The life of a music celebrity is filled with many projects and each star spends much time in front of a camera. Sometimes the invasive Paparazzi have their lens aimed at the celebrity and sometimes its fans who take pictures at concerts, bus-lines, stage-doors and anywhere else they might see their musical hero.
But one of the most time-consuming projects for the celebrity is the professional photo-shoot with photographers whose job is to present an image to the public that will catch their eye and hopefully, make them want to buy their albums and listen to their music.
Clay Aiken has had many photo shoots in the last 6 years and many of the photographers are the best in their field.
Towards the beginning of his career, Clay worked with Eric Ogden. Eric took a set of publicity pictures of Clay that were used in some entertainment magazines.
Eric lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. His photos have appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Vogue, Rolling Stone, Newsweek, and many other publications. Eric has many clients in the entertainment industry and lists ABC, Sony Music, Warner Bros., RCA Records and Atlantic Records as his clients. In 2006, Eric won “The Best Photographer on the Web” in American Photo Publication.
In 2008, Clay worked with Eric one more time when he had a photo shoot for his new album, On My Way Here. Both the earlier picture and the newer picture showed Clay posed in black.
The name Matthew Rolston is probably familiar to many people. He was the artist who photographed Clay for Rolling Stone. The photos stirred up a great deal of talk as each person seemed to have their own idea of their merit.
Rolston attended the College of Design in Pasadena and has pictures in many publications. He has some photographs at the Smithsonian Institute. Besides his still photography, Rolston has done music videos for Madonna, Lenny Kravitz, Faith Hill, Beyonce and many others including Clay Aiken.
In October, 2003, Clay was featured in Time Magazine. Kwaku Alston was the photographer assigned to the photo shoot. According to Alston’s web page he has a passion for social documentary photography and is inspired to capture truth and honor. He worked for many years in New York for many of the Music Labels and The New York Times Magazine. When he moved to Los Angeles, he opened his own studio. He has taken portraits of Barack Obama, Clay Aiken, Halle Berry, Tiger Woods and many more. He says that the highlight of his career was photographing Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey’s “Legends.”
Kevin Scott Hees took photographs of Clay that were very popular. Mr. Hees is a man of few words as his biography at his web site includes two facts; he was born in Texas and he lives in New York. However, his picture portfolio is filled with gorgeous pictures.
When Clay was preparing for the release of his album, A Thousand Different Ways, he worked with Miranda Penn Turin. At that time, Clay commented that working with Miranda was one of the easiest shoots he had been involved with. Miranda graduate from The University of Pennsylvania and has been a professional photographer for 20 years. She recently directed a music video for Warner Bros.
Perhaps the most interesting photographer that has worked with Clay is Richard Drew. Drew has been an Associated Press photographer for 37 years. He was one of four photographers present at the assassination of Bobby Kennedy. This photo-journalist is perhaps most notable for his photo, The Falling Man which depicts one of the people who jumped out of the World Trade Center towers following the September 11, 2001 attacks. In the last few years, Drew has done more celebrity shoots as he tries to recover from his memories of that difficult day. He certainly did a remarkable job showing Clay in New York.
There are so many other wonderful photographers who have worked with Clay. Each one has added their own touch to the image of Clay Aiken that we have seen in magazines and concert programs. The big question now is when will there be another photo shoot for Clay.
Don’t forget that if you want to see these pictures in a bigger form, just click on the picture and it will change to a larger size.
Each photographer brings something different to each photoshoot.
To me, Clay is like a camilion…He has so many different looks about him. He can look like a very young man, a professor, a hot singer, a gentle soul…all wrapped up in one beautiful human being…He just has so many layers…. I’ve never seen anyone like him, which is why we probably adore him…he has our attention……and curiosity…
I’ve got to say though, some of his fans take absolutely beautiful pictures of him, and they capture the moment perfectly… I think Clay is a photographers dream….
Hugs,
Judy
I love the rolling stone photoshoot (one of my favorites) and i love TV Guide (which was discussed earlier). I guess I just kind of like Clay (just a little bit).
Fan pictures are my favorite!!
Very interesting regarding the photographers that have “shot” Clay. Some beautiful pics and it’s difficult to pick a favorite.
Many great photos and I’ve always loved the Kevin Hees work. Also many fans have become accomplished photographers over the years.
Some of the best photos I have ever seen of Clay have been taken by fans. Maybe you could write an article featuring some of them??
I think that Clay’s photoshoot for ATDW was one of his best. Miranda Penn Turin took some awesome and sexy pictures of Clay. A few more of these choice pictures just recently surfaced..and they are doozies. Of course, with a face and body like Clay’s..you can’t lose.
Have to agree with those who say that some of the best photos of Clay have been taken by fans. I am always amazed how different he can look from one photoshoot to the next. Never get tired of looking at his pictures–he is one handsome and fascinating man!
What an interesting article on all the photographers! Thank you!
ok I like them all
Thank-you for the info on the photographers, ver interesting to know that the first guy, also did the last group.
I remember over the years how excited we’d get when someone would discover the unused photos from a photo shoot. Then we’d all debate about why didn’t they use this picture or that one because we thought they were better than the ones they actually used. I’d love for someone to uncover some more treasures like that.
Musicfan,
Thnx for all the interesting info about Clay Aiken’s photo shoots. Great blog!
Have a super week!
Caro
I’ve always love the Time magazine photo shoot.
Nice to see all the shoots in one place, thanks!
Matthew Rolston is my all time photographer of Clay!
Re: Miranda Penn Turin –
Quote: “At that time, Clay commented that working with Miranda was one of the easiest shoots he had been involved with.”
I find those pictures capture something unique and sensuous in Clay. Maybe because she’s a woman, I don’t know, but they had the haunting beauty of many fanpics and I’m so grateful to her for that.