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| © Aaron Eckhart |
| One of Eckhart's street portraits. Click photo for more images. |
He learned the craft of photography from pros between takes on films, then set out to explore with only "a camera and a good pair of shoes."
A photography buff on a film set is like a kid in a candy shop, as actor Aaron Eckhart knows very well. The actor takes full advantage of the still photographers hired by studios to document daily activities on set. These experienced photographers are often generous with their know-how, according to Eckhart, who is best known for his role as a callow spin doctor in the 2006 film Thank You for Smoking and is due to be seen later this year as the villainous Two-Face in the much-anticipated Batman sequel, The Dark Knight. "I can usually be found between takes talking to the still photographer," Eckhart says. "Dale Robinette is a set photographer that I have worked with many times. I bring my camera, and we go around the set and location taking photos." Though he is grateful to have learned from the best in the business, Eckhart is quick to note that, as in acting, "the technical aspects of the craft must be mastered in order to forget them, [so you can begin to] really create." With his mind now relatively clear of distracting technique, Eckhart is a self-proclaimed street photographer, which is, like his method of learning, affected by his paying gig. An actor often has heaps of downtime away from home, so to fill the void Eckhart walks the streets taking photos. "The faces and lives of the people in those places are my passion," Eckhart says. "There's no better way to explore than with a camera and a good pair of shoes." His favored equipment includes his Leica M6, Nikon F6, and Hasselblad, all outfitted with "short, fast lenses for portability and concealment." Whether Eckhart comes across a skater or a demonstrator, his goal is the same: to use his on-screen training to fashion a narrative from his still images. "As a filmmaker, your energies are focused on how to best tell the tale," he explains. "Those energies naturally flow from one medium to the next."
-Lindsay Sakraida
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| © Adrien Brody |
| A regatta in Venice last September. Click photo for more images. |
Adrien Brody
For this Oscar-winning actor, photography was an essential part of growing up, and it remains an abiding personal passion.
This actor's connections with photography are well known by now, at least to readers of New York's Village Voice. His mother, Sylvia Plachy, was a longtime photographer for the alternative newspaper and specialized in shooting the characters and landscapes of New York City. She also naturally spent quite a bit of time photographing her outgoing son, and Brody has often credited her with making him comfortable in front of a camera. Here's another, less-known connection between Brody and photography: His famous kiss with Halle Berry during the 2003 Academy Awards program -- a backbreaking affair that he bestowed on the actress after receiving the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Pianist -- was inspired by a snapshot of his parents in an elaborate embrace. It is safe to say, in other words, that Brody understands and appreciates the power of the still image. At the Venice Film Festival in 2007, Brody participated in a program sponsored by Signature International, a nonprofit group that raises money by selling celebrity photography. For this shot of a fleet of gondoliers during a regatta, Brody used backlight and the sparkle of sunlight on water to etch his vision of the beautiful city. In January, he served as special photographer for an auction sponsored by Signature International to benefit UNICEF. His images were displayed at a reception at the George V Hotel.
-David Schonauer
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