Three decades of celebrity portraiture from an acclaimed master of the genre
The celebrity portraits of Austrian photographer Manfred Baumann (born 1968) capture distinct personalities while also framing them as special―larger than life. Through the lens of his Leica, Baumann has photographed countless celebrities of international renown, among them Sandra Bullock, William Shatner, Jack Black, Natalie Portman, Martin Sheen, Lionel Richie, Olivia Newton John, Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Juliette Lewis, Angelina Jolie and Evander Holyfield.
Baumann's mostly black-and-white portraits often position the subject outside of the studio and within a scrupulously chosen backdrop―although Baumann calls Vienna and Los Angeles home, he frequently travels to shoot on location. The hardcover survey Face to Face compiles the best of the photographer’s celebrity portraits. Viewed together, they give shape to the storyteller behind the camera and testify to the consistency and richness of his style.