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The consummate professional, Graylock treats clients with respect, gets the shot others miss, and uses the highest resolution setting without compromising speed. "The better the image quality, the better the final product looks," says Graylock. "Designers are artists placing their collections on display, much like photographers have gallery showings. They create the lighting, mood, setting, and want that creation captured in the images. It's the photographer's job to capture that essence."

Designers use runway photography to create 'look books,' visual catalogs of their latest collections, much as photographers use direct mail.

Graylock.com has also been known to break all land speed records to deliver images to clients. After covering a fashion show or celebrity event, she or her designated shooter hands over the cards to an assistant, who downloads the images, does a quick edit, lightens, darkens, color corrects, resizes images to 300 dpi, puts each image in a template, burns a CD, and creates a proof sheet to be included in the package which is delivered to the client within 24 hours.

The company's marketing is reputation-driven. "The celebrity-fashion industry is smaller than one may think," she says. "Designers and publicists know me and what I can do. When they need something they call or refer me to other clients. Our website is significant because it gives clients and prospects the ability to see our work at their leisure. No need to call for a portfolio and wait until it arrives. Instant gratification."

Grace Under Fire
One of the keys to her calm is having office space in New York City and a house on the Jersey Shore. "Not having to come to work every day is grand." To stay organized and in touch she carries her cell phone and PDA everywhere and she's vigilant about checking email.

"When I'm in the city, I'm either at my 25th street office or, when I need a studio, I set up at The Space, owned by my friend David Rose. And some days I just recharge at the shore." Unbelievably, Graylock has no office staff. With virtually all of her shoots happening on location, she also has no studio team, preferring to work lean and hire pro photographers, assistants, and a production crew on a project basis.

Oscar Goes to War
Not surprisingly, press coverage for most of the March 2003 Academy Awards events was cancelled, as sponsor after sponsor decided going forward would be inappropriate. At the last moment, Graylock learned that her Elton John and Miramax party sponsors had pulled the plug on festivities.

"Nonetheless, I was able to cover the Glittering Sparkling Luncheon Honoring the Academy Award's 75th Diamond Anniversary, a fund raiser for the American Cinematheque, hosted by Martin Katz and Irena Medavoy, at his Beverly Hills Diamond Boutique," said Graylock. Several celebrities and Beverly Hills socialites attended.

For beauty client Creative Nail Design, Graylock covered the comings and goings of stars from Creative Nail Design's part of the Vidal Sassoon Beauty Bungalow. "Well known to celebrities but not the public, these so-called bungalows, where celebrities get pampered and check out what they want to wear to the Awards, are staged at different sites in L.A." It's all part of enhancing enthusiasm in the beauty-fashion industry.

With the Oscars behind her, Graylock readies for the First L.A. Fashion Week, set for April 1-4. This, too, may turn out subdued, but she feels, "Judging by the job the event organizers, 7 on 6th and IMG, do with NY Fashion Week, the event will be well done and well received, giving a lot of vital exposure to people not well known to the public."

Concludes Graylock, "The fashion-celebrity industry has been changed greatly by the economy, 9/11, and the Iraq War. It raises the question of how we'll take care of our clients in this new environment. Seems to me, whatever else changes, the industry will remain exciting, demanding, a lot of work, and a lot of fun."

Jennifer Graylock is one classy fashionista.