We know their iconic images by heart, but rarely do we recognize the faces behind the camera. American photographer Tim Mantoani has created a remarkable tribute to the creators of history's most famous photographs through his unique series called "Behind Photographs." This extraordinary project captures the photographers themselves holding their most celebrated works – the images that secured their place in collective memory.
The project began in 2006 when Mantoani rented a large-format Polaroid 20x24 camera, a rare piece of equipment weighing over 220 pounds. His vision was to create intimate portraits that reveal both the iconic photograph and its creator in a single frame. To add a personal dimension to each portrait, Mantoani invited every artist to annotate their print with handwritten notes, sharing their feelings about the captured moment.
Over the course of five years, Mantoani traveled across the United States and photographed more than 150 photographers. The result is a fascinating archive that finally puts faces to the names behind some of the world's most recognizable images. This comprehensive collection serves as both a historical document and a tribute to the individuals whose work has shaped our visual culture.
The series features legendary figures whose photographs have become part of our visual heritage. Neil Leifer appears holding his mythical shot of Muhammad Ali knocking out Sonny Liston in 1965. Steve McCurry is captured with his haunting portrait of the green-eyed Afghan girl that graced the cover of National Geographic. Jeff Widener poses with his famous Tank Man photograph from Tiananmen Square, while Lyle Owerko holds his direct witness account of the September 11 attacks – the image of the second plane striking the south tower of the World Trade Center.
These portraits reveal that behind every image that has traveled around the world lies a unique perspective, sensitivity, and human story. The power of Mantoani's project lies in this visual encounter – the confrontation between a photograph that has marked history and the person who created it. This face-to-face meeting gives the images an additional dimension, transforming them into both documents and testimonies, collective and intimate memories.
The extensive list of featured photographers includes many other notable names: Nick Ut with his Pulitzer Prize-winning napalm attack photo from Vietnam, Carl Fischer with Muhammad Ali, Douglas Kirkland with Marilyn Monroe, Harry Benson with The Beatles, Thomas Mangelsen with his brown bear photograph, May Pang with John Lennon, Vincent Laforet with "Me and My Human," Bob Gruen with John Lennon, Elliott Erwitt with his two dogs and their owner, Lori Grinker with Mike Tyson, Herman Leonard with jazz musicians, David Doubilet with "The Circle of Barracudas," Mark Seliger with Kurt Cobain, and Mary Ellen Mark with a circus ringmaster and elephant.
Mantoani has compiled these portraits, along with the handwritten notes, into a comprehensive book that serves as a vibrant tribute to an entire generation of photographers. The project serves as a precious reminder that images don't emerge in isolation – they are the result of an encounter between a fleeting moment and an eye that knows how to capture it. Through "Behind Photographs," viewers gain unprecedented insight into the creative minds that have documented our world's most significant moments, giving faces and stories to the images that have defined our collective visual memory.
