Will Smith calls him ‘Picasso.’ Jerry Bruckheimer, Denzel Washington and Michael Bay vie to have him on their film sets. Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced him to President Bill Clinton by saying “This is Robert Zuckerman, the best photographer I have ever worked with.”
As a photographer in the motion picture industry, Robert Zuckerman’s images have become the advertising and publicity campaigns for such films as “The Crow,” “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Any Given Sunday,” “Training Day,” “Terminator 3,” “Bad Boys 2”, “National Treasure,” “Transformers,” “Pursuit of Happyness” and “The Great Debaters,” among others, as well as television series including “The Shield,” “Rescue Me” and “Nip/Tuck.” He has done recent album cover and movie poster photography for Will Smith and was invited to be the personal photographer for the family of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz.
Whether on or off the set, his connection is to emotional content, to the feeling present in the subject and in the moment. Zuckerman has photographed countless weddings, family portraits, and pregnancy pictures – anything where there is spirit and love in the room, from the inner city to the mansions of Malibu.
His book Kindsight (Kindsight Press, LLC) is a collection of photographs and accompanying texts by Zuckerman illuminating the richness of everyday life encounters and experiences. From taxi and bus drivers to waitresses to plumbers to kids at a playground, even to cats, Kindsight shows the extraordinary within the ordinary. James Crump, renowned fine art publisher and curator, says “Zuckerman’s portraits are infused with an uncanny sense of hope and spirit in the post 9/11 era.” The book includes forewords by, among others, Will Smith, Debra Winger, poet Michael Lally and novelist Elaine Kagan. It is currently on the PEN American Center’s “Best Book Read This Year” list.
Since the publication of Kindsight, Robert has spoken to student and youth groups across the country, initiating workshops in which students use photography and writing together – as in the book – to connect with the richness of life around them. He has spoken at Authors at Google, been featured in a PBS story about him, and was a panelist at the KidsRisk Symposium at the Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, speaking on empowering youth through positive media modalities. He is sought as a mentor by aspiring artists worldwide.
Among other credits, Zuckerman has photographed campaigns for United Way and City of Hope. He co-produced the ground breaking, award winning documentary “Video From Russia: The People Speak” (1984, directed by Dimitri Devyatkin) which ran on ABC TV and then on A&E for three years. He directed and produced the New York City portion of the official “Hands Across America” video in 1986. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley and the American Film Institute.
“For me, photography as much as possible has become an integration of life and craft. Through it I am able to give value to people’s lives and derive value in my own life, beyond making a living.”
“TUF-The Ultimate Fighter” (FX Network) – 2012 Gallery/Campaign Photography
“Pain and Gain” (Paramount/Michael Bay)—Unit and Special Photography
“Flight” (Paramount/Robert Zemeckis) –Unit and Special Photography
“Transformers 3” (Paramount/Michael Bay) – Unit and Special Photography
“American Horror Story” (FX Network/Ryan Murphy) 2011 Gallery Photography
“Rescue Me” (FX Network) – 2010 & 2011 Season Key Art and Gallery Photography
“Justified” (FX Network) – 2010 & 2011 Season Key Art and Gallery Photography
“Unstoppable” (Tony Scott, Julie Yorn/Fox/Denzel Washington) – Unit and Special Photography
“Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (Jerry Bruckheimer/Disney/Nicolas Cage) – Unit and Special Photography
“Rescue Me” (FX Network) – 2009 Season Key Art Campaign Photography
“The Shield” / “Nip/Tuck”(FX) – Gallery/Key Art Photography (2000-2008 partial)
“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (Dreamworks/Paramount) – Unit and Special Photography
“Confessions of a Shopaholic” (Jerry Bruckheimer/Disney) – Unit and Special Photography
“G-Force” (Jerry Bruckheimer/Disney) – Unit and Special Photography
“The Great Debaters” (Harpo/Weinstein) – Unit and Special Photography (partial)
“National Treasure 2” (Disney) – Unit and Special Photography
“Transformers” (Dreamworks/Paramount)-Unit and Special Photography
“Déjà Vu” (Disney, w/Denzel Washington) – Unit and Special Photography
“It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” (FX)-Key Art Photography
“Black/White” (FX) – Key Art Photography
“Pursuit of Happyness” (Will Smith)(Columbia Tristar) – Key Art Photography
“Little Children” (New Line) – Unit and Special Photography
“Kindsight” (Channel Photographics) Robert Zuckerman, author/photographer
“Malcolm X Commemorations” – official photographer for the Shabazz family
“Lost and Found” (Interscope)– Will Smith Album – Key Art Photography.
“National Treasure” (Disney) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Redemption” (FX) – Key Art Photography.
“Eulogy” (Lions Gate) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Bad Boys 2” (Sony) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Terminator 3”(WB) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“The Banger Sisters”(Fox) – Unit and Special Photography.
“Training Day” (WB) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Big Trouble” (Disney) – Unit and Special Photography.
“The Crew” (Disney) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Any Given Sunday” (WB) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “I Still Know…” (Sony) – Key Art Photography
“Very Bad Things” (Polygram) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Permanent Midnight” – Key Art Photography only.
“The Blair Witch Project” – Special Photography.
“Eve’s Bayou” – Key Art Photography.
“Prefontaine” (Disney) – Unit and Special Photography.
“Esape from L.A.” (Paramount) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“Unhook the Stars” – Unit and Special Photography.
“Panther” (Gramercy) – Unit and Special/Key Art Photography.
“The Crow” & “The Crow: City of Angels” Unit and Key Art Photography.
“In The Soup” – Key Art Photography.
“The Doors” – Special Photography.
Published in/Assigments for: Vanity Fair, Time, NY Times, Paris Match, People, US, EW and many others.
Record label credits: Interscope,Capitol, Sony, Verve, Warners, Polygram, Virgin and more.
Campaigns for United Way, City of Hope.
UC Berkeley, BA; American Film Institute, MA.
2006-2012 KINDSIGHT on “Best Book Read This Year” List of PEN American Center
Guest speaker Authors at Google, KidsRisk Symposium at Harvard Medical School
Permanent Kindsight installation at Cedars Sinai Hospital, Aventura Hospital and Jackson Memorial HospitalPermanent Portraits installation at Ultimate Life Living Lounge
On picture: Robert Zuckerman and Philip Stern by Damian De Langeron
On picture: Virgil Gibson, Robert Zuckerman, Damian De Langeron
Article by: Damian De Langeron, Eva De Langeron, Vanessa Terrazas
