Ben Baker Photo

Ben Baker Photo New York based photographer Ben Baker There is an old saying that every portrait is a self-portrait of the photographer who took it.

Ben Baker's portraits are a document of his love of people. Ben's subjects are often the world's most accomplished - from Barack Obama to Rupert Murdoch - and he sometimes trades only a minute or two with them. But no matter who Ben is taking pictures of, both he and his pictures seek an honest story, a shared laugh, the small kindness of a true human exchange.

It’s been a wild ride in America.               For all those around the world who are freaked out about today and the s...
11/05/2024

It’s been a wild ride in America. For all those around the world who are freaked out about today and the state of politics and this country, please don’t doubt the spirit, resolve, and strength of the American people. Today's voting booth was full of people of all backgrounds and it was community at its best. I like to call myself an Ozmerican, having spent half my life here.
We have enormous challenges, but don’t bet against this experiment and these people. Lets hope we get the result want.
And yes when you get the chance vote for the woman, I think the fellas have had their time. Thank you mum, sis, nans, aunts and brilliant women everywhere.

It was sad to see the passing of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock last week. I photographed him for Mens Health Magazine and en...
05/29/2024

It was sad to see the passing of filmmaker Morgan Spurlock last week. 

I photographed him for Mens Health Magazine and enjoyed the time and conversation with him. 

It was memorable because of how he spoke about the challenges of creative work, his breakthrough, the constant need to feed the ideas machine and ideas alone are worthless.

This was the conversation.

Me - “Morgan, congratulations on the amazing success of your brilliant idea to make Supersize Me.

Morgan - “ Ben, do you think this is my only idea? Do you know how many other ideas I had that I was convinced would work and failed miserably? I had no idea this would be the breakthrough. Do you know how many of my friends have quit this business? I am just the last one standing.

That was a lightbulb moment for me, as I understood that no one truly knows if an idea will succeed or fail, and those who say they know are not honest. There are no formulas or guarantees; we must try and be willing to fail. No one wants to be the last one standing after constantly failing to read the room and move on to a safer or smarter job. 

One constant in the years of photographing those who have broken through and succeeded is that all of them have suffered lots of failure on the journey yet somehow and somehow had the inner belief or madness to find the way through.

All of them.

On my journey, I’ve been very fortunate to meet and work with incredible people. One of those people is Jillian Edelstei...
05/22/2024

On my journey, I’ve been very fortunate to meet and work with incredible people. One of those people is Jillian Edelstein, a remarkable South African photographer based in London.

Years ago, I had the opportunity to work as Jillian’s photo assistant on a powerful story for the New York Times Magazine about stolen children in El Salvador. 

During this experience, I witnessed the immense power one can wield by persistently pursuing the truth and questioning whether the portrayal does justice to the subject who entrusts their story to the photographer.

Jillian is responsible for one of the most essential photo books with her extensive documentation of all involved in the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and her iconic portraits of Nelson Mandela. 

Her latest book is a captivating personal exploration, tracing her family’s journey from war-torn and genocide-stricken regions to those currently seeking refuge and struggling with displacement.

I had to share images of this book in hand while waiting for a train in New York’s Central, which is so symbolic of people’s journeys. 

Through her work, Jillian weaves a compelling narrative of images and words, illustrating the profound importance of home and family and the universal desire for a life free from suffering. This story shows that they are us, and we are them. We are all global citizens seeking the same thing: a happy and peaceful life.
Get a copy of Jillian’s book and immerse yourself in her powerful body of work. Jillian is currently giving talks and signing copies at events in London and is sure to travel for more. 

Check out Jillian and her publisher - gost books for a copy of the book.

Some days are not yours, and today was not one for Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.His party voted him out for tryin...
10/04/2023

Some days are not yours, and today was not one for Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.
His party voted him out for trying to keep the lights on for the US government—a first in US history.
This was shot for with the brilliant in better days for Kevin.
Let's see who and what comes next. I have had many conversations with incoming conservative reps, and many simply want to shut down DC and give the power back to the states and smaller towns.
When said like that, it seems reasonable, but we don't go forward by burning down the house without a plan for the future.
Let's see what's next; there's not much at stake except a functioning government and democracy.

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