Cindy Sherman, NYC Photograph - Limited Edition of 1

I first photographed Cindy Sherman in Akron, Ohio, where she had a show in 1984. In studying her work beforehand, I realized that Cindy was very shy, so I brought a little mask with me that she could hide behind. I made a picture of her in front of a tall color photograph that showed only her eyes through a white wig. Through that gesture, we got on the same frequency––we connected. About three years later when I was assigned to photograph her for Vanity Fair, she was very open. We had almost three days of shooting. This picture shows her with eyes closed and no make-up. She’s always putting on all these layers to hide behind. This is the tabula rasa image of Cindy. As a photographer you are asked to interpret an artist you have only met through his (or her) work. Whether it’s getting a Nobel-prize winning author to kid around with you, or a photographer known for her own unique images to relinquish control, you have to get your subjects to trust you. They must feel comfortable enough to be totally vulnerable...so you can explore parts of them that the public never sees. Ultimately, taking a picture is an intimate collaboration.