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Ho trovato questa intervista ad un fotografo che ancora non avevo letto, e mi è sembrata carina, così ve la posto. CITAZIONE1 Photographer on What It Was Like to Shoot Leonardo DiCaprio at the Peak of Leo Mania
For nearly two decades, Lawrence Schwartzwald has captured the likes of Al Pacino, Woody Allen, Brad Pitt, Madonna, and the Kennedy family, selling his photos to The New York Post and pap-friendly agencies like Splash News. Schwartzwald, 64, has also had a front row seat to Leonardo DiCaprio’s career, which skyrocketed 20 years ago with the release of Titanic. Longtime Leo fans would easily label this period as Leo Mania, a time when Leo was absolutely everywhere – magazines, the inside of school lockers, movie theaters, your dreams. These days, Schwartzwald’s Leo photos are mainly of the 43-year-old riding around the city on a Citi Bike. “If I photograph him twice a year, I’m very content,” he says. “I get my little bits and pieces. I’m busy with a few projects and I’m getting a little older now.” Here, Schwartzwald discusses his first encounter with Leo, the actor’s relationship with paparazzi over the years, and what it’s really like to make money off an Oscar winner.
Do you remember your first time photographing Leo?
I think the first time was on [the set of] The Basketball Diaries on the Lower East Side. It was in front of a school with a lot of graffiti. I was the only photographer. He was being the usual, hiding the face, coy self. You know, sort of silly. On the right is DiCaprio, he’s making this funny face, James Madio in the center, and Mark Wahlberg, who was super young, on the left. Next to a little mural on both sides sitting on concrete. I said, “This is silly, I don’t want to chase you around the set.” They all sat down, mugged for the camera for me. It’s an unbelievable little photo.
It’s funny because about six to eight months ago, I saw Leo on a Citi Bike with some friends on in Chinatown. They were heading to a Vietnamese restaurant, he passed me on the Citi Bike, and I caught him. [He was] peeved as usual. I interrupted him said, “Look, I just wanted to show you this photo I just found of you back in the early ‘90s.” I showed it to him and he was like, “Whoa. That’s really cool.”
How has your relationship with him changed, between photographer and subject?
I never really focused on him. I bumped into him over the years. He used to go with his mother to Madison Avenue, riding bikes. He’s always been so nice. He’s reluctant but he kind of gave it up. I once bumped into him in Battery Park. He was walking his dog and I spotted him, I took a few frames. He saw me and he let me continue shooting. And I said, “I’m really surprised, you’re always ducking for cover. Why are you letting me shoot you?” And he goes, “Well, I know you already got the shot.” And then I got a few more frames and I left him alone.
What's the biggest scoop photo you've ever shot of Leo?
The biggest thing I ever got was when he was supposed to be at the Oscars, I don’t remember for what. And he didn’t go to the Oscars. Everybody was crazy to get a photograph of him. I was outside the Mercer Hotel, late at night, with another photographer, RJ Capak, and we saw him leave the hotel. He went to a club on West Broadway, we jumped in a cab and followed. We started blasting the flash as he got out of the car. It was late. 11 at night. And he’s covering up his face. And the other photographer got way too close so he's in all the pictures. The New York Post [ran it], it was a great “gotcha” moment for them. They ran three little photos on their celebrity page, kind of embarrassing photos of him trying to cover his face. But I basically got the pictures.
How did you get tipped off about where he was in the ‘90s?
I was a very lucky photographer. I didn’t become a photographer until I was 40 years old. My first published photo was on the front page of the New York Times. Then I had a shot in the Post, a celebrity photo, which started my career. Most of the time it’s just wandering around, bumping into them. But with the Mercer Hotel, I think I was just wandering around that day and somebody said something about DiCaprio being there. But we were waiting hours and hours and hours, it was exhausting. Sometimes you just get the gut feeling and you wait.
I’ve photographed him a bunch of times. I’ve photographed him with Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can. I had some amazing pictures I ran in the New York Post with that. He was dressed up in his pilot’s uniform.
How did Leo compare to other celebrities in terms of how they treated you and other photographers?
I never had a problem with how he treated me. The only thing is sometimes he hides his face. But you never get a palpable hostility from him. You get a little discomfort, but he’s not a mean person. I think he’s genuinely a nice person. Once when he was outside the Mercer, around the same time I got him that time, he had a little posse with him and some of his friends were being a little aggressive to the photographers. And Leo called them off. He didn’t allow them to be overly aggressive. It could’ve gotten out of hand. So he’s genuinely a peaceful person, in my opinion.
How valuable is a photo of Leo?
When you get a picture of Leo DiCaprio, you’re going to sell it. Right now the market is terrible. I never made a lot of money off Leo DiCaprio at all. Many celebrities I’ve made, you know, a ton of money on. But not Leo DiCaprio. You make some money, and consistently. His image is valuable. He’s considered a sexy star. For a male star. By the magazines. People want to see pictures of Leo DiCaprio.
I’m surprised. He does seem like a consistent subject. Could that be the reason he doesn't sell for a lot? Consistency?
I once took pictures of a Leo DiCaprio lookalike, I think he was from Sweden or Denmark. He was sitting at a restaurant on Madison Avenue. I got a tip. I went and photographed him. I made more money off the lookalike photograph that I ever made off Leonardo DiCaprio. I swear to god it’s true. I swear. I had a big spread in a Spanish Magazine, Hola. It sold all over the world. They called him Leonardo DiCappucino. He was sipping coffee. It was a big spread and it made a lot of money. I never made a lot off Leonardo DiCaprio. I made, you know, a bit of money. I don’t really care. I see him, I shoot him. And that’s it.
I want to talk about one of the more popular Leo photos of yours. Him on the set of Celebrity in 1997, months before Titanic was released. What comes to mind when you see this photo?
If I recall correctly, and it’s been a long time, I think it was at the Stanhope Hotel, near the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a gorgeous hotel. I believe they were filming a scene inside the hotel. It may have been through a window where I got a focus on him. He had this sort of candid moment where he wasn’t turning away or anything. It’s not a big money maker, but it captured something. I have a hard time [talking about it.] You can see his mind churning. He’s not hiding anything.
Do you think Leo has changed much since the release of Titanic, from your perspective?
He’s got an ego about him, like anybody would when you’re successful. He’s conscious of who he is. But I don’t think he’s changed all that much. He’s a little more mature. He’s become environmentally conscious. He just comes and goes. Ducks his head and moves on.
I’m relieved to hear that he’s genuinely a nice guy.
He’s a gentle soul. Just like his friend Tobey Maguire. They may not always be thrilled, but they have a little self respect and know how to act in public. They’re not hostile jerks.
SOURCE
Nel sito ci sono anche alcune delle foto che ha scattato durante gli anni.. -
*Pally*.
User deleted
Bella intervista. Anni fa tutti i fotografi parlavano male di Lui, ma è solo perché non ama farsi fotografare e per questo lì faceva arrabbiare. Alla fine altre celebrità sono molto più arroganti e manesche.
La cosa che mi sconvolge è che non prendano soldi con le sue foto. Forse perché sono tutte uguali e a nessuno frega più di vederlo incappucciato di fianco ad amici.
