kobe bryant. “To meet Kobe was to meet a cultural institution. His surrounding entourage was an entire factory on the move yet somehow he was at peace – in full control of life’s machine. His physical stature was humbling – his silvery skin, in perfect condition. Kobe Bryant was living life 200% that day. He sat for me for a few precious moments – time stood still – the racing swirl halted. ‘Where does your extraordinary self belief come from?’ I asked. He replied, ‘When I was a boy I used to say to myself SOMEBODY HAS TO WIN, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE ME.’ Kobe, you inspired a generation to believe in human resilience. Rest in peace.”
kobe bryant. “To meet Kobe was to meet a cultural institution. His surrounding entourage was an entire factory on the move yet somehow he was at peace – in full control of life’s machine. His physical stature was humbling – his silvery skin, in perfect condition. Kobe Bryant was living life 200% that day. He sat for me for a few precious moments – time stood still – the racing swirl halted. ‘Where does your extraordinary self belief come from?’ I asked. He replied, ‘When I was a boy I used to say to myself SOMEBODY HAS TO WIN, IT MIGHT AS WELL BE ME.’ Kobe, you inspired a generation to believe in human resilience. Rest in peace.”
robert de niro. “Robert De Niro’s father was a great artist, he had a wonderful painting studio in a SoHo loft space in Manhattan. Although the actors father passed away many years ago, De Niro kept the studio exactly as it was the day his father died. The last unfinished painting still on the canvas, the paintbrushes ready for action, open sketchbooks; It was a place of meditation. A place of truth. There is nothing so pure as an artists workplace, it reminded me of my own fathers office and art studio. I had the great privelidge to be invited by this legendary actor to do a portrait of him at this very location. The man arrived and I realized something special indeed – the fathers studio allowed us to be human. My white background covered up the environment but it all showed in De Niro’s face. This was not the celebrated actor, this was the man. Robert De Niro, I salute you.”
robert de niro. “Robert De Niro’s father was a great artist, he had a wonderful painting studio in a SoHo loft space in Manhattan. Although the actors father passed away many years ago, De Niro kept the studio exactly as it was the day his father died. The last unfinished painting still on the canvas, the paintbrushes ready for action, open sketchbooks; It was a place of meditation. A place of truth. There is nothing so pure as an artists workplace, it reminded me of my own fathers office and art studio. I had the great privelidge to be invited by this legendary actor to do a portrait of him at this very location. The man arrived and I realized something special indeed – the fathers studio allowed us to be human. My white background covered up the environment but it all showed in De Niro’s face. This was not the celebrated actor, this was the man. Robert De Niro, I salute you.”
A note to all my special friends. Today I feel very privileged. Once again I find myself on the frontline of history’s dialogue. I will be conducting an interview with a very special person. His name is Dr. Ryan McGarry and he is an Emergency Medicine Physician and is based in the Los Angeles County Hospital. He recently made an incredible documentary series called ‘Pandemic’ on Netflix . He is one of the inspirational leaders of our time and in my opinion a true hero. We will be talking about the coronavirus, resilience, compassion and our strong capacity to overcome adversity. If any of you are feeling lost and looking for answers I hope this intimate discussion will help you remember you are not alone. Join us today at 2pm EST. Please register via the link in my profile. In these hard times we must be human, authentic, compassionate and brave. Let’s stick together and stay close in spite of our physical barriers. To all the healthcare workers, I salute you.
colin kaepernick. “Here we go 2020. Already the year has kicked off with social and political unrest. Yet, I remain an eternal optimist. I’m proud today to share with you a brand new picture and a new iconic subject for my archive. I photographed Colin Kaepernick at my New York studio. The session was honest, humble and intimate, which allowed us both to capture this visual symbol of empowerment and strength. Colin Kaepernick, you trusted me and I salute you.”
bobby weir. “Bobby Weir walked into my New York studio with an entourage – a crew who were clearly protective yet, everybody knew something special was about to happen. The atmosphere was respectful and charged. The man looked like a wizard – a thick, hand-knitted cloak draped over his shoulders, a worn leather cowboy hat topped waves of pure white hair, his snow beard was biblical, his eyes were on fire. This is a mystical man. The dialogue started immediately with a warm handshake, ‘I’m Bobby Weir, I play music and I tell stories.’ He continued, ‘it’s all about story telling – any artist is first and foremost a storyteller – it’s an urge that we artists have – it’s my escape – I get to step aside, I get to be somebody else and that somebody else is – ALL OF US. IT’S A SHARED EXPERIENCE.’ I asked Bobby about current divisions in our society and after a long, searching pause he spoke, ‘when people fall into the music all their tribal considerations fall away and their rooted humanity is what everyone shares. For instance, when Hank Williams sings about loneliness it’s totally universal.’ Bobby then quotes with the respect of history – ‘THE SILENCE OF A FALLING STAR LIGHTS UP A PURPLE SKY, AND AS I WONDER WHERE YOU ARE, I’M SO LONELY I COULD CRY. He’s sharing some pain there but it’s something we can all feel.’ Another long pause – I’m waiting with anticipation for his thought process to resolve… then he continues, ‘that’s something worth doing – to empathize with people.’ I asked Bobby about the meaning of people power, he said ‘I know we are all one. I’ve seen it – I’ve felt it. It’s hard to get that across to some folks – that I am you and you are me, but it’s the truth, I know that. I guess it’s difficult for a lot of people to accept the fact that you really are insignificant – and the more we come to that realization, the more we can accept the fact that we all share a common humanity.’ Bobby Weir, you are a wonderful and mystical human being, I salute you.” @gq
cillian murphy. “For all the ‘Peaky Blinders’ fans out there. Cillian Murphy, I salute you.”
