Chris Buck (photographer)

Early life and career

Buck grew up in the Toronto suburb of Etobicoke where his father, George Buck worked for Kodak Canada, giving him an early connection to photography. He attended Ryerson University where he majored in Photographic Arts. During this time he was a photo editor for Nerve, a Toronto monthly music paper. Buck studied under noted street photographer Dave Heath and media critic Murray Pomerance, both of whom continued as mentors in the years after his graduation. He moved to New York in 1990 and has since shot many important magazine and advertising photographs.

Notable photographs and work

Buck’s move to New York in 1990 focused on magazine portrait work, and began a slow progression in the prominence of his celebrity sitters and the stature of his clients. His photography is currently most associated with GQ, Esquire, ESPN, and The Guardian Weekend Magazine.

Since the late 1990s Buck has photographed a number of commercial campaigns, for Diesel, Xerox, Microsoft, Mazda, Old Spice, Citibank, and IBM.

His most recognized portraits include those of Steve Martin, Andy Samberg, Chris Farley, Chloe Sevigny, and Nick Offerman. Buck has also photographed many American politicians, including Presidents Barack Obama, George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump. Buck has also directed several videos for clients such as GQ, Wired, Oscar Mayer, and Viagra.

In the spring and summer of 2015 Buck chronicled the adventures and eventual demise of a 3D figurine of himself. The series, called "Likeness," included 141 photos and videos released daily on his Instagram account. 56 of the images were included in a limited edition artist book of the series.

Controversy

In the spring of 2010, photos he took for a Diesel ad campaign that encouraged consumers to “Be Stupid” led to some public outcry and heated editorials. Some ads were banned in the UK. The campaign won the Grand Prix for outdoor at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

In August 2011 Buck became the center of a controversy when his Newsweek cover photo of Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann caused a media stir. The photo even spawned a hate page titled “Meet Chris Buck, the a-hole who took the Michele Bachmann Newsweek photo.” The image prompted a comment from Sarah Palin and spawned several internet memes.

After Donald Trump's presidential win a 2006 portrait resurfaced with articles in Vice, The Guardian, and Time having Buck refer to Trump as "damaged."

The May 2017 Oprah Magazine focused on race in America, featuring Chris Buck's pictures depicting a flip of societal roles. The response was mostly positive with a minority accusing Buck and the publication of reverse racism. The viral photos led to interviews with Buck in The Huffington Post, CNN, and Mic.com

Books

In 2012 Buck’s first monograph, PRESENCE: The Invisible Portrait was released by German publisher Kehrer Verlag. Presence features 50 portraits in which the celebrity subjects are fully hiding, and therefore are not visible in the photographs. The book garnered press coverage worldwide, as well as receiving some awards.

In early 2017 Buck published UNEASY: Chris Buck Portraits 1986-2016, a monograph of his celebrity pictures, with 338 portraits and 129 stories behind the pictures. There is also an introduction by Sheila Heti. Press attention included GQ, People, CBC and New York Magazine.

Awards & exhibitions

His awards include The Arnold Newman Prize for his portraiture, PDN’s Notable Books 2012 and German Book Award 2013 Selected Title for his book Presence, and Luerzer’s Archive 200 Best Ad Photographers (2012/2013 and 2014/2015). His work has appeared in: American Photography (35 times), Photo District News Photo Annual (22 times), and the Communication Arts Photography Annual (12 times).

His solo shows include: