Coordination: Sonia Sharma Events
Florals: Shirvan Designs
Videography: Imagique
Hair & Makeup: Oscar Naranjo (oscar at zibabeauty.com)
DJ Artistry: Special Occasions LA

Before Jerome and I talk about the wedding, I want to extend a special thank you to Flor’s father. The day before the first event, Flor’s father spent hours and hours showing my co-shooter (Yoshi Morimoto) and me all the most important historic sites in Quito. It was an unexpected and rare treat, and I will never forget Flor’s father’s kindness. A huge thank you also to Andrea and Andres, who referred Flor and Jerome to me.

The welcome festivities started off with a nature walk in a cloud forest. As Jerome explains, “Ecuador is full of unique ecosystems. Among them is the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest. Being on the equator, but also in the mountains, yields amazing flora and wildlife. Specifically, we went to the Maquipucuna Nature Reserve. The Maquipucuna Foundation is an organization that focuses on conservation and protection of the forest. It gave us the chance to both support an organization whose work is very important to Flor and her family, and to also share a piece of Ecuador’s natural beauty with our friends.”

After a day spent walking in the clouds, guests retired to their hotel to clean up, then headed to Fundación Guayasamin for some incredible local flavor, including local dishes, local spirits and local craftspeople working in the middle of the party. Jerome explains, “Oswaldo Guayasamin is Ecuador’s iconic artist and is widely known as one of the most important artists in Latin American history. Inside what used to be Guayasmin’s own home is housed an important collection of pre-Colombian art, and some of the artist’s best work. Instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner, we decided to have what we called “Manabi” night. Manabi is a coastal region with a very distinct culture and is where most of Flor’s family originates. Two of Ecuador’s most famous exports come from Manabi — seafood and Panama hats (which to us should forevermore be named Ecuador hats given that they come from Ecuador).

“We could not have been more eager to introduce our guests to the stunningly flavorful Ecuadorian ceviche and to give them a hand-woven memento. The menu included ceviches, empanadas, maduros with peanuts, fresh manabi cheese, deditos, fruit cocktail, and various fruit liqueurs called mistelas, as well as traditional Jewish challah bread. The hat weavers came straight from Montecristi, which is exactly the spot that these hats are native to. We were very happy to have these artisans share the night with us and show our friends the intricacy of the weaving process. Women received tagua jewelry, known also as vegatable ivory, also native to Manabi.” To ensure both Flor’s Ecuadorian culture and Jerome’s Jewish culture were represented, the evening tipped its hat by ensuring that traditions from both were involved.

The wedding itself took place at the astonishing La Compania de Jesus church, which is located in Quito’s Old City and is dazzling by any standard. As Jerome notes, “Whether you are a religiously observant person or not, with cultural influences that stretch as far back as 430 years, the architecture and art of this structure will flood you with feeling and wonder. It’s considered the most important religious colonial building. Constructed by the Jesuits in 1605 (it is consecrated to Saint Ignatius de Loyola), La Compañía became internationally recognized when UNESCO included it among the 100 most important buildings in the world.”

I’ve personally had the privilege of seeing many of the world’s great churches, but this one took my breath away. I have truly never seen anything like it, and photos absolutely don’t do it justice.

After the Catholic ceremony, guests made their way to the reception, which took place at the Capilla Del Hombre (The Chapel of Humanity). Says Jerome, “Perched perfectly to view the magical Pichincha Volcano and the romantic Old City of Quito, “La Capilla del Hombre,” which was designed to look like a pre-Colombian pyramid, was conceived by Ecuador’s most important artist — Oswaldo Guayasamin (1919-1999) — to house much of his paintings/sculptures, to remember those who have fought for human rights worldwide, and to act as a monument to the progress of humanity.

“Among the highlights was our experiencing a wonderful sunrise which gave light to Quito and the awesome snow-capped volcanoes — the biggest being Cotopaxi.” A huge thanks to Flor and Jerome for including us in such a wonderful celebration. We loved every minute (well, except getting up at 4 a.m. to go to the Cloud Forest, but even that brief pain wasn’t anything that some incredible Colombian coffee wasn’t able to cure — LOL).

Dress designer: Carolina Herrera
Tuxedo designer: William Fioravanti
Decorators: Gloria and Fernanda Mora
Caterer: Chef Henry Richardson. Jerome describes the menu: “The menu was created to showcase what many consider to be the world’s best seafood, and to excite a very wide variety guests. Courses included pangora crab, langostines, veal, quinoa, and a fruit called badea (a favorite of the groom). Desserts included cakes, various Ecuadorian sweets, and an ice cream flavor only found in Ecuador called taxo. At around hour 10 of the reception, our guests received a soup native to the highlands of Ecuador called locro de papas and also, yes, matzoh ball soup. Richardson is well known in Ecuador as one of the country’s best chefs.”

