In May of 2023, I was in Los Angeles with a friend. He was there for work and I went to play. We arrived on a Wednesday. The next day was Thursday, May the 4th.
I had heard that they were giving a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to Carrie Fisher and was interested in going.
On Thursday morning, I woke up and had breakfast at the hotel. It was about 10am when I looked to see what time the ceremony was being held. For some reason, I thought it would be about 3pm.
I was wrong. It was starting very soon. Luckily, I was already dressed so I got an Uber to Hollywood boulevard. I arrived right when the ceremony was beginning.
As you can see, there was no way to get up close.
This was cool.
They closed off Hollywood boulevard for the crowd.
I was able to snap some shots of Mark Hamill aka Luke Skywalker.
He gave a good speech.
Carrie Fisher was the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. She was born October 21st, 1956 in Burbank, CA. She died December 27th, 2016 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA.
This confused me at first… it is a photo of Princess Leia but it is Billie Lourd, Carrie’s daughter.
This is the view from Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
After the ceremony was over, there were several people lined up on the sidewalk to get a pic of the Star.
There were about 30+ people waiting by a security guard. The crew was taking down the tents and the guard wasn’t letting anybody in the area until the crew was finished.
On my side, I was the only one waiting to get a pic. The security guard by me was letting people in the blocked off area to go to this one store that was inside the working area of the crew.
After a while, he told me that if I wanted to say that I was going to that store, he would let me in the area and I could take my pic while going to the store.
I thanked him and stepped behind the barrier and walked to the store. Carrie’s Star was right by the door of this store in the roped off area. I stopped, snapped a few pics and went into the store.
I checked my pics and then walked back out again and was on my way.
The press obviously got the first pics of the Star during the ceremony. I was the first person to photograph Carrie’s Star before it was opened up to the public. First!
Mark Hamill’s Star, which was nearby.
Later in the day, a friend and I walked by the Star after the crowds had gone. This is a favorite pic of mine.
Being present for this ceremony was really cool and I got some great pics.
I visited several attractions while in Los Angeles and those blog posts are coming up so stay tuned.
To see the pics from my Los Angeles trip, visit the link below and click on Photos.
On the weekend of July 15th – 17th, I attended all 3 days of Comicpalooza, which is Texas’ largest pop-culture festival. I’ve attended this event in the past and it never disappoints.
These first photos are from the Friday Night Bash. Having games for people to play was a great added attraction.
People enjoyed the games all night long and had a lot of fun.
The kids loved the Ball Pit and even some adults. It was fun to watch everyone enjoying themselves.
The party had another unique attraction in addition to the games and Ball Pit. These hanging ovals were occupied all night long.
For the adults, there was a full bar to serve up your favorite drinks. This was a nice feature.
There were also cosplayers in attendance.
Everyone was having a good time and enjoying the music, the lights and the people.
The cosplayers were more than happy to pose for a photo.
There was also a magician at the Bash to entertain the guests. Everyone loves a magician.
I enjoyed my time at the Friday Night Bash and look forward to the Bash next year.
These next pics are from Saturday and Sunday of the event. The George R. Brown convention center has a great plaza. The GRB is the best venue in Houston to hold such an event like Comicpalooza.
Food trucks were an appreciated addition. Being able to grab a hot meal that has been freshly prepared makes having a bite to eat a pleasurable experience.
There was a good variety of choices between the many different food trucks.
There were thousands in attendance each day, but the line to get in moved very quickly.
Once inside, there was a wall that was great for a photo backdrop. Such a great logo.
I photographed hundreds of cosplayers that weekend and ended up with a lot of great photos.
I’m always impressed by the contact lens’ that some choose to wear.
One part of being a cosplayer is knowing how to pose as your character. I always enjoy watching people strike a pose for the camera.
I took this shot, then asked Wonder Woman for a pic by herself.
She took a second, then busted out this pose. I was surprised and excited to photograph her in all her glory.
These 3 ladies were a lot of fun.
