We've been fortunate to shoot in some pretty fancy homes for Genlux.
Adrian Maloof was sweet enough to let me shoot Jennifer Love-Hewitt in her huge Beverly Park mansion. Right across the street from Adrian, we shot actress Moran Atias at Ken Todd and Lisa Vanderpump's gigantic house. We shot Mexico's ex-president Vicente Fox in Mohamed Hadid's palatial Nimes Road home, and Mohamed also let us shoot Katherine McPhee in his gorgeous super-modern home on Hillcrest, next door to Ringo Starr's house. We photographed Kathy Hilton in her beautiful estate on Copa de Oro. We've shot Barbara Davis at her mega-mansion. And Kathy Ireland in her rustic Santa Barbara digs. We shot Lisa Vanderpump in her new gorgeous home last year. We were lucky enough to shoot our editor, Laura Dunn, in her new home at the top of Coldwater just before construction began. I think she added 10,000 square-feet. (You know...20,000 just isn't enough). And then, just today, we're shooting the beautiful Carla Sands at her fabulous Bel-Air home.
Carla Sands in Oscar de la Renta couture gown. That's photographer Tracey Morris's hand holding the camera in the foreground. Carla is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. And she's rich...And funny. Sickening isn't it?
As we drive up to the Sands' Bel-Air home, Robert Morris comments on how beautiful the big public park is on the right. Man, how great would it be to live in a city that builds these spectacular sculpture gardens with massive lawns and fountains. Oh, wait...that's not a park, that's the Sands' backyard.
We drive up to find the home itself is about the size of a small hotel. We also find out it's only about ten years old. I say we revisit it in about 150 years when the stonework becomes a little aged, the ironwork spawns a little patina, and it begins to resemble the Italian villa that I imagine they built it to be. Right now you could drop your salami sandwich anywhere in that house, pick it up, eat it, and you'd be fine.
Carla is a gem to work with. She's easy going. Humble and gorgeous. She's our modern-day C.Z. Guest. She's pretty production savvy too. She uses photography vernaculars like "shop" for photoshop, and then, when we needed some dramatic height under a long gown, she, herself, suggests using a "half apple" (a small apple box). Who the heck knows the term half-apple except for us in-the-know-types. Geesh.
I found a few gems wandering around the backyard. One was this tree. It looks to me like it was two trees that have been grafted together, and now, lovingly twisted into one. I know there's a metaphor in there somewhere.
Some things are just meant to be together. I'm sure these two are bound to be together for another hundred years.
The other thing I find tucked in the corner of the yard is this gem. An adorable dollhouse. From what I've heard, the Sands won it at a charity event. I'm quite certain they bid a pretty penny for this. It's only about 56-square-feet, but every inch is spectacular. I think I'll come back again tomorrow and setup my office in here. No, I'm serious.
No, this isn't the Sands' house. This crazy beautiful dollhouse has a mini kitchen, fireplace, running water, and electricity. The cabinet work looks like it was made by a master craftsman and the tile work is amazing. I heard they couldn't decide on which one of the dollhouses to order, so naturally, they took both. Or was it three?
Can you believe the construction of this dollhouse. Beveled marble countertop. World-class cabinetry. Leaded glass windows—round nonetheless. Look at the round doorway leading to the mini kitchen. And the tile flooring! Shut up! I guess one thing's for certain—it ain't bad to be the daughter of Fred and Carla Sands.