Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘katherine mcphee’

NBC’s Smash – On Location in Times Square

I got a call form the New York Times photo desk late in the afternoon a few months back asking if I could run down to Times Square late that same evening and photograph a new tv show called Smash being filmed on location. I was told the show was NBC’s answer to FOX’s Glee, but was more of an adult-themed drama/musical about the making of a hit Broadway play.

So I jumped on my scooter and headed south from my pad on the Upper West Side of Manhattan to Times Square around 11PM for the shoot. When I arrived, I was immediately confused because the crew was apparently on a break and all I could see were tons of tourists hanging out in Times Square…the usual. Moments later as I saw the camera crews start to move around, it dawned on me that I was actually standing in the midst of hundreds of extras who were only acting like tourists for the production! Clearly they were doing a great job as they even fooled a New Yorker like myself!

I met with the show’s publicist, who pointed out all the important folks like the director, producers, and eventually led me over to the actors appearing in the scene, Megan Hilty and Katherine McPhee. I was happy to see Katherine because previously I’d taken her portrait in the dressing room of “Live! with Regis and Kelly” for the Los Angeles Times years back. This was after she had been a top contestant on American Idol. I was pleased to find out she remembered the shoot before I could even mention it. It’s always good to know that my brief encounters with portrait subjects are remembered positively.

Pretty quickly the filming began and I was roaming the “set” taking pictures of a scene where Katherine and Megan’s character are walking through Times Square and suddenly break out singing with the accompaniment or a random trio of street musicians who coincidently are playing nearby.

The mood of the set was unlike most sets I’ve been on due to the uncontrolled atmosphere of Times Square. It was hard to even tell there was a major production filming because of all the extras. I was walking with and taking pictures of Katherine and Megan as they crossed 7th Ave to begin a scene. Behind me a real tourist says to her daughter, “hey, I think something is being filmed, do you see any celebrities?”

Only in NYC can you walk down a street and never realize you’re right in the middle of a huge production!

6 Feb 2012

All Access – The 2009 International Emmy Awards Gala


2009 International Emmy Awards – Blog Slideshow – Images by Robert Caplin

What a whirl-wind few days….I had a small break since completing my time-lapse of the World Series, but Friday found me quickly back into the action of a corporate job, this time as the house photographer for the International Emmy Awards that was held Monday in New York.

Prior to the awards ceremony there’s a 3-day festival held that includes cocktail parties, luncheons, screening and panels, followed by board meetings and finally the awards ceremony. Monday night had me photographing some of the best and most influential artists, actors, filmmakers, directors, producers, journalists, and statesmen in the world. I had the opportunity to sit through, meet, and photograph the likes of former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Sir David Frost, Barbara Walters, Moby, Edie Falco, among many others.

I was working as part of a team of photographers and editors through PSG, a news organization founded by a friend of mine, Warren Winter, that was commissioned to produce still photos for The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Together we were a team of 3 photographers, 2 editors, and gaggle of top-notch PR professionals helping to identify the endless stream of foreign (and thus almost impossible for us to identify) celebrities.

I’m continually amazed by the places my job brings me and I don’t take it for granted. It’s quite a pleasure to be a fly on the wall and be given permission to freely document these amazing events.

Click here to view more photos from the Emmy Awards.

I got caught chimping on the red carpet in this AP video:

Comments Off on All Access – The 2009 International Emmy Awards Gala
25 Nov 2009

American Idol’s Katherine McPhee

Last week the LA Times hired me to take some portraits of Katherine McPhee, a former American Idol contestant who’s now gone into acting on top of singing/songwriting. I was given 15 minutes with her in her dressing prior to her appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly to promote her new movie “The House Bunny.”. Typically when I shoot celebrities, I’m given anywhere from 5-15 minutes to make a pretty picture….and this was no different. Fortunately, though, Katherine is still young and new to the world of celebrity, so the session was pretty laid back and fun.

Check out the LA Times Article here.

Here are a few pics from the shoot:


This was my personal favorite from the shoot.


The shot the LA Times chose online


We did a couple white wall shots.


I liked the monochromatic feel of her dress against the wall.


I have this effect on women… :)


How it ran in print.

21 Aug 2008