The first guest on the All Arts series is Mission’s most recent guest editor and legendary musician, Nile Rodgers.
Photography and storytelling are on full display in a new ALL ARTS series. The four-episode series, called ‘Portrait Mode’, premiered recently on the arts and culture hub created by the WNET Group, home of New York’s PBS stations, and follows photographer Sophie Elgort.
The series invites viewers behind-the-scenes on Elgort’s photoshoots where she captures portraits of creative talents through photos and conversation.
Elgort’s work has always been focused on telling stories. Due to her ability to express conversations and personalities in her photography, her work has been featured in publications such as Vogue and Elle. She has also created imagery for brands such as Adidas, Maybelline and Victoria’s Secret.
In ‘Portrait Mode’, Elgort further demonstrates her talents as a storyteller and communicator. She wants to tell the stories of the guests on the series just as much as she wants to showcase her own work since the two are interconnected. “When I’m photographing people, there is always a conversation going,” said Elgort in the series, and her ability to capture more than just a subject’s face is evident.
The first guest in the four-episode series is none other than Mission’s guest editor of our most recent print issue, Nile Rodgers. ‘Portrait Mode’ features great creative minds, and the legendary musician and producer is one of the creative industry’s finest.
The four-time Grammy winner whose hits include “Le Freak” and “We Are Family” joins Elgort for a session of portrait taking. In the beginning of the episode, viewers quickly learn that Rodgers always styles himself and constantly has music playing in his head. Furthermore, Rodgers got his start on Sesame Street which eventually led him to join the Apollo Theater House Band.
Elgort wants her subjects to feel comfortable in order to capture them at their best. She asks Rodgers to take out his guitar and “mess around,” giving her the ability to photograph Rodgers doing what he loves.
The guitar that Rodgers brings to set is his favorite, which he affectionately calls the “Hitmaker” because it is the guitar behind many of his hit songs. “Hitmaker”, which is a 1959 Fender Stratocaster, was purchased at a pawn shop and is supposedly the runt of the litter. “I believe probably what happened is that the guy who was making it made a mistake and did some kind of divot or cut out a chunk of wood. And I have the thinnest head stock on any Stratocaster that exists,” explained Rodgers in ‘Portrait Mode’. The guitar was actually purchased in 1973 when Rodgers had a day off from opening for Jackson 5 and was performing a gig in a bar.
Elgort brings Rodger’s life partner, Nancy Hunt, who also guest edited Mission’s last issue on to set to take portraits of the two together. Rodgers and Hunt met in New York City on 61st street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue, and Elgort beautifully captures the two together. She takes the time to ask Hunt questions about herself, spotlighting her work with the We Are Family Foundation which supports youth around the world and gives them support to put them at decision making tables.
The episode ends with Elgort asking Rodgers to take photos of her. The two play around, with Rodgers deciding to pose Elgort holding an iPhone or running her hands through her hair. Elgort values the subjects she is capturing, and putting Rodgers behind her own camera further proves so.
Images courtesy of Sophie Elgort.
