with a big nose who knows

new BEAUTY montage

2012-01-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

AMBER GRAY | BEAUTY | DIRECTORS SHOWREEL from AMBER GRAY on Vimeo.

National TV spot I directed for Disney & Alfred Angelo starts airing tonight

2012-01-06T05:43:00.000-08:00

I shot this tv spot and still campaign for Disney's line of fairy-tale inspired wedding gowns with Alfred Angelo, which starts airing tonight.
We created little scenarios for each princess, highlighting her character traits and story...from Airiel who is beckoning from the depths, to Snow White who is looking out from a twilight forest snowdrift.
Check it out!

preview of short Doc series I directed in Paris this fall

2012-01-03T20:56:00.000-08:00

This is just a little preview of a series of short films i directed in Paris this fall which was highlighting french artists, chefs, couturiers, perfumiers, and a few special locations, hotels and jewelry designers. I don't generally have much interest in reality in any form, but since my beau (Julian) was the Dp, and the host and producers were as lovely and interesting as people could be, I thought I would give it a shot.
The full length piece will be premiering on TV in China this month.

sneak peek...new Maire Claire China with Patricia Schmid

2012-01-03T20:45:00.001-08:00

So excited to work with the amazingly beautiful Patricia Schmid for Marie Claire China...
this is just an outtake...but I just loved the mood and feel of it.
We shot video of this too, which is even more interesting....

Eat the Cake, Tina!

2011-12-10T13:19:00.000-08:00

Ok, so "Let them eat cake!" would have been the more obvious title,
but you don't know what it's like coercing models to actually eat cake...

New BTS video shot on our latest Marie Claire China editorial

We had a lot of fun shooting this story in a bakery after-hours and then in studio
with dozens of pastel colored cakes (real & fake..

BEWARE: You might get the diabetes just watching this thing.

Rosy Posey

2011-11-09T12:10:00.000-08:00

no comment.......

beauty icons in Marie Claire

2011-10-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

We shot this story for Marie Claire magazine (China) and it is about beauty and style inspirations from decades past. We eventually agreed upon Bettie Paige, Penelope Tree, Jerry Hall, Maddona (80's version, and Courtney Love. The magazine is distributed throughout China, and I don't think the editors really "got" my initial suggestions of Mrs. Roper, Kelly LeBrock circa Weird Science, Grace Jones, and Jo from Facts of Life. All the shots feature the same model, who (to me anyway) looks like a different girl in each pic. All the clothes and jewelry are from current collections...nothing vintage at all.

ohhhhh Serge Lutens...I love you so

2011-10-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

JUN ROPE' CM / Serge Lutens (1978) 2 from junofficialtv on Vimeo.

Paris shoot

2011-10-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

When I was asked to direct some short films over two weeks in Paris, I immediately thought of autumn in Paris, pink macarons, the chalky goodness of International Delights™, and the Vaux le Vicomte candlight night tours.
Wandering through candlelit hedgemazes in the middle of the night is probably my alltime favorite pastime, and the opportunity so rarely presents itself...I had to do it..
Our shoot days were really long, and I literally yelled "CUT!" and jogged out into the street outside of Place Des Vosges (where we shooting that day) to get a taxi, in effort to make it to the chateau before closing. It was the last candlelit night of the year..
We made it....I just used a crappy point and shoot....pictures were not my priority...

strange magic....

2011-09-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

Sometimes...when you are an eccentric young rich lady...you might want to roll around in your $2 million Harry Winston jewels while blasting ELO and rubbing yourself down with white orchids...I'm not one to judge
This is an image from a story I shot for Marie Claire Magazine (China) and weirdly enough, all this is done in camera (almost zero retouching). We threw down some old lighting techniques including super-long exposures and unconventional lights for an otherworldly feel.

maine!

2011-09-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

I spent the past week in a little cabin in the Maine wilderness...took very few pics, but here is one we took while canoeing across the pond at sunset...
I saw so many opportunities for gorgeous shoots there, but incidentally the entire population of Maine is revolting, and wholly unsuitable for modelling...
bummer

daydreamers

2011-08-19T07:20:00.001-07:00

Marie Claire waterworks

2011-08-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

Marie Claire Beauty

2011-07-25T08:38:00.000-07:00

Marie Claire kitties story

2011-07-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Kitten Trouble..the video

2011-07-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

We shot this video behind the scenes on a shoot we did for Marie Claire back in March.

The kittens look adorable and cuddly....but they were naughty...running all over the

place, getting into everything, and one of them made a ton of long distance telephone

calls....

it's like Marie Antoinette...but tribal?

