Photograph by Lisa Leone

Image Title: Snoop Dogg, 1993

Dimensions: Paper size: 8 5/8 x 12 1/2", Mat size: 11x14"

Medium: Digital Inkjet Print

Year Created: 1993

Image Description:

On the set of his first music video, "Who Am I (What's My Name)" directed by Fab 5 Freddy, Long Beach, CA 1993

Photographer's Bio:

Bronx born Lisa Leone began her career as a photographer shooting musicians Moby, Lauryn Hill and Maxwell, as well as personalities like Debi Mazar and Spike Lee. She worked for British Vogue and VIBE where she was a contributing photographer and columnist for two years.

While shooting stills on a music video the director asked Lisa to shoot B roll. At that moment she traded in her stills camera for a film camera. So began her career as a cinematographer shooting music videos for artists TLC, Heavy D, D'Angelo and The Brand New Heavies.

A few years later, Lisa began work on Stanley Kubrick's last film "Eyes Wide Shut", starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. Impressed with Leone's talent and drive, Kubrick became her mentor. She started off doing research photos of New York during pre-production. Little did she know the project would consume the next four years of her life where she would do everything from set decorating, film & lighting tests, acting and directing second unit.

Afterward, she continued her cinematography with work on independent films and shows for directors: Nancy Savoca's "Dirt"; Showtime. Michael Kang's "The Motel"; Sundance. Reno's "Rebel Without a Pause". Havana Film Festival, Florence film festival, where it received the Peace Prize and "Citizen Reno" for Bravo. "Union Square" a feature she shot, starring Mira Sorvino and Tammi Blanchard, directed by Nancy Savoca.

"Exactly" was Leone's debut film as writer, director and cinematographer. It stars Rosie Perez (Fearless) and Sarita Choudhury (Mississippi Masala). It premiered at Tribeca film festival, Sundance and the London film festival.

"Good Morning Baby" was the second film Lisa directed starring Piper Perabo. Produced by Moxie Pictures.

"Just For Kicks" is a full length documentary Lisa shot and co-directed. It premiered at Tribeca film festival, and was shown on SpikeTV, Canal+, among other stations around the world.

She directed and shot a series of short films for Tommy Hilfiger and Glamour Magazine that premiered in NYC. Inspired by Nicholas Kristof's book "Half the Sky", Lisa found herself in Ethiopia where she shot and co-directed the film "Woinshet" with Marisa Tomei.

Lisa has also shot and directed commercial and web campaigns for clients: Revlon, Kia and Cazadores Tequila.

Leone's work has been shown in exhibitions at HVW8 Art + Design Gallery in Los Angeles, which later travelled to the Galleria Patricia Armocida, Milan, and The Andenken Gallery, Amsterdam. In 2014, her solo exhibition, Here I Am, opened at the Bronx Museum of the Arts and was accompanied with a book of the same title, published by Minor Matters Books. Additionally, she has exhibited in Dubai at Dubai Design District, in Berlin with a solo show, and in Los Angeles at the Leica Gallery. Last fall her works were exhibited at Gallery 212 in NYC and her photos will be on view at the new National Museum of African American History and Culture - Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Lisa serves as Vice President of Artistic Programs for the National YoungArts Foundation.

www.thereallisaleone.com