Look upon this snapshot of Dita Von Teese. Uuntouched. Unaltered in anyway. Just as the Glamour Gods and my Leica intended.
Snapped on set recently, the nine-hour shoot at Milk Studios in Hollywood, was an exercise in efficiency, grace and awe-inspiring beauty making. This wasn't my first time at Dita's side as she deftly applied her own make-up and set her own hair. That's right, even her pal, hair star Danilo, who was across the way at another shoot and popped in for a brief visit, conceded there's never a need for his input given her talent with the tresses.

Nor was it my first shoot with her. But the marathon-pace of looks executed by the burlesque star is breathtaking. In a blink, flawless deep berry lips from one set-up are replaced by the glossiest, wettest apple red. Locks are effortlessly wrapped around hot rollers, then released, combed and set in an entirely other 'do.
I always felt like I was the Action Jackson on a set. It's been such a pleasure working with someone with such snap-to flair. The whole team last weekend was fantastic, in fact (no room for silly attitudes here!), and photographer Scott Nathan, whom I only met in person that day, was selfless, enthusiastic and an absolute dream.As Dita's assistants laid out a couple dozen heels (mostly Louboutins and all of them ravishing) and steamed a rack of feather-trimmed robes, boned corsets and antique lace negligees, we zeroed in on a sparkling Chanel choker for one set up, an antique compact designed by Salvador Dali for another (now that is a gem in her compact collection!). Thankfully, I wore flats that day, as I dashed from the props area to Scott's side to our featured subject.
As when I worked on magazines and newspapers, I'm not satisfied with telling a story through the words alone, critical as they are to the narrative. Fortunately, my book projects so far have welcomed collaboration. This new book is a beauty resource that will give steps on how to get your own glam on, dear reader. And working with Dita and Co. on it, well, it hardly seems like work at all.