Rangefinder Magazine
Columns - June 2001

Insight

You come to expect people to behave a certain way. It’s natural. That predictability is a big part of what forms your perceptions of other people. One of our key writers, Lou Jacobs, is such a person. He’s steady and reliable, not given to emotionalism, always inquisitive, always on time or early. In short, Lou’s the consummate professional. Good qualities for a magazine writer. So, when Lou is surprised, shocked, or otherwise overly animated, my curiosity is aroused. “What’s wrong with Lou?” is my first reaction. This month, I got a gaggle of wrong signals from Lou in regard to his profile on Charles William Bush (page 8). Lou was effervescent and overflowing with superlatives about Bush. A little background… Lou doesn’t look or act old, but he knows everybody, it seems, ever involved in the world of professional photography. Rumor is he still corresponds regularly with Mathew Brady. So Lou’s seen it all… until this month, when Mr. Bush surprised him—a noted photographer of celebrities working and thriving in Lou’s backyard unbeknownst to him. So before I ever opened the CD to see what all the fuss was about, I knew we had a winner in Charles Bush. A short, promotional CD accompanied the “live” images for the article, so when I popped it into the computer and the slide show began, I too found myself becoming unpredictably effervescent. “How come I’ve never heard of this guy?” “I know that shot.” “Whoa!” Charles William Bush is an amazingly good photographer—a totally unpredictable but most pleasant surprise.

Bill Hurter
Editor

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER
PHOTOGRAPHER: Charles William Bush
SUBJECT: Catherine Zeta Jones
CAMERA: Mamiya RZ 67
LENS: 250mm
FILM: Kodak EPP
LIGHTING: Dynalite strobes, Chimera softbox and a wind machine
COMMENTS: This shot took a complete day to get. According to Bush, “Catherine is one of the most beautiful and charming actresses I’ve worked with—full of humor and a playful, sensuous charm. She is a fun, intelligent person who loves her craft, without taking herself too seriously.”
Charles Bush, who has been in business for more than 20 years, prefers to shoot in controlled situations. His experienced crew of many years knows his working habits and his tastes and they help maintain an enviable comfort level. “For example,” he says, “when I’m shooting Jaclyn Smith Sportswear, all the locations, props, wardrobe and other requirements are carefully planned and prepped in advance. So when the talent comes on set, all the shooting seems to go smoothly. Since celebrities are fifty percent of my business, that’s very important.”
Bush’s present studio is a luxurious 4000-square-foot structure in the heart of Hollywood.
For more information on Charles William Bush see Lou Jacob’s profile of him which begins on page 8 of this issue.