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If you’re in SoCal tomorrow pop your head into the Kona Gallery in San Clemente for the NPPA Biz Blitz Roundtable for good discussion, good people and great photography. BYOB!
WHAT? NPPA Biz Blitz Roundtable on The State of The Photo Industry
WHERE? Kona Gallery + Photo-Journalsim Center – 412 N El Camino Real, San Clemente, CA, U.S. 92672 exit 75 on I-5
Which hopes to have a new show by ART BREWER up and also the Best of DOUBLEtruck Exhibtion and a showing of some of the BOP 2012 Award Winners, as well as the proflic essay by AL SATTERWHITE: the Racers. The 3 KONA gallery spaces will be packed with amaZing Photography, Art and Journalism. Worth the trip by themselves:) www.TheKonaGallery.com
WHEN? Friday the 16th (yes tommorow). From 18:00 till 22:00 and it is FREE! BYOB
Join Panelists:
Sports Legend and in NPPA BOP Show at Gallery: DONALD MIRALLE
Commercial and Editorial Legend: AL SATTERWHITE
ASMP President SHAWN HENRY
Legendary, former Time Magazine Contract Photographer: ART GRACE
Portrait Photographer Extraordinary and ASMP Board Member: KEVIN LOCK
Environmental Photographer, Rights Adovcate and ASMP Board Member: JENNA CLOSE
And a few last minute surprises…
You do not need to be a NPPA member, all are welcome.
To register or learn more on THE EVENT:
https://www.nppa.org/news/25966
Photo by Donald Miralle for the Washington Nationals
From the first moment I met Bryce Harper two years ago at Spring training for the Washington Nationals, I knew this guy was going to be great. For a three hour shoot, he did whatever I asked of him on cue, gave 100% effort and focus for every take, and was a consummate professional and a joy to work with. Today when he was named National League Rookie of the Year, which is not only huge for him indivdually, but also for his team, the fans, the league and the sport. It’s great to see an athlete with so much hype coming out of high school to live up to the hype. Nice read on the curlyw blog here about Harper and here are some pictures from my three shoots I had with him, couldn’t be happier for the new NL Rookie of the Year.
Actor Kirk Douglass poses for a portrait at his home on November 7, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.
Kirk Douglas is an American Film Icon and Legend, and is one of the last surviving actors from Hollywood’s “Golden Age”. He is no. 17 on AFI’s greatest male American screen legends of all time, making him the highest-ranking living person on that list. He’s appeared in such classic movies as Spartacus, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Lust for Life.
So when I got a request from his Alma Mater St. Lawrence University to shoot him at his home in Beverly Hills, I jumped at the chance. It’s not every day you get to shoot a Hollywood Legend in his house! Kirk and his wife just recently graciously donated 5 million to the University to extend the scholarship program for ethnic minority students. Born Issur Danielovitch, Douglas was a son of jewish immigrants raised in the New York area. Legend has it that as a young man Douglas jumped off the back of a turnip truck at the University, talked his way into the school, and received a loan which he paid back working part-time as a gardener and janitor. There is just a myriad of wonderful and interesting stories from Kirk Douglas’s life, but other than his indelible mark he has left on Hollywood, it may be his mission as Hollywood’s most generous philanthropist that he may be remembered most for (he has donated 50 million this year alone to multiple charities and non-profits!).
So it was no surprise when we showed up to the beautiful Douglas residence in Beverly Hills, California, walking distance to Sunset Blvd and the famous Beverly Hills Hotel, that I would not be impressed with this man. Even though he suffered a stroke several years back slightly impairing his speech, I could understand everything he said and could see he was as sharp as a knife. We didn’t have much time to get this done, so my assistant and I walked into his house ready to shoot with a Nikon D800, 24-70mm lens, PocketWizard Plus III synched to a Profoto 7b pack and light with a beauty dish + diffuser. He graciously invited us into his house where we met his wife and assistant, and led us directly to this first spot where he wanted to set up a shot. His house was beautifully but not extravagantly decorated with art that you would recognize, masks and relics from around the world, and pictures of his family (yes there were a couple of Catherine Zita-Jones and Michael Douglas). He took us to beautiful and quaint garden area where we set up a shot in front of an incredible sculpture of multiple busts of himself, and a bench nearly where we shot several of Kirk his wife Anne, and the president of St. Lawrence University and his wife. After a couple minutes of shooting and telling him that my favorite movies he starred in were Spartacus and Lust for Life (where he played a tortured Vincent Van Gogh and should have received an Oscar for his performance), we shook hands again and left.
It was a pleasure to shoot one of the Hollywood greats that I grew up watching and admiring on the big screen, and was worth the four hour roundtrip drive in LA traffic from San Diego.
One of our close friends Al Bello and his family, recently survived Hurricane Sandy. Their house cannot say the same. They live in Merrick, NY which is located on Long Island. Last year, their home sustained catastrophic damage from Hurricane Irene. Just in the past couple of months, they completed the rebuild of their home from that storm only to have this larger storm come through and destroy the entire first floor again. As of 11/5/12, Al and his family are still without heat or electricity.
For those of you who don’t know Al he is a world-class photographer for Getty Images, and a selfless person who is always there to help out others. He is married to one of the sweetest human beings, Debbie, and they have two beautiful kids Nicole and Daniel. They have faced great adversity in the past couple of years, but you will never hear Al complain about it. Ever.
They face another long road of dealing with insurance, FEMA, contractors, temporary relocation, etc. When I asked Al last week “What can we do to help you guys?”, he replied “Can you build me a house?” Our hearts are breaking for them and we want to help. We can’t build a house but we can help to raise money for their family to help offset some of the financial burden from this repeat tragedy.
We have set up a benevolent fund for the Bello family at Comercia Bank. Donations can be made the following ways:
1. Send via paypal account AlBello55@yahoo.com
2. Wiring funds (routing # 121137522 and account #1894689049)
3. Making a deposit at any Comerica branch to account #1894689049 (Account name: The Bello Family Relief Fund)
4. Mailing a check to us made out to The Bello Family Relief Fund.
C/o Lauren Miralle
Farmers Insurance
5751 Palmer Way Ste. H1
Carlsbad, CA 92010
100% of the funds donated will go directly to the Bellos. We have set up a facebook page for this athttp://www.facebook.com/TheBelloFamilyReliefEffort and please feel free to pass it along to anyone who you think can help. I know there are so many people who need our help in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and thank you for taking the time to care for this incredible family!!!
Best,
donaldmiralle.wordpress.com 
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