Dusk at the Chateau Marmont

I photographed Ryan and Kathryn at the ChateauMarmont in West Hollywood earlier this month. They wanted to do a completely different kind of engagement shoot and mulled around a few ideas before settling on the iconic hotel, known as for its illustrious place in Hollywood past and present. I’d done shoots there before, most recently for the singer Anastasia.



I read on the website that in 1939, Columbia Pictures founder Harry Cohn said, “ If you must get in trouble, do it at the Chateau Marmont.” So when Kathryn initially called me and said she and Ryan wanted to do some boudoir photos, I thought the Chateau would set the scene perfectly.

They arrived in the mid-afternoon loaded with props and outfits. I photographed them from 5 until after 8 p.m. The challenge was that it was getting dark, but I used the most natural light I could.





The opening shot I took was from the stairs. The angle seemed mysterious. Kathryn was draped in a sheet.







I took photos with Kathryn on the bed. I like them because they are clean and simple.




A security guard passed by when Kathryn was posed against the door and said, “I don’t know what you guys are doing, but you should probably go back inside.”






This kitchen shot was a spoof with Ryan serving Kathryn while she reads the sports page.










Frolicking in this blow up pool they brought was pretty kitsch.









At their September wedding, they said they want to exhibit some of the photographs such as this one in a cigar lounge set up especially for the event.




Toasting with Twister





You can be yourself or conjure up anyone you want to be — in the privacy of the Chateau Marmont.


THE END