Recently, I made a trip to Los Angeles to visit and photograph my friend Amanda. Since I began photographing Amanda in 2011, she has become a very close friend and an incredible model.
There has been a steady transformation from our first shoot until now. She's always had something special about her that was very evident from the beginning. Through all her significant life changes, Amanda has stayed grounded while maintaining an infectiously positive attitude. I was honored to create some images in this next chapter of her life as a new mother to a beautiful baby girl Nakano and wife to the talented actor Wilmer Valderrama.
I was fortunate to have my good friend and photographer Skip and the amazing make-up artist Ernesto on this shoot. Having a talented crew makes the difference between a good image and a great image. Working with somebody like Ernesto for make-up has transformed my images and pushed my work to the next level. Skip is much more than an assistant; his extra pair of eyes and collaboration frees me to focus on the moment, knowing everything else will be handled. Amanda and Ernesto have worked together several times, and he knows her style and always has outstanding ideas when working with her. I'm so fortunate to have Skip and Ernesto along, and I couldn't have done it without them.