The Many Lives of Robert Ascroft

From Behind the Camera to Front & Center

By Jordan Staggs | Photography by Robert Ascroft & Luz Gallardo

Fresh off a photo shoot with a famous pop musician and American Idol runner-up, Robert Ascroft tuned into a virtual sit-down with VIE from the home in Los Angeles he shares with his wife and fellow creative, Luz Gallardo. Modern furnishings, books, and artwork provided a chic but comfortable backdrop while their dog, Lola, sauntered in and out of frame now and then. For one of the world’s premier celebrity portrait photographers, whose work has graced billboards, magazines, album covers, movie posters, and more, Ascroft seems as down-to-earth as they come. His laid-back demeanor has, in fact, been one of his greatest strengths throughout his career.

“Getting those thoughtful portraits is thanks to creating a safe space for the talent to work with you and create powerful imagery,” Ascroft shares. “Sometimes, just asking them to take a big, deep breath will change everything. I have a calm presence on set and give clear direction, which helps put people at ease.” That philosophy and sense of consideration extend to anyone within his lens, be they a first-time model or an A-list celebrity. The thought of working with famous people has never daunted him, he says. “I often look around the studio and think it is amazing to see these faces we have known for years here in person. I find the bigger the assignment, the more relaxed I am.”

“Brad and I met in Toronto for a few hours on the rooftop of The Four Seasons,” Ascroft says. “I had three setups built, and then it started raining. We scrambled to get the equipment inside, and right before he arrived, it stopped. As my team was setting up again, Brad and I had coffee and chatted about the charity work he was doing in New Orleans. Fully caffeinated, we stepped out onto the rooftop, and I asked him to stand in front of a black tent we had built around the set. I snapped a rare series of natural-light black-and-white images. His expression is multilayered in this one, which is why it remains one of my favorites.”

It’s a good thing, as his sets have hosted some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Tom Hanks, Sigourney Weaver, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Kevin Bacon, Amanda Seyfried, Jeremy Allen White, Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Adams, Jason Momoa, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and many more. We were first introduced when he photographed VIE’s 100th Issue cover story, “Portrait of a Change Maker,” starring his fellow musician and photographer, Julian Lennon. Being in a position to invite such powerhouse names to step in front of his lens doesn’t happen overnight, of course, so we invited Robert to be the one stepping in front of the camera this time—artfully captured by Gallardo herself—as he shared his journey to becoming a celebrity photographer, creative director, musician, and producer, along with some of his all-time favorite portraits of male celebs, for this Gentlemen’s Edition.

You might say photography was in Ascroft’s DNA. His father worked at Kodak headquarters in Rochester, New York, for forty years, and several other family members also worked for the company.

For the cover shoot, Luz also captured a behind-the-scenes shot of Robert doing a portrait session with their son, Lucas. “While studying for dental school, he took some time out to hang with Luz and me at the studio. It was a special day to remember with my two L’s,” Robert shares.

“Film and photography were a part of my life from a young age,” Ascroft says. “I was aware of its magical ability to convey emotion through human interaction and capture a small, fleeting moment, as well as its power to tell a story, sell ideas, and create desire.”

In his teens, he took a summer job learning to manufacture and package paper and film while spending his free time playing music with friends. It was during those days that his two passions—music and photography—collided. “I would take pictures of different musicians who had cool style, and started to build a reputation as a creative music photographer,” he recalls of the early work that he never dreamed would be so foretelling for his future career. “I believe it was this early experimentation that helped me learn about what I like in a photograph. I had no idea what I was doing technically, and often ended up with film that was underexposed or almost unusable. I didn’t have any lighting equipment, but I always tried to find a style that captured the band’s essence. Unlike most of my peers, who were shooting pictures and printing in the darkroom, I didn’t find much pleasure in that. I was much happier being out in the world, shooting pictures, and being inspired by interesting people. To this day, I prefer being out on a shoot over any other part of the business. The connection and collaboration with others is what I do best, and what has helped me gain access to assignments I have now.”

After earning a degree in graphic design and embarking on a design career with a focus on music packaging, Ascroft moved from Rochester to Nashville, where his creative style was further honed in the country’s music capital.

Anthony Bourdain photographed by Robert Ascroft at Hop Kee restaurant in Chinatown, New York City

“My first studio was above my cousin’s pawn shop on Lower Broadway, near Tootsies. I was able to design album covers—CDs at the time—for various artists and musical styles, ranging from gospel to country to rock. During my time as a designer, I often did the photo shoots for artists with limited budgets myself, which gave me the opportunity to build a portfolio. From there, I started landing assignments from record labels in New York, including SONY and Universal.”

Ascroft says his “big break” was photographing Britney Spears for the NFL Kickoff in 2003. The joint venture with Jive Records, NFL, Pepsi, and Rolling Stone yielded an impressive eight-panel centerfold poster in the magazine. Around the same time, he landed a shoot with Charlize Theron for Vanity Fair’s Hollywood Portfolio promoting her Oscar for the film Monster. From there, one might assume things took off, sweeping the photographer into a world of fast-paced, high-end celebrity shoots—in reality, it was a learning process, he says.

