Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Jewelry Model




























#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Model: Carolyn Price


Jewelry: David Yurman

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.


Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Runway Modeling

I love it when models wear red shoes.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Sunday, November 5, 2017

Danielle Skranak

Danielle Skranak: 

Model, Miss Kansas USA competitor, 
former United States Army Military Police. 

Veterans Day is November 11, 2017

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Delia Leigh Veschi, U.S. Army Veteran




#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Former United States Army Unit Supply Specialist, wounded warrior.


"This We'll Defend."

Veterans Day is November 11, 2017.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

#CelebratingWomen
#MilitaryVeteran 

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Tavia Hunt

Tavia Shackles Hunt is a former Miss Missouri Teen USA, and Miss Kansas USA.

Her clothing designs have been been popular as part of NFL For Her, apparel and accessories acknowledging female football fans. 

Her favorite football team is the Kansas City Chiefs.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.


Friday, October 20, 2017

Missouri Cowboy

Missouri Cowboy.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Lamonte McIntyre - Wrongfully Convicted




















Lamonte McIntyre was 17 years old when convicted of a double-homicide and sentenced to two life terms.

After spending twenty-three years in prison, it was determined Mr. McIntyre was innocent, and he was released.

Innocence Project
Midwest Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.




Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Candace Ruocco Valentine

Candace Ruocco Valentine: 

Attorney; First Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps; Kansas City Chiefs cheerleader.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Monday, October 9, 2017

Noelle Manica: Model

Noelle Manica, wearing Georgina Herrera / MCK Brands earrings.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jermaine Reed: Councilman, Mayoral Candidate

Jermaine Reed is 3rd-District Councilman in Kansas City, Missouri, and running for Mayor in 2019.

Childhood poverty and homelessness taught him resilience and responsibility. 

Jermaine was the first in his family to earn a college degree. He worked in Washington, DC, then returned to Kansas City to help his mother and brothers.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Sunday, September 24, 2017

Message To Daddy

While working on a project at Tiffany & Co. a few years ago, I asked a friend if I could borrow her two young daughters for a few minutes.

My idea was to have them write a message to their father, a Colonel in the U.S. armed forces stationed in the Middle East.

He displayed this photograph in his offices in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, as his assignments changed. It is in his office today, here in the United States.

Veterans Day is Saturday, November 11, 2017.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Michael Cavanaugh: Pianist, Vocalist


Michael Cavanaugh
was hand-picked by Billy Joel to be the star piano-man and lead vocalist in the Broadway musical Movin' Out.


Joel wrote the music and lyrics, and the production opened in 2002.

The show was nominated for multiple awards. Cavanaugh was nominated for both Grammy and Tony awards, and Joel won a Tony.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Catherine Dickens

In 2003, I was commissioned to photograph Catherine Dickens, the great-great-great- granddaughter of Charles Dickens

Ms. Dickens raised money for charity through the Charles Dickens Heritage Foundation, and resided in Budapest, Hungary.

Charles Dickens began writing A Christmas Carol in 1843. It was published during the Christmas season the same year - 174 years ago.

Here is my photograph published in USA Weekend - USA Today, December, 2003.

Photograph © 2003 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Friday, September 8, 2017

Patrons of the Arts

Many people who enjoy the performing arts in Kansas City will not recognize this couple. Not by sight, and not by name. And, I think this husband and wife are fine with that.

These are two of numerous dedicated patrons of the arts who generously provide financial support, plus use of their homes and business space for fundraising and events, with little concern for recognition. 

Our gratitude is endless. Each benefactor strengthens the creative capacity of our city, bringing about an enchanting place to live.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 

Painted

Painted. 
Model: Krystal Heib.

Photographs © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.


Saturday, July 29, 2017

Runway Model

Kansas City Fashion Week, March 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Lou Eisenbrandt, RN: Military Emergency Nurse (retired), Book Author






While preparing for this photograph, Lou Eisenbrandt advised me of her involuntary tremors. She suffers with Parkinson's disease from exposure to Agent Orange.


Lou served in the United States Army's 91st Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai, Vietnam, as an emergency nurse from 1969 to 1970 - the height of the war. 

She was exposed to Agent Orange while cutting fatigues off wounded soldiers; their clothing was coated with the herbicide.

