JERRY AVENAIM: Stills Of The Silver Screen

JERRY AVENAIM: Stills Of The Silver Screen
Contents
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©Nick Del Calzo
Nick Del Calzo
In Focus
Combing the country Nick Del Calzo has captured a visual tribute to the soldiers that received the highest military
award whose stories of gallantry during combat has distinguished themselves as true examples of courage, sacrifice, and honor.
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©Ryan McGinley
Ryan McGinley
On the Rise
Being the youngest artist to have a one man show at the
Whitney Museum of American Ar t, being named
Photographer of The Year 2003 by American Photo
Magazine, it would seem that Ryan McGinley's uncompromising and unaltered vision has the kid doing alright.
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©Sean Kernan
Sean Kernan
Insider Profile
In the wake of the digital photographic explosion, Sean
Kernan takes a step back striping away the technological
advantages of today's photographic process in attempts
to get back to the sustenance and benefits found only
after a hard day in the darkroom.
Through the side streets and the back-alley's Hans
Neleman travel's through Guatemala has given faces and
names through a dark first-hand account to one of the
world's oldest professions.
Jerry Avenaim
In a town where nothing is what it seems, Jerry Avenaim is
capturing some of the most intimate portraits of today's
celebrities as well as the attention of the photographic world.
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Cover photo of James Caan by
Jerry Avenaim was taken at
Quixtoe Studios Hollywood, CA
©Jerry Avenaim
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©Hans Neleman
Hans Neleman
Night Chicas
Shooting a celebrity can be difficult, and most of the work
you see is done prior to the shoot. Avenaim will spend extensive amounts of time researching his subject’s work and finding
ways to show both the characters they play on the screen and
BY JASON ETZEL
P
who they are off-screen.
hotographers who concentrate on shooting celebrities can
The celebrity portraiture of Avenaim comprises some of
usually be lumped into one of two categories. There are the
the more insightful images ever taken of stars. Looking at his
irascible paparazzi, despised by celebrities for their tenacious,
work is like looking into the souls of his subjects, showing all the
sometimes obsessive pursuit of catching the stars during their
humanity buried inside the godlike status of celebrity. By treat-
most private moments. Then there are the stereotypical stu-
ing each of his subjects in such a personal manner, Avenaim has
dio photographers who are usually commissioned to capture
captured images of celebrities with such raw, unfiltered emotion
the perfectly composed and lit portrait of flawlessly made-up
that the work stands as some of the most genuine shots you will
celebrities that does much to perpetuate the myth that they
see today. It’s this kind of work and ability to get to the bare
essence of a person that has left Hollywood begging for more
are somehow above mere mortals.
Then there’s Jerry Avenaim, one of Hollywood’s hottest
of Avenaim. Being in such high demand, he receives the offers
photographers to the stars, who is quickly and quietly earning
most photographers would dream of. Avenaim was recently
the reputation for his ability to capture celebrities as they real-
selected by the editors of TV Guide as the only photographer
ly are. And he even makes the photo sessions an enjoyable
to shoot actors starring in this fall’s new lineup of shows.
experience, which has resulted in Avenaim becoming one of the
Shooting exclusively for TV Guide’s Fall Preview, as well as for
more sought-after photographers in the industry.
cover shots throughout the coming season, was an honor he
With more than a decade of experience shooting some
didn’t take lightly. “What made it even more special for me was
of Hollywood’s most famous, as well as infamous, faces and
the fact that this year there was a lot of veteran screen and tele-
more than two decades as a professional photographer,
vision stars involved in the new lineup,” says Avenaim.
Avenaim has put together a formula that has set him apart
Going to work each morning meant working with some of
Hollywood’s greats, including the notable faces of James Caan,
from his competition.
“You not only have to be good at what you do, you have
Alicia Silverstone, Rob Lowe, Charlie Sheen, and Mark Harmon,
to be consistent and work well under pressure,” explains
as well as some of the newer faces of Hollywood, such as Kelly
Avenaim. “I try to set an easy and relaxed atmosphere for my
Ripa and Carla Gugino. However, with such a lineup, a lot of
clients, the celebrities, and their publicist.”
expectations and time constraints follow.
One of Avenaim’s favorite shoots for TV Guide, and ironically one of his most stressful, was the cover shot of American
Jerry
Avenaim
Idol judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson.
