

Dawn Richard of Danity Kane
Why did I go to the China Club you ask? Well, I saw on a flier that Dawn Richard of Danity Kane was going to be hosting and I wanted to meet her.


15 minutes after getting in I was able to meet Dawn and I got my picture taken with her. She was very friendly, outgoing and humble by the way. So, thanks Dawn. Why did I want my picture taken with her? Well, several reasons. One, as a memento and two, because you can't have enough flicks with hot chicks, but the real reason is pretty self-serving: for some reason people think you are successful, famous and making money when you have lots of pictures of yourself with celebrities, socialites and other important people. By helping to create an image of success, opportunities tend to arise to support that success.

We live in a pretty celebrity-driven culture and the media certainly reflects this fascination. Therefore, access to well-known people helps to position you as someone who everyone should know as well. I think we can see this with myspace. If you are checking out unsigned artists on myspace and you see someone who has lots of flicks with celebrities, then you tend to think that they are doing pretty well and that they know the right people. While I legitimately have ongoing personal and professional relationships with quite a few well-known artists and music industry personalities, I have seen how many people assume that I know everybody there is to know, or that I'm well-known myself, just because I have a few pictures with famous and moderately famous people. I've definitely met more famous people than I've had my picture taken with, but people tend to assume that I'm golf-buddies with high-rollers just because I've put myself in the right place in the right time here and there. Get your picture with 50 Cent in a studio during a bathroom break and just watch how many people will hit you up thinking that you and Fiddy hang out all the time.

Andre Ramone of the Drumline with Akon
Everyone knows the adage that "it's not what you know, it's who you know" and that networking is key to success in just about any industry. Therefore, if you are seen with enough of the "right" people, the public will assume that you too are in the cut like neosporin. Getting your picture with famous people is hard evidence of your success. Just like a receipt or an invoice, you always want to have proof of the things that you're doing. Always be sure to take some extra fliers of the shows that you play and get some extra copies of any news articles about you or your band.
Anyways, here are kyle b. jones strategies for getting your picture taken with celebrities (or other people who do cool stuff):
1. Always carry a camera on you. Celebrities are like UFO's; they can seem to come out of no-where at random times and places and no-one will really believe your story unless you get it on film. Since so many people have camera phones, this is becoming much easier.
2. Scout the scene and know what to look for. If you are at a function with several famous people in attendance, check out the scene and take note of where everybody is and what's going on. Invariably, timing plays a major role so you need to be aware of your surroundings so you can move quickly when Akon steps out to find the bathroom. Also, know what and who to look for. I once met the rapper Freeway, but I had no idea at the time, because I didn't know what he looked like. I thought he was a body-guard and I kept thinking that this Freeway fellow that was supposedly around must be really important to have such a big, menacing security guard. Also, many celebrities look different in person (usually shorter and more real).
3. Make sure the camera is ready. As simple as this sounds, this can be huge. Make sure the camera is on, the battery is charged and the settings are correct (flash, night-mode, etc). You will only have a few seconds to act, so you won't have time to turn the camera on and fiddle with it.
4. Don't look sketchy. Even though you are doing a little "recon," you don't want to look like a terrorist plotting an assassination attempt. Bodyguards, managers and PR workers are all trained to scan for threats, including paparazzi and fans seeking autographs. You want to alway maintain a very calm demeanor. Don't have your camera out in full view, but don't look like you're hiding a gun. Don't get wide-eyed and stare. DO act like you are supposed to be wherever you are and appear calm, friendly and unimpressed.
5. Move quickly and deliberately. Along with the right demeanor, you want to exude confidence and move with purpose. Like hitting on a girl at a bar, the window of opportunity can be very limited. Just like hitting on chicks at a club, avoid moving in too quickly, but don't wait too long, otherwise your target will be surrounded by d-bags or leaving with the "let's go" girlfriend who can't stand to see everyone else have fun. In the case of pictures with celebrities, take control of the scene and move deliberately. Approach your target calmly, quickly and with friendly, non-threatening body language.
6. Be direct and to the point. What do you say? Well, keep it simple. Let your words mimic your calm, confident and deliberate manner. "It's very nice to meet you. I loved you in (fill in the blank) movie. Can I please get my picture with you?" Remember, you only have a few seconds to establish repore and get the picture taken.
7. Get someone to help. If you are with a friend or colleague, get them to help. Soon as you are standing next to Alicia Keys and ready to pose, your accomplice should be ready to shoot. Make sure that your partner knows how to work the camera. If you are an artist yourself and you are getting your flick taken with a well-known artist, it can help to have someone else take the picture, because they can also do the talking and this may make you feel easier about asking. It may feel awkward to certain artists to ask for pictures with other artists, because you are trying to be considered legit and accomplished in your own way and it may hurt your ego to ask for a picture, since you feel like "just a fan" or rod-rider. So, in this case a manager or entourage member of your own can help, as they are actually asking both parties (you and the famous person) to pose together. This strategy worked well in several instances where I was managing a group opening for well-known industry artists and we wanted to get their picture together for marketing purposes and for keepsakes.
My advice if you don't have anyone with you: suck it up and ask for the photo yourself. If you really want to win, you will put your ego aside and get the flick, because you will realize how it can help you. Also, just because you're alone doesn't mean that you can't get help. As much as the hold your arm out and take a picture of yourself and your girlfriend on top of the ferris wheel shot works great with friends at Disney world, it's probably a little ineffective for shots with Denzel Washington or Slash. In this case, enlist the help of a bystander. When you're doing your "recon," check the scene for anybody who may be able to help. I have shoved my camera in the hands of roadies, groupies, and back-up dancers to name a few. You're odds of a bad shot go up with someone who isn't familiar with your camera, but most camera's these days are pretty easy to use.
8. Always take at least two pictures. The risk of getting a good shot goes up exponentially with each additional attempt. Usually two tries is the most you can hope for with a busy socialite being hurried off by handlers. The most common trick is to have your photographer claim that the camera messed up and ask to try another one. You can also say "Let's get another one real quick, just in case I blinked. Thank you." and then immediately resume the pose. The key, again, is to do everything with quickly and deliberately and with a friendly tone. Getting two shots can dramatically increase the chances of a good take, since people blink, malfunctions occur and people move in front of the lense and so forth.
9. Be where the people are. You can't meet any celebrities if you never see them. I don't suggest you take on the same sleazy schedule as the paparazzi, but being out and about can't hurt.
10. Always say "thank you." Thanks Dawn!
Now, here's more pictures of Dawn Richard for you to enjoy and appreciate:



Feel free to share with me any pics that you've taken with celebrities and tell me about your experiences.
kylebeejones@yahoo.com
-kyle b. jones
























