Voyage LA

I'm excited to announce that Lucie Aleks Photography was featured in Voyage LA Magazine!

Here is an excerpt from the interview about how I initially got into photography.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My passion for photography originated in my father’s veins. He had an old, Russian Lubitel Twin Lens 6×6 Medium Format camera. That vintage camera was my first and favorite toy, and I grew up exploring life through its lens. When I was thirteen, I watched my parents buy a 35mm camera for my cousin as a birthday gift. My jealousy did not subside until his interests turned elsewhere, and he passed the camera down to me. This is when I officially began developing prints for both myself and other people. My room was so small that I turned my family’s bathroom into a darkroom. Their memories of my childhood consist mainly of me being behind a camera or in that bathroom developing the prints.

I think that the motivating force behind turning my passion into my profession is my deep love for people. I love trying to read the subtle expressions in people’s faces. I love their unpredictability, their unique differences, and who they become in front of my camera. Photography is my way of capturing an aspect of their character and recording the instant in which they reveal themselves. I have always had a really good visual memory and my photography is an extension of that. It’s just how my mind has always worked. Sharing my photography allows me to show others how I see the world so that they can see it too. That connection between me and the camera, or the camera and the subject, or even the photo and the viewer is what makes my photography different.

Check out the full article here!

8 Ways to Drive Your Photographer Crazy (What NOT to Do During a Shoot)

1) Tense Up

The best headshots and portraits are the ones that look natural. Sitting straight as a ramrod with a big plastic smile plastered on your face is probably going to end up looking as fake as it feels.

2) Ask to See Every Picture After It’s Taken

This slows down the shoot’s momentum and makes it take way longer than it ever should. The beautiful thing about photography is that the capture is instantaneous and can be deleted just as quickly. It’s way easier and more time efficient to take a large group of photos and cherry pick the best ones than to nitpick over every single one.  Remember, if you don’t like them, you can always take more!

3) Show Up Tired/ Hung-Over / Distracted

If you’re paying to have your headshots taken then why would you show up feeling any less than your best? Those dark rings under your eyes or that sick green hue reminiscent of the copious amounts of liquor you drank the night before are not going to turn out well in the finished result. Avoid this altogether by getting enough sleep and making the commitment to BE PRESENT.

4) Wear Large Logos and Busy Patterns

Is this photo session about you or your sponsors? Large logos in portraits beg the question of whether or not you’re getting paid to promote the brands that you’re wearing. Large logos distract the viewer from the true subject of the photo, YOU. The same goes for bright or busy patterns. That funky sweater might go over great with the ladies, but on print it might make people want to avert their gaze.

5) Expect the Photographer to do your Makeup in Photoshop

Going for the natural look is perfectly respectable; expecting the photographer to work miracles is not. If you are insecure about a particular aspect of your physique, come prepared for that. This will allow the photographer to limit their work to small touch ups that won’t leave you looking like a plastic doll.

6) Be Late

Being late is never advisable, but in a photo shoot, it can throw the whole session off. It takes a certain amount of time for the photographer and client to get comfortable with each other. Being late means that you’ll have less time to take the great photos that happen after the studio warms up.

7) Wear Unflattering Clothes

They say that the camera adds 10 pounds. That being said, if your clothes are hanging on you like a plastic bag, chances are that you won’t look your best in the photos. On this same note, wearing clothes that are too tight will also be obvious in the final prints. For the sake of your portraits, wear clothes that fit and that you feel comfortable in.

8) Pretend Like You’re Someone Else

While it’s great to step into a different character every once in a while, the day of your photo shoot is not the time to experiment with your identity.

"Wax" by Rachael Sage

It's a photographer's job is to capture timely images of any given scenario, whether it be in spontaneous moment or at staged event. I work with actors, artists and musicians who motivate me, so I fortunately get to see, be part of and capture music videos in production.

I met Rachael Sage in 2012, and in 2014, had the privilege of working with her on the set of her music video "Wax" from her Blue Roses album. The video was directed by award winning filmmaker Nick Clark. The set was artistically staged, featuring elaborate prop pieces made of recycled materials by sculptor Clare Graham.

Rachael is one of the most talented artists I've ever met. She is a singer-songwriter, producer and visual artist who founded her own record label, Mpress Records. Performing Songwriter magazine named her as one of the Top 100 Independent Artists of the past 15 years. She also happens to be a great person and dear friend. She deserves the recognition, and I wish her best of the best. The official music video can be seen on youtube. Her official website is ww.rachaelsage.com.

