Behind the Lens
SPOTLIGHT ON CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN RUSSO
He has photographed Matt Damon for the cover of Vanity Fair ; Gwyneth for Vogue , and Brad for Esquire ; and his images of Leo DiCaprio from The Revenant landed all over the world . Loved by the talent , trusted by their gatekeepers , John Russo has emerged as one of the most soughtafter celebrity photographers . His iconic soul-catching covers and brilliant work have transformed Russo into somewhat of a celebrity himself , known for his sense of style , appreciation of architecture and eye for beautiful things . Dolce & Gabbana , Hugo Boss , and Gucci ( to name a few ) have entrusted him with their campaigns , and his own thriving beauty line – lipsticks , nail polishes , and fragrances – grace the bodies of luminaries like Scarlett Johansson and Cindy Crawford . Part of the Icons + Masters Gala to celebrate The Del ’ s 130th Anniversary , Russo and his incredible work will descend upon The Del on February 17 , 2018 . We caught up with the witty and humble John Russo between photo shoots .
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HOW DID YOU END UP BEHIND THE LENS ? I was always the kid running around with a camera in my hand taking pictures of my friends . So I knew it was inevitable that I would be a photographer .
WHO INFLUENCED YOU TO PURSUE PHOTOGRAPHY ? I was inspired by the work of Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts .
WHAT PATH LED TO CELEBRITIES ? Because I love a challenge , I decided to enter the ultra-competitive world of celebrity photography just to prove to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to .
MEMORABLE SHOOTS ? Some of my most memorable shoots were in the world ’ s most amazing places . I got to photograph supermodels Bianca Balti and David Gandy in Milan for Dolce and Gabbana . And then of course there was that cover of Vogue with Gwyneth Paltrow that I shot in London . The most fun was photographing Leonardo DiCaprio in New York for Twentieth Century Fox .
WHAT CELEBRITY HAS STRUCK YOU THE MOST WITH HIS OR HER CHARISMA ? Catherine Zeta-Jones is definitely at the top of my list . From the moment I met her I felt like I knew her forever . She was so warm and welcoming . I stayed at her house for a photoshoot and had the opportunity to hang out with her and her husband .
WHO WAS THE MOST INTERESTING SUBJECT TO SHOOT ? Malala Yousafzai . Not only did she win the Nobel Peace Prize , she ’ s such an iconic figure in our world today .
FOR WHOM DID YOU PHOTOGRAPH MICHELLE OBAMA ? Parade Magazine .
GIVE US A GLIMPSE OF THE DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN A-LIST CELEB PHOTOGRAPHER ? Lots of preparation , 80s dance music , and great energy .
SECRET TO YOUR SUCCESS ? I do not take myself too seriously .
WHY DO THINK CELEBRITIES TRUST YOU WITH THEIR IMAGE ? Because I have their best interest at heart .
IS THERE ANYONE YOU HAVE NOT PHOTOGRAPHED WHO IS HIGH ON YOUR LIST ? Madonna , Ryan Gosling and P ! nk , I love her .
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES OF YOUR JOB ? Trying to fit it in my tennis schedule .
WHAT ARE THE GREATEST REWARDS ? When emerging photographers send me emails aspiring to do what I do .