From a design store in Valencia with “murderous” dolls to a studio in Dublin to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Competition, our photographers have been in every single place this yr. They’ve captured key figures within the worlds of music, movie and tv in somber moments, moments of levity and every part in between. They share behind-the-scenes anecdotes concerning the shoots and reveal how they acquired “the” shot.
Britt Decrease, Adam Scott and Dichen Lachman (above)
By Jason Armond in Los Angeles
Once I obtained this project, my purpose was to create a photograph that not solely mirrored the present’s dystopian surrealness but additionally captured the intricate relationship triangle between Britt Decrease, Adam Scott and Dichen Lachman’s characters.
Initially, it took slightly time for everybody on set to see my imaginative and prescient, however as soon as I shared a check picture, everybody understood and was excited to collaborate. Your entire shoot lasted round eight minutes, however that transient window was all we wanted.
After publication, the pictures shortly went viral. Many viewers assumed the images had been AI-generated or composited, however each element was achieved in digital camera.
On the finish of the shoot, somebody from Decrease’s crew by chance stepped on the mirror, shattering it. Somebody joked about dangerous luck, however fortunately, this superstition didn’t come true, and some months later, Decrease gained the lead actress in a drama collection Emmy for her position in “Severance.”
Richard Form
By Christina Home at Sundown Gower Studios in Hollywood
Richard is one in every of a form — no pun meant. He was singing and joking with us, telling tales. We had been arrange exterior beneath the beating solar and he was carrying a vest with a wool coat, so we had been attempting to work shortly! I all the time love seeing behind the scenes of how movies are made. I made a decision to tug again and embody the lights and my assistant Jonathan’s fingers to provide it that working set really feel.
Cynthia Erivo
By Jason Armond in Los Angeles
Cynthia Erivo’s portrait session passed off in a studio close to Beverly Hills, the place she had lately completed recording her newest album. My preliminary plan was to {photograph} her seated beside a classic piano, however she had a unique imaginative and prescient. This is the reason I all the time put together at the very least three setup choices for leisure portraits. I shortly tailored and moved to my subsequent setup, which featured a hanging geometric wood wall within the studio. As I adjusted the lighting, I seen her beautiful wardrobe with two waist-high slits that exposed her tattoos. At that second, I understood her choice for standing, because it allowed her to specific her fashion and persona totally. I adjusted the lighting to enhance Erivo’s sultry and assured presence. Her alternative to face introduced a dynamic high quality to the picture. The ensuing picture speaks for itself; Erivo introduced the scene to life and wanted virtually no course. I merely pressed the digital camera’s shutter button.
Bella Ramsey
By Bexx Francois on the London in West Hollywood
Somewhat than chasing an expression, I used to be concerned with stillness and repetition; how a easy gesture may really feel amplified when echoed throughout a body. I wished Bella’s profile to be each the anchor and the rhythm of the picture. She was instantly open to leaning into one thing extra summary. It was a real-time compositional gamble, guided by intuition and belief. We made a number of variations, nevertheless it was her aspect profile that finally struck the strongest stability between basic portraiture and interpretation.
Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Dong-hyuk
By Justin Jun Lee on the “Squid Game Experience” in New York
From the second I walked in, I felt fully immersed within the design of the area. It actually felt like I used to be stepping onto an precise movie set from one of many “Squid Game” challenges. The enduring big doll Younger-hee from the “Red Light, Green Light” sport instantly stood out to me. My purpose was for the pictures to hold a way of stress and depth that mirrors the tone of the present, and I consider that got here via within the temper, expressions and presence of each Lee Jung-jae and Hwang Dong-hyuk.
Yungblud
By Hon Wing Chiu on the Hollywood Palladium
(Hon Wing Chiu / For The Occasions)
I used to be restricted to photographing solely the primary three songs on the Hollywood Palladium, so I selected to shoot two songs up shut and save the final one for a bet from the again of the group. More often than not I may barely see previous the followers, however I hoped the ultimate track would give me one thing surprising.