Wedding Trends with Renee Strauss

On January 22 2015, I was the official photographer for Bella Nella, who offers beauty, makeup, massage and hair services for brides. They were showcased among an elite list of others at a unique wedding showcase, covered by "Wedding Trends" with Renee Strauss and aired on KTLA 5 News.

The wedding showcase featured the best of the best in the bridal industry, with a collection of luxury bridal brands, exquisitely designed bridal vignettes and an esteemed panel of wedding experts dedicated to helping couples make their wedding visions a reality. As a photographer, you have to be prepared for a long busy working day when covering events such as these, starting and ending at unusual hours. My working day began at 5am, which is normally the time I go to sleep! It was a long full day, and I worked until 12am the following morning.

This is part of doing what I do, and of course, as always, it was worth it. I'm happy to be working in partnership with the wonderful Bella Nella.

Audrey & Lenny Boutique

During my sessions I'm in charge of the camera and lighting, but depending on the project and on the client's requirements, I can offer a large host of extra services that might be needed and work in partnership with various vendors such as boutqiues, make-up artists, and hair stylists.

Roki Torres is one of the talented stylists I work with, and I partner with the boutique she works at: Audrey & Lenny. Linet Perez runs the store and has a large collection of speciality pieces for every occasion. Based out of the Arts District of Downton LA, they are a warm and cosy boutique clothing store with a hint of glamour full of vintage gems! They have amazing outfits which I've worked with and are also available to my customers. if you're in need of styling or are interested in renting some items of clothing, shoes, jewellery or accessories for the day of the shoot, you are welcome to contact us.

The girls at the shop are so hospitable and lovely to work with. They genuinely enjoy helping you choose outfits and create a unique and fun experience for all who shop there. If you would like some professional help on the day of the shoot with the looks and outfits you already have, then Roki can be on hand that day to help you look and feel your best. She'll take what you have and making something fabulous out of it with the right colours and cuts specific to you and your individual look. 

Tips for Actor Headshots

  1.  Go Professional

Spend the money. it's worth it. Go to a professional who is trained, understands lighting and takes headshots for a living. Don't approach a friend who happens to have a decent camera. Hiring a professional will actually save you both time and money in the long run while delivering top-shelf results.

2. Go for Personality Over Glamour

Casting directors expect you to look just like your headshot and will be unenthused if you show up looking totally different. Headshots are about representing your type; age, wrinkles and all. That being said, a professional headshot photographer can help you capture subtle aspects of your natural character that will set you apart from your competitors. 

3. Find a Photographer that Gets You

You have to vibe with the photographer. You'll be using these headshots for a couple of years. Ask for a consultation, get a feel for how they photograph your type, your ethnicity, gender, etc. Being comfortable in your photoshoot is essential to produce headshots that portray a depth of character that will inspire casting directors to give you a call.

Resort Theresienstadt from the life of vacationers (2012)

The Resort (2012), is a documentary film that I worked on as an editor. The documentary is based on Terezin, one of the first concentration camps of World War II, used by the Nazis as a way station before sending jewish prisoners on to one of the many extermination camps. Described to the public as an "exemplary German camp for the re-education of Jewish citizens" this camp perpetuated propaganda in order to dispel the horrific rumours about extermination camps.

"The film gives individual faces and personalities to some of those who entered the camp and who were able to maintain their optimism and humanity through the misery and death surrounding them. They managed to save their own lives against all odds. The stories are not only of personal survival; they also reveal how the small city of Terezin had been turned into a transit camp for than 150,000 Jews and gained the name 'Little Zionist Experiment' by being host to one of the strangest and most horrific perpetrations of humanity ever inflicted on the Jewish people and how their wilful creative spirit rose above it." - Galina Kalashnikova

You can watch the trailer to this documentary here.

Chuy Bravo

Everyone knows Chuy Bravo from Chelsea Lately as the host's latino sidekick aka "little nugget". Check out Chuy's appearance on the The John Kerwin Show here.

"Alice in Wonderland"

I've been brainstorming for new photography concepts recently and this is the first of many to follow.

I teamed up with a makeup artist from London to design a shoot based on the fairytale concept of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. We collaborated with Audrey and Lenny Boutique in downtown, LA. They provided a stunning collection of vintage clothes and accessories for the shoot, allowing us to invoke the strange yet beautiful aesthetic for which Wonderland is so well known.

Our amazing stylist Roki Torres assembled some original and appropriately theatrical themed looks prior to the shoot and was there on hand to pull it all together. Model Chenelle Aaron Badgett was the star of the show. I am very excited to have worked with this team of creative and talented individuals who helped make the project a success.

Stay tuned for the final images, we're extremely pleased with them and worked on several different looks, all depicting different aspects of characters and themes of the Alice in Wonderland surreal style. I look forward to sharing them with you.

