Jim Wright photographs the August 2011 covers of Men’s Fitness and Men’s Journal. Alex O’Loughlin, the star of the hit CBS show Hawaii 5-0, covers Men’s Fitness. Tennis legend John McEnroe covers Men’s Journal.

Wright captured O’Loughlin as he showed off his fitness regime in the hills in Malibu. The buff actor demonstrated how he incorporates the outdoors in his workouts, by running in the hills with large rocks and doing pull-ups on tree branches. The set proved to be a bit of an undertaking as a small studio had to be built on the side of a hill to capture the actor working out.  Wright found O’Loughlin to be “laid back” and a “real trooper until they got what they needed.”

Wright photographed McEnroe in New York City, just two doors down from McEnroe’s apartment overlooking Central Park.. Due to conflicting schedules, the crew ended up getting only 45 minutes. Wright found McEnroe to be “a nice guy,” and the two bonded over a shared love of music. The tennis star’s wife, singer Patti Smyth, even stopped by the shoot at one point and helped coach him through the shots.

The August issues of Men’s Fitness and Men’s Journal are on newsstands now.

See more of Jim Wright’s photography here.

Shane Tarleton of Warner Music Group in Nashville approached Wright to direct the video. Tarleton was familiar with Wright’s music videos and still works with Pete Yorn and Dierks Bentley. The video was shot in Venice Beach, California with some additional shooting at a bar, Finn McCool’s, in Santa Monica.  The aggressive shoot schedule meant Wright and the crew had to finish the video in one 14-hour day. Of working with Ballard, Wright says that the two became fast friends during the prep and by the time they arrived in LA, “we felt like we knew each other like old buddies.”

Frankie Ballard is currently opening for Taylor Swift on her summer tour.

See more of Jim Wright’s portfolio here.

Production: Taillight TV
Producer: Brandon Bonfiglio
Director of Photography: Keith Leiman
Director: Jim Wright
Artist: Frankie Ballard
Grips and Lighting: OTMFC

Jim Wright photographs Kyle Chandler for the June cover of Men’s Journal. The former Friday Night Lights star is gearing up for the summer release of his next film, Super 8. Inside the magazine the actor talks about his rewarding career, his family, and why he left L.A. for Texas.

Wright captured the actor at Disney’s Golden Oak Ranch in California. The idea behind the shoot was to present Kyle as a man’s man; someone who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. Wright and the crew experimented with a couple of setups before settling on Chandler dirtied up, leaning over the open hood of the car. As Wright went in for the close-up of Chandler, the shoot’s photo director yelled, “You got your cover!” Sure enough, the shot ended up on the cover. Wright had nothing but praise for Chandler on set. The two bonded before the shoot over discussions of barbeque and beer. Wright calls Chandler, “just one of those guys; a guy’s guy.”

The June issue of Men’s Journal is on newsstands now.

See more of Jim Wright’s photography here.

Publication: Men’s Journal
Story: “Kyle Chandler: The Last Solid Dude”
Producer: Stephanie Morton
Equipment: Sync Productions
Photo Directors: Michelle Wolfe; Jodi Peckman
Creative Director: Benjamin Purvis
Photography: Jim Wright
Styling: Annie Psaltiros
Groomer: Kim Verbeck
Prop Stylist: Nanci Bennett
Car Provide by:Kevin Kearns
Photo Assistants: Jim Moy; Jason Johnson
Digital Tech: James Acomb
Location: Disney Ranch

Jim Wright photographs Nashville music royalty Vince Gill and Amy Grant for the May/June 2011 issue of AARP Magazine. Inside the magazine, the country music singer and his contemporary Christian gospel singer wife discuss their path to happiness and how they make their eleven-year-old marriage work.

Wright captured the couple at Tootsie’s, a legendary Nashville dive bar. The bar has long been a hangout for country music superstars who performed across the street at the Ryman auditorium. Music legends like Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson got their start playing on the bar’s stage. The location was the logical choice for the shoot as it is warm and intimate yet full of the history of Nashville music. Wright has photographed Gill and Grant before with their extended family. This time he says, “it was nice just to be able to concentrate on the two of them and really try to show how much in love they are.”

See more of Jim Wright’s photography here.

Publication: AARP Magazine
Creative Director: Quentin Nardi
Art Director: Leslie Q. Palmer
Prop Master: Nate Griffin
Production: Sync Production
Photography: Jim Wright
Styling: (AMY)Bobette Cohn
Styling:(Vince)Trish Townsend
Hair/Makeup: Paige Simmons

LL Cool J covers the March 2011 issue of Men’s Fitness. Jim Wright photographed the star of NCIS: LA at Miauhaus Studios in Los Angeles. In the magazine, LL shares his workout regime as well as his six favorite motivational rules. He believes that career longevity is tied to fitness, stating, “What goes on the outside is definitely a manifestation of what goes on the inside.”

