Photographers Blog

“This is fun” – Sophia Loren

Picture the scene; after completing more than a dozen television interviews, then facing ten photographers all clamoring for her attention on a red carpet lined with tall gold Oscar statues, Italian actress Sophia Loren was game enough to sit atop the base of one of the last Oscar statues used as backdrops. She settled herself, carefully arranged her dress so her long tan legs were shown to advantage and posed up a storm.

As she got up and prepared to head into the tribute honoring her at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences Tribute in Beverly Hills, I thanked her for her patience. She turned to me and said “This is fun”.

I have covered red carpet events for Reuters in Los Angeles for the past 19 years – the routine premiere, the various award shows from Oscars to Grammys – but it still boils down to getting there early, hoping the publicist has marked a spot for you on the arrival line, and waiting.

Thursday night at the Academy, there were only about ten of us shooting. As luck would have it, I was placed next to last in line, right at the end of the arrivals line. It could have been good or bad. If the guest was in a hurry they would fly past. But it seemed luck was on my side as Miss Loren posed for the first group of photographers, I asked her publicist, Stan Rosenfield, if he would have her pose at the Oscar statue in front of my position, she posed for the others, then moved to right in front of me. She then proceeded to give the gift of a great pose, sitting at the base of the statue. As events go, one of the few remaining screen legends making a rare appearance in the U.S., this was one to be remembered.

Aside from that magnificent pose on the statue, she was surrounded by her sons and their wives, host Billy Crystal and other guests.

Grazie Sophia!

Shooting on the red carpet

Reuters Staff

May 27, 2010 13:22 EDT

By Eric Gaillard, Vincent Kessler, Jean-Paul Pelissier, Yves Herman and Christian Hartmann

Each year in May dozens of stars and photographers converge on the French Riviera at Cannes to attend what is recognized as the biggest film festival in the world. Since 1985, a Reuters Pictures team has taken part in the extravaganza.

This year, a team of five photographers from France, Switzerland and Belgium set up their headquarters in the basement of the Festival Palace on the eve of the 63th Cannes Film Festival. With the help of Paris-based editorial technicians Gilles and Sylvain, the 15 square meters cell was quickly transformed into an editing center as well as a stock room for equipment and a changing room to put on tuxedos.

As soon as the office was ready, photographers cruised the Croisette (a prominent boulevard in Cannes) looking for illustrative pictures for the upcoming Festival. Eric Gaillard, a festival veteran with 27 appearances to his credit, started to prepare his traditional and famous photo of the Jury President posing with a cinema clapper. This year, Tim Burton kindly accepted to pose for Eric on the balcony of his suite at the Carlton hotel. The picture was widely used by newspapers and internet sites.

Red carpet review

Sam Mircovich

Feb 24, 2009 17:29 EST

Another Oscar week has come and gone, and Reuters News Pictures was there on the red carpet covering the biggest night in Hollywood. Staff Photographer Mario Anzuoni talks about how he approaches the mayhem on the busiest red carpet in the world, and shares his coverage plan, with Sam Mircovich, Editor in Charge, Global Entertainment Pictures

Sam Mircovich – Mario, Lets start with your work history, and how you got into shooting entertainment.

Mario Anzuoni – I started as a contract photographer for “Il Mattino”, in Naples Italy, where I covered hard news and features. Part of my daily beat was to cover mob killings, and I remember one time I arrived at a crime scene where the mother showed up before the police. She just pulled up a chair over her son’s body and started praying over her son. It was a touching photo.  Another time I snuck into one of the biggest cemeteries in Naples on a tip that it was poorly maintained, and I found open coffins and exposed remains, because of the neglect. I was purely a news photographer and had never covered entertainment before.

SM – That’s quite a leap, from hard news coverage to entertainment, how did it happen?

MA – Well, I applied to become a staff photographer in Los Angeles for one of the biggest Italian photo agencies, La Presse. I got the job the same day I applied and was on my way to California. When I arrived in Los Angeles, I discovered I was the only person in the bureau, and I had to quickly develop managerial skills and set up their office. I had to learn how to credential and develop contacts, basically start from scratch. It was quite a challenge. I worked for them for three years.

SM – And then you got hired by the Splash Agency, notorious for their paparazzi work. How did that sit with you?