John Waters Is Ready To Photograph!
The filth elder (self-described). The Pope of Trash (William S. Burroughs called). The freak savior (entitled by his fans). John Waters surely a living legend. Question is: How each photographer see him?
Now in his 2022, John Waters is working on his debut-book tour, exhibition at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, False Positive talk show, be a guest-star at The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel series and his phenomenon film, Pink Flamingos, just got into the National Film Registry. He has lot of stories to talk to, so since February this year, John Waters became an editorial beloved interviewee.
Let's look at 4 portraits from Jared Soares for NPR, Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times, Peter Fisher for Time and Daniel Dorsa for BuzzFeed News to see how each of them see him.
Let's start with NPR
John Waters, A Plant Lover
Jared Soares for NPR
'A lot of material from this John Waters interview couldn't be published' is written by Andrew Limbong and photographs by Jared Soares. It's mainly about Waters this year debut-book, Liarmouth.
The photo by Jared Soares shows John Waters as a warm person from his eyes, soft smile and Soares's photo color. Gorgeous composition with a shadow at window in a background and plants' texture. The article had 2 photos both shot in Waters' plant house. They two look familiar, no information that I didn't know from the first photo compare to the second. I don't agree with Emily Bogle (the photo editor) to use it both. Actually, The article opens with 2 paragraphs about Waters' house, so I think the article should have a photo that represent his home but we also know from Jared Soares's instagram that we don't have that option.
In this photo which is opening photo, John Waters touches his plant (I assume that the branch block his face so he had to hold it). By Waters' body language, audience's mind focus on the plant and a beautiful surrounding plants, but reading the article makes us realize that the article have 0 word that point to Waters' plants.
At least, we now know that John Waters has beautiful plants.
Peter Fisher for TIME
In Peter Fisher shooting for TIME. It's at the same location ,but Waters' body gesture is less participated with plant. The big plant that is in Soares's background is now Fisher's foreground which make plant house looks more like magical place and Waters is the mastermind behind it. His hands, eyes and light on his face also say so.
Do you want to see inside his house? Let's go to TIME.
John Waters, The Sly Homeowner
Peter Fisher for TIME
TIME article, 'America's Filth Elder John Waters Isn't Slowing Down' by Judy Berman, photographs by Peter Fisher, is on the relavant of John Waters' universe to nowaday socials and politics.
Peter Fisher photographs John Waters around his home which Kim Bubello, a photo editor, selects to opening the article with the photo of him in the living room, then plant house and end with this photo in his bedroom. The photos gradually more personal through the article the same pace as more sensitive the article goes.
In this final photo, we see John Waters looks at himself in the mirror. He looks good being himself as always but we also see his bold head, remind us that no matter how energetic he appeal to us, he's 76 year old.
So I see Peter Fisher's photos as a series of John Waters journeying the home. And by journeying it, Waters' body language and Fisher's marvelous composition tell a lot of stories.
Move to The New York Times,
John Waters, God of Details
Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times
'John Waters, an Auteur of Trash, Would Like to Thank the Academy' by Adam Nagourney for The New York Times , photographs by Sinna Nasseri, is a journal about preparation process of John Walters' exhibition at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures that curator team and John Waters himself search the home looking for items to exhibit. In this one, it's equally about John Waters and his staffs.
Amanda Webster, a photo editor, select opening photo for the article showing us John Waters' face that we familiar with the background of painting and drawing of him that make us see how much he larger than life, at the same time, there are the anonymous hand in the photo looks like going to rearrange Waters' hair which tones the majestic vibe down to be theatrical.
Then the article start reveals John Waters to us by the searching-item process, Sinna capture some glee emotion Waters shows when holding his staffs, photo when he holds his early-day camera or inspects curator team working. Combine with photos that Sinna capturing Waters' staffs, make us understand more about how much historical precious this process is, and at the same time, how much fun Waters' life was.
The final photo is where John Waters holds a camera and point to us, like he photographs us back after we see too much photographs of his personal space.
I love that Peter Fisher for TIME, Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times and Daniel Dorsa for BuzzFeed News shoot at the same spot, in front of Waters' books shelf, and it show us all three different approaches.
Peter Fisher for TIME
Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times
Daniel Dorsa for BuzzFeed News
I save my favourite one for last.
Buzzfeed News' ' “I’m Tired Of Being Accepted”: John Waters Is Only Getting Grosser' by Scaachi Koul, photographs by Daniel Dorsa.
John Waters, The John Waters Film
Daniel Dorsa for Buzzfeed News
Even my best friend who is die-hard John Waters fan said, Daniel Dorsa's photos make John Waters films flash in her eyes.
I myself as a writer appreciate Scaachi Koul's writing so much, she blends her own John Waters films experiences with a diary of 2 hours she spends with John Waters, makes the article narrates in the way that we see not only his unique-grotesque body of works, but how much John Waters' legacy touches people's heart and rescue them.
And I think the vibe of interview effects the shoot as well because this shoot is so fun. John Waters play 4 characters in all 4 photos in the article. Pia Peterson is a photo editor on this and she introduces him to us with colorful angelic-look aura-like portrait with matching artworks write 'The Patron Saint of Filth'. She edit each of following photos like John Waters himself reacts to what the article writes about.
The expression in this photo of John Waters acts like watering his plant is interesting. He looks doesn't-give-a-shit and pity at the same time holding an empty watering pot while the tulip in the foreground grows beautifully. When you read the article, it's like respond gesture to previous content that he said burning-silly-funny things Yet when we see it as single image, it's kinda like the reaction he may get from some sensitive-ordinary audiences that see his film (some more aggressive than this for sure) and also a face he will make when they complaining. Not to mention John Waters is 'Watering' in this photo!
A Plant Lover. The Sly Homeowner. God of Details. The John Waters Film.
Photographers let us see John Waters in different mirror and photo editor patches that reflection in the stories. It's the power of portraits and photo editing for me, to reveal persona of that person. It told us things that writing couldn't, take a glimpse into them as human being and make us feel close even we will never get a chance in this life time to met them at all.
Please go check articles I'm talking about:
NPR. A lot of material from this John Waters interview couldn't be published (2022) Text by Andrew Limberg. Photographs by Jared Soares.
TIME. America's Filth Elder John Waters Isn't Slowing Down (2022) Text by Judy Berman. Photographs by Peter Fisher.
The New York Times. John Waters, an Auteur of Trash, Would Like to Thank the Academy (2022) Text by Adam Nagourney for The New York Times. Photographs by Sinna Nasseri.
Buzzfeed News. “I’m Tired Of Being Accepted”: John Waters Is Only Getting Grosser' (2022) Text by Scaachi Koul. Photographs by Daniel Dorsa.
