Rangfinder profile of Michael Grecco

1. on the michael grecco
RADIO
Cover By Martha Blanchfield
T
he boy who most liked “conceptual art and experiential art photography” in high
school is now the man who’s conceptualizing a wave of influential digital photo art in
Los Angeles. “After watching Starsky and Hutch on TV I knew I needed to be in that
Southern California environment,” laughs Michael Grecco, top photographer of celebrity, edi-
torial and commercial assignments. In 1987 he departed New England, and a budding career
as a news photographer, to head for the thrills of Hollywood. The migration offered twists and
turns—taking him to the boardrooms of major corporations, inside private mansions and even
onto the sets of the U.S. porn industry.
Grecco is stylish, polished and precise, much like the cover imagery and inside photos
he creates for a wide range of magazines, including everything from Life, BusinessWeek,
Forbes and Time, to Sports Illustrated, Men’s Health and even Playboy. Major corporations
like GE, Walt Disney Company, Crown Publishers and Apple all have tapped his magic. Top
advertising and marketing agencies such as BBDO, TBWA/Chiat Day, Saatchi & Saatchi and
Grey Advertising keep him close at hand.
Grecco is a pro when it comes to creating cover looks, having landed his first publication front
with New York Magazine in 1982 while working as a freelancer for the Providence, RI photo agency
Picture Group. That first image, produced as a news assignment, was of the enigmatic Claus von
Bülow during the infamous trial wherein Claus was accused of attempted murder of his wife.
Calling up more of a formal cover assignment, he references an image done in the early 90s:
a photo of Janet Jackson for Entertainment Weekly. A second favorite of that era done for the
same publication was of Chris Farley (see left). “This image was produced originally while
working on a Bikini Magazine cover package. One of the unpublished images was then picked
up and ran on the cover of a memorial issue that Entertainment Weekly produced,” states Grec-
co. “After Chris passed away, the editors produced a tribute issue profiling him. They selected
my photograph. It was an honor to know Chris; he truly was a delight to work with.”
Signature Style
In celebrity photography circles, Grecco’s acclaim rapidly rose. By 1987 he was a regular con-
tributor to People, covering A-list celeb parties and major awards such as the Golden Globes,
the Emmys and the Oscars. His images were landing on more and more covers. On a quieter
path, Grecco was scooping up freelance assignments doing movie set photography for film and
TV. The time spent on and near the sets turned out to be a powerful influence, greatly temper-
ing how he would reshape his own photography. This time exposed him to new techniques and
styles of illumination, ultimately helping him perfect that sharp signature look.
Grecco began applying personalized techniques while working on smaller assignments and
projects, mostly when photographing executives assigned as cover and editorial for business
ALL PHOTOs COPYRIGHT © MICHAeL GReCCO
publications. The editors deemed his new look to be very powerful—just the vision needed to
play up corporate leadership. He shares, “One of the biggest style shifts for me was the addi-
tion of very strong directional strobe lighting with much of my location work. Strobe lighting
offered a feel markedly different from what was currently favored by the publications. My im-
ages were contrasty and vivid, the darker backgrounds looked epic.” The overall approach for
each assignment was altered too. “My sessions now had a set, theme and conceptual message. I
wanted the subject to appear as more than just a person in a photo—I built a set around him or
her to play up persona. Every detail was considered.” This new way of seeing and working was
eventually something Grecco coined, “conceptual photography.”
Aside from signature lighting and staging most suited for a cover, Grecco knows how to

2. optimally frame to allow for drop-in over-
lays. “I need to be artful, yet remain mindful
of where logo, title and type may fall. Color
and background need to complement; this
also applies to wardrobe and prop tones.”
For his Forbes cover look with Cisco chief
executive John Chambers (see below),
Grecco included essential hardware and
cable trunk props, plus a gilded frame. He
positioned Chambers in a contemplative
pose but heightened the effect by casting
light onto his face and shoulders. He then
placed his camera below and slightly to the
side of the executive’s direct line of sight—
yielding an image that displays executive
power, but with a hint of slyness; the bold
phrase, “Power Hungry,” adjacent.
Grecco produces cover images like this
using a Hasselblad H3DII-50 (he also has
a Canon EOS 5D Mark II), Dynalite, Bron-
color HMIs lights, Apple computers and
Adobe Photoshop are mainstays, and he
often uses Chimera softboxes and soft fab-
rics plus grids to create little pools of light,
interest and detail in his looks.
One-on-One
Statistics show that featuring a person
in a photo, whether advertisement, book
or magazine cover, can build a connection
with the viewer. Magazines know that an
engaging cover, especially one where the
model captures a viewer’s glance, can be a
tipping point to cause a consumer to reach
and purchase. After all, it’s the meaningful
gaze given the photographer that is the
same given the viewer. Having produced hundreds of covers in even more marked. “I found myself at
his 25-year career, Grecco certainly can a point where I knew I needed oppor-
capture that gaze. “Covering red carpet tunities for more one-on-one sessions
and celebrity events was a great starting in order to really produce a solid image,
point for picking up more work over- whether for commercial assignment or
all. The event photography led to more desired portraiture.”
commercial assignments, which afforded
more one-on-one time with models and The Cover That Was
subjects. Both assignment types eventually An example of that winning glance can
helped pave the way toward what I most be seen in a 2005 cover assignment with
love: portrait work.” Steven Spielberg (see above). Production
But he shares it was still somewhat of of Spielberg’s movie Munich was veiled
a leap to go from impersonal red carpet under immense secrecy, with only one
work, to successful commercial looks, advance interview and print exclusive al-
to landing the prized portrait session. lowed to the media. The film, a historical
“A challenge at the start was that event portrayal of the Israeli government’s secret
work really offered little intimacy, and retaliation attacks following the Munich
intimacy is what’s most needed to build massacre of Israeli athletes by the Black
connections with subjects.” As the num- September militant group during the 1972
ber of his commercial assignments rose, Summer Olympics, was ultimately profiled
the importance of being able to relate by Time, and Grecco was solely selected to
to and draw out his subjects became photograph the master. He recounts, “The

