After his studies at the Art Center College of Design (and somewhat in Europe) Laurence Bartone opened his commercial studio as a photographer in San Francisco in his SOMA building. Ten years in and looking for new experiences, he moved to New York City. Heavily influenced by the lighting and composition of Vermeer, and the brilliance of both Irving Penn and Phil Marco, he believes every photo should tell a story. He's won four gold medals for his advertising photography in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, and has been published in dozens of national magazines. His work consistently underlines his lighting and composition talents. He has consistently delivered successful campaigns and assignments - whether in the studio, Europe, a beach in Tahiti, a vineyard in Australia or on a mountain top in California. He's hung from helicopters, climbed on high-rise scaffolding, scuba'd into the Monterey Aquarium, and rode atop vehicles to get the best shot. He takes pride in always come home with an excellent job. His clients agree - below is a small sampling of his clients. And here's the story of one of his most celebrated assignments