Celebrities are challenging to capture on camera. This was demonstrated by photographer David Yarrow when he revealed the story behind his iconic shot of Diego Maradona during the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
“My wide-angle lens wasn’t great [but luckily] he looked right at me,” he said in an interview.
However, some of the best photographers in the industry have a secret weapon in the form of the right camera. With a camera that suits their needs and preferences, they get very impressive shots of even the most elusive of celebrities. With that said, here are a few celebrity photographers and their favorite cameras:
Anna Leibovitz
More commonly known as Anna Leibovitz, she is an American celebrity photographer who started with the Rolling Stone and later moved to Vanity Fair. It was during this time that she discovered her talent for celebrity photography, given the magazines she worked for. Along with her photography for editorial and advertising campaigns, she pursued personal projects like “Pilgrimage” — a collection of individual subjects that were meaningful to her.
One of the most famous photographs Leibovitz is known for is the series of portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family. It was the first time an American photographer was tasked to do the job, and she did not disappoint.
Leibovitz is fond of DSLR cameras. These cameras are very popular among professionals because they are extremely versatile. They use interchangeable lenses depending on the user’s needs and preferences. DSLR cameras also have the most accurate focusing systems, making them perfect for celebrity photographers who like to take portraits.
Alfred Eisenstaedt
German-born photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt started his career in Germany before World War II as a photojournalist. He rose to prominence as a staff photographer for Life Magazine after moving to the US. More than 90 of Life’s covers were of his photos and they also published more than 2,500 of his pictures.
He is well known for his series of portraits of Marilyn Monroe. They became iconic because Monroe looked very happy and relaxed in the shots — a stark contrast to her sad reality – she was a victim of abuse and addiction during her storied life.
Eisenstaedt is known to love rangefinder cameras, specifically the Leica III. True to their name, these cameras have a range-finding focusing mechanism that allows its user to estimate the subject distance. This helps photographers to take great photographs that are sharp in focus — something that a celebrity photographer will appreciate more than most.
He said that with a little camera like a rangefinder, people think of him as a friend instead of a photographer. And he says he can take more natural-looking photos.
Storm Santos
Prior to becoming a celebrity photographer, Los Angeles native Storm Santos was a musician — a guitarist, to be exact. After his music career, he went on to get a degree in Cinematography and TV/Film, which naturally led him to photography as a career path. Today, he shoots celebrity editorials for various magazines like Rogue, MOD, and Vulkan.
Some of the well-known celebrities he has shot include Ashley Tisdale, Tyler Posey, and Tom Cavanagh. Additionally, Santos is in the process of making a celebrity Polaroid film book.
In an interview, Santos unveiled his appreciation for medium format cameras. Though he mentions no particular brand, it’s no secret why he likes them. Medium format cameras have larger sensors that make for a shallower depth of field, thus making them a popular choice among celebrity portrait photographers.
Celebrity photographers have their preferences when it comes to the equipment they work with. These cameras have proved their capabilities, earning them a spot in the celebrity photography industry.
This is a collaborative post, written by Jackson Traylor
Main Image Prateek Srivastava Anna-Lou Leibovitz Photograph by Robert Scoble, licensed under CC 2.0. Alfred Eisenstaedt Photograph by William Waterway, licensed under CC 3.0. Photo of Tom Cavanagh by Storm Santos
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