2011-07-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

We shot this beauty story for Marie Claire China...The idea was to do something sort of "wild" but with beautiful fresh bright colors...

GLAMORAMA!!!!!! Can you handle it???

2011-06-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

(BTS footage from our last fashion editorial)
Sometimes, when you are an eighteen year old supermodel, living in a highrise with your best supermodel friend, and you (dizzy from eating only lemon zest and sugar-free gum) decide to "go on a bike ride" through town, flip your shiny hair on your balcony (you know, to make your neighbors jealous) or just make some long distance collect obscene phone calls, it's good to have a cameraman around to record the whole thing and post it on the internet....
Wait for the next installment to see the look on the pizza delivery guy's face....

it came in the night.....

2011-06-10T08:39:00.000-07:00

We just shot this story...two girls...one bike...a night on the town...

here is a outtake of Zhanna whooping it up in some pink velvet curtains.

English Rose...oh..I mean Peony?

2011-06-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm on a beauty rampage!

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

I guess that sounds a little more dramatic than it actually is...
So, we got a studio space recently, and have been on a beauty rampage...beauty stills, beauty videos, beauty shots of beautiful lovely models, beauty shots of total jackasses...we have it all...

This is Andi @ Marilyn Agency..she was lovely and gorgeous..we shot video of her too (she's not very retouched..just ridiculously nice skin)

sneak peek of new Marie Claire beauty story

2011-05-24T14:10:00.000-07:00

lady of the lake

2011-05-02T12:55:00.000-07:00

Last fall I decided to indulge a fantasy that I have had for quite some time and shoot a video of a zaftig blue woman floating away into the open seas in a boat covered with fiery exotic blooms.
Here is a pic that our lovely multi-tasking makeup artist snapped while I was busy arguing with the crane operator...

Kittens For Jesus?

2011-04-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

I have always stressed the importance of religious training for kittens, and while shooting a story for Marie Claire recently we were able to capture an image that really drives that point home...
Can't start them too young...

Coming Soon....

2011-03-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

I wrote and directed my first short narrative film this winter...it's far from finished..

But here is a little teaser for any who care.

It's a short (5 min) about the strange workings of a mansion owned by a blood-guzzling sentient orchid. Yeah...fun for the whole family.

The singer/songwriter of one of my favorite bands, The Dolly Rocker Movement is creating the soundtrack as we speak.

It's gonna be rad...

Video for new editorial for Marie Claire - China

2010-12-19T22:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a little video from our latest shoot for Maire Claire - China

so a piglet, a horse, a giraffe-man, and a big-boned butterfly walk into a bar....

2010-11-30T20:27:00.000-08:00

new beauty...

2010-11-21T22:22:00.000-08:00

Well, new-ish...things have been crazy "up in here" lately, so the retouching took for-ever to get done..

night swimming

2010-11-09T06:52:00.001-08:00

new work...

2010-09-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

W Magazine?

2010-09-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

I shot Selena Gomez for an album cover in Los Angeles this July, and photographer Lauren Greenfield came to document the behind-the-scenes for W Magazine. The feature just came out, and what do you know, there is a double-page-spread of
my boyfriend (Julian) bombed-out in the clouds with teen sensation Selena Gomez (who is screwing around, btw, not actually praying, while her hairstylist lacquers the the bejesus out of her hair)
cute....
Please Note: our cloud set was awesome
This was one of three huge sets that we had built for that shoot on a soundstage

BTS for the Marie Claire China shoot (hilarity ensues)

2010-09-09T11:38:00.000-07:00

More Marie Claire!

2010-09-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

When Marie Claire China asked me to shoot a story inspired by Loli style and include various wild animals I was a little worried. I mean what if the Zebra tramples the baby tiger or the baby tiger scratches my eyes out while pouring sugar in my gas tank... well, it was ok...

We wound up shooting a tiger cub, a leopard cub, and a horse painted to look like a zebra.

Everyone got along, and the pictures are really cute.

WINK Magazine Cover & Interview

2010-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Wink Magazine ( a visual arts magazine helmed by Hans Neleman ) recently interviewed me and Julian for their Collaborations issue and used my image for the cover.

click here to read the article:

http://www.wink-mag.com/issue004/

new beauty story out in Marie Claire China!

2010-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

ART AUCTION TONIGHT!!! HAITI BENEFIT

2010-06-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

I donated an image for this auction, which is being exhibited tonight @ Aperture Gallery

Please come by, if you are in the neighborhood and say hello!

