All in a Day's Work

Cambridge, MA 081209 Today I received an assignment on my BB to photograph a Hot Seat subject. This a buz item in which we photograph a CEO or a VIP of commerce against a white backdrop and by/in/or on a chair. My assignment just had the place, Genzyme in Cambridge, and a name. I get there and I was surprised to see the amount of official cars parked outside and the heightened security. I walk in and I immediately recognize US secret service personnel as part of the security detail. They are giving me a weary eye since I am carrying two long cases with me, my lighting gear. Finally when asked what was I doing there I told them I was photographing a guy by the name of Locke, Gary Locke. They look at each other and said, "you mean US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke?" and that is how I found out whom exactly I was photographing on this day. The surprises never end and this is why I love my job.

PS By the way, he turned out to be quite a nice and approachable gentleman.

And this is how my day ended: Photographing the Pretenders at the Bank of America Pavillion on August 12, 2009... not a bad day at all.