Avenaim admits he and his wife are huge fans of the hit show,
but also admits that shooting the cover was undertaken during
tremendous stress. “This shoot took place in the evening
CELEBRITY SKIN
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Previous Page:
could keep shooting. I emphatically told him I would give him a
Jada Pinkett-Smith, Quixote Studios Hollywood, CA
hug if he could make the switch and allow me to finish the
Left to right from bottom:
shoot. As I went to shake his hand he exclaimed, “Now don’t be
Alicia Silverstone, Quixote Studios Hollywood, CA
a welcher, I want that hug!’” A shot that resulted from Dr. Phil’s
Ben Stiller, Compton, CA
willingness to alter his schedule became the cover of Newsweek.
Unfortunately, not all celebrities are willing and able to be as
following a live broadcast of the show,” explains Avenaim.
flexible as Dr. Phil. A case in point would be former Baretta star
“In attendance were the executives of FOX, the editors of TV
Robert Blake. The actor was not only unwilling to alter his
Guide, a British TV crew, and another video crew filming my
schedule to stay longer, he didn’t even want to be there in the
pre-lighting techniques-about 40 people in all. There was
first place. However, shooting at his own home, Blake had little
absolutely no margin for error.” The end result was one of the
choice. Never has the attitude and ethic of Avenaim resulted in
more memorable images of 2003 with Cowell tied and gagged
more powerful images. From the get-go, everyone knew there
to a chair by his fellow judges.
would be a problem shooting the reclusive Blake. Immediately,
Working under pressure and difficult situations is some-
there was a simple creative difference of Blake disagreeing with
thing every celebrity photographer must face, whether it is sur-
the wardrobe for the shoot. Avenaim politely asked whether his
rounding pressure from executives, the time constraints put on
reluctant subject would just do him the favor of putting on
them from the schedule of the star, or at times simply the
some or any of the clothing the stylist pulled for him and they
celebrity. When Avenaim was assigned to photograph Dr. Phil
would be done quickly and painlessly.
for the cover of Newsweek, and it seemed like everything was
To be done quickly might have been appealing to Blake, but
going to go wrong, his work ethic and how it inspires all those
making this shot painless for Avenaim was clearly not. He refused
around him made everything go just right. “But it almost didn’t
to wear the clothing, which left Jerry with only one option.
happen. We were scheduled to finish the shoot before lunch to
He challenged his agitated subject, “Blake, if you don’t like the
allow Dr. Phil to keep a scheduled television interview, but time
clothes, don’t wear anything at all. Just go out there naked.”
had slipped away.
Just when everyone at the ranch thought the shoot was over
“When I met him, I found that he was the same person pri-
before it began, in an act of defiance Blake answered the chal-
vately that he is publicly. I wanted to capture that larger-than-life
lenge by walking out on his porch with only a beret and a ciga-
image. After going through several backgrounds, I knew I want-
rette, ready to be photographed. The results are the only pro-
ed to focus solely on his face.That meant I needed to shoot him
fessional portraits of the actor taken in nearly two decades.
‘black-on-black.’The changing of the lighting and the backgrounds
“My patience was running thin with Robert, just as his
to do this would take a little extra time, time I felt we would not
patience was running thin with me and my crew, but you can’t let
have, and I thought I was going to have to let those shots go.”
that dictate the tempo of a shoot,” explains Avenaim.“As the pho-
Dr. Phil came to me and simply asked me if it would help me
tographer, you set the tempo of a shoot. If you start to unravel, so
out if he switched his interview until later in the day so that we
does everyone around you, and it shows in the work at the end.”
(
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(
“The greatest voyage of discovery
is not in seeking new landscapes,
but in having new eyes.”
)
A native of Chicago, Avenaim’s fascination with photography began as a teen when he became enthralled with the photographs of famed fashion photographer Richard Avedon.
Studying his life and works through books and magazines,
Avenaim would stare at the catchlight in his subject’s eyes and
try to replicate the style of those who inspired him by shooting
friends in his backyard. This was one of the first steps Avenaim
undertook as he began to develop his own shooting style.
Keeping things in tempo is one of the critical lessons
Avenaim learned as a photographer, a lesson he came to understand on his first job assisting the legendary Patrick Demarchelier.
“On my first day, I was nervous and in awe. Here I was with of
one of the industry’s greatest photographers, along with stunning supermodel Christy Brinkley and an intricate lighting setupeverything was perfect. As Patrick continued shooting, I remember thinking to myself, This is a very long roll of film. Patrick
looked at the camera and then at me and calmly stated that
there was no film in the camera. I quickly loaded the camera,
thinking my first day would definitely be my last. Without missing a beat, Patrick continued shooting as if nothing had gone
wrong. He got his shots and, amazingly, I kept my job. It was a
strong message of how to take care of both subjects and assistants. One I never forgot.”
To this day, Avenaim is both haunted and humored by his
film-loading scenario. But as fate would have it, the same thing
happened to him again, except this time the roles were reversed.