Here is the image I donated- It is model Eniko Mihalik amongst a garden of peonies...

ONE CLUB AWARD

2010-05-12T10:14:00.000-07:00

I was luck enough to collaborate with rad art director Jeremy Bristol on a book that was entered into the One Club's 2010 One Show Design Awards. Well, it won the bronze pencil, and we were invited to the awards ceremony at the AIC building (that bizarre white amorphous building off the westside highway). Thanks to Jeremy and the guys at Quantum for including us in the festivities.

2010-04-17T14:19:00.000-07:00

My good friends (Dave Tibolla (makeup artist) and Rodney Hall (stylist) worked on this exhibition with awesome photographer Guillermo De Zamacona.

If you are in NYC, please come check it out.

INFO BELOW

Project Monarch
Photography Exhibition by Guillermo de Zamacona

April 20-29, 2010
Opening Reception: Tuesday, April 20, 7-10pm

Come and enjoy the natural wonder and ephemeral beauty of the monarch butterfly ritual and its imminent demise in this wonderful exhibitions of photographs by Mexican fashion photographer Guillermo De Zamacona. The aim is to raise awareness of the dangers the Monarchs face with the increasing deforestation of their habitat.

Milk Gallery
450 W 15th St (at Tenth Ave)
Chelsea, NYC
212-645-2797

Subway: A, C, E to 14th St; L to Eighth Ave

Marie Claire China Shoot

2010-04-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

We just shot a beauty story for Marie Claire (China) and this is an outtake.

As you can see, our girls looked a little worse for wear before having their hair and makeup done.

Anyone wishing to book these two lovelies can contact me directly...

ANOTHER BIZARRE ADDITION

2010-03-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have written about this IAMWHOIAM entity before, and how much I am eating this up...this cloak and dagger routine they have going on....

Well, they have done it again....they have exceeded all weirdness I have witnessed in my life so far (and I'm from San Francisco) so I feel that this is a quite a feat...

Attila @ The Met

2010-03-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

So, we went to see the NY Metropolitan Opera's production of Attila last night.

Miuccia Prada designed the set and costumes, so I was pretty curious.

The sets were pretty wild. There was a 54 foot high vertical jungle set, and a 3 story "ruins" set

complete with collapsed buildings. The costumes were weird...the men had LED shoulder pads.

All in all, worth checking out...it's nice to see an opera in Italian. Anything but english really.

spring beauty

2010-03-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

It seems to be suddenly spring here in NYC...

This is an image I just shot...very simple and fresh..

I never do black and white, but I thought it really worked for this image...

This is Veza@ Q, Hair and Makeup by David Tibolla @ Next Artists

Mirror mirror...

2010-03-15T08:54:00.000-07:00

While walking past the Gramercy Hotel a few weeks back, I noticed how the steam from a rooftop was reflected in the silvery windows of the building next door, and it gave me an idea for a little photo experiment. In the end, the gag was more trouble than it was worth, and could have been done in post in like 30 seconds...but it is an interesting effect nonetheless...This has been retouched but the mirror and smoke and girl are in camera...

when you missbehave on an Amber Gray shoot...

2010-03-03T07:50:00.001-08:00

THIS is what'cha get...

Actually, this model Pedro @ Q, was an absolute angel, and did nothing to deserve the plexi vice.

This is an outtake from a shoot we did for an upcoming gallery show called Distorted Beauty.

The show is the brainchild of Tyler Huff and Danielle Ezzo, it is a group show featuring ten

different commercial photographers' take on the state of retouching in the photography

industry today.

What The???

2010-02-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

My friend forwarded me this weird cryptic video he found on youtube. I didn't know whether to barf with delight or weep in horror (kinda like trying on shorts)...

Anyway, it's weird and great, and the music is lovely...

Can't wait to see where this goes...

(I feel like it might be Floria Sigismondi?)

.Gimme a head with hair..long beautiful hair....

2009-12-07T16:13:00.000-08:00

Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen...

Just shot this little hair flipping montage the other day while we were shooting beauty with lovely Linda @ Muse...

This girl could make cleaning toilets look glamourous...

love her...

Marie Claire China Spread

2009-11-16T17:37:00.000-08:00

Maybe you can read Chinese?

If so please email me and let me know if my contributor's photo is labeled "Amber Gray & her boyfriend" as I had adamantly requested...

COME TO FPS FEST THIS TUESDAY!

2009-11-13T07:31:00.000-08:00

FPS Fest Teaser from Alex Wright on Vimeo.

hottest lady-clown ever

2009-11-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

We shot this PRIOR to seeing the Dr. Parnassus promo...I swear!!!

