![\"LIFE](\"https:\/\/booyorkcity.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/ESQ100113COVERGATE_LO.jpeg\")
<\/a>LIFE OF MAN…the full Esquire Magazine 80th anniversary spread, shot by Mark Mann<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cThe White House wouldn\u2019t commit to a yes or no, so we took a picture of our second choice for a 52 year old, Woody Harrleson, and were delighted with the shot, and Obama went to the back of our minds.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then three weeks before Esquire\u2019s deadline, the White House said that the President wanted to do the photo, and the magazine\u2019s editors decided to dedicate part of the issue to him alone and keep Woody Harrelson at No.52.<\/p>\n
Mark says: \u201cWe very quickly had a date set and the next day the caller ID flashes up on my phone saying\u00a0 \u2018White House\u2019, which was totally surreal.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn assistant asked me what I would do and how long I would need. I knew from experience that I needed about 15 mins, but she gave me 12 and I ended up with four.”<\/p>\n
It was then that Satan came into the conversation.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>SMILES…actor Woody Harrelson was eventually chosen as the 52-year-old for the project<\/p><\/div>\n
Mark explains: \u201cOne thing I was using with this project was a ring light, which gives an even light, and I wanted to photograph every person in the same light so you could see the progression of age and experience from one man to the next.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the ring light leaves two rings in the eyes and President Obama\u2019s people said we couldn\u2019t use it because they were concerned his detractors may say he was the Devil.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery sadly this is the most controversial president that America has ever had and he\u2019s received more death threats than any other president. I think his press officers are incredibly aware of how things can be used in the wrong context. And I think when you\u2019re dealing with crazies the whole time, which they are, you become a little crazy yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark agreed not to use the ring light and got a date for the shoot in the White House.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI had about four days to get nervous. But because I\u2019ve been doing this a long time, I don\u2019t allow myself to fall apart completely – for it to be real – until after it\u2019s finished.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a>STAR…Bill Murray was one of the actors Mark shot as part of the Esquire shoot<\/p><\/div>\n
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Mark and his assistant Esteban, Esquire\u2019s creative director David Curcurito, and senior editor Mark Warren all travelled to Washington for the shoot and were hyped up with excitement and nerves on the big day.<\/p>\n
He says: \u201cWe\u2019re all dressed up in our sharp suits. I have my wee bow tie on. They didn\u2019t tell us to dress up, but it\u2019s the President of the United States, the leader of the free world; I don\u2019t want him thinking \u2018why are you dressed as an idiot?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were told we had to be at a certain gate at 8.30am to photograph him at 11, to allow plenty of time to get through security.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re all ready to go and jagged with adrenaline. Then I get an email saying \u2018the President is running late, please arrive at 11.30am\u2019. We\u2019re sitting there in our great outfits and now have three hours to kill.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a>LEGEND…musician Willie Nelson was shot using a ring light – clearly visible in both eyes<\/p><\/div>\n
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When the hour finally arrived, Mark found he had a problem: it was 100 degrees and they couldn\u2019t drive the car with all their equipment right up to the White House.<\/p>\n
Mark says: \u201cOn a job like that I would normally have two assistants, but I was only allowed to take one, and I have a lot<\/i> of gear. Even though we have a trolley, it\u2019s still really heavy.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we\u2019re pushing the cart up to the White House and \u2013 because of all the adrenaline – we\u2019re trying to rush, even though we\u2019re really early.<\/p>\n
\u201cI suddenly realise I do no want to be a sweaty wreck when I meet the President, so I say to Esteban \u2018We\u2019re walking slowly\u2026just walk slowly \u2013 there\u2019s no need to sweat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe finally lug all the stuff to the gate and we weren\u2019t really sure what to say \u2013 it\u2019s the President\u2019s<\/i> house. So David stepped forward and said \u2018we\u2019re from Esquire Magazine\u2019 and they said \u2018and you\u2019re here to see?\u2019\u2026 \u2018um, the President\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n IN ACTION… Mark shoots the President against white backdrop<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n With around 10 cases, Mark was told to open them up, where they went through various checks, involving a metal detector, sniffer dogs and secret service officers.<\/p>\n Mark says: \u201cAnd I cannot tell you how nice that whole team was at the gatehouse. It\u2019s like going through airport security \u2026 if everyone really respected you at airport security. They have such integrity and respect and professionalism.\u201d<\/p>\n Then suddenly, they were inside the gates, looking at the tourists outside the gates, as they wheeled their gear into the White House.