The first time I met Whitney Houston was for a photo shoot for Waiting To Exhale. It was actually my first time meeting all the women in the cast and the beginning of several long-term friendships.
Whitney was the first to arrive in the studio that day and asked right away, "who's the photographer." When my assistants pointed her in my direction, she said, "oh, that's different, a Black photographer!" Then she walked over and we shook hands and she said, "so where's your music collection for today?" In those days I carried a big case of CD's, so I walked her over to my collection and she started going through my music, and smile at me and said, "we are going to have a good day!"
Whitney was right because our shoot was incredible. As all the woman arrived I had the music playing to take them back in time with classics from the past and the latest hot songs of the moment. As the ladies were having their makeup done from time-to-time, Whitney would run out and select a different CD and the room would explode. It was such an amazing day. This continued as we shot as Whitney ran back and forth to change the music. It put her in a great mood and the rest of the women as well. By the end of the shoot, no one wanted to leave, even after they had all changed clothes and were preparing to go. At one point, someone started dancing and I started shooting again. My favorite private images from that day are the images of all of them dancing in their own clothes after the shoot was over. It is a day I will never forget and part of why I have loved this industry for so many years.