Wright found LL to be a “cool” guy who takes his fitness and his image very seriously. The rapper/actor was hands-on on the set, bringing his own workout equipment and trainer with him for the day. To capture LL’s physicality, Wright states he “constantly kept checking the screen for the right poses that contained the correct muscle pump and angles that played up the definition of his physique.” Wright had a great time collaborating with an artist he respects so much and who is continually evolving both as a musician and an actor.

Wright photographed LL Cool J for the cover and a spread inside the magazine. The issue is on newsstands now.

Publication: Men’s Fitness
Photographer: Jim Wright
Stylist: Monica Morrow
Groomer: Chris Burgoyne
Special Project Director: Desiree Gallas
West Coast Editor: Mark Morrison
Photo director: Jo Miller
Creative Director: Andy Turnbull

Fast Company has selected photographs by Jamie Chung and Jim Wright as two of their best of 2010. The magazine’s photo issue highlights their favorites of the year. After scouring every issue from the past year, the photo team chose two from each issue to highlight.

Wright’s photograph, seen above, is of the band Shinedown. It accompanied an article on how the band is one of many helping Warner Music Group redefine their label for the digital age. Wright shot the band in Atlanta during their tour last year with Nickelback. He chose the underpass and railroad tracks outside the band’s latest venue because he “wanted to portray them as a traveling band.” Wright’s photograph first appeared in the July 2010 issue of Fast Company.

Chung’s photograph appeared in an article on SpinMaster Toys’ hit toy Liv Dolls. The photograph features the Liv Dolls chasing down Mattel’s iconic Barbie, suggesting that Mattel is running scared from the success of their competitor. Chung’s photograph appeared in the April 2010 issue of the magazine.

See more of Jim Wright’s work here and Jamie Chung’s work here.

Jeremy Renner, Oscar nominated for his role in The Hurt Locker and appearing now in The Town with Ben Affleck, graces the cover of the Autumn/Winter Men’s Style issue of The Telegraph. Jim Wright photographed him in a warehouse in downtown Los Angeles, capturing the Renner’s “test-pilot, cowboy aura” as Hurt Locker costar Sam Rockwell put it.

Since The Hurt Locker won 6 Oscars and The Town has garnered favorable reviews, Renner is busy in a slew of upcoming films. He reunites with Hurt Locker director Kathryn Bigelow for Triple Frontier, a movie set in South America. There is also a yet to be named Paul Thomas Anderson film starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, and the role of Hawkeye in Marvel’s The Avengers.

Despite the hype around the actor, Renner remains grounded. Comments Wright, “Upon Jeremy’s arrival, I didn’t even realize that it was him. He showed up alone and was just hanging out, chatting with my assistants. Only upon introducing myself did I realize that he was our subject. He’s a very genuine guy.”

For those who watch films and expect the actors to embody their characters, such is not always the case. Says Wright on Renner, “Jeremy is much different from the role he played in The Hurt Locker. He is far from being quiet and reserved. He’s a big fan of music and very much a man’s man. The idea of the shoot was to get a little movement going and just try to capture the moments. For one of the setups, we put on a mix of music called ‘Jersey Bar Rock,’ I just kept calling out iconic rock stars and he would hit the poses. Good laugh!”

To see what it was like on set, watch this behind the scenes video.

The cover of The Telegraph’s Men’s Style Autumn/Winter 2010 issue by Jim Wright

Links:
The Telegraph
Watch a behind-the-scenes video
Jim Wright

Jim Wright has been busy this year. If you’ve walked by a newsstand, you’ve probably seen his work on multiple magazine covers. Wright shot Bruce Willis, Gerard Butler, and Brett Favre for three issues of Men’s Journal, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson for Good Housekeeping, Claire Danes for Access, Hugh Grant, Chris Noth, and Sylvester Stallone for three issues of Cigar Aficionado, and Rachel Ray for multiple issues of Every Day with Rachel Ray.

It comes as no surprise that Wright is one of the winners of PDN Faces contest. His physically grueling shoot with Bruce Willis for Men’s Journal is one of the judge’s top picks. We asked Wright to comment on some of his memorable covers after the jump.

