The Sun Also Rises

Hong Kong crypto billionaire Justin Sun was photographed for Bloomberg Businessweek, and photo editor Donna Cohen, one of my favorite people to work with.

Some of the ideas that got passed around included picturing Justin in a miniature solar system, with his head in the center as “the sun." (Get it?) Having him awkwardly carrying a giant inflatable earth. Having a “magnetized wall" background as a star scape. And our initial big reach idea was having him jumping on a trampoline, making cool shapes in the air each time he bounces up.

As it was a cover shoot, there’s a lot of discussion and many chefs in the kitchen. Although I dealt with Donna, I could hear the voices of the editorial team and the designers echoing through our conversations. Nevertheless, once we were on set, Donna encouraged me to drive the creative and direct the subject.

It’s interesting to review how these high stakes shoots develop. You start with a lot of ideas, on paper and in discussion, and then you narrowed down to two or three core concepts. Then it expands again on the shoot day, driven by opportunity of the subjects, inclinations, lighting, props, or location prompts. It’s an ever expanding and contracting organism.

Justin Sun himself was great! He had a good face and was game to be cooperative. In fact, the messaging from his people was consistent -- he was game for anything dynamic and brazen. 

Once on set, Sun was essentially an inanimate object, a rag doll to be positioned as needed. This suited our approach perfectly fine. I was particularly pleased to work with stylist Oscar Sanchez, who was a fantastic collaborator.

Top Image: Justin Sun lies on our gray seamless, a “magnetized wall,” at Industria Studios in Brooklyn, NY. The camera is boomed over the subject and triggered by the laptop. BTS photo by Jake Parker.

Second Image: Justin Sun, July 26, 2025.

Third Image: Justin Sun, as he appears in Bloomberg Businessweek. (We shot against gray with the intention of switching the background before publication.)

Bottom Image: I loved shooting the complicated visual set ups, but couldn’t resist a low key prop driven scenario, squeezed in just as our sitter was exiting. (Assistant Sophia Pallwein-Prettner was invaluable in helping brainstorm ideas on my end - thank you!)