Matthew Rolston

Matthew Rolston is an American photographer, director, and creative director who has been working in the entertainment industry for over four decades. He is best known for his iconic celebrity portraits, which have appeared in magazines such as Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and Vogue.

Rolston was born in Los Angeles in 1954 and grew up surrounded by the entertainment industry. His father was a film producer and his mother was a costume designer. From an early age, he was exposed to the world of photography and art. After graduating from high school, he attended the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena where he studied photography and filmmaking.

In 1979, Rolston began his career as a professional photographer when he was hired by Rolling Stone magazine to shoot album covers for rock bands such as The Cars and The Go-Go's. His work quickly gained recognition and he soon became one of the most sought-after photographers in Hollywood. He has since photographed some of the biggest names in music, film, television, fashion, and art including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and many more.

In addition to his photography work for magazines and advertising campaigns, Rolston has also directed music videos for artists such as Janet Jackson ("Love Will Never Do Without You"), Mariah Carey ("Fantasy"), Christina Aguilera ("What a Girl Wants"), Britney Spears ("I'm Not a Girl Not Yet a Woman"), Jennifer Lopez ("Waiting For Tonight") and many more. He has also directed television commercials for brands such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

Rolston's work has been exhibited at galleries around the world including The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City; The National Portrait Gallery in London; The Getty Museum in Los Angeles; The International Center of Photography (ICP) in New York City; The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles; The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA); The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography; among others.

In addition to his photography work, Rolston is also an accomplished author with several books to his name including "Hollywood Royale: Photographs by Matthew Rolston" (2009), "The Big Picture: Photographs by Matthew Rolston" (2011), "The Last Sitting: Photographs by Matthew Rolston" (2013), "The Lost Portraits: Photographs by Matthew Rolston" (2015), "The Unseen Sixties: Photographs by Matthew Rolston" (2017).

Throughout his career spanning four decades, Matthew Rolston has become one of the most influential photographers working today with an impressive body of work that continues to inspire generations of photographers around the world.