When Yungblud hit the stage, the entire room exploded. The lights had been altering each second, and he by no means stopped transferring — operating, leaping, connecting with the group just like the stage may barely comprise him. The followers had been screaming, reaching, fully locked into the second. I captured what I may up entrance, then switched lenses and waited for one final likelihood.
Throughout that remaining track, every part abruptly got here collectively. Yungblud stepped proper to the very fringe of the stage, virtually shut sufficient for the followers to the touch him. Their fingers shot into the air, attempting to achieve him, and he threw his arm upward with full drive, like he was lifting the entire room with him. For a break up second, the lights, the group and his vitality aligned completely. I hit the shutter, hoping I caught it.
It wasn’t the height of your entire live performance, nevertheless it was the height of the second I used to be allowed to shoot — and it grew to become the picture I had been chasing all evening.
Olivia Cooke and Robin Wright
By Jennifer McCord in London
I’d solely seen the trailer for “The Girlfriend” on the time of the shoot however knew I wished one thing that contained the thought of untrustworthy narrators that appeared to be threaded all through.
Paul Thomas Anderson
By Christina Home on the Aster in Hollywood
Fernanda Torres (‘I’m Nonetheless Right here’)
By Annie Noelker in Los Angeles
I bear in mind her simply being so elegant, elegant and beautiful. Her entire crew was so variety and we shot out on the balcony of the lodge room for perhaps 10 minutes. It was easy and such a satisfying collaborative expertise.
Adrien Morot, Kathy Tse and M3GAN dolls
By Carlin Stiehl in Valencia
It’s all the time a deal with once you step into the artistic world of a mastermind, particularly with regards to the magic behind our favourite movies. You may count on that seeing the method up shut would spoil the mystique, like a magician revealing their tips, however within the case of Adrien and Kathy, it solely deepened the sense of surprise. The “M3GAN” dolls had been so lifelike, and the actual promote wasn’t their eyes that draw you in, however the pores and skin. The dolls’ lifelike texture and softness, and the rows of faces on worktables ready to be painted, created a diabolical scene out of a skin-harvesting, flesh-mask horror movie. But the madness was the place the true genius hid, as a result of in some ways, I may consider it was actual. Therefore, the inspiration for the picture: a tackle the quintessential family-style portrait — those you type of cringe at once you stroll into somebody’s house, radiating manufactured happiness. The dolls had been like their youngsters so I assumed, let’s get the children along with Mother and Dad and present how stunning their doted-on youngsters are for our friends.
Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali
By Bexx Francois on the Disney Studios lot in Burbank
I got here in with a unfastened temper board, just a few conventional pose concepts alongside some comedic “scenarios” that had a 50/50 likelihood of constructing it to my reminiscence playing cards. Their Hulu collection “Deli Boys” was a comedy in any case, perhaps they’d be right down to lean into play. When Saagar and Asif arrived, I confirmed them my want checklist. Instantaneous cosign. As soon as we nailed the primary “scenario,” pure improv took over, with Asif and Sagaar seamlessly falling into the mock-conflict of their on-screen characters; therefore, Asif being hoisted 3 toes within the air. By the point we referred to as wrap, everybody was in tears.
Dan Brown
By Cheryl Senter in Rye Seaside, N.H.
Two issues: I all the time comply with my intestine and by no means put on pink. A number of days earlier than the project I had this intestine feeling that I wished a portrait of the bestselling creator with a wall of mirrors. The day of the project I made a decision to put on a sizzling pink shirt I had picked up at a thrift retailer as an alternative of my black-on-black apparel. At Dan’s home I spent an hour along with his assistant scoping out just a few places — no wall of mirrors. Earlier than I left I requested Dan if he had a wall of mirrors. Dan smiled and led me to a really tiny round lavatory that had a tall, curved pocket door product of copper. It was a good area with the door shut. My pink shirt got here in useful. I may simply see if I used to be in any of the mirrors. At one level Dan checked out me and began laughing as I attempted to make myself wafer skinny. Then I began laughing. Dan’s assistant ready exterior requested softly, “Is everything OK?”
