It is a beautiful day in New York City. Just got back from walking my vizsla in Prospect Park. I plan on taking a long bike ride and maybe head down to the beach. In honor of a beautiful day at Brighton Beach, a Brooklyn neighborhood filled with Russian immigrants, I am making a quick post with my photograph of another Russian beauty, Anastasia Safonov of Wilhelmina. Makeup by Aeriel Payne, hair by Isaac Davidson.
Anastasia Safonov photographed by Eric Hason
On a cold, snowy, New York City January Sunday I had the opportunity to shoot a fashion editorial
for Prestige International Magazine, published in Paris, distributed internationally.
I was very fortunate to have the beautiful Sofitel New York as a location for the shoot. Due to the popularity of the hotel, dates were tight but the management graciously gave us a luxury suite with a huge patio and killer views and access to beautiful conference rooms and the lobby.
Fashion editor David Zambrana (I shot the opening photo on his website) and I decided on a suiting story. We wanted to book a sexy, cool model with an androgynous look, who better than Britt Linn from Red Model Management? Makeup artist Aeriel Payne, hair stylist Isaac Davidson, and manicurist Naoko Saita were given the enviable task of making the beautiful Britt camera ready!
It was a fun day running around the hotel, giving the guests a behind the scenes look at a fashion photo shoot, and making beautiful photos which I am very proud to share!
Erin was incredible to work with; down to earth, beautiful, fun and game. Fashion stylist Angellika Morton pulled beautiful gowns for the shoot, with wonderful jewelry,accessories and floral arrangements. Makeup, hair, and nails was the talented team of Aeriel Payne, Ayato Yokojima and Noako Saita.
We had a fun day, shot eight looks, and Erin was out by 5:45 to be whisked away to a charity black tie event.
Here are some behind the scenes photos from the day. Can’t wait for the magazine to publish so I can share the final photos!
Erin getting glammed up by Naoko (nails) and Ayato (hair). Aeriel in the background prepping for makeup.
Erin having her hair styled by Ayato while I photo bomb for a selfie.
Makeup artist Aeriel Payne gets happy!
Makeup artist Aeriel Payne applying eye shadow by the natural light of a window.
Ayato on set puts the finishing touches on Erin’s hair.
Showing off the bridal gowns!
Stylist Angellika Morton and I mug for the camera.
Gotta take a selfie with Miss USA!
Sharing a fashion editorial published in And Men Magazine. Long time collaborator Andre Austin styled the shoot which took place in my New York studio. Sean Harju from Soul Artist Management was the model.
And Men is a beautiful oversized magazine published in Australia twice a year and distributed worldwide. The quality of and standards for photography is incredibly high. It is always an honor to have work included in the book.
Andre Austin is a wonderful fashion stylist and a long time collaborator. He has a great aesthetic and has a great sense for styling both men and women. With men he takes classic looks but gives them a whimsical twist which makes you look twice.
I enjoy shooting men’s fashion. In many ways it is much easier than photographing women. Usually there is a lot less going on with hair and makeup, taking 20 minutes to prep and groom a guy. Also the guys just need to look like handsome, cool dudes, which they usually are anyway, we just dress them up a bit!
When I am not doing this or this I spend time as the
a nationwide charity that brings photographers into hospitals to photograph children being treated for cancer.
I have been volunteering with kids for most of my adult life through the NYC Board of Ed as a literacy coach, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters as a “big”, and AFS hosting and working with foreign exchange students.
I think I saw Flashes of Hope mentioned on Facebook. I had been looking for a way to merge two of my passions, community service with kids and photography. Flashes of Hope provided the perfect opportunity. I submitted myself as an available photographer and when presented with available dates, jumped at the opportunity.
I have shot for Flashes of Hope four times, each experience being different (hospital treatment center, summer camp for kids with cancer, hospital family fun day at a church rec center, and photographing family, friends and clinicians saying goodbye to a child who had just passed away. My passion for the organization grew after each shoot. I was aware that New York did not have an active chapter director so I recently offered my services.
We are constantly inundated with images , most of them trivial and self-indulgent. Flashes of Hope has commercial photographers take truly meaningful photos of children and families in the middle of dealing with a medical crisis. At a Flashes of Hope shoot the patients and their families offer the photographer a wide range of real emotion that normally can’t be captured in a 15 minute session (joy, vulnerability, silliness, sadness… but mostly love). The families are so grateful for the photos that they receive. They don’t realize that they are the ones who are actually doing the giving.
My role as Chapter Director is coordinating photo shoots (dates, photographers, makeup artists, paperwork, etc) and fundraising. At each shoot I am a bit jealous of the working photographer. I wish I could be the one setting up the lights, interacting with the kids and families on set, and creating the beautiful images that will be cherished for a lifetime. The reality is it is a pleasure watching others go through and share that experience.
Throughout my life of volunteering with kids I have found that the more I “give”, the more I get back. I am not good enough with words to describe what it feels like when a child you are working with can finally read a book cover to cover, when your little brother hikes up to a top of a rise and exclaims “I have never climbed a mountain before!” or the teen you have hosted from a foreign country thanks you for the best year of his/her life. Photographers can’t cure a child’s cancer but we can bring joy into lives of people who are having a difficult time. Flashes of Hope helps me realize what a real problem is and appreciate how fortunate and blessed we all are.
Here are some behind the scenes photos I took of volunteer photographer Jayne Wexler shooting at NYU Langone Medical Center.
Jayne chats up her model.
Our supermodel is a natural poser.
Our supermodel vogues for the camera.
Jayne’s assistant demonstrates a jump technique.
Our supermodel implements her own version of the jumping technique she was just taught.
As promised, here are images from the Spring 2014 photo shoot for New York fashion designer Lee Anderson.