One of the winning shots for PDN’s Faces Awards

Back to back Men’s Journal covers

Wright almost drowned while shooting Gerard Butler on the beach and had to dodge punches from Bruce Willis for Men’s Journal. Comments Wright on Butler, “We both got pummeled by waves in Malibu.” On shooting with Willis: “I screamed at Bruce Willis to give me more and he yelled right back at me. We both were really going at each other until we got the perfect frame.”

Claire Danes for Access, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson for Good Housekeeping

Wright on shooting Claire Danes: “Claires Danes is just a true beauty.”

Wright on shooting Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson: “It was just like hanging out with friends. Emma is just so much fun and you can just tell how much admiration Maggie had for her. There’s a real mutual respect between those two and it shows in the images.”

Wright’s advice for other aspiring photographers is “Learn your craft. Learn how to shoot film without the help of an assistant. You’d be surprised.”

Check out more of his editorial work here and look for two new covers of Men’s Fitness by Jim Wright coming soon!

Links:
PDN Faces Award
Watch behind the scenes of Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson shoot for Good Housekeeping
Jim Wright

As a former model, Jesse Williams had no problem moving in front of the camera for the TV Guide shoot with Jim Wright. The newcomer recently signed on as a permanent cast member for season 7 of hit ABC medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. Williams plays Dr. Jackson Avery, a doctor from the rival hospital who shakes things up when two hospitals merge.

Williams and Wright hit the streets of Venice, California at an early call time to take advantage of the morning light. Says Wright, “It was one of those days were everything that we tried with him went off without a hitch. We did four different looks in less than an hour and a half. Big thanks to Jesse for being a pro and to Geraldine Agoncillo, West Coast Editor of TV Guide for pulling it all together.”

Credits:
Groomer: Helen Robertson
Stylist: Lellen Richards
Photo Editor: Jason Schwart/Rose Fiorentino
Photography: Jim Wright
1st Assistant Camera: Jim Moy
Producer: Geraldine Agoncillo

MTV’s reality show “The City” kicked off it’s second season.  A spin-off of the MTV show “The Hills,” following Whitney Port’s move to New York City to pursue a fashion career,  the show also stars Olivia Palermo, Roxy Olin, and Erin Kaplan also star. Jim Wright shot the cast photos in New York’s Cooper Square Hotel.  Wright comments  “The high intensity among the girls which usually happens in front of the cameras for MTV was in full effect in and around the set.”

Besides the stills, Wright also shot a short video that will be released shortly. Check back for updates!

L to R: Whitney, Roxy, Erin, and Olivia

Links:
-The complete set of “The City” cast photos on MTV
-More work from Jim Wright

The clouds parted and the sun shone for Jim Wright’s shoot with Gerard Butler for the April of Men’s Journal. Winter in Los Angeles means steady rain, but the weather was bright and sunny at the private beach house in Malibu where the shoot took place. Butler currently stars in “The Bounty Hunter” with Jennifer Aniston. Butler plays a bounty hunter who learns that his next target is his ex-wife (Aniston), a bail-jumping reporter working on a murder cover-up.

Wright describes Gerard Butler or “Gerry” as a “real guy’s guy.” Butler is an avid fan of football (or soccer, as Americans says) and music. The two bonded over their mutual taste in tunes, tossing out names of 80′s new wave bands such as The Waterboys and Del Amitri. After building a good rapport, the two weren’t afraid to jump right into work, literally.

What started out as a shot of a stroll on the beach soon turned into Butler and Wright throwing themselves into the ocean. Butler was covered in wet sand and jumped into the hot tub to warm up when Wright then took the opportunity to take underwater shots.

After all of this shooting, Wright wasn’t done yet – he had a special surprise for Butler. Beautiful models were hidden in another part of the house waiting to spring upon the unsuspecting actor. The ensuing shot pays homage to the cover of Esquire where Sean Connery is surrounded by several gorgeous ladies.

Swimming in the ocean, playing in the sand, taking a dip in the hot tub, and being surprised by attractive women – just another day in the life of Gerard Butler.

The April issue of Men’s Journal is for sale on newsstands now.

