Every issue, GRAZIA USA highlights Game Changers who inspire, educate, and celebrate individuality, beauty and style. Meet Timothy White, the world-famous photographer who is inspired by his love of West Hollywood.
Acclaimed photographer Timothy White, who’s well-known for shooting A-list stars like Brad Pitt riding a motorcycle in the desert and Arnold Schwarzenegger smoking a cigar, began his career in New York City after getting his big break with Rolling Stone. Next, he headed west to Los Angeles and moved into the legendary celebrity haunt The Sunset Marquis Hotel.
Over time, White became enamored with West Hollywood due to its central location to major movie studios, beach, mountain and downtown nightlife. “It got to be a part of me over time. It became a place I called home,” White, who is one of the newest “Creators” in Visit West Hollywood‘s “Creators Series,” tells GRAZIA USA. “West Hollywood is a microcosm of a lot of different things. It’s a small community within a really big community, and it’s all about entertainment, creativity and diversity.”
Growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, White didn’t initially dream of photography. “I was looking for an alternative that worked for me, and photography clicked,” he shares. “I became attracted to it. It just came together.”
Over his decades-long career, he’s traveled the globe photographing big names across the industry, including Audrey Hepburn, Paul McCartney, Whitney Houston and Guns N’ Roses to name a few. “When I was hired by Rolling Stone to work with Guns N’ Roses, I had my eye on a location, a liquor store down on Santa Monica Boulevard that had this neon light. It was my way of seeing things at the corner — just a couple of guys standing there, and with the right lightning and lens, I could make a beautiful picture come to life,” he says. “The picture was always in the back of my mind. Within six months, I became the [Rolling Stone] cover contract shooter and Guns N’ Roses exploded and became this huge rock ‘n’ roll band.”
White is the co-owner and curator of the L.A. outpost of the N.Y.C.-based gallery Morrison Hotel Gallery at the Sunset Marquis. He also uses the hotel as a venue for producing events “from live concerts to thematic events that are related to what we’re doing in the gallery,” he explains.
For instance, if there is a show about David Bowie, or a genre like hip-hop or rock ‘n’ roll, the property becomes a destination for tourists and natives alike. “It’s not just the hotel that has its own history and pedigree; we’ve helped to create that. I’ll never forget some of the things we’ve done there, from [shooting] Miley Cyrus to Gary Clark Jr.,” he says, adding, “I’m lucky to have helped create something and to be recognized by the West Hollywood community. I’ve become a part of it.”
As one of the world’s most sought-after photographers, White enjoys working with people he respects — but he remains humble about how far he’s come. “I have a strong work ethic, and I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am today,” he says. “I’m a New Jersey kid. I look back and think, ‘How did I get here?'”
The talent’s love for Hollywood, music and the gallery have all come together to create an incredible career for White, and he’s not slowing down anytime soon. “My experience and wisdom gave me a lot of opportunities,” he says. “I love feeling confident I can create something new and exciting. That keeps me going.”
Read GRAZIA USA’s Summer issue featuring cover star Priyanka Chopra Jonas:
