Gowland Studio 3 Behind the Scenes at Peter Gowland's Studio

The Gowlands' third and present studio can be used with daylight, lights, or both together. Floor is white terrazzo radiant heated with hot water in copper pipe in the floor. There is a 24" radius curve in the plaster wall at both floor and ceiling. A 6' Larson umbrella reflector carries a 2000 watt second Norman strobe which is attached to a hub above the model's head. The swing is a ten foot circle, keeping exposure the same with different lighting directions. Peter built the mirror stand with plumbing pipe connected to four casters. Adjustable tilt allows model to control her pose and not to depend on the photographer who probably has his mind on technical problems. Gowlandflex is on Gowland stand with two sections removed. Box attached to post behind Peter contains the 2000 watt second Norman and two Carousel projectors opperated by cassette recorder for picture dissolve and music. Gowlands rehearse their lecture program with 7' image projected on the white plaster wall.

Their studio-home designed by Architect, William F. Overpeck, was completed in 1955. Peter and Alice acted as owner--builder contractors. The location has served well for their work with a swimming pool and canyon in back.
Five deer eating alfalfa are visible out the bedroom window in the morning as well as two ducks eating bird seed and two feral cats forgetting to eat while watching the birds. Alice and Peter took a 7-day cruise to Alaska hoping to see wildlife. All they saw was a baby seal, drifting by the ship on an ice flow. They needn't have gone further than their back yard where up to 20 Mallard ducks frolic in their pool. 7 deer, 12 raccoons, 2 opossums, 4 feral Cats, 2 blue jays and 2 squirrels romp at will. The pregnant squirrel chewed a hole in the office screen door. She came in, ran up Peter's bare leg, begging for a peanut, leaving his leg scratched and bleeding. That wasn't Peter's only badge of courage; he insisted on trying to feed the smallest but most aggressive and cheekiest raccoon only to have it try to bite him four times. The fifth try paid off with a bloody finger! Even their house cat bites at times. But Peter refers to those scars as "love bites." Feeding all these pets costs around $1,800 pr year. That's more than it costs to feed Peter, who only eats two meals a day! The animals eat 24 hours a day!
A year-round stream in front. They are in close proximity to the beaches between Santa Monica and Malibu and to the beautiful models and actresses who live in Southern California.
Alice and Peter have written 25 books on the subject of photography, focusing for the most part on glamour. Their two latest books are shown on this site. Their archives consist of over 100,000 images both B&W and color which will be available to advertisers or collectors, on compact discs.

scaffold over pool

Peter built this take-apart platform which he assembles for high angle shots in his patio-pool. Two days were spent building the platform. (Snapping a photo takes 1/400th of a second.)

The picture at the right of actor Phillip Ahlm with girlfriend was taken in 1939 at another pool which was equipped with a high dive platform with no stabilizer. That was why Peter built this platform.

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The bridge was used by our neighbor, Randy Newman, to drive to his house. He did write a song about a river.

The Great Bel Aire Fire of 1961

To those of us who live in Southern California, the thought of a wild fire engulfing the affluent area of Bel Aire with its manorial estates tucked away behind iron gates and lush green landscaping, was never a threat. But, during the week of Nov.6, 1961, the worst fire in the history of Los Angeles destroyed 484 of the most valuable properties in Los Angeles. all in a period of two days.

We watched in terror as the fire spread westward over the Santa Monica Mountains to Brentwood and Santa Ynez canyon and eventually came within one-mile of our property where it was finally contained.

Peter, always calm in the face of danger, left a terrified Alice and drove five minutes away, to a higher viewpoint in Santa Monica, to take the above photographs. Upon his return she barked “Why did you leave me?” His simple answer: "I'm a photographer, aren't I?"

For a very interesting read, go to: a search engine then type Great Bel Aire fire.

front view	behind the scene view
A white bed sheet softens the sun for a Ridge Tool Calendar scene. Peter is ready with Gowlandflex, assistant John Woodbury with strobe, and Alice holds a wrench. The model, Kathy McCullen, sits on top of a small waterfall in the front yard stream.


Joni Goulet Gowlandflex at 1/400th second	Santa Monica beach 1 mile from studio


Peter built this waterfall using saw horse parts and hinged wooden trough to hold water. This contraption was also used for the couple at right. They were lying on top of a small natural waterfall. A sheet of black plastic was hung behind them. The trough dumped water in front of it. Slow shutter speed (1/30th) gives water motion. Gowland studio in background.