I tend to take close-up photos for people that go the extra distance on their faces.
Comicpalooza is a great place to meet fun, extroverted people looking to have a good time.
I look forward to Comicpalooza each year and mark it on my calendar so I know exactly when it is.
The crowds were large, but it was very easy to get around and do my job. Everyone was busy shopping, posing for photos, shooting video and having a ball.
This is Ceci and Myra. They are sisters and I have met them at cons for several years now. They’re great cosplayers.
There were also several show cars on display in the convention center.
There was also some Jurassic Park vehicles on display.
I attended my first comicon in 2012, when I attended Comicpalooza of that year. I’ve been hooked ever since. Photographing cosplayers never gets old and I always meet some of the most interesting people.
At Comicpalooza, there are several people from the media present. You’ll see photographers and videographers at every turn. This guy was conducting an interview with these cosplayers. The person holding the videocam was just off to the left.
Smiles are truly contagious.
I love this guy’s mustache. He had a great look, as did his companion.
Comicpalooza is an all ages event. You’ll see little kids dressed up as well as older people living their best life.
I have photographed this clown at several events over the years. He loves attending cons and posing for photos.
The vendors at this event are pretty spectacular. The merchandise is all wonderful and it’s fun to shop.
I enjoy seeing all of the artwork by the many impressive artists.
This is Cassius. His character is The Brown Hornet. That was the superhero that the Cosby kids watched on their TV. This is a great cosplay and I’ve never seen another Brown Hornet.
I’ve seen this cosplay before but the person had drawn a six pack on their stomach. This guy actually has a six pack.
A special part of my job is capturing memories and making people happy. I truly enjoy my work, even the long, late-night hours of editing and loading media from an event.
Harley Quinn is a favorite character to photograph.
Each person has a different take on the look and I enjoy them all.
This was a cool photo op. I love the military and especially old Jeeps.
These are the twins, Paige and Taylor. Two more cosplayers that I see at cons often. Great girls and awesome cosplayers.
Here’s another Harley Quinn. See how different these 2 are. And both great.
This Harley was very photogenic also.
I’ve photographed this cosplayer before also. She’s a fun person and always a pleasure to run into.
Spiderman remains to be one of the most popular characters to cosplay. And there are so many different looks.
I ran into Houston’s Tan Man while at Comicpalooza. Phil is a mountain of a man and a bundle of fun.
Paige and Taylor are always so happy to pose with me and I enjoy the pics.
Poison Ivy is another popular character to cosplay and I’ve photographed several over the years.
If I had to guess, I’d say that I’ve taken over 10,000 photos at comicons in the Houston area.
Captain Jack Sparrow was posing for pics for donations to the Make A Wish organization. I gave him $10 for a pic with him. Well worth it.
This young lady had a fantastic look and I was happy to get a pic with her.
This last section is about my Star Wars adventure at Comicpalooza.
The 501st Legion had a great display. There were several photo ops located in their area.
And all of their cosplayers were more than happy to pose with attendees.
And they had such a variety in their characters.
This set was very cool. You can tell that they took a lot of time to prepare for an event like this.
And they all seemed pleased to learn that they could download their pics from my site for free.
This is the best Darth Vader that I’ve ever seen. His height makes him an outstanding Vader.
The 501st Legion is a great group of people and they really have fun and enjoy what they do.
The props that they had were awesome.
This was a great addition to their area.
You could even get a photo of yourself while firing this weapon. That’s on my ‘To Do List’ next year.
These next photos are with a group called Star Wars Enthusiasts of Houston. I’ve know Kristen for a few years now and her group is great.
They do a lot of charitable things throughout the year and are active in the community.
At Comicpalooza, they have a Saber Walk, which I videotaped this year. It’s a fun group and they love cosplaying.
On Sunday, they had a photoshoot scheduled and they asked me if I would attend. I was more than happy to get some photos for them. This first group is the ‘Younglings’.
This is a group of the Light Side cosplayers.
And here again, with more cosplayers.
Cosplayers for the Dark Side.
