As a young man, the German portrait photographer Martin Schoeller saved up everything he had and moved to New York. After three months, he was back in Germany, jobless. But he persisted, came to New York again and this time landed a job in Annie Leibovitz’s studio.
Today, Schoeller shoots portraits for some of the biggest magazines and clients in the United States. Here, he talks about his editorial work and personal projects while sharing a wide range of insights on what it takes to be a great portrait photographer in the 21st century.
LC: As a portrait photographer employed by many major magazines in the US, you are hired to turn out an appealing, oftentimes “perfect” product. For example, GQ is unlikely to publish an image where their cover star looks less than perfect. Is this something you struggle with creatively? If so, how do you combat it?
MS: It’s true: most magazines, especially fashion magazines like GQ, tend to portray their cover stars in the most glamorous, heroic light. It’s a style of photography that I can do, and I’m happy to do it. At the same time, I try to make some pictures—like my “Close Up” series—that are less flattering or sometimes not at all flattering. They aren’t retouched at all and thus are incredibly honest (which is uncommon in magazine photography nowadays).
Often, I also try to find a conceptual idea that offers a surprising element, a surprising perspective on somebody…maybe pokes a little fun at them or makes people laugh. That means that I do what my magazines ask me to do, but within that, try to inject some of my own ideas into each photograph.
Practically, every time I shoot, I have three different setups: one for beauty—very flattering, fashion-y lighting. A second that questions the sitter, somehow portrays them in an ironic light. And then my close-up setup. Each time, the variety gives me plenty of options afterward.
LC: Outside of magazine work, you’re well-known for your “Close Up” series. Can you say a bit more?
MS: In my “Close Up” series, I’ve photographed many different people, from all walks of life, over the last twenty years. I’ve used the same lighting, the same cropping, the same style. This makes it a democratic platform that invites comparison between the subjects. It kind of “dethrones” the famous people, or at least puts them on the same level as everyone else.
LC: Recently you’ve started photographing homeless people in Los Angeles in your series “#SycamoreandRomaine.” Can you talk about the catalyst for that shift in subject matter?
MS: I started photographing people on the street early in my career—back then, I didn’t have anybody famous to photograph, since nobody was giving me jobs, so I ended up taking pictures on street corners here in New York.
As such, this portrait series of homeless people, #SycamoreandRomaine, is a continuation of my previous work. Specifically, the project started out at a fundraiser for a food coalition that was founded by a couple of friends of mine. But it has now grown into something bigger than that. Through these photographs, my viewers have gained insight and interest into people living on the street—they can learn more about these people who are struggling.
In particular, it has been very rewarding reading the viewers’ comments on Instagram—seeing how for the first time they are understanding why these people live on the street. Confronting the fact that some of them do work, but that they can’t survive on the minimum wage. That some of these people have mental disabilities that hold them back, that others were abused…my goal with the project was to illuminate the many different faces of homelessness.
Regardless of what each person gets out of it, it’s clear that people have really responded to the work. I think this is partly due to the openness and honesty of the images. These days, people are seeking out very honest channels for imagery. The fact that the pictures also come with personal insights volunteered by the subjects themselves—often much more information than you would normally learn about a person—make it even more engrossing, I think.
LC: Despite vast differences in subject material, both “Close Up” and “#SycamoreandRomaine” have a very similar format and look. Did you approach these projects in different ways in terms of setup, technique, or mental approach?
MS: Oh no, the setup is exactly the same! In terms of approach, for me it’s almost easier to connect with people living on the street than it is to make a connection with famous people.
First of all, the people on the street have more time—you can hang out with them, chat with them, have a cigarette with them; it’s a much more relaxed setting. When you photograph famous people for magazines, you always have the publicist breathing down your neck, the editors with agendas…everyone has an agenda! The publicists, the subjects, the magazines…That makes an editorial shoot a much more intense situation than when you can just hang out with somebody and ask them some questions about themselves with little pressure.