Penn Badgley
By Matt Seidel in Los Angeles
This was a basic celeb shoot: Our scheduled half-hour collapsed into seven so we needed to transfer quick. I shook Penn’s hand and advised him I had two objectives: Get the shot and get him again on schedule. There was no time to over-direct so I gave him one piece of character course and let him run. I didn’t need Joe Goldberg from the TV collection “You.” I didn’t need Penn Badgley, horny serial killer. I wished the actual Penn Badgley saying goodbye, closing a chapter, integrating the shadow of the position and entering into the sunshine of what’s subsequent.
Spike Lee
By Victoria Will in New York
Nothing says Brooklyn like Spike Lee, so it made sense to {photograph} him the place he’s most acknowledged, in Fort Greene close to his well-known workplace. The connection between Spike and Brooklyn is longstanding and reciprocal, formed by historical past, presence and place. That familiarity was evident as practically each pedestrian waved or mentioned hi there, many greeting him like an previous good friend. And there wasn’t one person who he didn’t acknowledge. True class.
Sombr
By Evelyn Freja at Pier 17 in New York
The picture was taken on an empty building flooring of the pier the place he had a live performance that evening. I bear in mind it was a really fast session proper earlier than he went on as a result of he had gotten a chilly and was attempting to save lots of his vitality to carry out. Regardless of his well being, he (and his complete crew) was so variety and gracious, which made the shoot go straightforward. I made a decision to mild the warehouse with a crimson mild to lend the vitality of his music to this shoot and a really moody mild for Sombr to replicate the atmosphere of his songs.
Elle Fanning
By Christina Home on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition
I had photographed Elle just a few years again. She’s a sweetheart and so good at posing so she doesn’t want plenty of course. For this explicit picture, it was taken at our portrait studio on the Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition. It’s a fast-paced movement of oldsters coming out and in for portraits, an organized chaos at occasions, however you’ll by no means know that by the calm on her face. She’s a professional.
Lena Dunham and Megan Stalter
By the Tyler Twins in New York
The playlist was ‘90s (Alanis Morissette, the Cranberries, Jewel), and the vibe was easy and celebratory. Megan and Lena have a genuine chemistry and were both very relaxed in front of the camera. Our shared ties to Ohio made for good conversation. It truly felt like we were shooting friends.
Domhnall Gleeson
Jennifer McCord in Dublin
This was shot in a studio in Dublin (studio shoots for assignments always feel super rare!) with just me, Domhnall and his makeup artist Lucy. We played the latest Fontaines D.C. album and the shoot was super chill and lovely. I’m all the time appreciative when an actor is up for being collaborative and attempting various things — this was one of many final pictures we took. The remainder of the pictures really feel fairly energetic, so it was good to additionally get this extra intimate-feeling body on the finish.
Karol G
By Bexx Francois in El Segundo
When time with an artist is restricted, nervousness threatens to seize the wheel. However as soon as Karol G walked on set, every part went quiet. And delicate. She had such a kindness about her. And an easy magnificence. I used to be impressed by basic Irving Penn; utilizing partitions to information the eyes towards the middle. We used a V-flat as our “set.” Even with a wind blower solely 6 toes away throwing gusts of drama in her course, Karol remained accountable for her area and efficiency. And nonetheless related the place and the way wanted — with piercing intention.
Benson Boone and Brian Might
By Allen J. Schaben on the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Competition
Taking pictures Benson Boone’s trademark leaping acrobatics at his Coachella debut this yr gave me the possibility to bridge the hole between musical generations. The efficiency of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was made much more important by the presence of Queen’s legendary guitarist, Brian Might. My problem was positioning myself to seize the second whereas navigating a sea of spectators’ heads, fingers, arms and cellphones. I dropped to a low angle to create a fan’s perspective, seize the peak of his leap and guarantee each artists had been within the body. Then it occurred — someplace between a cymbal crash and a guitar wail. Boone sprinted onto the piano and launched into the air above Might, and in a break up second, it was over. Moments like this are what make my job rewarding, and this efficiency by Boone and Might will reside on as a legendary one in my reminiscence.
Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Mike Leigh (‘Hard Truths’)
By Christina Home at Shutters on the Seaside in Santa Monica
Marianne and Mike had such beautiful chemistry collectively. They had been chatty so I assumed I’d give them an motion to comply with and that is the place we landed. This was taken in a lodge boardroom with a seamless backdrop.
Mariska Hargitay
By Victoria Will in New York
I’ve had the great fortune of photographing Mariska Hargitay many occasions through the years, which brings a stage of belief and collaboration. She offers each generously. On this event, she was as she all the time is: grounded, assured and current, with a simple humorousness.
Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites of the Lumineers
By Robert Gauthier on the Sundown Marquis in West Hollywood
The Lumineers was a memorable shoot for me. To make this picture I crawled right into a thicket of ferns on the Sundown Marquis Lodge. As I crouched behind a rippling fountain, stretching and contorting my physique to achieve the right angle, I started to surprise, “Do the Lumineers think I’m some kind of a lunatic?”
Luis Guzmán, Jenna Ortega and Catherine Zeta-Jones
By Jennifer McCord in London
I’m such an enormous fan of “Wednesday” as a present and of all three of those actors, so this was actually a pleasure. As all the time with these assignments, we had restricted time however fortunately we had been taking pictures on the fantastic Raffles in London and Luis, Catherine and Jenna had been so fantastic.
Mark Hoppus of Blink-182
By Robert Gauthier in Los Angeles
Mark Hoppus’ house is a photographer’s dream. A Midcentury Trendy with fascinating angles, surfaces, colours and lightweight. He was affected person and prepared to pose wherever I discovered inspiration. We settled on just a few locations, together with beneath a skylight that streamed pure mild right into a hallway. It’s a easy picture. One may say it was simply one other one in every of all of the small issues.
Stephen Graham
By Sophia Spring in London
This was shot in slightly makeshift studio I arrange in a boardroom at Netflix HQ in London. We had been capturing these portraits of Stephen forward of the discharge of “Adolescence.” On the time all I knew concerning the present was the imprecise story define of Stephen’s character as the daddy of a boy arrested for homicide, and so I used to be eager that the portraits channel the visceral and complicated tone of the present. After a fast hi there I defined to Stephen what I used to be after, and for the subsequent 20 minutes he proved why he’s the world-class actor we all know him as — he introduced such an depth and dedication to our brief shoot. I used to be thrilled to see his well-deserved Emmy win just a few months later.
True Whitaker
By Christina Home on the London Lodge in West Hollywood
True is a heat and pleasant human. She greeted me and my assistant with a hug. I may inform she was feeling slightly beneath the climate that day however she didn’t ask for any particular therapy, and kindly and fortunately took course. It was a pleasure to satisfy the “I Love LA” star. I used window mild to maintain a tender but moody really feel.
Jessie Murph
By Annie Noelker in Los Angeles
We shot Jessie at NeueHouse Venice Seaside (relaxation in peace) and there was this skylight within the backroom, the place the solar forged this magnificent glow. The time of day was simply good and oh so fortunate. I had Jessie stand within the glow and lookup, with just a bit reflector beneath her chin and we captured this stunning, nonetheless second of reflection and calm earlier than the insane yr the singer-songwriter has had.
Danielle Brooks
By Bexx Francois in Los Angeles
I had simply flown in from New York, the place solely days earlier I used to be sitting in a movie show with my nephews, ages 6 and 11, watching “Minecraft” and having fun with their faces mild up from the display. In 2022, I noticed Danielle Brooks within the Broadway revival of “The Piano Lesson,” a efficiency that had me on my toes in applause. And now my nephews had been being launched to her expertise in a unique context. When the project to {photograph} the actress landed in my inbox quickly after, it was an prompt sure. Unbeknownst to her, I used to be quietly geeking out behind the digital camera. I wished to seize her in the identical bliss she gave my nephews in that theater collectively.
Laverne Cox and George Wallace
By the Tyler Twins in New York
Laverne Cox arrived totally ready in classic Thierry Mugler. We bonded over a shared love of vogue historical past; she’s an professional! George Wallace, her onscreen father within the Prime Video comedy “Clean Slate,” introduced a heat that was straightforward to seize. Their father-daughter dynamic unfolded naturally, with Laverne playfully hanging poses round him.