Mostly Mandalorians.
A nice group shot of everyone.
The Force is Feminine. I love that the little Darth Vader was a girl.
The Mandalorian cosplay has to be one of the coolest cosplays in the Star Wars universe.
This next photo is of the whole group. It is the Light Side versus the Dark side.
This last photo is a fun photo. I enjoyed photographing the SWEH group and they were genuinely appreciative of my efforts to capture special moments for them. I look forward to working with them again in the future.
To see the interview that I did with admin Kristen Lee Ohanyan of SWEH, here it is…
Comicpalooza is one of the most fun and exciting events that Houston has to offer and if there was one downside, it’s that it is only once a year.
I look forward to next year and am excited to go again. If you are in the Houston area the next time Comicpalooza happens, you should definitely go. You won’t be disappointed.
To see all of the photos from this event, here is the link to our photo gallery…
It is a sad day in the Star Wars universe. The actor who originally played Darth Vader in the first three films has died at 85. David Prowse was chosen to play Darth Vader because he was 6’6” and a body builder. They wanted someone that was intimidating in the suit. And although they used James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader, Prowse was impressive because of his size. He towered over 5’9” Mark Hamill, especially after putting on those big boots.
In later years, David would tour the comicon circuit and sell photos. I was at a comicon in Houston a few years ago when I looked over and saw this old man sitting at a booth by himself. Then I looked at the sign above his head. When I saw that it was the original Darth Vader, I was a bit shocked that there was no line to meet him.
I eagerly walked over and begin to chat with David. He was a very pleasant man. I could tell that in his prime he was a big person. His hands were enormous. I also noticed that he had a pair of walking sticks behind him. Over the years he had some major health concerns and now needed assistance to stand and walk.
He was selling 8×10 photos of himself as Darth Vader from the movies. They were all great photos to choose from. I eventually chose the photo where he was giving the choke hold motion with the Force. David was more than happy to sign it for me. It’s one of my most cherished possessions. Not many can say they’ve met and talked with the original Darth Vader.
After I finished paying for my 8×10 photo and he signed it, he asked if I wanted a photo with him. I said sure pretty fast. He asked me to come around behind his table and sit with him. His assistant took my camera and got ready to take the photo. Just before the photo was taken, David asked me to put my hand on his shoulder. Then the pic was snapped. When I got home, I realized that David had made the photo much more of a friendly photo by having me place my hand upon his shoulder. It looked like 2 old friends posing for a photo. I’m sure David did that with a lot of people, but it still made me feel special.
David is known all over the globe as Darth Vader, even though he wouldn’t be recognized on the street. It’s actually kind of funny to think about David’s fame. He’s one of the most famous people that nobody recognizes. Can you imagine David in a pub during his prime. He would be chatting up the ladies and have to tell them who he was. It probably went something like this…
“Yeah, I’m Darth Vader from the movies.”
“You don’t sound like Darth Vader.”
“Well that’s because they used someone else’s voice.”
“Oh really?, I’m sure.”
“No, no, really, I’m Darth Vader. Watch me make the Force pose.”
So, in hindsight, I’m sure David struggled with being famous and not famous at the same time.
I hope David makes it into Heaven… and God asks him to wear the suit occasionally. Maybe God will give him the use of the Force to help keep people in line up there. Wouldn’t it be funny to be in Heaven raising some Hell and in walks Darth Vader, suit and all, to straighten shit out.
I’m a little sad today that David is no longer with us, but also happy that his suffering is over. I hope and pray often that I get into Heaven… and maybe I can meet David again. It definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing to have Darth Vader as a drinking buddy inside the pearly gates.
On this somber day, let’s think of the contribution David made to Pop Culture and the history of Film. He may well be voted the best and worst Villain of all time. May the Force be with David on his journey through the stars to meet his maker. He was and is loved by millions upon millions of people and fans. Maybe that will help him when he is being judged for his life on this planet. We, as regular people, can only hope to be as well-liked as David is.