Poet of Poop
“It’s about a guy who has written hundreds of songs about poop - I knew that we had to call you!” (For The New York Times Magazine)
Lux et Veritas
Yale University was founded in 1701, I started shooting for their alumni magazine in 2023. Coincidence?
Table-Bottom Photography
Carrie Sun intuitively understood, bringing exasperation & exhaustion to perfection. (For Guardian Saturday)
Malice the K
I encouraged him to disrobe some, and we got to the point where the landline phone stood in for further reveals. (For NME)
Belly of the Beast
My entry point was the chance to collaborate with a creative dynamo - Jimmy Donaldson is an idea machine!
Slam Dunk Day
The top creative suggested that I get a jumpstart introducing myself, so that when we would inevitably grab him out of nowhere, he would recognize me. (Cigna with Magic Johnson)
Chess Strategy
The NY Times Magazine led with a simpler tight portrait but I’m equally proud of the hard-won accomplishments of our earlier setup!
Master of Puppets
I suggested that filmmakers must ask him to appear in scenes and he responded with a bit of horror. (Kazu Hiro for The New Yorker)
Magical Thinking
“This is going to get uncomfortable in ways that will be enlightening and delightful.” (A shoot with Bandsplain host Yasi Salek.)
Thicker Than Water
It seemed far-fetched that a trick of shooting light through an acrylic tray with an inch of water could work. (Kerry Washington for Guardian Saturday)
Chicken Negotiation
This is what happens when your reasonable plan falls through and the high-risk backup is a welcome Plan B. (Or, how to find a live chicken in the suburbs.)
Anton Corbijn 2023
The thought of seeing Anton Corbijn again after 35 years made me very nervous. If this went badly, it would haunt me.
RockCritics.com Interview
A double interview with Rick McGinnis and myself about our early music portraits, on rockcritics.com
Intern Testimonials 2023
Working with engaged and curious interns is one of the joys of my job. Here are some recent testimonials.
Robert Kennedy Jr, The Atlantic Session
When we met nearly thirty years before he was a reluctant spokesman for NY water conservation, now he was a presidential candidate with controversial takes.
Robert Kennedy Jr, More Sittings
This second post features images and stories from the three sessions between our initial meeting and the recent sitting.
Robert Kennedy Jr, First Session
The first of my five sittings with RFK Jr, for New York Magazine in 1995. Here is what I wrote at the time …
Dave Heath Interview (1996)
Dave Heath was a great photographer and perhaps an even better teacher. I interviewed him at the ten year mark of our acquaintance.
Capturing Connie Wang
When Connie asked me to make her author portrait I was thrilled, but also nervous - could I capture her ineffable quality?
John LaMacchia Interview
The creative director as artist: LaMacchia on how his works “celebrate the subversive potential of beauty and the profane.”