-Helen Shih

Links:
Read the interview with Gerard Butler at Men’s Journal
Watch what Gerry has to say on Jay Leno about the shoot
View Jim Wright’s portfolio

Credits:
Creative Director – Paul Martinez
Photo Director – Michelle Wolfe
Producer – Stephanie Morton Productions
Assistants – Sean Costello, James Acomb, Quinn Starr
Digital Tech – Nate Rothacker
Location – Malibu – 22416 Pacific Coast HWY
Equipment – T.J. Crume – Sync Productions
Stylist – Neil Rodgers – Tracey Mattingly Agency
Groomer – Jamie Taylor – The Wall Group
Prop Stylist – Nanci Bennett – Artmix Beauty
Photography: Jim Wright

Jim Wright and Bruce Willis got along like two boys from southern New Jersey for the March issue of Men’s Journal. Wright shot the cover as well as the accompanying story. Bruce Willis currently stars in the film “Cop Out” by Kevin Smith, a comedy about a veteran NYC cop who enlists his partner to help track down a stolen baseball card that will pay for his daughter’s wedding. The initial idea for the shoot was to take a light-hearted, humorous approach, however it gradually evolved into something more raw and intense.

After much back and forth between Wright and Willis, the shoot took on a boxing theme as an homage to Willis’ role in Pulp Fiction. Says Wright, “I’ve worked with Bruce many times over the years and he takes photo shoots very seriously and loves to participate in the process.”

Wright’s depiction of Bruce Willis as a boxer is genuine, no shortcuts were taken. The glistening of the skin is real sweat and the hardened lines on his face are from actual fatigue. Every 15 frames Wright and Willis would stop and review, correct body positions, and then start again.

At the end of the action shots, Willis was clearly showing signs of wear and tear but Wright persisted in shooting. Tired, worn out, and running on adrenaline, the two threw taunts and egged each other on. But Willis wasn’t done, he disappeared into the dressing room and when he came back to the set, he simply asked if Wright was ready.

Willis dropped into a boxing stance and Wright stood by his camera. Willis smiled, revealing a blacked-out tooth, and the two men fell to the floor laughing. “Tell them to put that on the f@#$in’ cover!” they exclaimed to each other.

And thus, Jim Wright had his cover shot, Bruce Willis showed himself in a new light, and Men’s Journal thought Bruce Willis had popped out his false tooth. Look for more of Jim Wright’s work on the April cover of Men’s Journal with Gerard Butler.

-Helen Shih

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Credits:
Publication: Men’s Journal
Publication date: March 2010
Groomer: Helen Robertson at Celestine Agency
Stylist: Lori Stilson
Prop Stylist: Mungai Nguku
Creative Director: Paul Martinez
Photo Editor: Michelle Wolfe
Photo Assistants: Matt Hoover, James Acomb, Quinn Starr
Equipment: Sync/LA Photo Group
Studio: Pier 59/Studio C in LA

The Young Victoria, a sumptuous period film, is now showing in theatres nationally. Award-winning actress Emily Blunt stars in the title role as the young heir to the British throne with up-and-coming Rupert Friend as her consort, Prince Albert. Initially an indie film, The Young Victoria has gathered much attention from the press, viewers, and industry alike. Emily Blunt has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the “Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama” category. Critics are hailing it as “A delicious historical romance.”

Jim Wright travelled to West Sussex to photograph the cast of The Young Victoria for publicity photos and the one sheet. The shoot took place in the midst of filming at the stately Arundel Castle. Located two hours outside of London, the castle has housed many members of the royal family, including Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert.

Currently, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk reside in Arundel Castle. Special permission and clearances must be obtained to film at the historic site. Young Victoria has the honor of being the first full-length feature film to be shot at the castle. Some of the scenes were filmed in the rooms where actual events transpired.

Wright reminisces about location scouting at the castle, “I stepped behind a curtain and it was like being transported back in time. There was a royal dinner set up for 200 people dressed in royal garb and I felt completely out of place.”

Responsible for Wright’s sense of anachronism was Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell, an oft-collaborator with Martin Scorsese. Along with Scorsese, Graham King, Tim Headington, and Sarah Ferguson produced the film.

Says Wright of the costumes, “The costumes were very true to their time. The coats that the men wore and the dresses that the ladies had on were so heavy that movement was very limited, so when were shooting it became a lot about their facial expressions.”

The final image chosen for the movie poster is an intimate portrait of Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt) laying her head on Prince Albert’s chest (Rupert Friend). “The concept was to show that there was a serious love affair,” says Wright. “[Emily and Rupert] had such a good rapport because they are really good friends, so they were very comfortable posing intimately – but every other frame was them laughing!”

Young Victoria is playing in theaters across the nation now. To see more of Jim Wright’s work in celebrity, music, film, and more, click here.

-Helen Shih

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Links:
Jim Wright’s Portfolio
The Young Victoria official website
PDN Faces 2009: Celebrity and Editorial

Rhino Records tapped Jim Wright to shoot the album artwork for Pete Yorn’s single Relator featuring Scarlett Johannson.