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Happy Holidays To All!
Happy Holidays Everyone!
I thought it’d be a good time to share some photos from my walk through Central Park during the blizzard last weekend in NYC.
Snow – Blog – Images by Robert Caplin
High Flyin’ with Vincent Laforet
Last week I received a fun instant message from my pal Vincent Laforet (who until 6 months ago was my neighbor on the UWS of Manhattan) letting me know he was on a plane cross-country back to JFK for one of his infamous helicopter shoots over NYC. He asked if I wanted to fly along. I accepted….it was a no-brainer.
I met Vincent and his right-hand man, Mike Isler, at the 30th St. Heliport on the West side of Manhattan after being told only to dress warm. I had nothing to do other than observe, so I brought along my cameras and documented the fly-along taking mostly video of the shoot with my 5D2‘s.
The photo shoot was to take a portrait – while hovering from the helicopter – of a couple in the crow’s nest of a NYFD fireboat with the Manhattan skyline lingering in the background for New York Magazine’s year-end issue. (This couple met on the flight that crashed into the Hudson River last year.)
I really had no idea the planning and preparation that went into one of these shoots. Vincent and Mike have the aerial photo-shoot down to a science. They work with only a handful of first-class pilots and have all the proper safety and photo gear necessary to get the best possible shot.
Click here to see NY Mag’s video!
I was to the left of the pilot strapped-in with a four-point seatbelt (waist and both shoulders) into the front seat of the AStar AS350 B2 facing forward, which, due to my restraints, made it a bit difficult for me to see all the action that was happening in the backseat behind me.
Vince and Mike worked as a team in the customized rear of the cabin in which the door and backseat was removed in order for Vincent to sit, ass-on-floor, with his hands and legs hanging out the side. Harnessed in with a full body harness, Vince would shoot out the side of the aircraft while behind him Mike would pass forward requested gear and swap lenses. Mike worked out of a secured Think Tank roller bag containing the equipment. Vincent also had an assistant on a chartered NYC Water Taxi vessel with ProFoto strobes firing remotely with Pocket Wizards, so as dusk came he could light the subjects.
On top of that, they had to tune out Air Traffic Control and helicopter-to-helicopter chatter, while communicating not only with each other and BOTH vessels, but also directing the talent in the crow’s nest freezing their butts off!
God knows I certainly enjoyed myself!
Big thanks, as always, to Laia Prats for her help editing the video!
Some snapshots I took while flying:
High Flyin’ With Vincent Laforet – Blog – Images by Robert Caplin
From The Archives: Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera – Images by Robert Caplin
This dive into the archives goes back 3 years when I was commissioned by the NY Times on a last-minute assignment to photograph Christina Aguilera during a listening session for her new CD due to release back in the summer of 2006. The CD she was releasing was titled “Back To Basics”.
My editor at The Times called me last minute to see if I could run to the Sony Studios where Ms. Aguilera was playing her new tracks for friends and executives inside the studio. I quickly called up my buddy Noah Gilbert to give me a hand lugging my gear and assisting during the shoot. We arrived at the studio as the listening session was underway. As it turned out, my editor at the NY Times had worked with Aguilera’s publicist, who didn’t get in touch with her manager, so they had no clue I was coming! I had to use my silver tongue to get just a few moments to take the portrait.
We couldn’t set up the portrait during the listening session because the large studio was packed with 40-50 friends and executives. Leather couches were strewn around the studio and dozens of candles burned while Christina played each track and talked about the songs. After about an hour of lounging in the back of the room by the catering table (yum), Noah and I had about five minutes to set up and two minutes to shoot, all while guests lingered. Needless to say it was a rush job. My first thought was to take advantage of the soundboard since we were in the fancy studio. Unfortunately, after getting my lights set up, the sound technician had turned off the entire sound system. Due to the limited time and other pressing issues, he couldn’t boot the system back up, so we had to go with the flow: a soundboard switched off! Strict ethical policies at the NY Times prohibits any digital alteration, so I’ve never Photoshoped the soundboard into the “ON” position.
This was one of the more difficult shoots I’ve done due to the chaos in the room and Christina’s surprise of having to sit for a NY Times portrait after a long presentation. Though we were rushed, I was able to pull off a couple nice shots of the Grammy Award winner. In just the few moments I had with Aguilera, it was obvious she knew how to work a camera. I think I could have a lot of fun shooting an extended session with Christina should the day ever come.
Christina, have your people call my people….
NY Times Article and layout:
