Matthew Russell Rolston (born March 1, 1955) is an American photographer, director, and creative director. Rolston is known for his signature lighting techniques and detailed approach to art direction and design, and has been repeatedly identified throughout his career with the revival and modern expression of Hollywood glamour.
Born in Los Angeles, Rolston was "discovered" by Andy Warhol for Warhol's celebrity focused Interview magazine, where he began a successful career in photography. Soon after, he began shooting covers and editorial assignments for founding editor Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone. Shortly, other well-established publications began to recognize Rolston’s work, such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Vanity Fair, W, GQ, Esquire, Cosmopolitan,O: The Oprah Magazine, and The New York Times.
Extending his vision beyond still photography into the moving image, Rolston began conceiving, writing and directing music videos and television commercials for such diverse clients as Madonna, Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, L’Oreal, Revlon, Estee Lauder, Clairol, Levi's, Pantene, Elizabeth Arden, Gap, and Polo Ralph Lauren, among others.
Rolston has also appeared as a guest expert on a spectrum of beauty-oriented broadcast programs, from Bravo's Shear Genius and Make Me a Supermodel to the CW's America's Next Top Model. Adding the title of creative director to his resume, Rolston also works in the area of experiential design, including hospitality, product design, and new media ventures.
Rolston’s fine art debut was with a project entitled "Talking Heads: The Vent Haven Portraits," a series of color portraits of the collection of ventriloquism dummies located at the Vent Haven Museum in Kentucky.
Michael Jackson - "Bad" (Inside spread photography)Don Henley - "The Last Worthless Evening"Jody Watley - "Precious Love"Jody Watley - "After You, Who?"Anita Baker - "Fairy Tales"Sheila E. - "Sex Cymbal"Karyn White - "Romantic"Ingrid Chavez - "Elephant Box"En Vogue - "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)"Salt-n-Pepa & En Vogue - "Whatta Man"Debbie Gibson - "Losin' Myself"David Bowie - "Miracle Goodnight"Mica Paris - "I Wanna Hold On To You"TLC - "Creep"Salt-n-Pepa - "None of Your Business"New Kids on the Block - "Never Let You Go"Eternal - "Just A Step From Heaven"Jon Secada - "If You Go"Crystal Waters - "100% Pure Love"Brand New Heavies - "Brother Sister"Seal - "Kiss From a Rose" (Version 1)Vanessa Williams - "The Way That You Love"Quincy Jones feat. Babyface, Tamia, Portrait & Barry White - "Slow Jams"Mary J. Blige - "I'm Going Down (Rose Royce song)TLC - "Red Light Special"Brandy - "Best Friend"Paula Abdul - "Crazy Cool"Quincy Jones feat. Tamia - "You Put a Move on My Heart"En Vogue - "Don't Let Go (Love)"Lenny Kravitz - "Can't Get You Off My Mind" (Version 1/Unreleased)Bryan Adams - "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You"Bryan Adams - "Let's Make a Night to Remember"Paula Abdul - "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up"En Vogue - "Whatever"Jewel - "Foolish Games"Salt-n-Pepa feat. Sheryl Crow - "Imagine" (Unreleased)Maxwell - "Sumthin' Sumthin'"Lori Carson - "Something's Got Me"Morrissey - "Alma Matters"Marilyn Manson - "Long Hard Road Out of Hell"Matchbox Twenty - "Real World"Foo Fighters - "Walking After You"Garbage - "I Think I'm Paranoid"Natalie Imbruglia - "Wishing I Was There" (Version 2/U.S. Version)Lenny Kravitz - "Thinking of You"Madonna - "The Power of Good-Bye"Natalie Imbruglia - "Smoke"Sheryl Crow - "There Goes the Neighborhood"Janet Jackson - "Every Time"Jewel - "Jupiter (Swallow the Moon)"Melanie B - "Word Up" (Version 2/Austin Powers Version)Jewel - "What's Simple Is True"Lucie Silvas - "It's Too Late"M2M - "Mirror Mirror"Lucy Pearl - "Don't Mess with My Man"Backstreet Boys - "Shape of My Heart"Mandy Moore - "In My Pocket"Poe - "Hey Pretty"Destiny's Child - "Bootylicious"Dido - "Hunter"Faith Evans - "I Love You"Lenny Kravitz - "Believe in Me"Beyonce - "Work It Out"LeAnn Rimes - "Life Goes On"Enrique Iglesias - "Love to See You Cry"Nick Carter - "Do I Have to Cry for You?"TLC - "Hands Up"Anastacia - "Love Is a Crime"Faith Hill - "You're Still HereKiley Dean - "Make Me a Song" (Version 2)Clay Aiken - "This Is the Night"Dream feat. Loon - "Crazy"Sugababes - "Hole in the Head"Jamelia - "Thank You"George Michael - "Amazing"Sugababes - "In the Middle"Jessica Simpson - "Angels"Christina Milian - "Dip It Low"Brandy - "Afrodisiac"Natasha Bedingfield - "I Bruise Easily"Sugababes - "Push the Button"Destiny's Child - "Stand up for Love"Eurythmics - "I've Got a Life"Mary J. Blige - "Be Without You"Jewel - "Again and Again"Jessica Simpson - "I Belong to Me"Beyonce - "Listen" (Version 2/Fashion Shoot Version)Beyonce - "Listen" (Version 2/Fashion Shoot Version - Director's Cut)Hilary Duff - "With Love"Christina Aguilera - "Candyman"Avril Lavigne - "Hot"Jordin Sparks - "Tattoo" (Version 1/U.S. Version)Heidi Montag - "Body Language" (Unreleased)Corbin Bleu - "Celebrate You"Miley Cyrus - "The Climb"Kimbra- "Two Way Street"Brandy - "Wildest Dreams"Hilary Duff - "Chasing The Sun"Talking Heads: The Vent Haven Portraits – 1st Edition, Pointed Leaf Press, 2012beautyLIGHT: Pictures at a Magazine – 1st Edition, teNeues, 2008Big Pictures: A Book of Photographs – 1st Edition, A Bulfinch Press Book, 1991Henry Keazor, Thorsten Wubbena: Video Thrills The Radio Star. Musikvideos: Geschichte, Themen, Analysen. Bielefeld 2005, p. 27ss.
