Anderson and I

I dreamed last night that I was walking my dog down the street when I ran into Anderson Cooper, who was covering a Breaking News story on the next block. His phone rang. It was a Major Magazine wanting to do a cover story on him and they needed it now. He said, “Well, your reporter is right here,” and suddenly a reporter with a notebook appeared, “but we don’t have a photographer.” [Insert Underdog cartoon theme song.] I said, “Um, Anderson, I’m a photographer. I can take your picture.”

“Oh, but have you ever done editorial photography before? Do you know what you’re doing?”

“Of course, I do,” I lied. And as if I hadn’t been ballsy enough, I added, “And it’ll be a picture of Anderson Cooper like none you’ve ever seen before!”

“All right then, let’s go!” [Insert CNN Breaking News theme music.]

Anderson and I walked back to my apartment, which had magically been transformed into a supercool studio where all kinds of students were learning photography. I made one exposure, and the whole thing was apparently brilliant, because A Photo Editor featured me the next day, and I was suddenly the darling of the editorial world.

My next assignment was to shoot Julia Roberts. Anderson was my assistant.