Mentally, each project has different challenges. For “#SycamoreandRomaine,” I photograph a lot of homeless citizens—sometimes as many as 20 people in one day! That really does affect me in a different way than the stress of an editorial shoot. I often need a couple of days to recover from all the sadness that comes over me when I hear these incredible, often devastating, stories of people’s lives. Afterward, it’s good to take a break. I would be very depressed if I photographed homeless people every day, but I would also be incredibly anxious if I photographed famous people every day. So it’s a balance, you know. We all need mental breaks.
LC: Stepping back: what is it you enjoy about portrait photography?
MS: Mainly that I get to interact with all different kinds of people and travel to incredible places. Not bad benefits, you know? I see a ton, I interact with so many people daily. Variety is the spice of life, as they say.
This afternoon, for example, I’m going out to a hospital in Colorado to photograph cancer survivors. Then, I’m going out to California to photograph Arnold Schwarzenegger. I get to spend my days with people who have very different perspectives. I feel very lucky in that regard. I have all kinds of conversations; my days are all unique.
LC: I read that you worked with Annie Leibovitz when you first moved to New York. What are a couple of things you picked up from her process?
MS: I was very inspired by Annie. The number one thing that I learned from her was dedication—she is just so dedicated. She is constantly thinking and brainstorming ideas for photographs. She used to brainstorm with us, her assistants, but mainly she brainstormed by herself. Every photo she took required an immense amount of thought. She was always considering concepts, setups, that kind of thing.
Photography is at the front of [Annie Leibovitz’s] mind all the time—she fully immerses herself in it.
Also, she always thinks first about the idea behind the image—the concept, the invention—then about how it will come to be, how we’ll make it happen. She doesn’t hold herself back by worrying about practicalities to start. It’s all about imagination.
But mainly her commitment. She is completely devoted to this art form. It’s her life.
LC: Looking back at your work, what are some of your favorite photographs that you’ve shot? Are there some unpublished frames that have personal resonance for you, for example? What makes them special to you?
MS: Well, my favorite photos are definitely the ones published in my books. I’ve been lucky enough to have made several books concentrating on a few of my favorite series. “Bodybuilders” is a series that I’m very fond of. As for favorite photographs, I loved shooting Johnny Cash—though I wish I’d had him a few years earlier, and I wish I’d been better that day. With portraits, so much of it is the experience, the conversation, the interaction.
When I think of “my favorite photo,” it’s tied to the people I shot.
Another great shoot was Steve Carell. He had just gone to the bathroom, and when he came back, I was playing around with a roll of tape, and he immediately started sticking it to his face. I think he lost a few eyebrow hairs that day. You know, sometimes you just get lucky and a great image falls into your lap. But the interactions are what make a photo really resonate.
LC: Do you have any pieces of advice for young photographers who are hoping to become portrait photographers?
MS: Yes. Absolutely. Get off your damn phones and computers. Sometimes I have people over to dinner, just the four of us, and everyone is on their phones! Where do you think ideas come from? Around you! And how can you see them if you’re buried in your phone rather than interacting with the people in front of you?
Connect with people. Portraits are so tied to the interactions you have.
Also, produce a ton of work. Get out and make images. I think it’s actually better to shoot a ton of pictures rather than spending your days looking at other photographers’ work. You have to get out on the street if that’s what you’re interested in. But go out with an idea.
Remember: these days, everyone and their mother is a photographer. What separates you from an Instagram photographer has to be an idea, a kind of intellectual pursuit. It can be hard to find and it requires thought. But you have to have a backbone, a strong concept! That’s what makes you a great photographer.
—Martin Schoeller, interviewed by Coralie Kraft
Editors’ note: The 4th annual LensCulture Portrait Awards are now open for entries! Enter now for a chance to get your work in front of editors from Vanity Fair, the New Yorker, National Geographic and the rest of the world-class jury. There are also a host of other great awards. You can find out more about the competition on its Call for Entries.
Martin Schoeller’s work is currently available for sale at PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco, open until Sunday at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion. His photographs can be found at the CAMERA WORK booth.