“From Nashville, I moved to New York City and started showing my portfolio around. That was an eye-opener, as the style of work I was being paid to do in Nashville did not translate to assignments in the big city. I spent years developing a more fashion edge while trying to carve out a career. Ultimately, my success came from photographing famous personalities. Once you start moving in that direction, it’s what clients expect from you. As the years moved on, more and more of my assignments were shot in Los Angeles, so I had lofts in LA and in New York.”

He continues, “Every year, I spent more and more time out west, but these days in LA, the business has changed. There are fewer movie studio productions happening in California, for many reasons, so I often travel back East, to Canada, or abroad to shoot my major assignments.”

A few recent assignments include photographing cast members of Stranger Things and The White Lotus, the key art campaign for The Housemaid starring Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, and Brandon Sklenar, and a cover shoot starring The Mandalorian and Grogu from Star Wars for Empire magazine.

“I am known for Dramatic Beauty Lighting,” he says, referring to the signature, often moody, lighting style in his work. “The word ‘beauty’ is important here, because I am working with people who still want to look good. It is my job to balance these elements for each subject to create the most flattering images possible. Lighting is like a language; it’s easy to learn the basics, but it takes a lifetime to become fluent.”

“One degree,” was the simple statement Ascroft made when sharing this photo shoot with Kevin Bacon, who the photographer says he was a longtime fan of before they met.

Although he was known earlier in his career for photographing only women, Ascroft says that, within the last five years or so, his subjects have been a pretty equal mix of men and women, but his technique has remained the same. “I think making sure everyone looks good in the pictures still drives my style. There is a balance between artistic and flattering—I ride that line with my work.”

When asked about his all-time favorite photo shoots among so many notable figures, he brings the late Anthony Bourdain to the forefront. “In a polarized world, he was someone everyone knew and loved,” Ascroft shares. “I made a series of well-known images of him in the afternoon at a basement restaurant, Hop Kee in Chinatown, New York City. During this session, we had lunch together, and I pulled out the camera and did a couple of shots of him eating. One image was his Instagram profile pic for the last year of his life. It has become one of my most famous images because it is Bourdain doing what he loved most. If you ever make it to Hop Kee, they still have a picture taken by one of the employees of the owner, Anthony, and me having lunch together. I have a big mouthful of food, and it may be the worst picture of me ever taken! Several times since then, I have had friends who dined there send me a picture of it, and I get a laugh every time.”

Another favorite moment on set was with Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood. “Just as we fans look up to certain celebrities, they have deference to the icons, as well,” he explains. “I was commissioned to photograph Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood together for the film Sully. Tom was scheduled first, so we spent a few hours working together, and he asked me if I was getting nervous about working with Clint. I was not, as Tom was unaware that I had worked with Clint for years and had been requested by him to be there. When Clint walked in, he came right over to say hello to me. I watched Tom’s face, and he gave me a smile—a moment I will never forget with two Hollywood icons.”

Although he admits the phrase “never meet your heroes” can occasionally ring true when working with celebrity clients, Ascroft relies on a calm demeanor and determination to get the best results even on challenging shoots, citing that reading the energy in the room and adjusting expectations are critical to his success. His goal is always to make his subjects feel comfortable and build trust with them, turning the studio into a safe space for creative collaboration. “Engaging the subject in the process gives them a sense of control over the experience. It sets them at ease.”

“At the recent Emmy Awards, I had less than two minutes to make an iconic image of actor Jeremy Allen White . . . We need to be prepared for a group of fifteen or more, then a dramatic single portrait of each person, all within seconds of one another. It is always a huge undertaking to prepare, but I enjoy seeing everyone at their best.”

That sense of trust has not only earned Ascroft repeat clients over the years, but also several friends. “Notably, my muse Allison Janney will be in the upcoming documentary about me and my work that is currently in production,” he shares. “She is one of the greatest actresses working today and a friend. For years, I would regularly see Bruce Willis and his wife, Emma Heming-Willis, before his diagnosis. I was at his sixtieth birthday party alongside Keith Richards and invited backstage to hang out with Bruce while he was on Broadway doing Misery.”

Those longstanding connections also resurface each year around the Emmy Awards, when Ascroft works with the Television Academy to shoot cover stories and a 68-page portfolio for Emmy Magazine, collaborating closely with the creative director and photo editor. “I present them options of what I want to do, and then we spend a month working on renderings and working with set designers preparing for the shoot,” he says. “It requires precision in set design and lighting, with the knowledge of working in a very tight space. Often, I will have seven to ten frames of a subject, so I have always worked out many scenarios that can happen quickly. At the recent Emmy Awards, I had less than two minutes to make an iconic image of actor Jeremy Allen White. The key light is often handheld because, otherwise, I just would not have time to make the photograph. We need to be prepared for a group of fifteen or more, then a dramatic single portrait of each person, all within seconds of one another. It is always a huge undertaking to prepare, but I enjoy seeing everyone at their best. Most of the talent I have worked with in one way or another over the years, so it is nice to reconnect.”