Tonatiuh
By Christina Home at Hollenbeck Park in Los Angeles
This was a significant place for him since he grew up within the space. He appeared comfy and I sensed it felt good to return to a spot he referred to as house throughout what I can think about is a really busy and surreal time for him — selling the film “Kiss of the Spider Woman” with Jennifer Lopez. Grounding your self is so essential. There’s a pond on the heart of the park. We headed in that course and made just a few frames with this stunning, pure daylight. He talked about that the scar on the left aspect of his face is just not one thing he’s ashamed of so he was comfy being photographed on that aspect.
Laurence Fishburne
By Jason Armond in Los Angeles
Once I photographed Laurence Fishburne for his position within the spy thriller “The Amateur,” I approached the session with a storyteller’s mindset. Even in my celeb portraiture, I purpose to seize a story. For this shoot, I selected dramatic lighting to replicate the suspenseful tone of the movie. Fishburne had lately suffered a damaged toe, so he wanted to stay seated all through many of the session. What may have been a limitation grew to become a artistic alternative. I focused on close-up portraits, letting Fishburne’s intense expressions and moments of exuberant laughter convey the pictures to life.
Fujii Kaze
By Jason Armond in El Segundo
Michael Koman and Greg Daniels
By Jason Armond in El Segundo
Earlier than Koman and Daniels left, I jokingly provided my companies as a present advisor. I’ve but to obtain a callback, so for now, I’m more than pleased to proceed my work on the L.A. Occasions.
Billy Crudup
By Bexx Francois in Los Angeles
We arrived on the Netflix workplaces and began making our solution to our shoot location. Out the nook of my eye, I seen this teddy bear chair in one of many ready rooms we had been passing by. Its design was charismatic and made me smile. I immediately requested it’s dropped at set. We tried one to 2 conventional chairs in its stead earlier than committing to its playfulness. If it made us smile throughout check pictures, hopefully it will do the identical as soon as “Jay Kelly” star Billy Crudup arrived on set. And certainly, it did. We spent probably the most time joking and capturing candid moments with Billy comfortably leaning into that furry hug. It produced one in every of my favourite images from our time collectively.
Cyndi Lauper
By Larsen&Talbert at Jack Studios in New York
From the very starting, it felt extra like a collaboration than an project.
As soon as we knew what she’d be carrying, we gathered across the rolls of seamless paper collectively, weighing colour choices like painters selecting a palette. Blue instantly stood out. We agreed, began organising and every part was transferring easily — till a couple of minutes later when Cyndi Lauper got here operating again into the room.
“We can’t do blue!” she mentioned, laughing. “My hair is blue today.”
She was completely proper.
With out hesitation, we pivoted to our second alternative: orange. Towards her blue hair and daring, pink doll-head swimsuit, the orange backdrop crackled with vitality — it was good.
Some topics want plenty of coaxing and course. Not Cyndi. She is aware of precisely the best way to transfer, the best way to maintain a pose and the best way to talk with a digital camera. She doesn’t wait to be advised what to do — she offers you one thing. Our job was merely to remain sharp and prepared, capturing no matter magic she despatched our means.
It was easy, intuitive and joyful — the type of shoot that reminds you why collaboration issues, and why icons turn out to be icons within the first place.
Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme
By Dutch Doscher at Blonde Studios in New York
Once I acquired the project, I used to be instantly excited and had this picture in my head of putting them inside a colourful sweet cane circus. I had no thought how I used to be going to tug that off till Broderson Backdrops got here via with the right 25-by-25-foot backdrop. I confirmed the thought to their publicist and acquired a right away, enthusiastic sure. From there, the gold outfits got here into focus and every part began to click on.
They had been extremely easygoing and fully comfy taking part in to the digital camera. You may generally surprise if a duo like that’s extra of a piece relationship, however when you’re within the room with them, it’s clear it’s a deep friendship. That connection made the shoot really feel easy, and I feel that’s what finally comes via within the {photograph}.