2009-11-05T07:52:00.000-08:00

THIS X-MAS!!!!!!!!

2009-11-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

RED CAMERA EVENT WITH BRONCOLOR

2009-10-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

So last week was Photo Expo, and it turned out to be a busy one.

We did a RED Camera event with Broncolor, sort of showing how a photographer used to Bron's light modifiers for strobes can move into their HMI range using similar if the not the exact same modifiers. The crowd was appreciative and interested, except for the older German tourist dude, who pelted us unrelentingly with extremely specific technical questions that could only pertain to him. I was bored halfway through the first third of each of his questions, and had very little interest in humoring him... Luckily Julian and Matt (the RED Tech were willing to go the extra mile).

Here are a few stills along with the footage we shot...

It's silly, but fun...

behind the scenes (weird stuff)

2009-10-18T19:42:00.000-07:00

When Marie Claire (China) called and asked me to re-interpret a favorite story/fairytale/ or fantasy, I sprang into action....trying to get Morrissey to ride a unicorn through a cherry blossom storm. Well- that fell through, and we decided on the tale of Pierrot, the sad sad little clown.

Check out this behind-the-scenes photo and let me know what you think..

more to come...

almost diamonds

2009-10-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

While shooting a jewelry campaign for Asha recently, we did this little web video.

We decided to shoot the ads using the Broncolor Kobolds (HMIs), so adding the video aspect was really a cinch. It was my first time doing video with the Canon 5D MkII, and I was pleasantly surprised by the results...

I am excited to shoot more using this combo...

I'm Gagging.....

2009-09-28T15:36:00.000-07:00

I'm in love with Paolo Roversi, and this little behind the scenes video detailing the making of his story in this month's W isn't helping me get over him....

soooo beautiful....I especially love the shot of the woman's back as she walks through a hedgemaze....It reminds me of a scene from Orlando (which I posted a clip of here a while back)
or the scene in Coppola's Dracula where Lucy is running around the hedges in her diaphanous red nightgown...

Melvin Sokolsky!

2009-09-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

We went to see the legendary fashion/conceptual photographer Melvin Sokolsky speak at the National Arts Club last night. The dude is 78 years old, and still tack sharp. He showed a ton of images from his new book, appropriately called Archive, and talked candidly for over two hours. He could not stress enough how the "bubble images" had nothing to do with Photoshop, which seems obvious since they were shot in the 60's...BUT even after his 20 proclamations somebody raised their hand and asked if he used Photoshop on those images....(I was floored), and he just snapped into the fit of eye-rolling that is befitting such a lame question.
Anyhoo...here are some pics of the event as well as some of his iconic images.

AMAZING PRINTING PROCESSES

2009-09-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

When an amazing art director I worked with approached me to help out with a new project he was working on involving elaborate specialized printing processes I was overjoyed at the opportunity to see what was possible. Well, I just received the preliminary copy of the book they produced and it blew my mind. Quantum along with Jeremy Bristol put together a hard cover embossed
book of my images using holographic materials, metallic inks, super-high gloss polymer materials, matte (almost powdery paper), and a bunch of other finishes that I have never even seen before.
I took some snapshots (which hardly do it justice)
You need to feel it to really get it...

You are such a classy philanthropist!!!

2009-09-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Bring out your classy philanthropic side by supporting an Independent film!
Donate over $100 dollars and you will get an associate producer's credit on the film!
Our friend and kick-ass DP, ZAK MULLIGAN is co-writing and directing, as well as DP-ing
this independent short film called I'm Not Me. They are trying to raise a very modest sum via a site called Kickstarter
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zakmulligan/im-not-me

You can go to the site, watch a preview (it looks fascinating already!) and read the synopsis and decide how much you are willing to help out (starting at $1). They are also offering an opportunity to appear as an extra in the film, so you can help some talented people out, work on your ascension to fame and glory as an actor, PLUS get a producer's credit....
They don't get the funding unless they reach their goal within 90 days, so please at least check it out....

More New Stuff....

2009-08-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

LABYRINTH @ 7:30 on Friday 8/14/09 RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART (150 West 17th St)

2009-08-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

GUILTY...GUILTY OF BEING AWESOME!!!!!

UMMM....VOTE FOR ME???