cillian murphy. “For all the ‘Peaky Blinders’ fans out there. Cillian Murphy, I salute you.”
cillian murphy. “For all the ‘Peaky Blinders’ fans out there. Cillian Murphy, I salute you.”
al pacino. “As I took this picture, Al said to me ‘Son, have you ever felt the woes of life?’ I replied, ‘Well, I’ve had my moments but generally I’m ok.’ The legendary actor turned to me and with a prophetic voice whispered, ‘It’s coming.’ Al Pacino, I salute you.”
kirk douglas. “Kirk Douglas was my first portrait subject in America. I was working with John Kennedy Jr. and his magazine ‘George.’ I arrived at his mid-century modern home to set up. It was a mini Metropolitan Museum of Art. Picasso’s – Matisse’s – Irving Penn portraits, this was a temple of good taste. Kirk Douglas had recently had a stroke and his mouth was a little slanted, his speech – blurred, yet the fire burned brightly in his eyes. As he sat down in front of my lens, I felt I was facing history. ‘I can’t believe I’m about to photograph the man who played Spartacus’ I said. He leaned forward and replied, ‘I didn’t play Spartacus – I AM SPARTACUS!’ Kirk Douglas, rest in peace.”
martin scorsese. “I first came to New York to work with John Kennedy Jr. He founded a political magazine called ‘George’ and I was recruited as one of his main photographers. He sent me on a rock and roll tour through America, giving me the most extraordinary access to the most fascinating people, the movers and the shakers of our time. We had a deal, he would continue to give me unprecedented access to people that I would not normally have access to, and in return I had to be human and not be dazzled by their status and power. He wanted me to show what it’s really like to meet these people. The moment I would step back from the edge, the deal would be over. One of my first portraits for John was of Martin Scorsese. Scorsese was a hero of mine and his films have directly shaped my narrative. I photographed this legendary director in his private cinema/screening room. You can’t tell that despite his short height, he was a towering inferno of talent. As I set up my studio in his screening room, I could see all of his actor’s gestures embedded in his personality. A little bit of Harvey Keitel, a little piece of Robert De Niro. I remember the room being freezing, and I asked him, ‘why is the AC cranked to such an insane level?’ He replied, ‘I need the cold to keep me edgy while I watch my movies. I never want to feel comfortable or sleepy.’ Mr. Scorsese, I salute you.”
little rock nine. “I photographed the Little Rock Nine in front of their gothic high school where they once shaped American’s conscience. The lady in the middle of the group wearing a dark shawl is Elizabeth Eckford. Many years ago she was attacked by an angry mob of white mothers as she clutched her school books on the way to class. Honestly, it’s one of the most shameful sides of America an immigrant like myself could ever see. Now, decades later she stood with her friends in front of my camera. For a brief moment I lost my concentration and allowed myself to focus on the photograph and not the people. ‘Excuse me my dear, would you mind lowering your chin a little?’ I asked. She replied, ‘Young man, don’t you ever ask me to lower my chin – I hold my head up high with pride because of what we did.’ At that moment they all raised their chins to her level and then they held hands and I took the picture. Elizabeth, we are in awe of your courage and compassion. We salute you and your extraordinary friends.”
robert mugabe. “I photographed Robert Mugabe at the UN General Assembly. It was a chilling experience, to be so close to a leader with such a horrendous human rights record. He was very polite, perfectly dressed, yet had an icy cold quality in his eyes. As the session finished, he got up and walked away. Another head of state arrived to be photographed, seeing Mugabe’s frame leaving the room, he looked at the vacated seat – my white apple box, and said ‘Mr. Platon, I will sit for you, but not on that box, there is blood on it.’
Today Robert Mugabe died, age 95.