And my favorite photo from their wedding, which ran in Rangefinder Magazine:

Much more to come in the next days and weeks. I’ve once again got a ton of blog posts geared up and ready to go, so be sure to check back.

So what happens when a well-known artist asks a photographer for permission to use their image for one of their art pieces, then fails to honor any of the license terms that the photographer sets forth?

My copyrighted image of cancer survivor Jessica Ikenberry struck a chord with pop artist Shepard Fairey, who contacted me about using it as the basis for an art piece to be auctioned off to benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Long a fan of Armstrong’s book “It’s Not About the Bike,” and a cancer survivor myself, I of course was interested in contributing.

I had previously read a number of articles wherein Fairey discussed his opinions on “fair use” and “transformative works,” and was interested in the outcome of his then-still-pending lawsuit with the Associated Press (AP) regarding his then-disputed use of the Mannie Garcia image for his Obama “Hope” poster. Still, I was open to the discussion, and I told him via phone and email that he could use my image provided that he agreed to my very simple license terms. First, I wanted credit for my work, and second, I wanted the opportunity to photograph him with the art piece in his studio before it was shipped to auction.

He agreed to my terms verbally and in an email, then asked me for a B&W hi-res version of my image, which I provided. He also discussed a different crop of my image, as he thought the in-your-face nature of the entire image might garner less money at auction. I agreed, and he later sent me a mockup of what he was working on. I said, “Cool,” and waited for him to contact me about shooting the finished art piece.

Months later, without having been contacted by Fairey as promised, I found that the resulting “Jessica” art piece was prominently displayed in a traveling art exhibition called Stages 09, jointly produced by Nike and the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and then showing at a gallery in Paris, France. The “Jessica” piece was also featured prominently on the Stages 09 web site, the Lance Armstrong Foundation web site and the Nike web site. Further, a making-of video about the “Jessica” piece was featured on all three sites.

A friend went to the Paris gallery to check the signage and gallery brochure, and did not find any photo credit. I looked at the Stages 09, Lance Armstrong Foundation and Nike web sites, and did not find any photo credit. I watched the making-of video – a piece which centered around Jessica’s story and Fairey’s creation of the “Jessica” art piece – for which my image was the source material, and again did not find any photo credit (though Fairey did mention “the original photo”). Further, by the time I found out about its existence, the press release and making-of video had been copied to countless other web sites.

It became clear that I, as the creator of the original portrait, was not credited in any way nor as agreed. Interestingly, the person who photographed the “Jessica” art piece for the Stages 09 web site did receive credit.

I was not told that the piece would be used for anything other than an auction. I was not told about Nike’s involvement, nor about the traveling art exhibition (which ultimately was displayed in Paris, New York and Miami). I was not given the opportunity to go to the studio to shoot the piece. I was not credited in the documentation hanging next to the piece, nor in the show program. And I was not credited in the video made about the “Jessica” piece, nor on any of the web sites where the “Jessica” piece was featured. Simply, none of my license terms were met.

I called renowned copyright attorney Carolyn E. Wright for advice (www.photoattorney.com), and she took my case. While I could share some very interesting quotes and details about what ultimately ensued, I won’t. Suffice it to say that after months of legal back and forth, the law was on my side, and in the matter of Douglass v. Fairey, I emerged victorious, and a confidential settlement was reached.

Soon after, my attorney forwarded me a new AP release which stated Fairey had admitted “he sued the AP under false pretenses by lying about which AP photograph he used to make the [Obama] ‘Hope’ and ‘Progress’ posters,” and admitted that he “fabricated and attempted to destroy other evidence in an effort to bolster his fair use case and cover up previous lies and omissions.” I could provide details of my reaction to this news, but let’s just say it was not good.

A month or so later, New York gallery owner James Danziger blogged some photos he had taken in New York of a Stages 09 promotional poster featuring the “Jessica” art piece (photos reproduced below with his permission). Underneath the image of the “Jessica” art piece, in very tiny text, was my credit. James wrote this particular blog entry (read it here) specifically because he had never before seen a credit appear alongside any of Fairey’s works.

I don’t actually have a copy of that promotional poster, but I finally got my credit. A poster of the “Jessica” art piece was also issued, and proceeds from the sale of the now-sold-out poster were donated to cancer charities (see the poster below).

For my part, I think that fighting for your rights is always worthwhile. Fairey’s art may be better known than mine, but his art is no more or less important, and his rights as an artist are no more or less important than mine.

I still don’t know why any artist would deny another artist credit for their work, especially when their own work is based upon another person’s original creation. If any artist thinks that the creators of photographic images are not as worthy of credit as the creators of paintings, multimedia collages or other types of art, then I humbly submit that disdain for another artist’s medium has no place in the art world.

