A VERY GAY GALA

Last week I photographed the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s 38th Anniversary Gala and Auction at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza. I circulated around the silent auction and cocktail reception to take photos of the attendees and then took live shots of the famous presenters and award recipients during the show.

I shot the reception and silent auction with my Nikon D80, Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 lens, off camera SB-800 flash and a Gary Fong Lightsphere, and used my 85mm f/1.4 lens during the show set at f/1.7, ISO 1250, and spot metering.

Here are my favorite shots from the evening:


Chelsea Handler, host of the show





Jay Leno, presented the Rand Schrader Distinguished Achievement Award to Wanda Sykes. Leno said of his talk show, ”We do jokes about pop culture and about fashion, but we never joke about human rights.”

Wanda has some great expressions!






Miss Coco Peru (aka Clinton Leupp), recipient of the Board of Directors Award.


This shadow of Miss Coco Peru on the stage curtain is one of my favorite shots from the night. I love spotting photographic moments that other people probably wouldn't notice.

There was a great painting of Coco for sale at the silent auction and I waited awhile until I spotted some cute guys who I thought would look cute posing with the portrait.




Zachary Quinto from "Star Trek" and "Heroes" presented Coco with her award. He was difficult to photograph because he was really serious and I kept waiting for a moment where he was smiling. This is the closest I got.


Amber Riley from "Glee" performed.


She had a great voice and personality.


This is Lorri L. Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center. She's very approachable and nice and a TERRIFIC public speaker. She gave a very rousing speech where she described herself as a "patriot."


I thought she looked very pretty this evening as well.


Lori, Chelsea, and Miss Coco.

During the cocktail reception, they had two sketch artists doing funny portraits of guests.



I just loved this artist's jacket.





These chairs were auction items. Instead of just shooting static shots of them, I asked two gals who were standing nearby if they would pose with them and they were happy to oblige.


I asked this couple to pose with this auction painting because their clothing complimented the shot. Instead of taking a basic shot of the couple or a simple shot of the painting, putting these ingredients together made a more fun and visually appealing shot. The blue tie went with the tones in the painting and the red dress added a nice dollop of contrast.


These photos were up for auction. On the left a portrait of Andy Warhol by Michael Childers. On the right a portrait of Grace Jones (I think possibly shot by Childers too). I would have loved to have bid on the Grace Jones photo but was just too busy shooting to do it.


I asked to take a photo of these gentlemen because they were so darn good looking and dressed so elegantly in black tie.


During the show, there was entertainment from this senior troup from The Center. They danced and sang their asses off and were a lot of fun to watch. When I grow up I want to be just like them!

Photo Credits: © Lydia Marcus 2009 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed October 24, 2009 in Century City, CA
At the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center’s
38th Anniversary Gala and Auction

HAUTE DOGGITY

This was my second year in a row attending the Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade in Long Beach. Last year's parade had more than 600 dogs in costume and this year's parade was even bigger. Last year the parade took place on the sidewalk with spectators squeezed on both sides of the cement. This year the parade expanded to two closed off streets with spectators seated in rented chairs lining the street, standing on either side of the street, or sitting directly on the curb.

When we first drove past the festival, both Cali and Abbey (my neighbor Amy's dog) started whimpering a little and just sniffing the air like crazy. They saw and sensed a lot of dogs in the area and they were beginning to get wound up. I wasn't sure how Cali was going to do with all the doggie stimulation. She LOVES to play and I thought she'd be pulling me in all directions. The past month I've been taking her out with me to lots of festivals and she's been getting better and better at remaining calm when she sees other dogs. The first time I took her out with me to the Taste of Encino, I thought she was going to pull my arm out of it's socket lunging and pulling to get at other dogs. But at the Haute Dog Howl'oween she turned out to be surprisingly calm and just wanted to say hi or give a quick kiss to all the doggies she met. There were a couple playful pups closer to her age that actually engaged in play with her so that was great. The only problem I had with her was her attention span - she started to get kind of antsy during the parade because we were planted in one place for a very long time. When you're dealing with a puppy it's really no different than dealing with a kid. You wouldn't expect a kid to stay put in one place for a very long time without wanting to get out an roam around and a dog is exactly like that. Instead of getting up, I just decided to forgo watching the parade for a little while and got down on the ground with her to give her attention and belly rubs.

I didn't get to take as many photos as last year because holding onto Cali and taking photos at the same time is a challenge. But here are my faves from the day. Everything was shot with my Nikon D80 and a 50mm lens at f/1.8.


Pomeranian cutie.


The cutest boxer puppy! I just wanted to eat it up!!!


This "lobster" dog took for cover under the chair because it was wary of Cali.


Tiny & Precious!


I had originally bought a ladybug costume for Cali but she wasn't having any part of it. Maybe when she's older and calmer I can ease her into a costume. But I did manage to pick up this cute scarf for her at the Haute Dog festival. It's red with white hearts and looks great against her black coat. I also bought a yellow one that has a hibiscus flower pattern on it. They attach with velcro and were only $4 dollars.


