Photo by Richard Shotwell
Kwaku Alston
Capturing the world and spreading the love.
Kwaku has photographed some of the most famous faces of our time—from Oscar and Grammy winners to Barack Obama and the First Family. His many and diverse clients include The New York Times Magazine, Time and Essence Magazine, global brands like Amgen, Pfizer, Coca-Cola, Target and Verizon, and media giants such as Universal Studios, Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Amazon, Sony Pictures, Columbia Motion Pictures Group, Netflix, Amazon, Starz, Facebook, Sony Music and ESPN. His portraits have a fresh, unaffected feel, and yet they celebrate the extraordinariness of his subjects, striking a balance between contemporary documentary photography and classic celebrity portraiture.
After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Kwaku launched his career in New York City and began shooting for major magazines and ad agencies while in his early 20s. Today he bases himself out of both New York and Los Angeles and his photos have appeared on everything from movie posters to the covers of best selling books to advertising spreads for international brands such as Apple and HBO. He regularly works with The Hollywood Reporter to create cover stories for their Actor’s Roundtable series.
Kwaku has also partnered with a variety of charities and nonprofits, including Valence Community, DesignACure Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, the Black AIDS Institute, and the Smiley Faces Foundation. Giving both his work and his time, he traveled to Ethiopia to document a “shoe drop” by TOMS Shoes, which donates footwear to children in need worldwide.
Kwaku’s world travels continue to inform his work and remind him that curiosity, encouragement and sincerity are universal languages. As the Director of Photography on a documentary titled In Search of Voodoo, he has made multiple trips to West Africa, and is inspired to bridge still photography and filmmaking to tell great stories. He also directed a short film Alone in response to the Malibu wildfires of 2018.
Capturing the world and spreading the love.
Kwaku has photographed some of the most famous faces of our time—from Oscar and Grammy winners to Barack Obama and the First Family. His many and diverse clients include The New York Times Magazine, Time and Essence Magazine, global brands like Amgen, Pfizer, Coca-Cola, Target and Verizon, and media giants such as Universal Studios, Walt Disney Motion Pictures, Amazon, Sony Pictures, Columbia Motion Pictures Group, Netflix, Amazon, Starz, Facebook, Sony Music and ESPN. His portraits have a fresh, unaffected feel, and yet they celebrate the extraordinariness of his subjects, striking a balance between contemporary documentary photography and classic celebrity portraiture.
After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Kwaku launched his career in New York City and began shooting for major magazines and ad agencies while in his early 20s. Today he bases himself out of both New York and Los Angeles and his photos have appeared on everything from movie posters to the covers of best selling books to advertising spreads for international brands such as Apple and HBO. He regularly works with The Hollywood Reporter to create cover stories for their Actor’s Roundtable series.
Kwaku has also partnered with a variety of charities and nonprofits, including Valence Community, DesignACure Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, the Black AIDS Institute, and the Smiley Faces Foundation. Giving both his work and his time, he traveled to Ethiopia to document a “shoe drop” by TOMS Shoes, which donates footwear to children in need worldwide.
Kwaku’s world travels continue to inform his work and remind him that curiosity, encouragement and sincerity are universal languages. As the Director of Photography on a documentary titled In Search of Voodoo, he has made multiple trips to West Africa, and is inspired to bridge still photography and filmmaking to tell great stories. He also directed a short film Alone in response to the Malibu wildfires of 2018.
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The New York Times
Time Magazine
Essence Magazine
The Hollywood Reporter
HBO
Netflix
CBS Network
Disney
Billboard Magazine
Time Magazine
Essence Magazine
The Hollywood Reporter
HBO
Netflix
CBS Network
Disney
Billboard Magazine
Universal Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Warner Bros.
Jazz at Lincoln Center
National Geographic
Comedy Central
Starz
Nickelodeon
OWN Network
Paramount Pictures
Warner Bros.
Jazz at Lincoln Center
National Geographic
Comedy Central
Starz
Nickelodeon
OWN Network
ABC Network
Sony Music
ESPN
Apple
Sprite
Coca-Cola
CW Network
Facebook Watch
Amazon
Sony Music
ESPN
Apple
Sprite
Coca-Cola
CW Network
Facebook Watch
Amazon
Target
Amgen
AARP
Audible
TOMS
Pfizer
Valence
Chase Bank
Courvoisier
Amgen
AARP
Audible
TOMS
Pfizer
Valence
Chase Bank
Courvoisier
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Barack Obama
Michelle Obama
Muhammad Ali
Maya Angelou
Beyonce
Spike Lee
Chadwick Boseman
Shonda Rhimes
Janet Jackson
Tracee Ellis Ross
John Oliver
Nelson Mandela
Eve
Tyrese Gibson
Michelle Obama
Muhammad Ali
Maya Angelou
Beyonce
Spike Lee
Chadwick Boseman
Shonda Rhimes
Janet Jackson
Tracee Ellis Ross
John Oliver
Nelson Mandela
Eve
Tyrese Gibson
Lebron James
Lupita Nyong’o
Ava DuVernay
Serena Williams
Tiger Woods
Kevin Hart
Issa Rae
Michael B. Jordan
Regina Hall
Awkwafina
Pusha-T
Kerry Washington
Donald Glover
Naomie Harris
Lupita Nyong’o
Ava DuVernay
Serena Williams
Tiger Woods
Kevin Hart
Issa Rae
Michael B. Jordan
Regina Hall
Awkwafina
Pusha-T
Kerry Washington
Donald Glover
Naomie Harris
Michelle Obama
Trevor Noah
Jennifer Lopez
Queen Latifah
Oprah Winfrey
Taraji P. Henson
Kumail Nanjiani
Elisabeth Moss
Laverne Cox
Rachel McAdams
Lebron James
Marsai Martin
Omari Hardwick
Alfre Woodard
Trevor Noah
Jennifer Lopez
Queen Latifah
Oprah Winfrey
Taraji P. Henson
Kumail Nanjiani
Elisabeth Moss
Laverne Cox
Rachel McAdams
Lebron James
Marsai Martin
Omari Hardwick
Alfre Woodard
Willie Nelson
Dwayne Johnson
Questlove
Samuel L. Jackson
Lenny Kravitz
Shaquille O’ Neale
Cynthia Erivo
Lena Waithe
Julia Roberts
Scarlett Johansson
Djimon Hounsou
Kane Brown
Naturi Naughton
Seth Rogen
Dwayne Johnson
Questlove
Samuel L. Jackson
Lenny Kravitz
Shaquille O’ Neale
Cynthia Erivo
Lena Waithe
Julia Roberts
Scarlett Johansson
Djimon Hounsou
Kane Brown
Naturi Naughton
Seth Rogen