In one of his many blog posts on the Shepard Fairey / Mannie Garcia matter, James Danziger perhaps more eloquently summarizes my point. In his post, entitled “I Object,” he states:

“There’s nearly always a suggestion in these discussions that if you don’t back the artist (as opposed to the photographer) you’re trampling on their freedom of expression. In these situations (not all of which went to court) — Jeff Koons and Andrea Blanch, Richard Prince and the original photographers of the Marlboro Men campaign, Warhol and Frank Powolny (who took the Marilyn Monroe photograph), and now Fairey and Garcia — there’s an implication that defining yourself as an “artist” as opposed to a “photographer” makes you more important and gives you special privilege. It also implies that a straightforward photograph is of lesser significance or value than a painting or conceptual work of art. I object.”

On February 24, 2012, Fairey pleaded guilty to criminal contempt relating to destruction of documents and falsifying evidence in the Obama “Hope” case.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement that Fairey “went to extreme lengths to obtain an unfair and illegal advantage in his civil litigation, creating fake documents and destroying others in an effort to subvert the civil discovery process.”

AP President and CEO Tom Curley released a statement which said: “Mr. Fairey started this case by suing the AP over copyright fair use issues. The AP never expected the case to take the turn that it did. The AP hopes that some good may come of this, by alerting judges and parties to the possibility that fake evidence may exist.”

While I’ve kept this story quiet for more than two years, it is my hope that by sharing it, my colleagues in the photography world will understand that you can fight for your rights and win. It’s not easy. But it can be done.

Dina Douglass
Andrena Photography
February 27, 2012

Andrena Photography
ColorPop

Booth pic below (apologies for the iPhone quality). Looking to crank up your color? Click here to visit the ColorPop web site.

The festivities kicked off on a Friday with a mid-day pool party. After a short break, guests were treated to a formal engagement ceremony at sunset, followed by a welcome party that rocked until the wee small hours of the morning. The party took place in room draped in white and featuring a water fountain in the middle of the room (with cool metallic spheres), and featured a crazy amount of custom food and chocolates. I don’t know how anybody actually woke up on Saturday morning, but wake they did, and families and friends gathered for Sindhi poojas (first for Shobna’s side, and then Ashwin’s side). After the poojas, Shobna retired to her room to have her menhdi done, and then took a break before coming back downstairs in a breathtaking Manish Malhotra lengha for her pre-sangeet festivities. Ashwin and his family entered later, carrying roses for Shobna and her family. The sangeet festivities started outside on a lawn, then moved indoors for the party. Alex and the team at Square Root Designs did an incredible job with the sangeet decor, which had a Moroccan feel and made fantastic use of color. Dance performances highlighted the event, as did a sumptuous buffet.

There was no sleep for the weary that night, though, as Alex and his team started on the ballroom decor a day before the reception, working around the clock to get everything set up. It’s always a pleasure to work with Alex, because he always has the ballroom decor ready early for photos, which enables us to do our very best job documenting the decor. It was also a pleasure to work with the delightful Ajita Chopra, who expertly coordinated a million crazy details into a truly breathtaking event.

The next day started with small oil ceremonies in the bride and groom’s respective hotel rooms. The wedding itself took place in a huge burgundy-colored mandap covered with flowers and fronted by vases filled with hued water. The foggy skies couldn’t compete with Shobna, who was once again resplendent in a Manish Malhotra lengha that suited her beautifully. The mandap itself was jam-packed with family on both sides, and it was clear that these families are inseparable. The reception room itself was just crazy beautiful, and a huge testament to the artistry of Alex and the team at Square Root. I don’t even know how to describe the ridiculously beautiful setup, which included mirrored tabletops, floral arrangements of all sizes, and a sweetheart table whose canopy looked like it was made for royalty. Shobna was renamed Kareena as part of the wedding ceremony, so she was introduced by her new name at the grand entrance, and is now, and forever, Kareena Uttamchandani (though formerly Shobna Mirchandani).

I’ll be breaking this stunning wedding up into six posts, so be sure to check back to see all the details. First up? The engagement ceremony and welcome party. Can’t get enough of this wedding? It’s featured in the 2012 Orange County issue of Ceremony Magazine, as well as in Square Root’s ad in the Los Angeles issue of Ceremony. Be sure to pick up a copy at your local newsstand, or to check it out online at www.ceremonymagazine.com.

Coordination: Ajita Chopra, Ajita Chopra Events
Venue: Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
Floral Design & Artistry: Square Root Designs
Cinematography: Simply Cinematic
Hair & Makeup: Jaywant Thakre and Shahida Sheikh (India)
DJ: DJ Lloyd and DJ Sharad
Entertainment: Paris House Addict
Menhdi: Lishma Patel at Beauty by Lishma
Aerialist Bartender: Jena Carpenter at Dream Cirque
MC: Kubra Sait
Sangeet and Wedding Outfits: Manish Malhotra
Reception Outfit: Anjalee And Arjun Kapoor
Engagement Outfit: Natasha Kapoor