A Day in the Life with Lacey Terrell

By Pauline Rogers

August 7, 2020

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“The last time I was around a group of more than four people (aside from the grocery) was in Frank Schaeffer’s lighting workshop at the Guild in March,” says Lacey Terrell, SMPSP (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Hillbilly Elegy, True Detective, Veep). She’s been sticking close to her Los Feliz home, going through stills and taking a few walks. This shadowy self portrait above was taken on her first extensive walk around the neighborhood. “It was a gorgeous Friday evening, during happy hour, and the village was deserted – so peaceful, yet eerily quiet.”

I spent the winter in Pittsburgh on a film called, "Happiest Season," directed by Clea Duvall. I think I saw the sun twice the entire trip.

While I loved the project, and was grateful to be working (little did I know how grateful I would become), I was antsy to get home. Coronavirus was definitely in the news, but it seemed to be in a far away land, or on a ship at sea. I flew back to LA on March 3rd and in a blink, life in the "Happiest Season," quickly morphed into a version of Soderbergh’s "Contagion."

Staying optimistic, I dove into the book of my next job which was slated to start April 20th. To distract from the news I turned to movies; “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” offered extra comfort and I was thrilled to see my photograph of Tom Hanks on the menu of the DVD. I also gobbled up many series’ and "Little Fires Everywhere" blew me away and it was fun to see two of my pictures featured in the show.

Eventually I got out for a drive. Wilshire Boulevard. Wednesday April 8, 2020. (Approx. 3pm)

Being homebound for three months gave me time to find several missing items. This image of me and legendary Rock photographer, Jim Marshall, is one. As I was putting away prints I had pulled out in March for a work meeting (cancelled), I decided to actually look at the other contents of the box. To my surprise and glee, I found the proof sheet and negative for this image which had been missing, for years! Jim signed his book for me long ago and his inscription has always resonated: “For Lacey— One day you will be signing a book for someone else — take care of your work, for the pictures are your children — Jim Marshall"

I found some other treasures along the way… A drive-in theater somewhere outside of LA, 2007. The drive-in may be coming back to life!

I spent days culling images of cinematographers for possible inclusion in American Cinematographer Magazine’s 100th issue. I worked with the talented Jody Lee Lipes on the Mr. Rogers film, and he has recently been in the spotlight for his stunning work on "I Know this Much is True."

I was documenting my daily, mostly solitary, existence with my iPhone 6. I shopped as little as possible, cooked more than in my whole life, and got outside when Griffith Park was open. My only outdoor space at home is my carport which I named Puerto Carporta to feel like I was, at least, on vacation there. I also had a birthday with two cakes: one homemade by Still Photographer, Isabella Vosmikova, and the other in the form of a toilet paper roll. A party of one.

I have several ongoing personal art / book projects, so time off has been what I have been longing for. Be careful what you wish for, as they say… This 2019 image is from my long term project “The Passing Ring” with the Culpepper & Merriweather Great Combined Circus (whose 35th anniversary season is also currently on hold).

Early May brought me a couple new friends and a lot of inspiration.

Baby Mourning Doves were learning to fly right outside my studio window and for two weeks I studied them - hours a day, just watching.

These images were made with my Nikon system through the window screen. It was such an intimate experience; the world outside was still so quiet.

I finally ventured west of Western with my camera and wandered the vacant streets of Beverly Hills and Hollywood. Self portrait in window of Bulgari, Rodeo Drive. May 14, 2020

Vista Theater. May 14, 2020

I hiked to the Hollywood sign with Still Photographer, Colleen Hayes - something I have wanted to do for 20 years.

Finally updating my portfolio. This is my favorite picture of Tom Hanks as Mr Rogers. Here he is signing “friend” to Matthew Rhys’ character. In this unprecedented time of uncertainty and isolation, it is beyond clear that friends and family are what matter most.

People uniting in the name of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter has been inspiring, and the march in Hollywood on June 7th was a sight to behold. We have a lot of work to do, but I am hopeful change is in the air.