I just received my advance copy of the February The Ring Magazine with my image of Manny on the cover. Thanks to The Ring and of course Manny and Freddie!
The Blackhouse Gym is the private training ground to some of the best fighters in MMA. I went along with the Fight video crew to document Nogueria and Anderson hanging out and talking. Neither fighter was training so the atmosphere was loose and fun. These are two incredibly talented and tough fighters, but they are also full of laughter and joy for living. Nogueria shared his story about being run over by a truck when he was a boy and almost dying. It is amazing that he survived, nevermind went on to become a top athlete. My favorite shots of the day are of Anderson and Rodrigo laughing and hugging together. These guys are great friends and it is a pleasure to be around them. Thanks as always to Ed, George and Derek who make it all possible!
I shot Gavin’s Dad Tom Atencio 
for Fight! Magazine. He had just had a new baby and asked me to shoot photos of him with his baby. Gavin was 6 weeks old and the sweetest little baby. What was immediately clear was the special bond already between father and son. The whole time Tom held Gavin he either slept at total peace, or smiled. You can see Tom transformed into this amazing loving person before your eyes when Gavin is near. The magic that a child works on our lives never ceases to amaze me. I was so honored to have been asked to take these photos.
Cheick Kongo looks pretty intimidating. He is 6′4″ of MMA Heavyweight muscle. But with his black glasses, and huge smile, there is so much more to this French fighter. His body looks like it is carved out of granite, but he is shy and needed to be asked nicely to take off his t-shirt. He is the kind of fighter that gets under my skin and intrigues me because you see those layers. That he is tough and strong, is obvious….but he is funny, charming and smart. I love the incredible friendship that exists between he and Gilles. Cheick splits his time between his home in Paris and Los Angeles. 
I met Gilles when I offered to shoot a charity poker tournament. While the women were swooning over how gorgeous he was, I was watching his genuine warmth and grace. When he was on Dancing With The Stars, I noticed his best friends Cheick Kongo and Donal Logue all there front row cheering for him. These three seemingly different men intrigued me that they love and support each other all the time. Gilles and Donal are also front row at Cheick’s MMA fights. I think it is incredible how three very successful men are there for each other and their families. I set up a shoot with them for Fight! Magazine. We shot at The Nine MMA Gym, which is a great location. Gilles and Cheick were both charming and fun, as well as the obvious…gorgeous. When we wrapped I expected them to rush off to their busy schedules. Gilles was just starting on ABC’s Brothers and Sisters and is excited about his new venture. 
Instead they stayed and talked with the staff of the gym and signed the ring. Many thanks to Casidee and Don the incredible owners of The Nine, who made our shoot feel like we were home.
I love being surprised by the people I shoot. I spent an incredibly hot afternoon in Temecula to shoot Brian Deegan and the Metal Mulisha. I have seen them before at X Games, and can’t believe what they do. They defy gravity and all good sense with the height and moves they do on their motocross bikes. I was with my son Cash two years ago at X Games when Ronnie Faisst crashed and couldn’t believe he was ok. Without a doubt these guys are tough, but Ronnie has layers to him. There is a kindness in his eyes. My job constantly reminds me that people are so much more than what they appear to be on the outside. I love my portraits of Ronnie. We couldn’t shoot the guys jumping because the wind was up, but it was so worth it! I hope they end up on the box at the X Games next week.
Caroline D’Amore is a model, actress and DJ. She has a new movie coming out in September called Sorority Row, that is a thriller with other young Hollywood hotties like Rumor Willis.
We did a shoot right before she was off to Japan for the MTV DJ awards.
Ok, I am smitten. Smitten by the Wild Card Boxing Gym and the people who inhabit it. The international boxing talent that train in this small gym in the middle of Hollywood is amazing. I was there two days this week shooting English boxer Amir Khan. While I was there Andrei Arlovski was there sparring in preparation for his next MMA fight. There were boxers from Scotland, Kenya, you name it. Freddie Roach is the quiet presence that every one flocks to. He is somehow still grounded and ego free. He just went to Vegas to accept his giant Trainer of the Year award and trophy. Since he hates trophies..he left it on the bus, and they will mail it to him. His assistant trainer heavy weight champion Michael Moorer is working with Arlovski while Freddie concentrates on Amir who is amazing already at only 18 years old. The first day I was there his sparring partner was on the mat looking stunned after the first two minutes, trying to figure out how he got there. There is a quiet intensity to everyone in the Wild Card. 
The Wild Card parking lot and being yelled at by the woman who runs the laundry downstairs is considered a rite of passage. I had some amazing conversations with trainers who have given me such great insight into boxing and boxers. Pictured Scottish Boxer Gary Young.
You spend enough time in pro MMA gyms and you find out that they all have a vibe. It seems to come from the Fighter that heads the gym. Xtreme Couture, with the leave your ego at the door, motto is pure Randy. There is great camaraderie there, but every one is going Hard. Cung in the middle of shooting with me, had one eye on the guys he is training, yelling at them to go harder. Urijah’s gym, is the California Kid kick back fun gym. What a great life for a guy. They are super chill and hang out together, train all day, eat lunch in the sun outside the gym and party together when it’s time. The first gym I went to was Joe Stevenson’s. The guys did not know what to do with me, so decided to try and gross me out. They tried hard…I told them it was going to be impossible to gross me out…I live with a 15 year old boy. By lunch time they declared me cool, and a girl who can hang with the guys.
