Michael Weschler
WSW Creative
Chuck Close in His Studio, NYC
Portrait of the Artist, Chuck Close, NYC. Chuck Close in His Studio, NYC. We were asked by Architectural Digest to produce a compelling portrait of the legendary artist, Chuck Close. One of the challenges with photographing people in an interior, for this publication, is that you always need to balance the importance of the space and the architecture for them. Of course, it would be a mistake to come in too tight and replicate Chuck's style, anyway, so I chose to balance him with some of his recent over-sized pieces. Since I've had the opportunity to shoot with the 20x24 Polaroid camera a couple of times, I know how incredible that is. While I instantly, so to speak, had a rapport with Chuck, I mentioned that I had just seen some behind-the-scenes shots during his portrait session with President Obama. My friend John Reuter, who operates one of these dinosaur cameras posted some incredible snapshots on Facebook, just days before. Moreover, what is most compelling for me about Chuck Close, is that he has taken a disability, and turned it into a strength. His work is ground-breaking and you can't help but see my admiration and respect for him in my portrait of the artist.
Architectural Digest
