So, let’s rewind a few weekends, to when my clients started calling with concern over an approaching snowstorm. Never one to cancel if I can help it (ok, once with a car accident – not bad for a ten+ year run), I kept upbeat and assured clients I’d be there if they would, despite the looming snow.

In the end, everyone cancelled but one client that fateful Friday – and it was a client in Manhattan. The shoot was scheduled down in Tribeca, at a hotel that really pissed us off and put our backs against the wall  had a strict policy about photo shoots: NO. Truly a shame, especially as the interiors were visually incredible – no expense spared with the decorating.

So, our subject Carlotta De Luca, who’d flown in from Italy for Fashion Week, patiently – and very sweetly with complete understanding – worked with Victor and me to get the shots we needed for the magazine. We braved the oncoming blizzard for a few minutes outside the hotel, getting Carlotta an umbrella to shield herself from the sleet and winds. A SWAT team promptly showed up right about then, no kidding… they were reluctant to tell us why they were there, but assured us all was ok – so we simply kept clicking through a stream of black-clad men and body armor, complete with M-4 rifles as they spilled from the back of the NYPD van.

Then, we made our way up to Carlotta’s room, which was thankfully just visited by maid service. I really, really wanted to pop a few strobes into an umbrella-box on the top floor blacony, but we knew that would make Carlotta’s stay an uncomfortable one. So, we shot it with a reflector, then headed back to Penn Station. We made it out just in time, as the storm really started kicking up when we were unloading at my place. Three sets of images from various locations where a blizzard raged and a wagging finger said “absolutely not.”  I’ll call that a good day…