My dear friends, we are stunned by this catastrophe – we are frightened, confused, lonely, with a devastating sense of futility. We have all argued with each other in the past but now those conflicts are over – for we are united by a common bond – survival. This horrific virus has waged war on us all and in the face of shared adversity we remember how beautiful and majestic our lives were until very recently. I can’t help but reflect on so many of my own wasted opportunities – to simply hold hands with those I love – to hug a friend or share dinner with new acquaintances. But while the vast majority of us retreat to the safety of our homes, we must think about those heroes who serve in the frontline of healthcare. They are the foot soldiers of this battle – in the trenches – selflessly dedicated to our cause – humanity itself. In time, we will reflect on this bleak page of history. What will we say? That we took things from Mother Nature that did not belong to us – and paid a heavy price for our crime, perhaps – but we will also say that we faced this new enemy with a deep sense of duty – of humility – of courage and compassion. As Winston Churchill said to the overwhelming power of Hitler’s Nazi war machine, “You do your worst and we will do our best.” Come then, bang the gong of strength – lets do our best – lets show the future what we are made of. We are divided by space but unified in our hearts. We are not alone. We must focus on the most vulnerable in society. Together we will beat this and earn the respect of history. I salute you all, especially our doctors and nurses.
scott dadich. “To all my friends and leaders. Today I want to pay tribute to a very special human being. His name is Scott Dadich. I’ve had the privilege to work with some of the most talented people in the world during my career but honestly Scott stands at the top of that mountain. He is a visionary communicator who has the utmost respect for good taste and good design. Together we worked on some extraordinary photo shoots – President Bush Sr., Edward Snowden and Stephen Spielberg to name but a few. Scott has worn many hats throughout his career – creative director, magazine editor in chief, and now CEO, but it was Scott who was the executive producer and creative force behind Netflix’s Abstract series. It was a real honor to be a part of that great endeavor, celebrating the best design thinkers around the world. With the upcoming release of the second season, I could not be more proud of my friend and all his majestic achievements. I hope you all enjoy season two as much as you enjoyed season one. Scott Dadich, I salute you.”
Here we are together!
Empathy starts here!
Elsheba Khan at the grave of her son, Spc. Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, 2008. Spurred by the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Khan, a Muslim, enlisted immediately after graduating high school in 2005 and was sent to Iraq in July 2006. He was killed a year later. This is a day to remember and honor those who have served.
Friends, here is one of my favorite pictures. In the mid-late 90’s I was working almost exclusively for John Kennedy Jr.’s George Magazine. Pamela Anderson was to be our next cover story. The stylist had organized beautiful tight fitting couture dresses from Paris for Pammy to wear on the cover, but as I soon discovered, Pammy arrived on set with a secret. She was actually four months pregnant and the bump was beginning to show. Pammy seemed very distressed as she could not fit into any of the gowns that day and was fearful that her pregnancy would become public knowledge. At that point in her career, she wanted to keep her pregnancy private. Faced with an interesting challenge, Pammy asked me if I could solve a problem—how could we make a positive statement about her love affair with America and yet still hide her emerging bump? Instantly I had an idea. “Let’s just wrap you in a giant American flag!” “Brilliant,” she said, “I love it.” The shoot went on to become a classic for George Magazine and was even used as a USO poster to inspire American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in the years to come. At the end of the shoot, Pammy gave me the flag as a gift. She said, “Keep this, it will bring you good luck. Take it in your suitcase to all your important photoshoots. I hope it brings you the same luck it brought me.” It’s the same flag I would later wrap around Muhammad Ali’s shoulders, and it’s the same flag Edward Snowden would cling to in a secret Moscow hotel room. Pammy, you were majestic that day and I salute you.
“things are heating up, I love you all.”
“Dear friends, for all those who did not get to see my interview with Dr. Ryan McGarry please see the link in my bio. Dr. Ryan is a hero. I hope you will find it moving, uplifting and informative. Above all I hope it rekindles the spirit of optimism. Dr. Ryan and all the healthcare works around the world, I salute you.”
here we are together.
Friends, I want to pay tribute to a legendary woman who passed away recently. Vivienne Westwood was a courageous creative force who, in my opinion, invented punk, dressing and styling the Sex Pistols in the late 1970’s. She never stopped pushing boundaries and searching for new ideas. I had the privilege to know Vivienne in my early days as a student photographer and she used to lend me all her dresses for my first fashion shoots. This black and white image was part of my final degree exhibition featuring the back of one of her pinned dressed. She was curious, brave, devilishly witty, and unpredictable. She would always make sure I was invited to her fashion shows, and I learnt so much from her.
Eventually I had the opportunity to take her portrait. She arrived at the studio dressed as Queen Elizabeth I in a ruby red gown with matching lipstick. Just before the shooting began, we had a huge argument. She knew I was a die-hard modernist and went out of her way to say, “Picasso was terribly overrated.” I was hot-headed in those days and so our pre-shoot conversation descended into an all-mighty fight about art. By the time she walked on set in her famous white stiletto heels, I was furiously flustered and the atmosphere was tense. She stood in profile to show off her tailoring and silhouette, then with one knee tilted forward she gave me a saucy look with a raised eyebrow. Vivienne was simply playing with me from the very start. Vivienne Westwood it was an honor to know you and I salute you.
