The world lost a great man, a great actor and a true New Jerseyan yesterday. I was fortunate to have met and worked with James Gandolfini on a photo shoot for New Jersey Monthly magazine in 2004. He was a down-to-earth, genuinely nice guy, unfazed by his stardom in the hit HBO series at the time, The Sopranos. May he rest in peace. (MORE)

James Gandolfini photographed exclusively for New Jersey Monthly in February 2004 by Chris Buck. Grooming by Gregg Tusler for Rosanne Renfrow.