We were very fortunate to have the stunning Clara Settje (Trump Model Management) modeling for us. The talented Xtah Weiss did an incredible job with hair and makeup.
This was a pretty straight forward shoot using a white background, a wind machine on Clara’s hair initially, then giving her a more glamorous look the second half of the shoot. Lee always brings incredible shoes and accessories to finish each look.
Clara was incredible bringing each look to life. The shoot was held at my NYC studio in the Flatiron District.
What more needs to be said? A picture speaks 1000 words.
I love the shoulder and luxurious fabric that make this simple white dress so special.
Stunning fabric elegantly draped.
Love the royal blue and the necklace is to die for.
A black and white shift made with contrasting patterned fabrics. Elegant and playful. Styled with a bold necklace and a pop of red.
Stunning shoulder detail on a column, luxurious fabric
Laser cut top to a beautiful gown.
A simple bodice with a flowing skirt with fun embellishments.
A beautiful sheen and laser cut detail make this dress so stunning.
Bold color contrast and an playful but elegant cut.
Stunning layering of fabric.
An elegant muted sea green gown, wonderful volume and drape.
Lee loves using rich colors and bold pattens on a simple shift silhouette.
I have been photographing her designs going on ten years. Lee sells custom garments soley out of her Lexington Avenue shop. Her loyal clientele appreciate her fearless aesthetic using bold colors, strong patterns, rich texture, and wonderful silhouettes to create both classic and whimsical fashion for every body type. Her husband and partner Nick Angelakis takes care of production and the business end and daughter Kyra helps manage the main store and outlet across Lexington Ave.
I love working with Lee. The photo shoot is always elegant and fun. The first time I worked with her I found myself pulling a stuffed, mounted trophy fish off the studio wall as a prop.
Here are some photographs I took of Lee, Nick and their staff at the Upper East Side shop and their Garment Center factory.
Also attaching her bio at the end of the post. Later this week I will share some photos we have created together.
Lee Anderson at her Lexington Avenue shop which sells her custom couture designs.
Partner Nick Angelakis at Lee Anderson, custom couture atelier on the upper east side of Manhattan
Staff helping a customer get a custom fit of a gown.
Sales staff helps client select fabric and color on a custom couture dress at Lee Anderson, Manhattan
Sales staff adjusts the sleeve of a custom jacket.
Sales staff at Lee Anderson wearing her designs.
Tailor creating a custom fitted couture garment
Tailor creating a custom fitted couture garment
Sketches and a post card on the wall of Lee Anderson’s New York Garment Center factory.
Cutting from patterns at the NYC Garment Center factory.
Cutting from patterns at the NYC Garment Center factory.
Frank checks fabric samples.
Factory manager Frank pulling fabric to be cut for a custom garment
Cutting fabric for a custom design at the New York Garment Center factory.
Delivering the finished garment.
Lee Anderson had already garnered a reputation for creating custom made couture clothing that embraces chromatic luxury in world renown fabrics when she established her design business in 1980 in a townhouse just off Madison Avenue in New York City. Lee graduated from the Traphagen School of Design, founded in the 1920s by Ethel Traphagan. The school was known for its technical orientation of the art of fashion design, offering courses in pattern-making and drafting. Although the school closed its doors in the early 1990s, such fashion icons as Geoffrey Beene, James Galanos, Mary McFadden, John Kloss, Christos Yiannakou and Franklin Rowe are among its alumni.
After being introduced to Seventh Avenue by Ralph Lauren, Lee worked as a design assistant to legends John Kloss (a fellow Traphagen alumnus), most famous for designing a bra that appeared not to exist in 1974 for Lily of France and Herbert Kasper for Joan Leslie. Kasper made his name as a designer by working for Joan Leslie from 1963 to 1985, becoming vice president of the company in 1980 and creating high fashion looks that reflected trends but were commercial and wearable.
Soon after striking out on her own, Lee Anderson’s collection was featured at Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman and other fine specialty stores in the U.S. Today, the designer dedicates herself to her signature couture collection and special New York clientele. She continues to create clothing that embraces chromatic luxury using the most extraordinary and researched fabrics of the world, including iridescent taffetas, brocades, hand fringed British district checks and Celtic tweeds.
Lee Anderson Couture caters to a clientele who share her love for the highest pinnacle in luxury fashion.
I spent a beautiful NYC spring day in my studio with the talented makeup artist and hair stylist Tom Venditelli of Agency Gerard and manicurist Naoko Saita
Natural makeup, natural hair, clean manicure and soft lighting along with Brazilian beauty Kelie Santos (DNA) and the equally lovely Jandra D (Next).
It was a fun, easy day, low pressure, hair flying in the wind, making beautiful photos and listening to great music.
My favorite track of the day was Vavava Voom by 70’s glam rocker Brett Smiley.
Here are some behind the scenes photos to whet my appetite to share the final images! Kelie is being primped by Tom on set. Jandra is doing her “Cousin It” imitation making sure her hair is voluminous and loose.
Last night the Brooklyn Museum hosted a members reception for the opening of Ai Weiwei: According to What which will be open though August 10.
Ran into neighbors and close friends Maruchi Santana and John Parham. Check out their branding firm Parham Santana. Super creative people. Maruchi has an amazing aesthetic and sense of color, John is always ready to share his latests cocktail recipe.
I digress, if you are in traveling distance to the great state of Brooklyn, go see this show!!!
Roberta Smith’s review in the NY Times.
(The images below do the art absolutely no justice. I am hesitant to include them.)
As promised last week, here are
The location is the fabulous third floor of the Metropolitan Building in Long Island City, Queens, NY. It is chock full of great props in a distressed but chic setting.
Our model was the stunning Morgan Chelf from IMG. Cliff Hoppus styled the shoot.
Eric Hason Photography, New York 