Richard Renaldi

Richard Renaldi is a portrait photographer whose lens brings intimacy not only to people but also to objects and landscapes. In Figure and Ground (Aperture, 2006), works like Smashed Water Tower and Organ carry the weight and presence of portraits. His images, often made with an eight-by-ten-inch view camera, are imbued with time, emotion, and a quiet sense of magic.

Richard works in both black-and-white and color (we share a love of happypink) and has published seven books to date. We traveled the world together for a Microsoft project, photographing real people in their everyday lives — an unforgettable experience that cemented our friendship.

Depicted here is the writer Hilton Als, whom Richard photographed as part of a commission marking the New Yorker’s 100th anniversary, celebrating its culture writers.