<\/p>\n Mark says: \u201cAs we\u2019re led down a corridor there are secret service men further along, mumbling into their radios. They say to our guide \u2018pull them off to the left, the First Lady\u2019s coming through\u2019. We make a sudden detour through a kitchen, so the First Lady can pass without seeing us, then end up in the circular Diplomatic Room in the middle of the house.<\/p>\n \u201cDavid Curcurito takes his jacket off, puts it on the couch and a secret service guy says, \u2018Sir, do not touch<\/i> the couch. Do not sit<\/i> on the couch. Do not look<\/i> at the couch. Lincoln probably sat on that couch\u2019. It\u2019s then that we realised that the White House is essentially a museum.\u201d<\/p>\n As Mark and Esteban set up their equipment under the hawk-eyed gaze of two secret service men and a handful of other White House staff, the countdown slowly began.<\/p>\n LEGACY…President Obama with the famous portrait of Washington in the background<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n He says: \u201cWe hear the information being relayed among the staff, who whisper \u2018the President will be in the room in 30 minutes’, \u2018the President will be in the room in 20 minutes’, \u2018the President will be in the room in 15 minutes\u2019. And all of a sudden the room starts to get very busy with all these people, until we hear, \u2018the President is walking doing the corridor\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re expecting to hear a grand announcement of \u2018Ladies and gentlemen! The President of the United States!\u2019 but it doesn\u2019t happen. And Obama just walks into the room.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of a sudden I\u2019m just three feet away from the President. He\u2019s about 6ft 2 and he has a huge, huge presence \u2013 this amazing charisma.\u00a0 When he looks at you and talks to you, you just feel like you\u2019re the most important person in the world, even though he\u2019s the busiest<\/em> person in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cI step forward, shake his hand and say, \u2018Mr President, I\u2019m Mark Mann from Esquire Magazine and he goes, \u2018Great \u2013 how you doing?\u2019. \u00a0David and Mark Warren introduced themselves, and I said \u2018Mr President, this is my asssistant Esteban\u2019.<\/p>\n “Obama holds out his hand and says \u2018How you doing?\u2019 and Esteban – who is an unshakable rock; you cannot fluster him \u2013 just cannot vocalise. He\u2019s standing there with his mouth open and chokes. The President let it go on for a couple of seconds then clapped him on the shoulder and said \u2018That\u2019s great. What are we doing here?\u2019 which I thought was pretty nice of him.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n PICTURE PERFECT…Mark Mann’s finished shot of President Obama for Esquire Magazine<\/p><\/div>\n Mark\u2019s shoots are notable for the way he gets to know his subjects by finding some common ground and, usually, making them laugh before he even starts taking pictures. But with such a limited timescale, how could he even begin to get to find out about Obama the man?<\/p>\n He says: \u201cI started directing him and taking photos with all these White House people looking on. And I thought, this is weird, I haven\u2019t even asked him how he is.<\/p>\n \u201cSo I put my camera down and say \u2018How are you doing today, sir?\u2019 and he says, \u2018Fine, thanks. How are you?\u2019. I say \u2018I\u2019m fine thanks, are you having a busy day?\u2019 and that gets a huge laugh from the whole room.<\/p>\n \u201cHe smiles, and you suddenly realise this is a human being. I know I\u2019ve only got a minute, but I just want to have a little \u2018I\u2019m thinking about you\u2019 moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Mark had only taken 30 frames when he was told to wind up the shoot after just four minutes.\u00a0 But it was the President who had the last word.<\/p>\n \u201cI take a couple more shots, then Obama asks \u2018Can I get my picture taken with you guys?\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cThen, as quickly as he arrived, he leaves the room and all the hangers on sweep out after him. I\u2019m just left kneeling on the floor, packing up.\u201d<\/p>\n LENS MAN…Mark Mann sitting on the vintage bar stool he used for the presidential shoot \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Pic by Boo Paterson<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Despite the inevitable anti-climax, Mark is delighted with how the presidental shots turned out and is philosphical about his day at the White House.<\/p>\n He says: \u201cI\u2019ve shot a lot of amazing people in my career but there are a couple I haven\u2019t done and really want to photograph – one is David Bowie \u2013 but the President was never on that list.<\/p>\n \u201cI would have guessed that getting to photograph Bowie would be much easier to accomplish than Obama. Sometimes its weird that when you push and push for one goal, you end up achieving one that\u2019s much much higher without even trying.\u201d<\/p>\n You can see all Mark Mann’s photographs for the Esquire project at esquire.com<\/a>, or at MarkMannPhoto.com<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For further exclusive extracts of this interview, please stay tuned to our social media pages by following us via the links on the home page.<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mark Mann takes photos of celebrities: lots of celebrities. From Stevie Wonder to Rhianna, from Jennifer Hudson to Iggy Pop, he\u2019s done them all. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2676,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[69,57,58,63,172,59,60,61,166,54,173,49,168,53,52,55,50,62,171,167,56,165,51,170,169],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>