Jonathan Winters

I had the great pleasure of meeting Jonathan Winters when John Kerwin interviewed him on the 100th episode of The John Kerwin Show. The interview took place at Jonathan's home in Santa Barbara, California. Jonathan was very funny and friendly to our crew, and his innate sense of humor definitely made the interview a lasting experience. He was once described as the funniest man alive, and we walked out of that shoot considering that an understatement.

Jonathan Winter's career spanned many decades, and he was seen as a comedic legend by not only his fans, but his peers as well. "The Jonathan Winters Show"  first aired in the mid 1950's and made television history that year when it broadcasted the first public demonstration of color videotape.

Another highlight of his career was when he starred in the 1963, MGM film classic, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” written by William Rose and Director Stanley Kramer’s first comedy. Jonathan, was in rarest of form as he worked alongside "the greats" such as Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett, Milton Berle, Spencer Tracy, Peter Falk, Ethel Merman, The Three Stooges, Zasu Pitts, Edie Adams, Sid Caesar, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Joe E. Brown, Dorothy Provine, Carl Reiner, Jimmy Durante, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis, Larry Fine, Buster Keaton, Phil Silvers, Stan Freberg, Andy Devine and so many more, which I regret not being able to list. 

The majority of the actors recalled how Jonathan ad-libbed and kept them in stitches throughout the making of the film. As an actor he won an Emmy in 1992 for his role as Randy Quaid's father on the sitcom Davis Rules. He succumbed to natural causes on April 11, 2013, at the age of 87 at his home in Montecito, California. I was honored to have met this man. I would recommend everyone to check out, “ It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Documentary Story,” then view the actual film.

The interview, along with my stills of the comedic duo, was featured in the "Santa Monica Daily Press". Click here to read the full article!

Your Career Angel, Shari Sambursky

One of the upsides of being a professional portrait photographer is that it's an intimate experience. You have to observe your subject and connect with them. You need to be quick in finding their unique qualities before photographing them. So it's always a great excitement meeting new and exceptional people who bring their experiences and personalities to the set. 

One of my latest shoots was with Shari Sambursky, Certified Life Coach, specialized in career direction. She is also a professional LinkedIn strategist. Aside from the fact, she is a lover of beauty, harmony and peace. I am amazed how fueled by passion she is in everything she does. With her charming personality, she filledmy studio with light and laughter.

We took headshots for both her acting career and consulting business, working with a few different looks in a few different locations. You will always feel at ease being in her presence because of her friendly demeanor and magnetism.

Shari also spreads her creativity throughout the world in her work with others with Breakthrough Shadow Coaching. She helps her clients to achieve our true potential in our lives and career by illuminating the shadow self, which exists within all of us, and using that to move forward with confidence.

Her work is reflected in her career, and my experience with her introduced new realities of understanding into my professional and everyday life! If you want to take a look at Shari's work as a certified life coach you can check her at www.career-esteem.com. I wish her the best in her career. It was an honor and privilage to work with her and her exotic look - and crazy curly hair...

Natalie Mann | Modern Soprano, Classically Refined

I had a photo shoot with the wonderful Natalie Mann, soprano, operatic songstress of concert and stage. She arrived looking like a glamorous 1940s starlet! Bringing us her lovely warm, genuine and positive personality.

The look we went for – including hair styling, makeup and outfit was based on a subtle hint of modern glamour coupled with old Hollywood theatrical glam, which is very much in line with Natalie's persona and musical style. It had been a long awaited shoot due to circumstances beyond our control.

I'm thankful for Natalie's eagerness to collaborate on this shot. She performed a private medley of some of her songs, which created a lovely mood on the set. Later I learned that after the shoot she travelled to a competition. I'll be following her career and hope to be working with Natalie again. You can check out her site www.nataliemann.com.

Regina Zernay Roberts, Detroit Diesel Power

Who is Regina Zernay Roberts? Just one of the major female rock 'n' roll bassists on the scene today. She is also an instrumentalist, songwriter and lead vocalist in the Detroit Diesel Power Band which she formed with husband, Darren Roberts in 2013. Since 2013, Regina has appeared as the bass player for Nicholas Burns & The Night Owls, house band for The John Kerwin Show.

We had an amazing shoot at my studio during the summer of 2014, right in the middle of a 110 degree heat wave, with no air conditioner, we shot for hours. As a natural light photographer, the heat didn't bother me as much as it did Regina, but it she was a trooper! We had a lot of fun and ended up with great photos. She's a friend and an exceptional person to have in my life, and I highly recommend her music!

P.S.

I have AIR, now.