a-Tom-ic Jones
A few minutes into the interview, there was a prolonged silence. Tom Jones was speechless. (1988 Interview)
Hyper-Ballad
Björk was difficult to connect with, but the context for our 2000 shoot was darker and more complex than I knew.
15 Years Google
Michelle recently marked 15 years at Google. Awesome!
Handy on Set
On assistant (and hand model) Sophia Pallwein-Prettner. Her counterintuitive takes are a welcome break in an often bland world.
Stairing Contest
The best moments came when he was mortified by our ideas and props. (Mayor Mamdani session)
Landmark
He’s all smiles and friendliness. Then the questions start: How long have you been doing this? What was your first assignment? (Ari Emanuel for New York Magazine)
I Like Ike?
We slot folks into heroes and villains, yet we connect with stories about bad people who do good things. (Ike Turner session)
Word Player
It was a tighter squeeze than expected, but it was fun fitting a 9-foot seamless into a railroad apt. (Heidi Erwin session)
Testament to Youth in Verse
Aiming for a winning portrait of The New Pornographers, two sessions a dozen years apart.
A Thousand Words
“I tried to make small talk, but that wasn’t going to fly.” (Joel Sartore on being Chris’s subject for National Geographic)
Toy Freaks Returns
I double-checked that he was okay with this before we jumped in. (For The New York Times Magazine)
Headshot Photography?
I offered to shoot David Marchese’s headshot and immediately realized that I shouldn’t be texting after having a drink.
Patron of the TikTok Arts
Can someone who shoots entertaining videos of themselves be uncomfortable in front of the camera? (For WSJ Magazine)
Wacky Revival
Afterwards, David Sedaris did a cutting This American Life segment about our sitting (1997).
Pelican Brief
As we were exiting the location scout, Jenni mentioned “pelicans in the living room …“ (Joel Sartore for National Geographic)
Photog Collaboration
There’s something extra going on, and it’s a bit uncontrolled and chaotic. (With Sophia Pallwein-Prettner)
Mary Ellen Mark Interview, 1988
Her work is engaging and often vulnerable, yet she was difficult to connect with in person.
T is for Tsimerman
He proved the André-Oort Conjecture without assuming the Riemann Hypothesis. If you understand this, call me.
Sporty Spice
I was intimidated to arrange a sitting. Straight up, this guy scared me. (Walter Iooss, Jr session)
Security
My patience paid off when an opportunity to slip backstage presented itself. (Peter Gabriel 1982, 1983)