Lou recounts evocative experiences in her book, "Vietnam Nurse: Mending & Remembering." (Deeds Publishing). She was honored with an award from the Military Writers Society of America

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

#WomenYouShouldKnow
#CelebratingWomen 

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Tom Savini: Special Effects Makeup, Stuntman, Actor, Director, Author



As a boy, Tom Savini was inspired by how movie-icon Lon Chaney, Sr., could transform himself using makeup techniques. 


Tom served in Vietnam as a combat photographer; his job was to document battle damage to equipment and people. To cope with experiencing the human carnage, Tom tried to imagine that what he was photographing were special effects. 

Later, he established himself as a special-effects makeup expert, working on movies including Martin, Dawn of the Dead, Friday the 13th and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, to name a very few.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Friday, July 21, 2017

George A. Romero: Moviemaker

George Romero is pretty much the father of modern zombie movies. 

In the mid-1960s, George made a movie titled Night of the Flesh Eaters for just over $100,000. In 1968, he took the movie to New York City hoping to sell it to a studio. 

No movie studio wanted it. He changed the title to Night of the Living Dead, and booked a few screenings. It was immediately disparaged by most critics, and loved by audiences. 

George made additional successful movies about the imagined zombie apocalypse, including Dawn of the Dead (1979), and Day of the Dead (1985). 

Roger Ebert, movie critic, described Dawn of the Dead as one of the best horror films ever made. 

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Bobby Bell - Football Superstar

Cleveland High School in Shelby, North Carolina, was segregated when Bobby Bell attended. He excelled at every sport.

He played football at the University of Minnesota, leaving to play professional football before finishing his degree.

Bobby's career highlights and awards include Super Bowl champion, College Football Hall of Fame, Pro Bowl Hall of Fame, AFL Defensive Player of the Year, and many more AFL and NFL honors. He was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1980.

Fifty years after leaving college, Bobby returned. In 2015, he completed the last 3 classes he needed, and graduated from the University of Minnesota. 

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Reginald "Reggie" Griffin - Wrongfully Convicted

In 1988, Reggie Griffin was serving a 20-year prison sentence. While incarcerated, he was convicted of murdering a fellow inmate, and sentenced to death.

Reggie did not commit the murder. It was 2011 when the Missouri Supreme Court agreed to a retrial, ruling in his favor. Charges were dismissed by the prosecution in 2013, and Reggie was allowed to leave prison.

Innocence Project
Midwest Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Erin

Hot summer nights.

Model: Erin

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Tom Devlin: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, Author


Tom Devlin 
co-founded Rent-A-Center when he was 25 years old, and sold it for $584 million.  

He is a generous benefactor, and has donated much of the proceedings.

As we chatted, Tom emphasized, "Everyone's important."

Read more about Tom in his autobiography Playing Through.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

#EveryoneIsImportant


Thursday, June 1, 2017

Jon Fulton Adams - Clothing Designer




















Clothing designer Jon Fulton Adams of Queen's Rocket at Kansas City Fashion Week, March, 2017.


Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Sonia Warshawski 48689




#WomenYouShouldKnow   #CelebratingWomen

As a Polish girl of Jewish faith, Sonia Warshawski 48689 lived in a death camp, and watched as her mother was marched to the gas chamber. 


When Sonia was 15 years old, the camp was being liberated by British soldiers and Sonia was shot. The bullet travelled close to her heart, through her, and she survived. 

"Big Sonia" is an inspiring documentary about Sonia's life. 

48689 is the number tattooed on her arm.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Savannah Liles - Actress





#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Savannah Liles (Savannah Halliday) starred in the movie "Prodigy" (2017), as Ellie, a young genius working with a psychologist.

At eleven years old, Savannah has 11 movie and television credits, and a 12th project in post-production. 

In 2016, she appeared on The 37th Annual Young Artist Awards television special where she won Best Performance in a Short Film - Young Actress.

Savannah resides in Los Angeles.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Mrs. Missouri USA 2017

Lori Brown is Mrs. Missouri USA Universal 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Milton J. Shelley, Sr. - Vietnam Veteran, Purple Heart Recipient




Milton J. Shelley, Sr., served with the 9th Infantry U.S. Army, and was wounded in combat. 

He waited 48 years to receive his Purple Heart.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Tricia J. Bushnell - Attorney

Tricia J. Bushnell, a former law professor, is Executive Director of Midwest Innocence Project.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Alvin Brooks




Alvin Brooks
: Police officer, Chief of Police, Police Commissioner, community activist, founder of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, civil rights advocate. 


