Natalie Cole

I ran into Natalie Cole today who I hadn't seen since I directed her in a Music Video titled "Too Much Mister". She told me how she had gone through a kidney transplant and is taking the summer off and said she is going back to work in the fall. She looked terrific. I am looking forward to hearing her once again.

Picture of the Week #40 "Visiting ACE"

Picture of the Week #40 "Visiting ACE" Beverly Hills, CA USA 2009 Signed and Stamped.

Every week I walk through Beverly Hills going to the galleries where my work is hanging. And some times I visit other galleries such as ACE and Gagosian to see what they are exhibiting. When seeing the work at ACE I saw this lone woman walking in the vast front gallery. I caught her framed in the doorway. When my wife Ann saw this image she immediately said this is the next picture of the week. As a dutiful husband, I now provide it for you to see.

Truly Down and Out in Beverly Hills

Walking in Beverly Hills by the corner of Santa Monica and Canon.

Picture of the Week #39 "Et Tu, Brute"

Picture of the Week #39 "Et Tu, Brute" Paris, France 1994 Signed and Stamped

My favorite thing to do is to walk the streets of Paris and take pictures. If I am not photographing people then I am recording still life images in store windows. The Left Bank at night is a treasure trove of antiques, art and small hotels. This was taken on one of my walks along the Quay near rue de Seine.

Picture of the Week #38 "Andy Warhol - The Signing"

Picture of the Week #38 "Andy Warhol - The Signing" Venice, California USA 1977 Signed and Stamped.

This iconic image of the grand master of POP art signed anything put before him. He stands ready for more and of course signs his classic Campbell's Soup Can. Number one of the edition was acquired by the Getty Museum a couple of years back. I originally had done this as a drawing then a painting and then a silk screen print and then finally back to a photograph. The background color changed from blue to red when it returned to it's original state as a photograph. Another print from the edition is at the Celebrity Vault Gallery in Beverly Hills and a smaller version edition is hanging in my new show at the DAP Studios Gallery in Culver City, California.

Photo of Matt Dillon for BAFTA

BAFTA (British Film Academy) is auctioning off my photo of Matt Dillon for a worthy cause. I took this when we were in Moscow together back in 1988 celebrating the first Soviet American Film Interchange.

Alex Yarosh with my Portrait of Andy Warhol at Gersh

Alex Yarosh head of talent at Gersh Agency in Beverly Hills works away under my triple portrait of Andy Warhol called "The Signing". This image is from the same edition as the one the Getty Museum acquired for their permanent collection last year.

Visiting the Annenberg Space for Photography

I spent the afternoon yesterday enjoying the exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography in Century City. This is what I saw when I came out and looked up at the CAA offices. It seems they were going to have a function and that the bartenders were lined up ready to serve. None the wiser that I was below them documenting the event. The exhibit inside the Annenberg celebrated the Pictures of the Year International Award Winners. Well worth seeing, although some images are pretty graphic and disturbing.

You're Invited

You're invited to my one man Photo Exhibit "Tripping with Stephen Verona" at DAP Studios Gallery 5660 Venice Boulevard, Culver City on Saturday August 22nd from 7:00 to 11:00 PM

Picture of the Week #37 "Chasing Rainbows"

Picture of the Week #37 "Chasing Rainbows" Puerto Vallarta, Mexico 1975 Signed and Stamped.

Believe it or not this picture came right out of the camera. There was no digital manipulation as the light was just perfect. It was originally shot in 1975 on 35mm transparency film and printed digitally in August of 2009.

Picture of the Week #36 "Window Washer of Vancouver"

Picture of the Week #36 "Window Washer of Vancouver #2" Vancouver, Canada 2005 Signed and Stamped.

This graphic image was one of a series of 12 that I took when visiting friends in Vancouver. I was tempted to show you more pictures from the series at once, but then decided against it, and to just tease you with one at a time. What I found unique was that the building changed colors as I walked beneath capturing the Window Washer from different angles. It was as if I had photographed different buildings. I continued on photographing other buildings but with out any Window Washers, and produced my one and only architectural series.