Stephen Wayda

Stephen Wayda is an internationally published photographer best known for his demonstrative images of celebrities and women. In the creation of entertaining and compelling images he is widely regarded as a master in the use of composition and light, both natural and artificial. After 40 years, as an editorial and commercial photographer and photojournalist, he is expanding into the world of Fine Art and teaching as a means to realize his additional Creative depth. He now lives in Bali, Indonesia.

Wayda’s photographs of A-list celebrities, Pop Culture icons, supermodels, musicians and the “girl next door” are a depiction of personality, sensuality, sexuality, and most of all, attitude. He is know for the use of light to create a mood of realism that captures the intimacy and openness of his subjects, bringing out those fleeing moments of their humanity and their sense of self.

His subjects have included: Actors Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington, Demi Moore, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DiVito, Sharon Stone, Tom Selleck, James Woods, Jerry Seinfeld, Bo Derek, Dan Aykroyd, Pop Culture Icons Kim Kardashian, Pamela Anderson, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Nick Symmonds; Musicians Kid Rock, The Game, Cory Feldman, Roselyn Sanch...

Before starting down a serendipitous path of becoming a photographer, Wayda started his career as a print journalist for the Salt Lake Tribune. There he interviewed death row inmates, investigated gambling rings, challenged the local power structure, covered murders and mayhem, local and state governments and the lives of everyday people who became news through triumph, failure and tragedy. During his time as a reporter, Wayda was honored by Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake City Police Dept. for saving the life of police officer Brent Elcock.

At the Tribune Wayda added photojournalism to his reporting duties, where in the late ‘70s he developed an innovative method of photographic printing in Letterpress newspapers. This innovation led him and his mentor Brent Herridge into “fashion” photography for a Salt Lake City department store, resulting in this small town retailer becoming the largest user of advertising photographs in Letterpress newspapers in the country.

His path took another turn when he became an assistant to Playboy photographer Dwight Hooker, who was retiring to start a career as an architect in Sundance, Utah. From there he became a protégé of Playboy Vice President and Editor Marilyn Grabowski. Wayda attributes h...

His photographs have been sold and exhibited at Christie’s, Art Basel, the Aspen Art Festival, Mutual Art, Boetto Auction House, Gallery M, Kavachnina Contemporary.