Hollywood photographer and celebrity portraiture instructor John Russo finally delivers his long-awaited About Face, and it’s the cover story of MetroSource NY — with all the honors going to model Clay Adler (Nous Models) [above].
The photobook published by Pixie Press Worldwide, LLC features squeaky-clean and uniform black and white portraits of some of television’s and film’s most recognizable young faces, like [clockwise] Jim Caviezel, Gilles Marini, Ian Somerhalder and Chace Crawford.
Russo used a Type 55 Polaroid, and started shooting models and athletes, before he moved into actors. His objective was to capture the raw beauty, essence, diversity, and the qualities that made each subject unique. “Initially, I sought subjects whose looks were, to me, aesthetically pleasing. I researched models that I thought possessed a unique beauty, whether it was a strong Roman nose, full lips or intense eyes,” he explained. “Next, I shot all of my models in the same position, in the same pose with basically the same natural light. This created an equal playing field for my project.” Hence the impressive lineup of stunners, ranging from [clockwise] Marco Dapper and Zane Holtz, to Chris Dattola and Jason Muirbrook.
The Californian photographer is currently working on two other non-profit books in addition to About Face. 100 Making a Difference focuses on 100 influential people who are making a difference in the lives of others. Working with the United States Tennis Association, Russo’s The Face of Tennis, aims to help children get involved in tennis to improve their lives.
