photographer george pimentel the man behind the camer a an inside scoop on george s glamorous life snapping the stars It s always been about the journey of getting close to the legends. I love the adventure George Pimentel (above) is Canada s top celebrity photographer. For the past 15 years, he s been a permanent fixture on red carpets around the world, enjoying unprecedented access to the globe s hottest stars. Famous for his courtesy, his speed (his nickname is One Shot ) and his iconic, Old Hollywood-inspired black-and-white portraits, George is a firm favourite with the A-list. Steve Granitz For George Pimentel, Hollywood is pure magic and the celebrated photographer has spent the past 15 years trying to capture that magic and share it with the world. When I started doing this work, I was just a fan, the 42-year-old tells Hello! Canada. There was no money involved and my photos didn t even get published. It was just about the joy of getting that perfect picture for my collection. The Toronto native grew up helping out at his father s portrait studio in the city s Little Portugal neighbourhood (which he still works out of to this day). From the age of nine, he was captivated by images and had the feeling that his life would play out in pictures. Following his instincts, George completed a bachelor s degree in photo arts at Ryerson University. After graduation, he continued to work at the family business, but found that he was profoundly restless. Something told me there was more out there, he recalls. My father s studio was a wonderful base for me. It was a great place to learn, but I wanted to see the world. I was fascinated by photography, he continues. I wanted to do it on a serious level. I wanted to make pictures that really meant something. I had this desire, this drive something in me that I can t explain. When George got wind that Robert De Niro was in town for the Toronto International Film Festival in 1993, he seized his chance. He snuck onto the red carpet and caught a glimpse of his idol on the way into the event. The moment I saw him was such a rush, George remembers. It s the same feeling I get now in Cannes photographing Brad and Angelina. Robert s publicist directed the media to the back entrance for a photo call, but George, who didn t have a press pass, stayed put. But the star came out the front instead, and George was the only one there to get the shot. It was my destiny, he remarks. When I took the photo, it was exactly how I envisioned it. And that was the beginning of it all. George started to snap all the stars that came through town. His strategy was simple: get close, be nice and shoot a single frame. If I felt any tension, I d walk away from it, he explains. I never wanted to force the situation. I took No for an answer. His courtesy opened a lot of doors and his collection of photos grew. Not surprisingly, publications like Entertainment Weekly and Flare soon came calling, and George s speed earned him the nickname One Shot in press circles. In 1995, George married his longtime love, Fernanda, and the couple welcomed a daughter, Jacqueline, now 10, and a son, Sebastian, now 7. Celebrity photography wasn t just a personal project anymore, George says. It was a living, a way of supporting my family. In the years since, he has followed his heroes around the globe. It s always been about the journey of getting close to these legends the anticipation of that one perfect shot, he shares. I love the adventure. George s signature style is the ultra-glamorous, Old Hollywood-inspired, black-and-white portrait. I want the pictures to be classic, he stresses. I love being in France having the architecture around the stars and shooting them in gowns and tuxedos. Photographing them at dusk, there s that light. You put it all together and you get this romantic quality. I love old photography, he muses. I am trying to make stars look like the Marilyn Monroes of our time. REPORT: TARA HENLEY HELLO! 69
famed photographer George pimentel s snapshots in hollywood history the celebrated toronto shutterbug looks back on his most memorable moments photographing the stars Celebrities are not invincible, reflects Canadian photographer George Pimentel, who has travelled the world for the past 15 years with camera in hand, snapping Hollywood s hottest stars. They lose loved ones, they have their hearts broken, they battle demons they experience the same real human problems that everyone else in the world deals with. It s part of life. What I love about this collection of photographs is that it captures moments in time when the stars were at their happiest, George continues. From Heath Ledger to Whitney Houston, they were all in a good place. They were either on top of their career, deeply in love or at their most content in a family relationship. These pictures serve as a document of that special moment in time. As circumstances have changed, the pictures take on a kind of timeless quality. It s moving for me to look back on. Here, in the first segment of our three-part Hello! Hollywood special package, the 42- year-old shutterbug opens up his extensive archives exclusively to Hello! Canada, sharing his most arresting snapshots and his most fascinating memories from his wild ride as a photographer to the stars. heath ledger and michelle williams When Heath Ledger passed away, I was crushed because I was such a fan of his work. It s so sad that he never lived long enough to receive his Oscar. I photographed him more than 250 times the last was right before his death and it blows my mind that he s gone. There are no words to describe the feeling. When I look at this photograph (taken Feb. 24, 2007, at the Independent Spirit Awards in Los Angeles), it s a great memory. It was a point in time where both Heath and Michelle were extremely happy and at ease in their lives. Now that he has passed away, this photo becomes that much more classic. 70 HELLOMAGAZINE.CA HELLO! 71
jon voight and angelina jolie Angelina doesn t speak to her father anymore, but this photo from the Vanity Fair Oscar Party March 26, 2000, offers a glimpse of how their relationship used to be. After celebrating her win [Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted], they were outside waiting for their car, laughing and talking. Angelina s expression says so much about her feelings for her dad. It s special to see them on good terms. bruce paltrow and DAUGHTER gwyneth At the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 9, 2000, I had followed Gwyneth to the back of the Elgin Theatre and asked for a shot. She graciously stopped and her father was hovering over her, almost like an angel. It s a very intimate photo. I later gave it to her and I believe she has it on her wall. She and her father were very tight. 72 HELLOMAGAZINE.CA HELLO! 73
julia roberts and benjamin bratt I remember the night that Julia Roberts won the Oscar (March 25, 2001). Her then-boyfriend, Benjamin Bratt, was so proud of her. He was all over her at the Vanity Fair party. It was the end of the night when I took this photo and they were on their way out, totally relaxed. I was lucky to capture the moment. ryan gosling and rachel mc adams I was at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2007, when Ryan and Rachel were on the carpet and were mobbed by press. Their handlers were whisking them away. I yelled, Hey, guys, give a shot to the guy from Toronto! They turned around, told the publicists to wait and posed for me. I met Rachel at a party last year and told her about the photo. I didn t know they d broken up. She said, Oh, I saw it. It was lovely! And she then asked me for a copy. For more fabulous photos by George Pimentel, open centrefold. 74 HELLOMAGAZINE.CA HELLO! 75
Whitney Houston and bobby brown Whitney and Bobby were walking out of the Vanity Fair Oscar Party March 25, 2001. This photo shows the calm before the storm. Whitney was at her best here. She loved to have a good time and later that turned on her. But I hold out hope that she ll bounce back and take her place as the greatest singer alive. sean penn I was at a press conference at the Toronto film festival on Sept. 14, 2006, when, out of the blue, Sean Penn decided to have a cigarette. One thing about Sean is that you can t tell him what to do. If he wants to smoke, he ll smoke. When he lit up, everyone s mouths dropped. 76 HELLOMAGAZINE.CA HELLO! 77