In meetings with Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, he communicated from first-hand experience the correlation of poverty to crime and violence. 

President George H.W. Bush appointed Alvin advisor to the National Drug Advisory Council in 1989, and named him one of America's 1000 Points of Light.

As a police officer in the 1950's, Alvin was asked to participate in a line-up, in plain clothes. He was picked out of the line-up as the perpetrator of a mugging. Had he not been having lunch with a Detective at the time the crime was committed, he firmly believes he would have been charged.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved.



Monday, May 15, 2017

Ryan W. Ferguson - Wrongfully Convicted



Ryan W. Ferguson was a 17-year-old high school student when he was charged with murder.


He spent nearly 10 years in prison, before being found innocent.

You may have seen Ryan hosting MTV's Unlocking the Truth.

Midwest Innocence Project
Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Nancy Pickard: Novelist





#WomenYouShouldKnow 

Nancy Pickard, author of a multitude of novels and short stories, has been honored with more than two-dozen awards for her writing.

"If you read for pleasure, there's probably more pleasure per inch in Pickard's work than almost any other current crime novelist." - Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Pickard has evolved into a novelist of substantial literary power." - The Denver Post

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. 

All rights reserved. 

#CelebratingWomen

Patrick Lewallen

Patrick Lewallen

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Matt Baldwin



Matt Baldwin.


Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Friday, May 5, 2017

Anthony Ray Hinton - Wrongfully Convicted

In 1985, Anthony Ray Hinton was convicted of murdering two restaurant managers, a crime he did not commit.

He spent the next 30 years in prison, most of it on Alabama's death row, before the United States Supreme Court overturned his conviction.

In January, 2016, Scott Pelley conducted an interview with Anthony for CBS's "60 Minutes", and you may follow this link for a written synopsis.

The Midwest Innocence Project

Innocence Project

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Christian Micheal Shuster: Designer

Christian Micheal Shuster's modern clothing-design labels are ChristianMICHEAL men's wear, and sHe by cM.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Ciara

Model: Ciara Barton

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Elise


Model: Elise Hardenburger

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Miss Kansas City's Outstanding Teen

Kaitlyn Rigdon is Miss Kansas City's Outstanding Teen, 2017.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

Contemplating Red Bull

A moment of meditation on the runway with the Red Edition of Red Bull at Kansas City Fashion Week.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Model: Preston Jeffrey Parsons

Friday, March 3, 2017

Art Still - NFL Football Defensive End

Art Still played ten seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs

Art was selected to play in the Pro Bowl four times, named Chiefs Most Valuable Player twice, and a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

He was eventually traded to the Buffalo Bills, where he played two seasons.

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Friday, February 24, 2017

Ernest Foltz - Drummer

Blues drummer Ernest Foltz entertains an enthusiastic, full-house audience.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Sunday, February 12, 2017

Go Red For Women Fashion Show

Runway. Photographs © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved. 
Model on left: Alexa. Model on right: Lexy   Makeup: Shannon Nemec

Friday, February 10, 2017

Mark A. Norell, PhD

Dr. Mark A. Norell is a paleontologist and molecular geneticist. He is Division Chair and Macaulay Curator, plus Paleontology Professor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Dr. Norell is acknowledged as one of the most important living vertebrate paleontologists.

His articles appear often in major scientific journals, including Science, Nature (cover stories), and Time magazine listed his work in the 10 most significant science stories for three years.

He was named a New York City Leader of the Year by the New York Times.

Please enjoy this New York Times article, and this Wall Street Journal article.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Runway Model - LaRae Fashions

This dress is by designer Madison Durant of LaRae Fashions.

Model: Brynn Shaffer
Hair: Travis Harland
Makeup: Shannon Nemec

Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Jennifer Tierney

Jennifer Tierney is the owner, designer, and in this image, the runway model for J.tierina Designs.


Photograph © 2016 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Dan Verbeck: Radio Reporter and Newsman

After working two years for newspapers, Dan Verbeck enjoyed a distinguished 48-year career reporting news on the radio.

Photograph © 2017 Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Henry W. Bloch

Henry Bloch co-founded H&R Block in 1955 with his brother Richard.

It was through the U.S. Army Air Corps he received graduate training at Harvard University School of Business.

In 2001, Henry was inducted into the U.S. Business Hall of Fame.

Photograph © Larry F. Levenson. All rights reserved.