IN THE LOUPE: Melvin Sokolsky

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04 March 2010 Written by  Barry Schwartz
Melvin Sokolsky Melvin Sokolsky

Home and Studio: Los Angeles (sokolsky.com). Represented by the Fahey/Klein Gallery in Los Angeles. After moving his studio to Los Angeles in the 1970s, he found that his work — especially his commercial work — took him all over the world, so he eventually let the studio go. His present studio is in his home, and includes a custom-designed south-facing balcony with the ability to filter and block light.

Family Life: Lives with his wife, Button, married for many years. They have a son, Bing, a respected cinematographer whose credits include "NYPD Blue" and "Numbers."

Preferred Equipment: Sokolsky's equipment includes Apple computers and Canon DSLR cameras and lenses (he has used Canon equipment since 1961). He still occasionally shoots with a Deardorff 8×10. While he does most of his own Photoshop work, including compositing, he sometimes collaborates with retouchers.

Accolades: More than 25 Clio Awards and every major TV commercial award, including a nomination from the Directors Guild of America. Several of his TV commercials are part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. Named an "Explorer of Light" by Canon USA in 1995.

Major Clients: More than 25 Clio Awards and every major TV commercial award, including a nomination from the Directors Guild of America. Several of his TV commercials are part of the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. Named an "Explorer of Light" by Canon USA in 1995.

Hobbies: He's "a pretty good cook."

Barry Schwartz
Story Author: Barry Schwartz

Barry Schwartz is an ex-journeyman carpenter and kitchen designer, currently still lugging around heavy bags as a commercial photographer. He is also a freelance writer living in Los Angeles.

What informs his work directly these days is design, journalism and photojournalism, portraiture, gardens, and a bit - OK, a lot - of technology.  It's part of the job.

Website: www.barryschwartzphotography.com E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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