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| © Eva Mendes |
| Image by Mendes. Click photo for more images. |
An actress and model fascinated by the power of the camera takes a turn on the other side of the lens to record her own celebrity life.
Eva Mendes became an overnight success in Hollywood in the time-honored way -- by working hard for years. She started her career by appearing in music videos such as "Hole in My Soul" by Aerosmith and by doing bit parts on soap operas. Her breakthrough came when she appeared with Denzel Washington in 2001's Training Day, which led to other leads, opposite Will Smith in 2005's Hitch and Nicolas Cage in this year's Ghost Rider. Meanwhile, she also built a career in front of the still camera. As a model she has starred in ad campaigns for Revlon and Dolce & Gabbana. Perhaps her most famous pose, however, came recently when she appeared in the nude as part of an anti-fur campaign for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).
It's not surprising that Mendes is fascinated by the power of the camera, though she is quick to describe herself as an amateur when it comes to making pictures. Like actor Adrien Brody, Mendes recently worked with the charity group Signature International while attending the Venice Film Festival. Mendes agreed to record her memories of the festival, which included long hours stuck in hotel rooms. Like any other photographer in such a situation, she looked around and found inspiration nearby: a bouquet that she lit with light from a nearby window. She also used a slow shutter speed on her digital SLR to photograph car lights at night -- a visual drama that, naturally, looks more than a little cinematic.
-David Schonauer
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| © Colm Feore |
| One of Feore's shots from the set of ABC's mini-series Empire. Click photo for more images. |
Colm Feore
Shooting his own movie sets has helped this actor understand the needs of his directors. "I go to where the light is best," feore says.
While actor Colm Feore was playing Marcus Andronicus in the 1999 film Titus, costar Jessica Lange showed up with a Leica M6. "I thought, that is a terrific camera," remembers the actor, who plays the First Gentleman on this season of 24. From that point on Feore became an avid student of photography and a collector of vintage cameras. Frequently these cameras -- old Leicas, a Rolleiflex, an old Hasselblad, a Polaroid 340 -- were gifts to himself after finishing a difficult movie. Then at the end of The Chronicles of Riddick, a sci-fi action flick in which Feore wore a heavy metal suit and "tried to beat up Vin Diesel," the Shakespearean-trained actor decided he deserved a special reward. Having seen the Littman 45 Single featured in American Photo and praised by top photographers like Bruce Weber, Feore sent his money off to William Littman, who makes the 4x5 rangefinders by hand and only distributes them through his Website. "It was exactly what I was looking for," Feore says. Although the Littman is relatively easy to use compared to other 4x5 cameras, it's no point-and-shoot, and Feore isn't afraid to ask for help from the cinematographers he works with. "It's a terrific way to be engaged with an awfully boring practice," Feore says. During the downtime between his scenes, he often shoots 4x5 Polaroids with the Littman. The odd-looking camera tends to draw attention, and the instant, one-of-a-kind images help ingratiate Feore with fellow actors who are wary of being photographed. Plus, understanding that photography and cinema are "closely tied" helps him give directors and cinematographers what they want. "I go where the light is best," Feore says, "because I know it is helping me tell the story."
-Miki Johnson
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