From professional celebrity photoshoots to capturing the beauty of stars during film festivals and award shows, few photographers end up being as ubiquitous as Greg Williams. Dominating the industry for over two decades, Williams has built an unparalleled reputation for capturing the world’s biggest movie stars, artists, and musicians.
Breaking down the stories behind a few of his most iconic photoshoots, Greg Williams opened up about the image he clicked of the Cuban-Spanish beauty, Ana de Armas. Addressing the phenomenal hot dog-eating image of the actress, Williams created ripples with his rule-defying behind-the-scenes story.
Greg Williams’ Image of Ana de Armas in Los Angeles Rain
Among tens and thousands of images that renowned celebrity photographer Greg Williams has captured through his Hollywood tenure, one particular piece that significantly stood out was of the mesmerizing actress Ana de Armas. Famously known for her portrayal of Paloma in Daniel Craig’s No Time to Die, de Armas’ graceful image made headlines after Williams used it in the third issue of his portfolio magazine, GWP News.
While Greg Williams is often known for his signature style of capturing celebrities in monochrome, this particular image of Ana de Armas in a colorful background on a rainy day in Los Angeles, stood out for defying norms. In the image, the actress is seen wearing a black dress holding a Coca-Cola bottle and a half-eaten hotdog in her hand, with her mouth stuffed with the rest of the hot dog.
It was a rainy day in Los Angeles and Ana de Armas and I went to Pink’s, which is a very famous hot dog stand… I like this one in color. I think when I first took it, I imagined it as a black-and-white, and when I went back to it, I saw the lovely color in it. Williams wrote.
This image of the Blonde actress undoubtedly became one of the most authentic portraits captured by Greg Williams. While, much like most of his images, even this one was initially imagined as a black-and-white by Williams, he later claimed to love the color in it, considering the beautiful mix of red and white Coca-Cola bottle with the red and white pillars in the background, and the red pot and chair in the shop.
The Rule-Defying Story Behind Ana de Armas’ Photoshoot
Using the image of Ana de Armas for his portfolio magazine GWP News, Greg Williams revealed how everything worked fantastically in the image, as well as between him and the actress. Speaking about the beauty and authenticity of the image, Williams noted what he loved best about the photo. Taking to his portfolio site, Williams shared,
What I love most about this picture is how she’s so utterly unselfconscious in it. Her cheeks are sort of puffed with the hot dog she’s eating and there’s a confidence and a smirk and a tilt to her head that are so effortless. That, to me, is far more engaging than a picture of a girl posing.
Following his comments on the image through his website, Greg Williams sat for an interview shared by Skillsfaster on Instagram, where he revealed the behind-the-scenes story about the image. Sharing how he defied the rules of professional photography, Williams mentioned taking great creative risks, which ended up working wonders for him.
There’s a photo I did of Ana de Armas in Los Angeles eating a hot dog, holding a bottle of coke and her mouth is full of food. And it’s a massive no-no. Normally when you photograph actors, as soon as people are eating, put the camera down. And in this situation, we got a photo that’s so authentic and it’s also so cute. I mean she looks so cute in the picture.
There’s nothing off-putting about it, it just looks like a friend looking at a friend while chewing a hot dog. And that for me, when I filmed one of my photos has really succeeded is when you sense that trust and authenticity of the moment in the picture.
Undoubtedly, Greg Williams’ daring decision to bend professional rules of putting down the camera when a celebrity is eating, allowed for the creation of the now-iconic image of Ana de Armas. The photograph showcased the actress in a moment of undeniable allure, capturing the true essence of her persona. Later on, Williams’ ability to capture candid moments of the Hollywood elite, resonated with audiences worldwide.
