Winter
“Because Cindy Sherman is the model in her photographs, I was worried that every ‘straight’ image of her could be another character she is portraying. I decided to pick up some props like fake noses and makeup, with the idea that her transition from one character to the next was more of a true portrait than something straight on.” — Caroline Tompkins on photographing Cindy Sherman
“I read a comment that said my award show photos ‘look like they were taken by someone being dragged away by security.’ I do feel an urgency while photographing, as if the present moment is being wrenched away. There’s a lot that goes unseen at these events — life is so rich if you look closely.” — Sinna Nasseri on photographing behind the scenes at the Oscars and the Golden Globes
“Photographers often use Makita leaf blowers to create movement in people’s hair. The hand-held machines are very loud, so they’re often met with a lot of laughter as you point the hose directly into the subject’s face. But Sevigny doubled down on her fierceness, giving me this statuesque look.” — Thea Traff on photographing Chloë Sevigny
Spring
“When I rolled up to Lita’s property the entire landscape was enveloped in a dense fog. The original Malibu Line piece from 1978 was documented on a blue-sky, clear day, with Lita’s blue line cascading into the Pacific Ocean in the distance. As Lita began laying down her pigment I realized the fog would make the blue electric, buzzing and alive, in a way previously unseen.” — Chantal Anderson on photographing Lita Albuquerque’s artwork
“You might expect that a mythical creature appearing in Central Park would strike fear in the citizens of New York. In fact, it was greeted largely with joy, amusement and wonder. As we crossed from the west to the east through the Ramble, bird-watchers turned into Bigfoot-hunters, tourists laughed and smiled, and dog-walkers and their dogs stopped to stare.” — Brian Karlsson on photographing Nathan Zellner dressed as a sasquatch
“When I made this image, Eddie was playing the Emcee in ‘Cabaret,’ a character that presents ever-changing versions of himself throughout the show. The shadowy exposures of Eddie could be perceived as a reference to the role that he was playing, but I view it as more of a representation of the many facets of Eddie that he carries within himself.” — Dana Scruggs on photographing Eddie Redmayne
“What I discovered over those nine days is an extremely passionate community — and that behind each Broadway show, is a ton of hard work and dedication and team effort. I discovered that the live audience is kind of a community, too — in their theater seats to celebrate the stories, the music, the performers and the people that they love.” — Landon Nordeman on photographing 12 openings during the busiest week on Broadway
“Maurizio rode his bike to the gallery and showed up with an endless source of energy. This carried through our whole shoot, with him coming up with his own wild ideas, such as proceeding to choke himself, completely unprompted.” — Vincent Tullo on photographing Maurizio Cattelan
Summer
“While we shot video outside on the balcony, Natasha decided to lay on the barrier — we were on the seventh floor, and there was nothing between her and the street below. The whole team was freaked! Even from my position filming I was terrified about how close I was to the edge — but Natasha was fearless.” — OK McCausland on photographing Natasha Lyonne
“Kareem is a charismatic New York performer, so I figured it might be fun to take him to the de facto street performer locale of the city: Times Square. We looped around a few times, letting him converse with puppets, be the centerpiece of a zebra-skinned brass band, and, of course, play the Naked Cowboy like a guitar.” — Brian Karlsson on photographing Kareem Rahma
“This story ran six weeks before my dad surprised us all and died. It was the last of my work he ever saw I guess and I bet you he whispered my brother’s name here and there after reading it, too. I sang ‘Tomorrow Is A Long Time’ at his funeral, as I knew Noah would if he were there, and tried out a new incantation: ‘Randy Arnold, Randy Arnold, Randy Arnold.’” — Daniel Arnold on photographing for “The Grief Project,” after the death of his brother Noah
“It must get exhausting constantly being the center of attention. Sometimes it’s fun to hide the star of the photograph. It works best when the rest of the frame is packed with intrigue.” — Sinna Nasseri on photographing the Dare
“Artists’ portraits have historically been static and serious, which is why the playfulness and sensuality of this portrait makes me happy. Amy’s personality feels very seen, which is more memorable to the viewer, and to the subject, than if she just sat stoically in the frame.” — Dana Scruggs on photographing Amy Sherald
“There’s a height I try to photograph everyone as if they’re heroes, so the camera has to be low for that. A lot of time, I hope that when you see the photo, you’re not thinking, ‘Oh, that’s a great photo,’ but more, ‘Wow, look at those dancers giving it their all.’” — Mohamed Sadek on photographing the dancers performing “Oceanic Feeling”
“The shoot took place at a defunct recording studio from the 1960s in a suburb of Nashville. Loretta Lynn used to record there, among other country music greats. Country was the genre of Post Malone’s new album, and he was fully committed to the theme. He arrived on set in these boots and a Stetson hat like he was a cowboy walking into a saloon. Each of my requests was met with a nod and a ‘Yes ma’am!’”— Thea Traff on photographing Post Malone
Fall
“The stranger’s presence feels like the perfect stand-in for the viewer’s. We’re looking at something we feel like we shouldn’t be looking at.” — Caroline Tompkins on photographing the actress Mikey Madison
“When I was preparing for this story, I thought a lot about Truffaut’s film 400 Blows — how he captured fleeting joys of boyhood in characters on the cusp of adolescence. I was struck that these two boys were so professional and practiced for this grand debut, but they were still just kids — in their jokes, their giggles, their games with one another, darting off mid sentence.” — Stella Blackmon on photographing the young princes of “The Nutcracker”
“The protection and care that Ariana and Cynthia give to each other was very apparent when I met them. I love the feeling of ease that they have with each other in this image. It feels like the deep comfort of knowing when you have a true friend.” — Dana Scruggs on photographing the “Wicked” co-stars
“As an outsider to the Deadheads, I was blown away by the energy of the celebration for Phil. Standing in the crowd felt like being in a chapel, and suddenly I became a disciple too.” — Austin Leong on photographing fans of the Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh after his death
“When photographing a celebrity it’s always a challenge to document a moment that feels more interior. This was especially the case when working in a public place like the Met Opera, surrounded by the rest of the audience, not a private studio. This shot was one of those brief instances where it was possible, thanks to the beautiful connection between Angelina and Pablo. I love that it shows Angelina in the context of a real environment, not so out of reach.” — Sasha Arutyunova on photographing Angelina Jolie with Pablo Larrain
The post 71 Photographs That Defined the Year in Arts appeared first on New York Times.