3. photo session itself was a grand production
with many people involved, last minute de-
tail changes, much discussion over contro-
versial elements for the final background,
props to create, and an incredibly tight
turnaround time.”
The portrait sitting was scheduled for
Tuesday after Thanksgiving. The creative
director, photo director and Grecco vol-
leyed back and forth over background
choices for the cover. Four choices were on
the table: a distressed concrete wall, a wall
peppered with bullet holes, an image with
the five Olympics rings visible and Grecco’s
choice: the Associated Press (AP) news
image “Black September Terrorist.” On
the Friday prior to the session, a decision
was finally reached regarding background
image. Grecco’s choice won, but not after
heated debate to also rule out a filmstrip
view of all four images.
Immediately, permission had to be ob- The Cover That Wasn’t
tained to print, frame and use the photo. “Here’s a story about a cover that did not
An FTP of the file was ordered and sent to a make it,” laughs Grecco. He and the talent
production team, which output a 4 x 8-foot thoroughly staged the image (see above)
transparency onto clear film mounted onto with the intent to make it the book’s jacket.
Plexiglas, then framed. “All this had to be He says it happens to be one of the funniest
coordinated, produced and to the Universal sessions and output series he’s created in a
Studios in record time. And in the midst of long while. Why didn’t it make the cover?
this flurry, Spielberg had to be contacted “Chelsea was having a bad hair day!” he
and give permission for the look.” shares. “My images were in the final round
The session happened as planned with of submissions, but unfortunately were
an expectation that Spielberg would be on not chosen. I hear Chelsea had the editors
hand for two hours. “At an hour and three deliberating over options right up to the
quarters into the shoot he had to break for last minute.”
pressing matters, but did return to give us Chelsea Handler is a stand-up comedian,
a remaining 20 minutes.” Grecco fashioned television host and actress with her own
a powerful set of high contrast looks using late night talk show, Chelsea Lately. For
gray, red and black dominating. In advance, her newest book, Chelsea Chelsea Bang
he anticipated and dealt with the potential Bang, Grecco wished to spoof the title (her
for reflection showing up due to the Plexi- father was a junk car fanatic, hence the
glas; grids and spots were positioned ac- alliteration). Taking personality to heart,
cordingly. He slanted light onto Spielberg Grecco built a nutty set for a one-day shoot.
to vividly, yet softly frame his face. The production featured an uncomplicated

4. good company, Grecco has collaborated
with a long list of celebrities, including:
Martin Scorsese, Hugh Hefner, Robert Du-
vall, Lucy Liu, Will Ferrell, Mel Brooks,
Christina Applegate, Ben Stiller, Owen
Wilson, Penelope Cruz and Bill Murray, to
name a few.
Whether working from his studio or
on the road (he logs about 100,000 miles
a year), Grecco pushes the shutter for
fashion, celebrity and editorial/commer-
cial accounts. Drama, intention, color pop
and often a dash of humor are embedded
within his art. He consistently brings a
combination of intimate rapport, creative
flair and technical acumen to every photo-
graph he creates.
www.michaelgrecco.com
View Grecco’s Web site at www.michael
grecco.com.
www.michaelgrecco.com
Martha Blanchfield is creator of the Renegade Photo
Shoots (www.renegade-pr.com) and a freelance
marketing and public relations consultant.
handed her a Big Gulp cup. “I like pulling in
3 ElEmEnTs that twist, that dichotomy—in this instance
a contrast of good versus poor taste.
of a CovEr look “In my portrait work, whether with ce-
Top photographer Michael Grecco lebrity or CEO or hired model, it’s a push
comments, “Fashion, backgrounds and pull getting what I need for that assign-
and even layout trends may change ment,” he explains. “I love portrait work
over time, but the recipe for a good and know the best results come when
cover remains the same.” photographer and subject are working in
Three things are important: harmony. But it’s a fine balance—get too
1 Keep the subject’s eyes in the top close to a personality and you may become
one-third of the frame. too risk averse because you are too close,
2 Place the subject within a clean
surrounding.
and that can dull down a photo.”
3 Capture a provocative look, one
with excellent eye contact that
reaches out from a newsstand.
Portraits Covered
Of all the projects and challenges he takes
on, Grecco most loves building portrait vi-
sions. The definition of portrait means far
cloud-dotted sky as backdrop. A junk car more than a framed rendition of a person’s
was brought in. Grecco had a hole punched physical features: it’s elevating that persona
through the vinyl rooftop to allow Chelsea, within an art form capable of revealing, or
in a glam green gown destined for her im- concealing. “I wish to create an image, not
pending round of Hollywood awards shows, capture an image. I don’t want to be tied
to fit through. Once wiggled into place, he down when building a look.” Standing in