Herb Ritts

There's a really nice exhibit at The Getty of Herb Ritts photos. If you were around in the eighties, you've seen his photos. I recognized so many of the ones on display. He had a knack for using bodies as shapes, lines and texture and he had access to some of the most amazing bodies of the day. (Looking at the photos, you wonder about how grueling it was for the models to hold some of these poses.) The exhibit is shown along with a smaller show of older celebrity photos, including a couple of daguerrotypes and black and whites of figures from the turn of the previous century into the early 20th. These older photos add a lot of context to the Herb Ritts photos, showing how portraiture has evolved. There is also a room with commercials and music videos that Ritts made, again, if you were around back then, you'll have seen them. He passed away in the early 2000s and this show is a reminder of how prolific he was and how much he contributed to the 'look' of that era.

We dined at The Restaurant at The Getty. There's a beautiful view of the hills (it was an incredibly clear day) and the sun setting behind it. This is a pricey place, but the setting is beautiful, service was pleasant, and the food was absolutely delicious.