Read More - George Pimentel

photographer
george pimentel
the man
behind the
camer a
an inside scoop on
george’s glamorous
life snapping the stars
‘It’s always been about the
journey of getting close to the
legends. I love the adventure’
George Pimentel (above) is Canada’s top celebrity photographer. For the past 15 years, he’s been a permanent fixture on red carpets
around the world, enjoying unprecedented access to the globe’s hottest stars. Famous for his courtesy, his speed (his nickname is ‘One
Shot’) and his iconic, Old Hollywood-inspired black-and-white portraits, George is a firm favourite with the A-list.
Steve Granitz
George Pimentel, Hollywood is pure
– and the celebrated photographer
Fhasormagic
spent the past 15 years trying to capture
that magic and share it with the world. “When I
started doing this work, I was just a fan,” the
42-year-old tells Hello! Canada. “There was no
money involved and my photos didn’t even get
published. It was just about the joy of getting
that perfect picture for my collection.”
The Toronto native grew up helping out at
his father’s portrait studio in the city’s “Little
Portugal” neighbourhood (which he still works
out of to this day). From the age of nine, he was
captivated by images and had the feeling that
his life would play out in pictures. Following his
instincts, George completed a bachelor’s degree in photo arts at Ryerson University.
After graduation, he continued to work at
the family business, but found that he was profoundly restless. “Something told me there was
more out there,” he recalls. “My father’s studio
was a wonderful base for me. It was a great place
to learn, but I wanted to see the world.”
“I was fascinated by photography,” he continues. “I wanted to do it on a serious level. I
wanted to make pictures that really meant
something. I had this desire, this drive – something in me that I can’t explain.”
When George got wind that Robert De Niro
was in town for the Toronto International Film
Festival in 1993, he seized his chance. He snuck
onto the red carpet and caught a glimpse of his
idol on the way into the event. “The moment I
saw him was such a rush,” George remembers.
“It’s the same feeling I get now in Cannes photographing Brad and Angelina.” Robert’s publicist
directed the media to the back entrance for a
photo call, but George, who didn’t have a press
pass, stayed put. But the star came out the front
instead, and George was the only one there to get
the shot. “It was my destiny,” he remarks. “When
I took the photo, it was exactly how I envisioned
it. And that was the beginning of it all.”
George started to snap all the stars that came
through town. His strategy was simple: get close,
be nice and shoot a single frame. “If I felt any
tension, I’d walk away from it,” he explains. “I
never wanted to force the situation. I took ‘No’
for an answer.”
His courtesy opened a lot of doors and his
collection of photos grew. Not surprisingly,
publications like Entertainment Weekly and Flare
soon came calling, and George’s speed earned
him the nickname “One Shot” in press circles.
In 1995, George married his longtime love,
Fernanda, and the couple welcomed a daughter, Jacqueline, now 10, and a son, Sebastian,
now 7. “Celebrity photography wasn’t just a personal project anymore,” George says. “It was a
living, a way of supporting my family.”
In the years since, he has followed his heroes
around the globe. “It’s always been about the
journey of getting close to these legends – the
anticipation of that one perfect shot,” he shares.
“I love the adventure.”
George’s signature style is the ultra-glamorous, Old Hollywood-inspired, black-and-white
portrait. “I want the pictures to be classic,” he
stresses. “I love being in France – having the
architecture around the stars – and shooting
them in gowns and tuxedos. Photographing
them at dusk, there’s that light. You put it all
together and you get this romantic quality.”
“I love old photography,” he muses. “I am trying to make stars look like the Marilyn Monroes
of our time.”
REPORT: TARA HENLEY
HELLO! 69
famed photographer George pimentel’s
snapshots in
hollywood history
the celebrated toronto shutterbug
looks back on his most memorable moments
photographing the stars
elebrities are not invincible,” reflects Canadian photographer George Pimentel, who
C
has travelled the world for the past 15 years
with camera in hand, snapping Hollywood’s
hottest stars. “They lose loved ones, they have
their hearts broken, they battle demons – they
experience the same real human problems
that everyone else in the world deals with. It’s
part of life.”
“What I love about this collection of photographs is that it captures moments in time when
the stars were at their happiest,” George continues. “From Heath Ledger to Whitney Houston, they were all in a good place. They were
either on top of their career, deeply in love or
at their most content in a family relationship.
These pictures serve as a document of that special moment in time. As circumstances have
changed, the pictures take on a kind of timeless
quality. It’s moving for me to look back on.”
Here, in the first segment of our three-part
“Hello! Hollywood” special package, the 42year-old shutterbug opens up his extensive archives exclusively to Hello! Canada, sharing his
most arresting snapshots and his most fascinating memories from his wild ride as a photographer to the stars.
h e at h l e dg e r a n d m ic h e l l e w i l l i a m s
“When Heath Ledger passed away, I was crushed because I was such a fan of his work.
It’s so sad that he never lived long enough to receive his Oscar. I photographed him more than
250 times – the last was right before his death – and it blows my mind that he’s gone. There
are no words to describe the feeling. When I look at this photograph (taken Feb. 24, 2007,
at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles), it’s a great memory. It was a point in
time where both Heath and Michelle were extremely happy and at ease in their lives. Now
that he has passed away, this photo becomes that much more classic.”
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j o n vo i g h t
a n d a ng e l i n a j ol i e
“Angelina doesn’t speak to her father anymore, but this photo from
the Vanity Fair Oscar Party March 26, 2000, offers a glimpse of how
their relationship used to be. After celebrating her win [Best
Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted], they were outside waiting for
their car, laughing and talking. Angelina’s expression says so much
about her feelings for her dad. It’s special to see them on good terms.”
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b r u c e pa Lt r o w
a n d DAUGHTER g w y n e t h
“At the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 9, 2000, I had
followed Gwyneth to the back of the Elgin Theatre and asked for a shot.
She graciously stopped and her father was hovering over her, almost
like an angel. It’s a very intimate photo. I later gave it to her and I
believe she has it on her wall. She and her father were very tight.”
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juli a robe rts
a n d b e n ja m i n br at t
“I remember the night that Julia Roberts won the
Oscar (March 25, 2001). Her then-boyfriend,
Benjamin Bratt, was so proud of her. He was all
over her at the Vanity Fair party. It was the end
of the night when I took this photo and they were
on their way out, totally relaxed. I was lucky
to capture the moment.”
rya n g o s l i n g a n d r ac h e l m c a da m s
“I was at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2007, when Ryan and Rachel
were on the carpet and were mobbed by press. Their handlers were whisking them away. I yelled, ‘Hey,
guys, give a shot to the guy from Toronto!’ They turned around, told the publicists to wait and posed
for me. I met Rachel at a party last year and told her about the photo. I didn’t know they’d broken up.
She said, ‘Oh, I saw it. It was lovely!’ And she then asked me for a copy.”
For more fabulous photos by George Pimentel,
open centrefold.
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Whitney Houston
a nd bobby brown
sean penn
“Whitney and Bobby were walking out of the
Vanity Fair Oscar Party March 25, 2001. This
photo shows the calm before the storm. Whitney
was at her best here. She loved to have a good
time and later that turned on her. But I hold out
hope that she’ll bounce back and take her place
as the greatest singer alive.”
“I was at a press conference at the Toronto
film festival on Sept. 14, 2006, when, out of
the blue, Sean Penn decided to have a
cigarette. One thing about Sean is that you
can’t tell him what to do. If he wants to
smoke, he’ll smoke. When he lit up,
everyone’s mouths dropped.”
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