The camera was loaded and Avenaim kept shooting, never
breaking tempo and setting an example for his assistant. Avenaim
is a believer in spreading the wealth when it comes to tricks of
the trade, whether it is lessons learned in the art of photography or in life. “Many of the things Jerry taught me about lighting
I use in my films today,” comments Rick Thomas, a lighting director on such films as Road to Perdition and Normal and before
that an assistant of Avenaim’s during the late 1980s and early
‘90s. “When I began working with Jerry, I thought I knew everything about lighting and photography. After learning from Jerry, I
realized I knew nothing at all.There is a little bit of Jerry’s teachings in everything I do today.” It wasn’t just technical knowledge
either; learning lighting was only the tip of the iceberg. “Most
importantly, he taught me about how to treat people and how
to put forward a professional attitude on every shoot. He never
hesitated in sharing his knowledge with me, and I don’t think I
ever asked him a question he was afraid to answer.”
Avenaim’s assistants are not the only people who have
access to his wisdom and guidance. He frequents photographic
events and workshops and has never hesitated in showing aspir-
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Left to right from top:
The American Idol Judges: Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul
Quixote Studios Hollywood, CA
Dr. Phil McGraw, 5th & Sunset Studios Culver City, CA
Tom Green, Tom Green’s Home Studio City, CA
Patricia Arquette, Santa Monica Airport Santa Monica, CA
ing photographers how to better their work. While most photographers will guard their technical secrets, Avenaim will go out
of his way to explain how he did even his most famous of
images. The photograph of Halle Berry he shot last year has
graced the covers of countless magazines including People’s
Yearbook 2003 issue. It is the most recognizable shot in
Avenaim’s portfolio and has become the template for celebrity
glamour portraiture. If you asked any other photographer how
he did it, you might get laughed at, but with Avenaim you get a
diagram with specifications of where the lights were set up and
insight into how to create the perfect key light. Furthermore, he
would continue to explain how he would soak Rosco Tuff Spun in
Lipton tea to get the perfect color temperature for Berry’s skin.
There are many stories behind Avenaim’s most famous
)
sessions, many of which will be included in his forthcoming book, Luminosity, which, according to the
artist, will be a “10-year retrospective on my celebrity photographs that will include the technical
aspects of the shot as well the stories behind the
images.” Some of the more humorous stories come
from the mid- 1980s, when Avenaim was ready to
(
break away from the world of the assistant and
become the well-balanced photographer he is today.
“Success will be based upon
how you and your subject
can work together.”
After spending several years in Milan, Avenaim headed for
L.A. in 1992, where he is currently based.This began a new evo-
“I phoned every country in the world that publishes an
lution in his career and a path that would put some of
edition of Vogue and told the editors that I wanted to shoot a
Hollywood’s most famous and infamous faces in front of his lens.
cover for them.” Avenaim got a conditional green light. The
“When I moved to Los Angeles, there was a transition
Vogue staff responded,“If you can get Cindy Crawford, we’ll give
period between shooting supermodels and celebrities. During
you the cover.” This was not a difficult task for Avenaim. “Cindy
the early ‘90s, you began to see a trend where celebrities had
and I are both got our start in Chicago and our paths had
become the models. I have always had a great respect for actors
crossed many times over the years, so I simply phoned her and
and their craft, so this next evolution in my career was a natur-
asked. She agreed to the shoot, and my first assignment at age
al transition for me.”
24 ended up being a cover for Vogue.”
A transition that his agent, Wendy Schneider, says has both
Even those who have not crossed paths with Avenaim can’t
celebrities and their magazine editors talking. “Jerry is extreme-
help but want to work with him “Everyone loves Jerry from the
ly popular among members of the industry because his easygo-
first time they meet him,” said Gaye Ann Bruno, who is the photo
ing personality makes him approachable and makes celebrities
department publicist for CBS.“He makes his subjects feel secure;
feel comfortable around him. Clients love him because there is
he’s very professional, very energetic, and has the innate ability
never a question about his ability, he can work with tight sched-
to get along with people. When I know Jerry is involved in a
ules and different personalities, and he somehow manages to
shoot, I can rest easy knowing it’s going to be a great one.”
capture the best from his subjects, often in very little time.”
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first photographed me for Elle magazine more than a decade
ago, and working with him again on a recent shoot was just as
pleasurable an experience as the first time. He has an incredible
ability to put people at ease, and I found myself still having fun
in front of his camera. I never worry about how I’ll come across.
I look forward to working with Jerry again.”
