The advantage of taking pictures of the famous is that they get published.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
A lot of journalists like to suck up to celebrities, and then as soon as they're a safe distance away at their computers, they take shots. But that's the way society has become, especially in pop culture.
I'm more interested in photographing people who have done something, like writers or directors - even billionaires - as long as I can study them before I photograph them.
There's a big difference to me between the people who are famous and just accept the fact that it comes with the territory of what they do, and the people who actively seek it out, who intentionally put themselves in the position of being on camera and being famous.
My idea of a good picture is one that's in focus and of a famous person.
There's such big pressure on people who are incredibly famous, on those who have people sitting outside their front door and taking photos every time they move.
I would never deny the importance of the media, but I wouldn't go out of the way to splash my pictures all over town. I'd rather let my work do the talking.
Photography belongs to a fraternity of its own. I was young and enthusiastic and wanted to take good pictures to show the other photographers. That, and the professional pride of convincing an editor that I was the man to go somewhere, were the most important things to me.
One advantage of photography is that it's visual and can transcend language.
To photograph is to confer importance.
I respect newspapers, but the reality is that magazine 'photojournalism' is finished. They want illustrations, Photoshopped pictures of movie stars.