MERYL STREEP HONORED BY THE LINCOLN CENTER FILM SOCIETY

I went to NYC yesterday to cover an event where ICON Meryl Streep recieved an honor from the Lincoln Center Film Society. It was great fun, I got to see alot of stars that I really admire, but it is also a huge commitment. I was told the press check in was at 4:30, but in NYC you have to get on the photographers list, which is first come first serve. That is how the photographers pick spots for all the events. Would be nice if that was done in Philly, but well nevermind about Philly. I got to the venue about 3PM, after I went to TRL to miss Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. Demis and Carmen two of my close photography friends. Carmen is responsible for this mess I call my 2nd job/passion. It was with her and her sister's Margarita's encouragement that I bought my first professional camera. Now I am on my third camera as I killed the other two (They have a life span of about 100,000 pictures)

Look at the friendly bunch in NYC. I may not miss the insanity of NYC, but I do miss the camadarieship of working with these guys. Thats everyone's gear on the riser. It's always nice when a venue sets up a riser, just in case someone forgets their ladder and needs to shoot over the front row. So after about 3 hours things pick up and we are all in place to begin shooting the photos that you get to see on the web, entertainment sites, and in the glossies. This is on my left. I was number 18, so I am in the 2nd row, but still a good spot with the step-up-and-repeat in front of me. The peps to the far left don't have it. But all in all the Lincoln Center PR made sure we all had space, they were great with the celebs, the pacing was perfect, the placement on the carpet worked well. Everyone got their shots. I think next time I won't take a half vacation day to shlep up to NYC for this event, maybe a half of a half. As a third of the photographers got there right at 4:30PM, as they were shooting Julia Roberts at Lord & Taylor's, who was shooting a move with Clive Owen. When I got to NYC I got this info, I should have called ahead to friends to get this info, as it would have been icing on the cake for my trip. I always like to get two events when I travel to the big Apple. This is the view to my right. First up scary Christopher Walken, who walkened so fast off the red carpet I barely got a shot. That was a bit irritating.

The men arrived first and here's Mike Nichols sans the beautiful Diane Sawyer. I was surprised to see him here tonight as his new play 'Country Girl' had it's opening preview on Braodway too. (I passed by on my way home and didn't see anyone to photograph)

Uma and Amy arrived on the red carpet at the same time, but Uma with her star power and aggressiveness pushed Amy aside and did the bulbs first. I didn't send this shot to my agency as it looked grainey, but now and here I see it looks fine. Oh well, it probably wasn't the money shot, but she does look beautiful.Amy was up next, she looks unspectacular and I have seen her in this look before Then the star of the show, the Icon, the Legend....MERYL STREEP, who is so un star like, seemed embarrased by all the attention and mocked it up a bit out there. At one point as she moved to the next section, responded to the paps in the last section, she had just left, that if they really wanted a shot they should come to where she was, and a lot of the photographers did that creating a third row of shooters. I and my lazy self felt I blinded Ms Streep enough, but the I remembered, wait they have a different background, its a nice change, but in a flash she was gone and I missed that shot. I love this shot, she is stretching her neck giving good face for the camera. Finally it was still a fun night, and afterwards I had dinner with Margarita and Carmen and I was happy I took that half vacation day to shoot Streep and eat at Bubby's. Tonight Patti Smith is in town for the last night of the Phila Film Festival, it's 3AM and I am off to bed. UPDATE: check out this fan's perspective Musings from America: http://musingsfromamerica.blogspot.com/2008/04/gala-tribute-to-meryl-streep-at-lincoln.html