2009-07-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

So, umm...how are things with you? How's Diane? Oh that's great, and the kids? Ahhh..gotta love 'em....Listen, you have a computer, right? Well I am up for this award see...
PLEASE GO CHECK OUT THE HASSELBLAD MASTERS 2009 and VOTE FOR ME!!!
They put out a huge beautiful coffeetable book featuring the winners, and it would
make my Mom so proud....as it is now she collects all my editorials in skanky (and expensive) European magazines, and the lady has a McDonalds ad (that she made me sign!) on her fridge...
Do it for her....

http://www.hasselblad.com/mastersPublicJury

PS- ANTON CORBIJN is a judge!!!

NEW WORK!!!

2009-07-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

just shot this!
I initially wanted to do this shot with a man, but alas my commercial adviser (Julian)
convinced me that the high-end perfumed glitter body powder market for men was quickly drying up, and it might be best to feature a beautiful lady instead....
here's nina inhaling about $140 worth of Viktor and Rolf body powder....

haunting video from Skywave

2009-05-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

God...this video probably took like 2 hours and $15 to make but it's damn effective...

creepsville...but in a good way

2009-05-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the extended opening montage "featurette" used in True Blood.
I have to say it really got me...I think I'd watch the show just to watch the credits..
the song is great as well...

True Blood featurette
Uploaded by taodan. - Arts and animation videos.

Visionary video

2009-05-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

this video is from the early 80's and it's just brilliant
never seen anything like it

Great song & video!

2009-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

This video was directed by Jeremie Saindon, who is repped by my film agent in Paris.
This video reminds me of the time me and my friends all went naked camping and then got laser holes burned through our torsos...wait...what??
just watch the video...

yup...so, took the kids water skii'n this weekend...

2009-05-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

Serge Lutens....visionary makeup artist/ art director/ photographer/ perfumier

2009-05-18T07:38:00.001-07:00

flashback....

2009-05-18T07:14:00.001-07:00

Angelika Housten and some hot little number in the bathtub

deja vu

2009-05-18T07:04:00.000-07:00

I love photography..looking at pictures...taking pictures..talking about looking at and taking pictures...
And sometimes I feel like I have deja vu...everything starts to look the same....

THE FALL (out on DVD)

2009-05-18T06:28:00.000-07:00

Well any person that has ever actually spoken to me has heard about this movie, or been dragged to the theater one of three times to see it...but it's now out on DVD.
This movie is BEAUTIFULLY shot, has a very poetic story....and had Sandra freaking Bullock starred in it, would surely have been a hit....

BEAUTIFUL moment from Orlando

2009-05-08T18:08:00.000-07:00

Before you go see beautiful Tilda Swinton play a raunchy alcoholic kidnapper in Julia, remind yourself of how amazing she is by watching this labrynth scene from Orlando...

The Polaroid Kid

2009-05-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

I stumbled onto "the Polaroid Kid"'s work the other day and it has haunted me ever since.
He is apparently a modern day Kerouac that stowes away on freight trains, documenting his travels on polaroid....(I wonder how he affords all that Polaroid film)..
Beautiful stuff...
FOUND ON www.seanwoolsey.com

STYLE MONTE CARLO

2009-05-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

We shot this painting-with-light story back in December for Style Monte Carlo which should be out any minute now...
Our model Gracie Carvalho deserves credit for being able to hold completely still while we shined lights in her eyes and humouring our crew's collective 12 word Portugeuse vocabulary...

movie reviews

2009-05-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Informers....
sucked...
I had such high hopes for it, and made such a big deal about buying advanced tickets and seeing it opening night...and it just blew..
I really loved American Psycho & Rules Of Attraction, and thought they were both so darkly funny and innovative...not so this time...
the trailer is pretty good though

The Informers
by azmovies

You know, I think I'd go see anything with New Gold Dream as the theme song...

Thanks LADY!

2009-05-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

The photo blog Feature Shoot featured my work yesterday...
http://www.featureshoot.com/2009/05/amber-gray-new-york/

damn that hair is silky!

2009-05-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to corner the market on dreamy chicks with super healthy hair
I shot this little number last weekend....

rad song + awesome video!

2009-05-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm like an elderly lady (no offense Nana!) about ths stuff...apparently this video is not new..but it's new to me and I can't stop watching it and kicked a hole
through my tv while attempting to dance to it.....

gagging / crying

2009-05-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is quite possibly the best commercial I have ever seen...
Seriously, my eyes are tearing up...

NEW WORK!

2009-05-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

I just shot these last week, her name is Melo (@ Marilyn) and I think I love her...she is like an Arabian horse or a blonde Sophia Loren...

ahhhhh....welcome...

2009-05-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, come in....don't be shy...
some tea? a snifter of brandy perhaps?
let's chat....