Karen Samfilippo, who is a personal publicist to many of
Avenaim’s subjects, said that the feeling is contagious. “Going
into a photo shoot is usually an event my clients feel is something they have to do, but when they hear Jerry is the photographer, it becomes something they want to do.” Avenaim has
created the images that have become the defining shots for
such celebrities as Halle Berry, Milton Berle, and Dr. Phil.
“Celebrities know I would never do anything to make
them look silly-it’s my image as well. As artists, we all have to
take chances sometimes to come up with the truly memorable
images. But not everything is going to go as planned, and that’s
the beautiful part about the creative process. The key is to be
malleable-be prepared to change to fit the situation or mood of
the celebrity. It’s that ability to change that often gets you the
gems you hadn’t planned on.”
Avenaim believes it is important to be prepared prior to
shooting. “You have an intention when going into a shoot but
know that it is just a template for the creative process. At the
end of the day, success will be based upon how you and your
subject can work together.”
The way Avenaim and his subjects have been able to collaborate in the creative process has resulted in some of the
Left to right from top:
Robert Blake, Blake’s Matahari Ranch House Studio City, CA
Angela Bassett, Quixote Studios Hollywood, CA
Halle Berry, 5th & Sunset Studios Culver City, CA
Time is something that seems to be at a premium in
Hollywood, and occasionally the elements are against Avenaim.
While shooting a feature of Ben Stiller, he had to resort to what
can be best described as guerrilla celebrity photography. Stiller
and Avenaim had to jump over fences, and racing against the
setting sun, he had to shoot quickly and efficiently so that there
would be enough light. The reward for winning the race against
time was yet another cover and feature.
You would think such an experience would leave celebrities shying away from shooting with Avenaim, but it’s the experience of sitting for him that keeps them coming back.
An example of one of Avenaim’s early subjects who willingly returned to face his lens is actress Alicia Silverstone. “Jerry
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more memorable images Hollywood has seen in recent years. It
His ability to combine his subjects’ sensitivity and vul-
is his creativity and ability to be inspired by his subjects that
nerability as well as their wild, uninhibited side is a trait that
make Avenaim so appealing to the networks.
Avenaim does not limit to celebrities. In what he considers his
Lauren Townsend, who is a press manager at NBC, knows
“soul cleansing” work, he has taken intimate portraits of those
that her clients are in good hands with Avenaim. “In the case of
not in the spotlight. His upcoming book, Naked Truth, is just
TV Guide’s Fall Preview issue, he screened all shows of his sub-
another example of how he can find emotion buried beneath
jects prior to them being aired. From this he absorbed the
the surface of his subjects. “The greatest voyage of discovery is
essence of the characters they play and was able to illustrate
not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes,” he
those traits in the photographs he took.”
declares. With that comes a certainty that Avenaim will remain
While photographing his subjects, Avenaim will often be
inspired as the shooting progresses, feeding off the vibe exhib-
true to a vision but remain open to the art and opportunity
that lay ahead of him.■
ited by his subjects. “When I photographed Angela Bassett for
ABOUT THE WRITER
Detour magazine, I could tell very early on that we shared a
creative connection,” Avenaim confesses. With the creative con-
Jason Etzel is a photographer for Unique Photo and a free lance
photo journalist.
nection comes an undying trust, and it was that trust that
allowed Avenaim to experiment.
“It wasn’t until I was almost finished shooting that I came
up with an experimental idea. I approached her about the idea,
and Angela agreed.” Without hesitation, he began preparing for
what would become yet another iconic image of one of today’s
most recognizable celebrities. Avenaim asked his assistant to go
to the kitchen and grab all the milk they had, a broom handle,
and a pan. We taped the pan to the handle, and my assistant
stood over her head on a 12-foot ladder. Avenaim instructed
Bassett to scream as the milk poured over her head. The best
shot came at the end, with milk streaming down her face and a
peaceful calm settled on a classically beautiful face.
Avenaim has been known to go to great lengths to create
an image or theme with his celebrities. When his creative juices
begin to flow, and the subject becomes inspired, the results can
be stunning. While doing a shoot for Paper magazine of Patricia
Arquette, her past work influenced the theme of the shoot.
“I remember how much I loved Patti in True Romance and wanted to tap into that character,” explains Avenaim. He worked with
the surroundings for the shoot, which coincidently was right where
he landed off of his flight and took place in a nearby hangar.
Avenaim recalled the inspiration Arquette had on the
shoot. “We put her in a black wig and used dark eye shadow
and a black backdrop. Her porcelain-white skin and ice-blue
eyes with smoke in light wisps from the corner of her mouth
made the images striking, almost surreal.”
(
“You have an intention when
going into a shoot but know that it is just a
template for a creative process.”
)