Mary Ellen Matthews, the chief photographer for Saturday Night Live since 1999, discusses her career and how she creates the distinctive look for the show's images. She shares insights into capturing great shots, talks about her upbringing in Madison, New Jersey with her photographer father, and reflects on her athletic journey. The chapter also explores her experiences in the music industry, photographing Paul McCartney, shooting photographs for weddings and rock and roll tours, and creating memorable moments through photography.
Read more
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Mary Ellen Matthews has been the chief photographer for Saturday Night Live since 1999, creating the distinctive look of the show's images.
Mary Ellen collaborates with design firm Pentagram for the intros and logos of each season, brainstorming ideas and visually representing the show and its cast.
Mary Ellen's approach to photography is to capture the essence of each subject, projecting joy and creating memorable, spirited, and joyful images.
Deep dives
Photographer Mary Ellen Matthews discusses her career and photographing celebrities on Saturday Night Live
Mary Ellen Matthews, the chief photographer for Saturday Night Live, shares her journey and insights into capturing memorable photographs of celebrities on the show. She talks about working with various hosts and musical guests, creating unique concepts for each shoot, and the joy of capturing the spirit and joy of the moment. Mary Ellen also mentions her love for fine art photography and her plans for future projects, including a potential monograph of her work.
The collaborative process with designers for the intros and logos
Mary Ellen discusses her collaboration with Emily Oberman and the design firm Pentagram for creating the intros and logos for each season of Saturday Night Live. She talks about brainstorming ideas, concept development, and how they work together to visually represent the show and its cast. Mary Ellen also expresses excitement for the 50th anniversary of SNL and the plans to celebrate the milestone with various creative projects.
The artistic vision and style
Mary Ellen's photographs are known for their unique style and ability to capture the essence of each subject. She shares her approach to photography, emphasizing the importance of projecting joy and capturing the best version of each person. Mary Ellen describes her aim to create memorable, spirited, and joyful images that reflect the excitement and privilege of being part of the Saturday Night Live experience.
The impact of digital technology and social media
Mary Ellen discusses the influence of digital technology and social media on her work. She mentions the need for content creation and adapting to the fast-paced nature of the entertainment industry. Mary Ellen also shares her love for video work, where she collaborates with others to create engaging vignettes for social media platforms, allowing for creative exploration and experimentation.
Future plans and aspirations
Mary Ellen shares her future aspirations, including her interest in transitioning towards fine art photography. She highlights the importance of celebrating and reflecting on the work done on Saturday Night Live during its upcoming 50th anniversary. Furthermore, she mentions the possibility of creating a monograph to showcase her photography and capture the essence of her career.
From pop stars to sports legends to rock gods, Mary Ellen Matthews has been crafting iconic images as an entertainment portrait photographer for over two decades. She joins to talk about her career as the chief photographer for Saturday Night Live and how she’s created the distinctive look for the show’s images since 1999.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode