fbpx

How We Shot Regina King for Our Cover on Apple’s iPhone 11 Pro

From shooting fashion campaigns, top celebrities, and models, New York–based photographer Leeor Wild has been blessed with a talent of creating intimate images that feel deeply personal. Given her knack for bringing out the best in her subjects, it was no surprise that S/ magazine enlisted Wild to photograph Regina King for this issue. Working primarily with film, here the Canadian photographer reveals how she used iPhone 11 Pro for the cover shot

How did you get your start as a photographer?

“I started out taking photos with a little 35 mm film camera that I bought for myself at a used camera shop in Toronto for $100. I taught myself the basics, and would make my old roommate (hi Linda!) be my model for literally everything—even early-days client work. Very quickly, photography started to take up more and more of my time (before that, I was directing and doing a little bit of this, a little bit of that), and I continued to teach myself to be better and use better professional cameras—although that first cheap one is still one of my favourites—and here we are.”

You travel quite a bit, what’s your favourite destination?

“Mexico holds a really special place in my heart and I visit there often. Mexico City, Oaxaca, and the area around Puerto Escondido are my favourites. I love everything—the food, the culture, the energy, the nature. I feel very drawn to the desert—in both America and the Middle East. I’ve found the greatest connections to the earth and to myself in deserts. Also, I recently rented a house in the Slovenian countryside with some friends and would definitely recommend it! Lake swims are the move.”

Describe your experience shooting Regina King.

“On the day of the shoot, my assistant and I were setting up outside, and before I actually met Regina, I heard her voice coming from the hair and makeup room. Something about the cadence and quality of her voice is so comforting and pleasing to listen to—and it made me feel like I knew her even before meeting her. She was great! Super chill, a real trooper (wearing an actual snowsuit in the L.A. sun), and an absolute pleasure to photograph.”

What iPhone 11 Pro features did you use to capture the cover shot?

“For the cover shot, I used the Wide (1×) camera. The ease of switching between the Wide, Ultra Wide, and Telephoto lenses is a real treat. I love a good wide lens, and the wide lens on the iPhone 11 Pro makes things look great. I was very impressed with the Triple-camera, and how the new Smart HDR renders light and shadow, especially since the photo was taken in pretty harsh lighting circumstances.”

What tips can you share for taking a great photo or video on the iPhone 11 Pro?

“Have your subject take a step away from the background you’re shooting them against (Portrait Mode on iPhone 11 Pro allows you to shoot a photo that keeps the subject sharp while preserving the depth of field in the background). If you can avoid sunshine in your subjects’ eyes, that’s helpful. Try playing around with the Ultra Wide from a lower angle—you can make your subjects look like strong, statuesque goddesses, which is my favourite.”

DISCOVER MORE