Celebrity On White Portrait Series on display at E! Entertainment Network

April 26, 2014 by kwakualston

Kwaku’s career as a commercial and celebrity photographer began in New York where he worked for clients such as The New York Times Magazine, Sony Music, Rolling Stone and Miramax Films. Since opening his own studio in the pop culture hub of Venice Beach, California, he’s shot for top publications, film studios and TV networks as well as taken portraits of celebrities ranging from Tiger Woods, Samuel Jackson, Brad Pitt, Ashton Kutcher and Heath Ledger to Michelle Obama, Halle Berry, […]

Categories: Behind the Scenes, Inspiration, Personal, Uncategorized • Tags: art of studio, behind the scenes, Celebrity, fine art, hollywood, life photography, Los Angeles, photography, time lapse

Behind the Scenes Black Hollywood with Essence Magazine

February 17, 2014 by kwakualston

Behind the scenes lighting setup and breakdown        Oprah’s glam team           2013 ended with one of the most exciting jobs of the year: photographing the much anticipated Essence Hollywood Issue featuring Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Michael B Jordan.  Essence’s editors and these legendary thespians met me in Los Angeles, where we constructed a beautiful set to capture the energy and excitement of an epic year at the movies.  Enjoy these special behind the scenes moments.  Thank you […]

Categories: Behind the Scenes, Editorial • Tags: behind the scenes, black hollywood, Celebrity, celebrity photography, editorial, essence, essence hollywood, essence hollywood issue, Essence magazine, forest whitaker, hollywood, michael b jordan, michael jordan, oprah, oprah winfrey, time lapse

Imaging USA Conference January 12-14 in Phoenix + Instagram Contest

November 26, 2013 by kwakualston

2014 is a fresh beginning and a chance to learn and adapt.  To set the new year off, I will be lecturing at Imaging USA in Phoenix, Arizona on January 13. Come say hello and listen in on my lecture at 10 AM: Access Granted: The Business of Photographing Icons.  Register for the convention here. You have the chance to win 2 free passes to the Imaging USA Conference and be my special guest at my lecture- just enter my #paperbagcontest […]

Categories: Events • Tags: arizona, barrymore, Celebrity, celebrity photography, celebrity photography lecture, drew barrymore, drew barrymore portrait, imaging usa, instagram contest, iusa, kwaku alstom, kwaku alston, kwaku alston contest, lecture, paperbagcontest, phoenix, photo lecture, photography lecture, PPA

The Drew Barrymore Project

January 7, 2012 by kwakualston

Recently, I was brainstorming with how to illustrate my creative process using another medium besides photography, when I happened to meet a talented stop-motion animator, David Szmit. Our chance meeting was the catalyst that sparked a creative un…

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: animation, Celebrity, drew barrymore, experimental, fashion, fashion video, motion, photography, stop motion, video

Styling Brad Pitt for the cover of USA WEEKEND magazine – by Leila Baboi

June 1, 2011 by kwakualston

About a month ago, I got the call of a lifetime. All-star photographer and friend Kwaku Alston was on hold to shoot Brad Pitt for the cover of USA WEEKEND magazine and he wanted me on it. With a last minute confirmation I had less than 12 hours to…

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: Brad Pitt, Celebrity, David Baratz, kwaku alston, Styling, USA Weekend