This is my neighbor Amy with her chihuahua mix Abbey. Abbey is Cali's first playmate, they met right when I got Cali at 4 months old. Abbey is a little bundle of energy and spunk and who always lets Cali know who's the boss! This was the first time Cali and Abbey traveled in the car together and they got along great.


I wanted to get a better portrait after the parade but we were all so pooped out. Posing two dogs together is not so easy.


I think this is a boston terrier dressed as a Laker. It just wanted to play. So sweet.


SUPER LAB!


Definitely the weirdest (and possibly most creative) entry in the parade.


The "Lion" dog and Abbie. The lion mane was homemade by it's owner. Soooo cute.


Chickies!


Playful pup.


This year the parade began with a kid costume category. I thought this little girl dressed as bacon was the best!


This little boy was awesome as Edward Scissorhands. I loved his scowling expression!


A portrait of me & Cali taken by my friend Matthew.


Another shot of me & Cali. Cali will be 8 months old in a few days.

Photo credits © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed October 31, 2009 in Long Beach, CA at the Haute Dog Howl'oween Parade

Update November 6, 2009: Received new photos from my friend Matthew Dillon so thought I'd share them.

Here's Amy M., Me & Cali, and my neighbor Amy S. with Abbey.


Me & Cali and Amy S. & Abbey.

LANDSCAPED

Polaroid Photo credit © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed April 4, 2009 in Encino, CA

PLAYTIME WITH CALI

Open W-I-D-E!


"Just try and take this persimmon away from me!"


Bend It Like Cali!


I wish her face was in better focus, but I like her expression.


Recent Videos:

Cali Has A Ball


We had a couple days of rain in L.A. so I had to find creative ways to keep Cali busy indoors. And find ways to poop her out! So I invented the Cali-lympics.

Playtime isn't just for fun, it's a daily way to keep training Cali through repetition, praise and sometimes reward.

Cali-lympics Day 1 - Stay, come, single jump, sit, and left paw.


Cali-lympics Day 2 - Cali nails the double jump!


There was a Cali-lympics Day 3 where I had Cali doing a triple jump but I didn't record it because the room was too dark. Right now I'm improvising her jumps with TV bed trays, but I hope to get some agility equipment eventually.

Cali 7.5 months
Photo credits © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed October 21, 2009 in Encino, CA

GOLDEN BIRD

Pontiac Trans Am Firebird
Polaroid Photo credit © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed June 28, 2009 in Van Nuys, CA
At the All GM Car Show

POLAROID COMEBACK

Just received this email from Polapremium. I just hope the new films aren't going to cost and arm and a leg.

THE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT
INSPIRES POLAROID® TO
RELAUNCH INSTANT CAMERAS

"..After all the difficulties and changes of ownership during the last years, the new management of Polaroid now understands the source of the brand's attraction - which is surprisingly not based in digital cameras but in Dr. Edwin Land's groundbreaking 1948 invention of Instant Photography, which he ingeniously devised and passionately developed with a lot of care and devotion."

"...We grabbed the chance to take over the last factory producing Instant films from the old Polaroid management and to start The Impossible Project in 2008. Re-inventing a new analog integral film, we are now preparing, supporting and managing the comeback of Instant Photography."

Accomplishing this mission and proudly owning the former Polaroid plant in Enschede (NL), as well as already holding the first working hand-coated samples in our trembling hands, we are pleased to herewith announce a history-making cooperation between The Impossible Project and Polaroid:

Polaroid will re-launch the legendary Polaroid One Step Camera and is therefore commissioning The Impossible Project to develop and produce a limited edition of Polaroid® branded Instant Films in the middle of 2010.

Large-scale production and worldwide sale of The Impossible Project's new integral film materials under its own brand will already start in the beginning of 2010 - with a brand new and astonishing black and white Instant Film and the first colour films to follow in the course of the year."

Read the full announcement.

FERRARI VERTABRAE

355 F1 Spyder
Photo Credit © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed October 11, 2009 in Glendale, CA
Caruso Concours d'Elegance at The Americana at Brand

SHE'S GOT LEGS, SHE KNOWS HOW TO USE THEM

I always spot amazing webs and spiders at night but have never been able to get a good photograph. These two beauties were out in stark sunlight and I had my macro lens with me so I was able to capture all the eerie details.

The spiders were quite large - around two inches in length - so it's a good thing I'm not arachnophobic because my head was >veryclose< to the second spider pictured. The beautiful green background in the first shot is actually reclaimed water at The Japanese Garden in Van Nuys. I love how the markings on the first spider's body make it look like a creepy skull or weird alien being.

Photo credits: © Lydia Marcus 2009
Photographed September 27, 2009 in Van Nuys, CA
The Japanese Garden / Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant