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Fashion Photographer Had 10 Lb. Pot Stash in SoHo Fire Building, Sources Say

By DNAinfo Staff on August 6, 2011 12:17pm  | Updated on August 8, 2011 9:51am

By Andrea Swalec and Tom Liddy

DNAinfo Staff

MANHATTAN - A well-known fashion photographer was charged with having a massive pot stash in her SoHo apartment, which was discovered after the building caught fire Friday.

Jennifer Tzar, 44, whose work has appeared in Vogue Homme International, Rolling Stone, Interview, Billboard and Life magazines, among others, was hit with first degree marijuana possession charges, police said.

After a three-alarm fire engulfed her residence at 68 Thompson St. early Friday morning, fire investigators discovered "about 10 pounds" of marijuana in the suspect's apartment, a source said.

Tzar, who has also shot for Lancome and Levis, has been a photographer for more than 20 years, according to her website.

The "backwoods Minnesota" native, a former member of a new wave band called Peck Slip, describes her style as "rebellious, modern day fairytale," the site says.

"Offbeat and arresting, her images, in the realm of magical realism, project defiance and individuality," the site said.

"Jennifer indulges in the diverse views travel and life experience can offer and translates it into her own work."

On her Facebook page, she lists a quote from Francis Bacon as one of her favorites: "It's so meaningless, we might as well be extraordinary."

The arrest stunned her former agent.

"It's pretty f--king shocking," she said. "She must be petrified."

The agent, who parted ways with Tzar about a year ago, said that the shutterbug had been living and working in California, but decided to take a break.

"She's a beautiful photographer," the agent said. "She worked very hard to work her way back to New York.

"She was going back to New York because she was getting back into the fashion industry."

The agent said that she last spoke to Tzar about three to four weeks ago.

"She seemed really happy," she said.

Other representatives for Tzar did not immediately return calls or emails for comment.