In a new book, photographer Greg Williams is letting you know how he’s done it! We’re talking about getting those lovely photos of celebrities that he’s known for. On sale now is Greg Williams Photo Breakdowns: The Stories Behind 100 Portraits. And in it, you’ll see and read about how he shot the images. Some of them, like the lead photo of Cate Blanchett, have a more simple story. Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s not a fascinating moment. In fact, there’s quite a story behind the image.
All images used with permission. The text is being used with permission from the publisher. Greg Williams Photo Breakdowns: The Stories Behind 100 Portraits is on sale now.
Great used a Leica SL with a Leica 75mm lens to capture this moment. He shot at 1/250 sec, f/2.9, and 800 ISO. The following is an excerpt from the book and how this image was shot:
In 2020, the organizers of the Venice Film Festival were determined to make the festival work despite the pressures of a global pandemic, and somehow they did. After living through the storm of awful coronavirus lockdowns, it was as if the clouds parted and for ten days the sun beamed down on Venice. Cate Blanchett was the president of the jury, and I shot this picture of her getting ready to go to a premiere. The festival protocol mandated that everyone had to wear a mask, and so Cate felt it was only appropriate that I photograph her in her mask. Because of that, this picture not only captures a moment in time in the history of the festival, but also of the world as we know it.
Itâs a real environmental portrait. The hallway she is in has these frames within frames of these Moroccan-cut shapes, then steadily the frames get lighter the farther you go into the image. The response was amazing when we posted this photo, and I think it was because we found a moment of glamour in something that had effectively taken that away from us.
As a point of critique, what also adds to this image is the fact that it’s in black and white. That adds a timeless look to the photo that otherwise might’ve had very drab colors. Because of the way our eyes work, we’re also drawn to Cate very prominently. There’s her outline against the white background, her dress, and the simple act of her putting her mask on while the pandemic was happening.
In this photo, Cate has a very cinematic and classic silhouette. Combined with the dress, we get vibes of Morticia Adams in the classic Adams Family.
Around Cate are the doorway frames, and the lights all provide an environmental background — making us think that we’re in a palace or something. But what’s even more fascinating is where the leading lines are. The line in the background going through Cate bisects her not perfectly in half. This adds to the visual play of the image that’s masterfully captured during one of our darkest times in recent history.
Greg Williams Photo Breakdowns: The Stories Behind 100 Portraits is on sale now. And in it, you can find more stories than just the one of Cate.
