so I gathered props and wardrobe and brilliant actors and my favorite crew from around the city, and I finally shot the thing. Took five days of scouting just to find the location. My little 35mm f/2 lens literally fell apart after I found the location near dark on the fifth day.

It’s probably my favorite shoot ever. Look for it in the spring 2013 Workbook, out in less than a month. In the meantime, there’s a fragment of it on my website, and I offer you these fine behind-the-scenes shots from my friend, the great photographer Max Gerber:

Even sailors need a little touch-up now and then.

I swear I’m not posing. Didn’t even know Max was shooting.

Wayne “Animal” Lewis. We had to tie him to the boat.

Not sure what YOHA means.

Because every shoot needs a starlet: Rose McIver, the not-dead sister from “The Lovely Bones.”

Milo Cawthorne, another great New Zealand actor and the source of my best jokes.

Props table.

 That one’s perfect. Let’s shoot 140 more.

The talent and crew went way beyond my dreams for this one. My heartfelt thanks to all of you:

Captain: Byron Kavanagh
Navigator #1: Milo Cawthorne
Navigator #2: Wayne Lewis
Oarsman: Eddie Guzelian
Lady of the Sea: Rose McIver

First Assistant: Paul Bennett
Behind-the-scenes photography: Max Gerber
Stylist: Georgie Perrins, puppethorse.com
Hair and Makeup: Veronica Sinclair, veronicasinclair.com
Studio: Helms Daylight Studio

Posted in behind the scenes, celebrity, conceptual, lifestyle, personal, portraits | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Off the Clock exhibition

by ethan Posted on August 2, 2012

I’m proud to have this large-format image in the APA’s “Off the Clock” exhibition, curated by the Getty Museum’s former photography curator, Gordon Baldwin.

The aftermath of my niece’s 6th birthday party. Shot on film with a big, bad 4×5 camera. Scanned with a 400-pound drum scanner.

The exhibition is currently hanging at TBWA/Chiat/Day in Los Angeles, then moving to Crispin Porter + Bogusky in Boulder in the fall.

If you want to see the exhibition, you can either get a job at one of those agencies, smooth-talk your way in, or become a courier or something.

Posted in documentary, fine art, landscape, lifestyle, personal | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Homes. Sweet Homes.

by ethan Posted on August 2, 2012

Shot three home-magazine covers recently. First, a little background.

For years I’ve shot homes and their owners for editorial: about 30 for The New York Times, 20 for The Wall Street Journal and 50 for Angeleno and Riviera. Long, hard days, but with enough thought and lighting and effort, in nearly every home you get a gift. By that I mean shots like these:

The harder you work, the more gifts you get. And once in a while I shoot a cover — a much larger, more collaborative effort. I’ve shot the latest three covers for Angeleno Interiors and Riviera Interiors, gorgeous, oversized magazines here in Southern California. Have a look.

#1: Spring 2012: a home in Beverly Hills:

#2: Summer 2012: another home in Beverly Hills:

#3: Summer 2012: down in San Diego:

What always amazes me is the openness and trust of the homeowners. They let us move around all their stuff. They head off to work and leave us alone in their homes for 10 hours. They feed us. One couple asked us stay for their dinner party. Another gift.

Posted in editorial, interiors, lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Can’t we all just go to the beach?

by ethan Posted on July 6, 2012

The Huntington Beach ad agency Innocean recently hired me to do a lifestyle shoot about and for the agency itself. The goal was to portray the agency as a modern, fun, creative place where interesting people work on interesting ideas. Which wasn’t hard, since it’s a modern, fun, creative place where interesting people work on interesting ideas.

The hard part was shooting eight setups in a single day, which took rigorous pre-production, a ton of lighting, a great crew and an art buyer doubling as a talent wrangler.

You know what this shoot made me realize? People who work in offices have it really good. They take breaks, get an espresso, chit-chat with their colleagues, flip through graphic-design books, maybe even shoot some hoops if the office is that cool.

See what I mean? They don’t even know how good they have it.

Look how psyched he is. Because he works at an office.

That guy in the center really does bring his surfboard to work. Not many freelancers I know work across the street from one of the best breaks in Southern California.

Dusk comes late here in the summer. Everyone’s gone home except me and my lights. I wrap at 9:45 pm and get a huge burger down the street. Life is good.

Posted in commercial, conceptual, interiors, lifestyle | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Backyard aliens (for my first subscribers)

by ethan Posted on March 15, 2012

For the 25 pioneers who subscribed after last week’s blog announcement, here’s a special welcome gift: the world premiere of my latest test. (Note to my parents: a “test” is a shoot I create, produce and finance for my portfolio.)

My 5-year-old nephew, Atticus.

Yes, Atticus. His sister’s name is India.
Take that, Hailey, Aiden and Madison!

The concept was to have Atticus scanning the sky for aliens while life continues unawares in the adult house in the background. We got about 60 shots before dusk and his acting ability vanished. Still, it’s remarkable what candy can do for a kid’s attention span. For a single, nasty Sweet Tart he’d manage five solid shots in a row.

Back at the computer, once I found this expression of amazement and horror, I knew I needed a beam coming down from the sky. When you’re a kid looking for aliens, the last thing you expect is for them to actually show up.

Killing it.

Many thanks to my crew; to Joan for the truck; and to Adam for making the antennae, overseeing the talent and allowing us to take over his entire property.

Posted in conceptual, lifestyle, personal | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments