portraiture & celebrity photography Nov 2023

Aaron Kotowski is the undisputed master of two critical life skills: stealing souls with his camera and writing about himself in third person. 

One of Aaron’s most meaningful assignments of 2023 was photographing Sir Salman Rushdie for the September cover of Le Point Magazine. No big deal. Aaron has long admired Rushdie and was honored to photograph the revered author after narrowly surviving a brutal assassination attempt the previous year. Rushdie is a rare prototype of man, who bends fate to his will. To nobody’s surprise, the shoot was an unmitigated success. 

It is unknown why distinguished corporations and magazines hire Kotowski to photograph prominent and influential people, but the man cannot be stopped.

"The beauty of photography is that it can celebrate what is in front of the camera. For a brief moment the sitter and their ideas, hopes and dreams get idolised in a sliver of time. So taking a portrait is more than saying ''Turn a little more to the left". It begins with a relationship, a conversation between the photographer and the subject. We need to get to know each other, become friends, even if just for that short period of time while we are together. The photographer has to be curious about the person and about the world, digging in to perspectives and bringing up stories, or having the subject demonstrate a process or lead a tour of a place. Once that relationship is formed, we are comfortable and we are honest with each other, I can finally add "Chin up a smidge, and turn a little more to the left"."

Alex Waber is a portrait and commercial photographer based out of Vancouver, Canada. His work has been published in Vogue, Wired, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Montecristo and Forbes, to name a few. His clients include Section 35, Arc’teryx, Kit and Ace and Tilley Endurables.

Portraits are what got Waber started in photography over 15 years ago, and are still one of his favourite projects to dive in to, as its always an opportunity to learn new things about the subjects and the world they inhabit.

"As a photographer, I love to discover. Sometimes it's places that you would not visit otherwise, sometimes it's people with whom you create a strong bond in very short time and you may never see again.

This time I met a class of children that are becoming teenagers, and together we created a dance film. They live in the Paris suburbs with no good reputation, but they have so many dreams. I was so moved by their presence and strength. There is even more in their eyes than words can tell.

At the same time I continue to work for Hermès, Courreges, Saint Laurent and others as a photographer and video maker."

David Giesbrecht is a NYC-based portrait photographer.

Though based in in New York City he has worked on many projects along the East Coast of the United States for clients like Netflix, Apple, Sony and NBC Universal to name a few.

His work has been published in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Entertainment Weekly.

Deniz Saylan is a specialist in portrait and business photography. His talent, speed, and straightforward work approach are equally appreciated by models, production workers, office staff, and celebrities. As a lateral entrant into automotive photography, he has successfully executed productions with his unconventional, fresh editorial perspective. Among his qualities, he reliably achieves desired objectives and contributes alternative ideas to the outcome. As a result, he has built a good reputation among his clients, who rely on his thoughts and dependability.

Deniz began his career as a photojournalist, working for several magazines. These experiences have significantly shaped his style and ability to quickly grasp ideas for compelling stories and moments, transforming them into authentic, powerful images.

Publications and clients: Die Zeit, Stern, FOCUS, Der Spiegel, Geo, CFO Magazine, WirtschaftsWoche, Capital, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Le Monde. In addition, he has worked with brands like Alfa Romeo, Bogner, Bechstein, Renault, Commerzbank, BMW, SEAT Cupra, Porsche, Daimler, Infiniti, Maybach, Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, and Zeiss. He has had the privilege to photograph many public figures, including Kofi Annan, Dieter Zetsche, Michael Schumacher, Bob Geldof, Quincy Jones, Aloe Blacc, Richard Meyer and many more.

Dom Savini, a visual translator and storyteller based in Philadelphia, leverages over two decades of experience in advertising, pre-press, post-production, and broadcast as a content artist. His artistic journey began with biomechanics, evolving into a fascination with the human form in motion, expressed through illustration, photography, and digital arts.

Dom's unique blend of skills and distinctive photo-illustrative style has garnered recognition from global advertising agencies and brands. Inspired by diverse influences, from comic book illustrators to Renaissance painters, his work consistently exhibits a signature lighting and style.

He thrives on collaborative creativity and embraces the ever-evolving artistic process. Dom's mission is to redefine visual storytelling and explore limitless creative possibilities.

Additionally, since 2018, he has been an elected committee member, dedicated to enhancing South Philadelphia's future for his family and neighbors.

With a photographic career spanning more than 15 years, Hugo B. Lefort stands out in the art of portraiture. His expertise extends from the world of theater and television productions to the studios of renowned advertising agencies such as Cossette and Taxi. By immortalizing the essence of actors, musical artists and theater companies, Hugo creates portraits imbued with a distinctive personality.

Inspired by the cinematographic and theatrical world, Hugo's work is characterized by the light he shapes. Each shot is imbued with a unique luminosity, capturing the moment with emotional clarity.

His philosophy is based on the harmony between light, subject, retouching and staging, converging towards a single objective: instantly transmitting deep emotion through his photographs.

Jack Margerison is an advertising and portrait photographer based in London, UK. This year he won the Portrait & Celebrity prize in the Production Paradise Spotlight Awards 2023 and was nominated for The Open awards at this year's AOP competition.

After starting his career touring with bands across the globe, Jack has since devoted his skills to shooting some campaigns for the likes of Tesco, The Premier League, Sports England, The New York Times, EE & Samsung. His passion for photography is complimented by his profound sense of empathy and understanding, he adeptly creates candid and spontaneous moments within his photographs.

Jack Has recently released his first short film with long-term collaborator Floris Postmes exploring his growth as a person and as an incredibly talent knife maker, which was shot in the south of The Netherlands.

From the age of 17, Jesse Rieser began looking through a lens, making portraits filled with telling details and compelling characters. He quickly became recognised for not only his success with commercial clients but also in the fine art world.

His work inspires engagement, drawing in the viewer, causing them to wonder about the subjects and the stories they have to tell.

With over 40 exhibitions, Rieser continues to find ways of injecting art into his portrait photography.

Here we see work from his personal practice paired with client commissions for V & Armani, Wired, Golf Digest, Bloomberg, The New York Times, Outdoor Life, and ESPN.

Clients find him as a creative additive to the collaborative process, not only with his technical expertise but also in the ideation phase. He feels his greatest currency is how he communicates and sees the world. Some call it empathy. Some call it charm. His mom just says he’s a nice young man.

Michael has been working with some of the largest and worldwide leading brands over the past 12 months, as well as maintaining his regular relationships with The Times, The Guardian and many more publications.

Michael's reputation for being really well received by talent and his enthusiasm has seen him photograph England rugby world cup winner Jonny Wilkinson, actor Leo Woodall from major TV hit 'The White Lotus', Arctic Monkeys and Noel Gallagher recently.

Shortlisted for this year's Spotlight Awards, Portrait and Celebrity Category, and also for the Portrait of Britain Vol5, featuring his image of Sir David Attenborough.

Please do feel free to reach out and contact Michael about any potential brief that you might have. Michael is also looking for agency representation in Europe, USA and Asia.

Residing on an island near Seattle alongside his four children, Nick Hall, a British native, has seamlessly embraced his new life. With an unwavering passion for captivating landscapes, a dedication to collaborating with exceptional creatives, and a genuine love for forging connections with his subjects, Nick's talents as a photographer have earned him global recognition and a plethora of prestigious awards.  

Despite his initial background as a wildlife scientist, Nick seamlessly merges his profound admiration for the natural world with the distinct requirements of luxury brands, Fortune 500 companies, and his longstanding clientele. Whether photographing solitary hunter-gatherers in the heart of Tanzania (where he resided and hunted with them for a remarkable 10 days) or capturing the essence of global advertising campaigns, Nick exhibits unparalleled versatility.  

Esteemed within the industry for his gentle and immersive approach, Nick exudes an inclusive and thoughtful energy on set, allowing him to create profoundly emotional and captivating imagery that celebrates our intertwined relationships with one another and the remarkable wonders of the natural realm.

SARAHDAW is an established and bespoke agency for high quality photography, whether in pictures, words or design for print or on-line we are here to help your business.

"A reliable partner, a talent for co-ordinating things and never-ending patience" - Harpers’s Bazaar.