People Magazine photographer
Looking for absent royalty in Gila Bend
In late September an assignment for People Magazine took me to the small town of Gila Bend, Arizona. The premise was to photograph where Prince Harry would be staying during his visit for military training in October. Gila Bend is a small town in the desert off Highway 8 between Tucson and San Diego. It is home to a United States Air Force Base and is a regular training place for Allied Foreign troops.
Other than the Air Force Base there just isn’t a whole lot there. The town only has three restaurants, one bar and doesn’t even have a grocery store. It has several hotels including the somewhat well known Space Age Inn that carries a UFO theme throughout.
Most of my editorial work involves photographing people and places but rarely empty spaces. This project was about showing how different the area is than where Prince Harry comes from in England and capturing the personality of the town.
We spent the day on base and around town gathering photographs and some on camera interviews with the local people. Many of whom were very friendly but seemed unconcerned with a visiting celebrity who would be third in line as the king of England.
People Magazine | Heroes Among Us
Here is a tearsheet from an assignment that I shot for People Magazine in February. It’s a great story on David Talley and Brian Belanger here in Arizona. Hair/makeup/grooming by Laura Flagler.
Christa Brelsford, Haiti earthquake survivor for People Magazine
I recently photographed Christa Brelsford a survivor of the earthquake in Haiti in January. Brelsford is a graduate student at the Arizona State University who was volunteering in Haiti in January when the earthquake devastated the country. After getting stuck in a collapsed building Brelsford had to get the lower part of her right leg amputated. She has been an avid rock climber for years so I photographed her at the Phoenix Rock Gym in Tempe, Arizona.
I was commissioned by People Magazine to photograph her and the article about Brelsford ran in May 2010. However at the last moment my images were not used. These photographs are now available for editorial licensing in the online archive: Christa Brelsford, Haiti earthquake survivor
Shawna Bowen, sweat lodge deaths in Sedona for People Magazine
I recently traveled to Sedona, Arizona to photograph an assignment for People Magazine. The magazine was writing a story about deaths that occurred during a sweat lodge at a resort south of Sedona.
My subject Shawna Bowen is a substance abuse therapist who was one of the first people on the scene the day of this tragic event. This portrait of Shawna is my favorite outtake from the shoot. She was a great subject and very kind to allow us to go back to the area where the event took place. The photo below is the road leading down to the valley where the resort is located.
The magazine ran the story in the Friday, October 30, 2009 edition. More information on the story can be found at various locations online. These images can be licensed in the online archive: Shawna Bowen, sweat lodge deaths in Sedona, Arizona
People Magazine project
A feature for People Magazine on doctors in Phoenix, Arizona who treat homeless teens with a mobile medical unit. Below is Dr. Randy Christensen in front of the Home Base Mobile Unit.
Ty Pennington for People Magazine
In April I traveled to northern Arizona to photograph portraits of the cast of ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition. I spent a whole day on set documenting the house unveiling and also did portraits of the cast of the show. Below is a portrait of show host Ty Pennington.
Images are available for editorial licensing in the online archive: Ty Pennington