Amid all of this, Ascroft’s creative soul still thrives in the music scene, as well. He recently completed a ten-track record, Echo Still Remains, which was released on all streaming platforms last year. The indie/alt rock compilation is also available on vinyl via Canadian record label Hand Drawn Dracula. “It features vocal performances from some of my favorite indie artists from bands such as The Cramps, Chromatics, and Girls,” he shares. “I play guitar, keys, and bass, and also wrote and produced the music. After three years in the making, the record was released to critical praise.”

Giancarlo Esposito photographed by Robert Ascroft for Empire magazine, 2025

Ascroft’s latest track, which is coming soon, was written and produced for the singer Sade Sanchez of the band LA Witch, and he is also collaborating with TV and film productions to use some of his songs as sync music. He expounds, “My music follows the same aesthetics as my photography, so filmmakers are interested in the work I am doing in both photography and music.”

Filmmakers are also interested in getting Ascroft in front of the camera to document his life and work, which has led to the documentary he mentioned earlier. “I was approached a year ago by a Swiss filmmaker named Vincent Calmel about doing an interview for his YouTube Channel,” he shares. “After a few interviews, he accompanied me to several shoots, and it built from there. We then realized we had enough footage to make a proper documentary. We are still shooting and editing, so I am very interested to see how it turns out. I have learned to be on the other side of the camera, which is something new for me. Something I will be doing more and more as time goes on.”

“We are informed by similar aesthetics and sometimes work together on edits or on how to present work to clients. She has a keen eye,” Ascroft says on working with his wife and fellow photographer, Luz Gallardo. “For this Men’s Issue of VIE, we hung several portraits of iconic male celebrities in the studio to illustrate some of my work. Having photographed more women in my career than men, it was nice to see this collection together in one place.”

Indeed, he admits that he now understands better the nerves that can come along with being the subject of a cover shoot. “Luz is a special kind of photographer,” he says of his wife and fellow artist, harking back to the introductory phone conversation he had with Julian Lennon prior to photographing him for VIE. “Understanding Julian’s perspective, it is nice to know the person behind the lens. In this instance, I was able to be myself and know Luz would take care to make intimate portraits that tell my story while making me feel comfortable. Her work is thoughtful and creative. I am a big fan and happy to have had the opportunity to be photographed by her. We influence each other in a positive way, and she’s a source of inspiration and knowledge when it comes to many aspects of art—particularly music, which has been her main focus as a photographer. She has gained access to artists such as Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star, with whom she has been working exclusively for over twenty years.”

When it comes to making photographs, Ascroft says, “There is no small assignment—only small-minded thinking.” He urges budding photographers to go the extra mile no matter what type of work they do, always treating any shoot with the utmost attention, detail, and professionalism.

“It was a pleasure to work with Julian Lennon for the 100th issue of VIE,” Ascroft shares. “He and I had a Zoom call to talk about it and get to know one another before we met on set in LA. Having just been photographed for the cover, I now understand how much trust you put in the hands of others when you agree to that. Julian and I have similar sensibilities, so it was clear from that initial conversation that we were on the same page. It sparked a friendship. We have since worked together several times, and I was invited to the special listening session of his latest record, Jude, for which I shot the centerfold image.”

“First and foremost: shoot,” he shares. “It sounds simple, but I know a lot of people who want to be photographers who aren’t creating images. Secondly, have a vision. There are so many photographers in the world, you will never be noticed unless you do something above and beyond what others are doing. Don’t just do the assigned work; you will never grow in your art. Thirdly, you must have another source of income. Unless you have a trust fund, you will need a way to support yourself. Only a small percentage of photographers can live solely off their earnings as a photographer. Fourth: Be kind to people. You never know who will end up where, and if you want to survive, you have to build relationships and maintain them. It is also just a good motto for life and will make you a happier person.”

He continues, “Especially as a male photographer, I treat women the way I would want my sisters to be treated—with respect. Many big-name photographers have been exposed as bad actors, and I feel we all need to respect one another. Fifth: Transcend and carry on. You will hit obstacles that seem insurmountable, but I assure you, if you keep at it, there will be successes. Sixth—my newest addition to this list—is not to be afraid of the tools. I know lighting can be hard to figure out, but I will try out new scenarios on almost every shoot. There is no exact science to making a great photograph, and therefore, there is no exact science to lighting one either. Also, experiment with post-production and AI and find ways to integrate what works for your style.”

Ultimately, he says, “Play, remember this is not rocket science or curing cancer, and have fun with it!”

— V —

Visit RobertAscroft.com and follow him on Instagram @robertascroft to learn and see more. You can also stream his album Echo Still Remains on all major listening platforms.