My experience as a movie set photographer
Here is the link to the Goldberg PI trailer on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/mfR56ZgmBDI?si=y6AUUu5O8lVp0E6C
Working as a set photographer on a Jackie Mason movie “Goldberg PI 2011” was like stepping into a whirlwind of comedy, chaos, and for me, a healthy dose of dread. I felt like a cat at a dog show. I was surrounded by famous actors and seasoned pros with endless film credits. Now, back in 2011, I wasn’t the photographer that I am today and had zero experience as a “set Photographer”.
Private eye Jackie Mason
I met the Masons when Jackie was booked to do a comedy show at the Improv, Hardrock Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. At the time I was hired to photograph on stage comics at the Improv Comedy clubs in Miami, Fort Lauderdale And Palm Beach. After the show, Jackie and his wife Jyll figured if I can take a picture I could be the set photographer for the production of their movie that would start filming the within the following couple of weeks in downtown Fort Lauderdale. A Set Photographer on a movie ! Of course I jumped at the opportunity!
I arrived on morning on set at 7 a.m., and every day after for two or three weeks. I would arrive on armed with my camera and a heart full of dreams that quickly turned into anxiety when I realized I was just one awkward click away from ruining a legendary comedian’s big moment. I half expected Jackie to turn around and say, “Who’s this kid? I asked for a photographer, not a deer caught in headlights!”
I just had to stay out of the way … but got shot!
Jackie and Jyll enjoying the shower scene.
Jackie Mason Shower scene
I was excited to add a movie to my resume but as the days went by, I found myself in a silent game of “Guess Who?” with the crew. I was that invisible camera, lurking in the background so as not to get in the way of the actors, sound and film crews. I tried to bond with the crew over coffee breaks, but it turns out everyone is too busy discussing the finer points of lighting setups and the latest gossip in Hollywood.
By the time we reached the final days of production, I had developed a thick skin and a thicker portfolio, filled with images of Jackie Mason. I learned that working on a movie set is a bit like trying to take a picture of a moving train—exciting, overwhelming, and sometimes you just end up with a blurry mess. I can say I survived the experience! So here’s to my days as a set photographer! I never wanted to do it again but then I did!!
Jackie Mason sleeping in the car
THE AMAZING CADDO LAKE
Let’s start with the idea that I am not exactly a fan of swamps. I don’t enjoy the kind of wet and damp weather nor the swamp creatures. But, autumn at Caddo Lake is a whole other swamp! This has become my favorite place to photograph.
I am currently working on colorful and informative coffee table book “ Caddo Lake”
A little background, Caddo Lake, is located in the shared geographical area between Texas and Louisiana. The Lake is a labyrinth of waterways and a where each turn reveals a scene that truly stretches the imaginationI
Caddo Lake covers more than 25,000 acres of a living, breathing ecosystem written by Mother Nature herself. All you see as far as the eye can see is acres of ancient and young Spanish moss-draped cypress trees and lily pad lagoons. Green and damp for most of the year and then … then autumn swamp takes center stage.
There may be 65,000 acres of waterways but limited access to areas to take images. The town of Uncertain, yes that’s the name, is a little town and the only town near Lake access. There are few trails that go nowhere and I can’t take my gear on a canoe or a Kayak. No way!
Our Lodgings in the Town of Uncertain
The other way is by boat and those are hard to get and expensive but its’ worth it.
Leaving the swamps as the sun falls below the horizon. Everyone leaves the swamps before night covers the light.
This is where imagination comes in … during morning and sunsets the colors, the swamps gets saturated with colors of red and yellow. And then, as night falls and the silence covers all sound, it can get really creepy!!!
All you can hear the sound of the swamps and the life that lives in the trees, in the bogs and on the water itself. Wolves used to roam the swamps, they are all gone now, they were eliminated years ago, but sometimes you wonder and so do the local folks the small town of Uncertain when you can hear a howl in the distance or it is swamp’s imagination playing tricks on the mind.
Ok… creepy. Bigfoot emerging?
The area is rich in history…
Caddo Lake played a significant role in the transportation of cotton, especially during the 19th century when the cotton industry was booming in the region. Here’s a more detailed look at how the lake was utilized for this purpose:. Caddo Lake is a large, shallow, and meandering body of water that is part of the Red River watershed. Its interconnecting bayous and waterways made it an accessible route for transporting goods, including cotton, from the surrounding agricultural areas. Flatboats and Barges: During the 19th century, flatboats and barges were commonly used to navigate the waters of Caddo Lake. These vessels were well-suited for the shallow waters and could carry large quantities of cotton and other goods. Farmers would load their cotton bales onto these boats for transport.
On an early morning boat ride to the wide waters of the Caddo swamps the cloudy day gave way the fog and only the trees and directional poles remained visible.
THE STAMPEDE
I had finally found and got to see a very large herd of wild horses that seem to come from the far away Arizona mountains to the farms along the Indian Reservation.
Horse Stampede
I had finally found and got to see a very large herd of wild horses that seem to come from the far away Arizona mountains to the farms along the Indian Reservation. There were at least 200 of them. As the sun began to set, I wondered where they planned to bed down for the night. Around 5:44 pm it began to happen. The head stallion, black as midnight, took the charge! I watched as the stallion ordered the herd to follow and so they did in a thunderous stampede. I was in awe and trying to hold back the excitement so I could stay still enough to take images! As the herd came thundering by, their hooves pounding the ground. Each horse seemed to embody the spirit of freedom, their joyous whinnies echoing in the twilight. What more can a photographer ask for... what a rush!!
The perfect mix of power and freedom!