Lucky us! Talented photojournalist Robert Caplin (NY Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal and more) has decided to make German Village his family home!
Robert is an editorial and commercial photographer based in German Village and Manhattan, specializing in documentary, travel, celebrities, food, portraiture and events. His clients range from celebrities like Justin Bieber, organizations such as the International Emmys, for which he’s been the house photographer for nearly a decade, WWE, Harper Collins, universities, health systems and corporations among many others.
Robert is an editorial and commercial photographer based in German Village and Manhattan, specializing in documentary, travel, celebrities, food, portraiture and events. His clients range from celebrities like Justin Bieber, organizations such as the International Emmys, for which he’s been the house photographer for nearly a decade, WWE, Harper Collins, universities, health systems and corporations among many others.
A video made several years ago that describes Robert's work.
I asked Robert about his passion for photography.
My interest in photography took off during my teenage years when I would sneak into my high school dark room to experiment with film. While in school, I began taking photos of athletes during baseball and basketball seasons and when parents started asking about my prices, I learned I could make a living through photography. I interned and freelanced at The Athens Messenger during my senior year of High School before attending Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication majoring in photojournalism. During school, I further interned as a photographer at The Columbus Dispatch, The Los Angeles Times, and finally The New York Times in Manhattan, where I freelanced for 15 years for newspapers and magazines worldwide.
My interest in photography took off during my teenage years when I would sneak into my high school dark room to experiment with film. While in school, I began taking photos of athletes during baseball and basketball seasons and when parents started asking about my prices, I learned I could make a living through photography. I interned and freelanced at The Athens Messenger during my senior year of High School before attending Ohio University’s School of Visual Communication majoring in photojournalism. During school, I further interned as a photographer at The Columbus Dispatch, The Los Angeles Times, and finally The New York Times in Manhattan, where I freelanced for 15 years for newspapers and magazines worldwide.
What are some of your more memorable assignments while working for publications based out of NYC?
Having shot thousands of assignments over the years for numerous publications and clients, there’re too many to count, but some of my favorites were the celebrity portraits. I once had Alec Baldwin over to my home for a portrait shoot (he was a neighbor on the Upper West Side of Manhattan). Others include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tina Fey, Macaulay Culkin, Paul Giamatti, Uma Thurman, Rainn Wilson, Justin Bieber, and Christina Aguilera to name a few. I once photographed David Schwimmer in Tribecca and he later called me up and invited me to lunch in the Village to talk photography because he was transitioning into directing. That was a surreal experience and felt like I was in an episode of FRIENDS.
Having shot thousands of assignments over the years for numerous publications and clients, there’re too many to count, but some of my favorites were the celebrity portraits. I once had Alec Baldwin over to my home for a portrait shoot (he was a neighbor on the Upper West Side of Manhattan). Others include Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tina Fey, Macaulay Culkin, Paul Giamatti, Uma Thurman, Rainn Wilson, Justin Bieber, and Christina Aguilera to name a few. I once photographed David Schwimmer in Tribecca and he later called me up and invited me to lunch in the Village to talk photography because he was transitioning into directing. That was a surreal experience and felt like I was in an episode of FRIENDS.
Alec Baldwin Makes a House-Call
I received a call from the LA Times asking me to shoot a portrait of Alec Baldwin a few weeks back for the cover of their “Envelope” special section….a section about the Emmys for which Alec had been nominated. The paper wanted me to shoot somewhere private and asked If I had a studio, which I didn’t have, but I suggested my backyard and the deal was set; Alec Baldwin coming over to my apartment for a photoshoot! Wild! Turned out he canceled the shoot when he arived to my home because he was too sweaty from walking over on a hot humid day. So we had a reshoot a few days later in the Hamptons.
*****READ THE LA TIMES ARTICLE….it talks about his sweaty experience at my apartment at the beginning, middle, and end!!!
I received a call from the LA Times asking me to shoot a portrait of Alec Baldwin a few weeks back for the cover of their “Envelope” special section….a section about the Emmys for which Alec had been nominated. The paper wanted me to shoot somewhere private and asked If I had a studio, which I didn’t have, but I suggested my backyard and the deal was set; Alec Baldwin coming over to my apartment for a photoshoot! Wild! Turned out he canceled the shoot when he arived to my home because he was too sweaty from walking over on a hot humid day. So we had a reshoot a few days later in the Hamptons.
*****READ THE LA TIMES ARTICLE….it talks about his sweaty experience at my apartment at the beginning, middle, and end!!!
From Robert's Facebook page.
"Found this oldie but goodie.
Brad Smith snapped this action pic of me back when I was touring with OG Bieber. That was a crazy year. Side note, best way to concrete yourself with a photo editor is to get their daughter a meet and greet with The Biebs. "
"Found this oldie but goodie.
Brad Smith snapped this action pic of me back when I was touring with OG Bieber. That was a crazy year. Side note, best way to concrete yourself with a photo editor is to get their daughter a meet and greet with The Biebs. "
Tell us about your relationship with Justin Bieber.
A New York Times assignment with a 15-year-old Justin Bieber led to my pitching the pop-star a documentary photo book of his rise. I was told to meet him down in the Bahamas to start, which led to his first book published by Harper Collins and later video footage I shot while on tour for 8 months is now a prominent part of his movie Never Say Never put out by Paramount. I brought my girlfriend (now-wife) along on the tour bus traversing North America and we got engaged on the North Shore of Oahu a few days prior to one of Bieber’s shows in Honolulu.
Do you travel a lot?
Travel became a passion and I had the privilege to travel around the country and world for work and leisure (before kids…). I spent some time in Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia for the New York Times Travel Section, twice to Aspen Colorado for ESPN The Magazine covering the Winter X Games. I hosted a photography workshop in Maui. I’ve also enjoyed traveling the world with my wife, who is from Barcelona.
Travel became a passion and I had the privilege to travel around the country and world for work and leisure (before kids…). I spent some time in Bogota and Cartagena, Colombia for the New York Times Travel Section, twice to Aspen Colorado for ESPN The Magazine covering the Winter X Games. I hosted a photography workshop in Maui. I’ve also enjoyed traveling the world with my wife, who is from Barcelona.
Advertisement
I would often get last-minute calls from the NY Times assignment desk sending me out to shoot anything from portraits, breaking news, features, dining, sports, and music. I’ve spent more time than I can remember covering the Yankees, Knicks, and Rangers and have covered Super Bowls and World Series.
Where can we find more information about what you do?
My website RobertCaplin.com which is in much need of an update, and Instagram @robertcaplin and @germanvillagers.
My website RobertCaplin.com which is in much need of an update, and Instagram @robertcaplin and @germanvillagers.
Where you were born, raised, educated?
I was born in Columbus, raised in Athens, OH (where my mother owned and operated a restaurant/bar on Court Street for 17 years), and received my photojournalism degree from Ohio University's School of Visual Communication in 2005. Fortunately for me, my hometown university is well-known for having one of the best Visual Communications programs in the country. I learned the fundamentals of photography from very talented professors who were seasoned veterans, all while continuing to work for the local newspaper (The Athens Messenger) on a daily basis.
I was born in Columbus, raised in Athens, OH (where my mother owned and operated a restaurant/bar on Court Street for 17 years), and received my photojournalism degree from Ohio University's School of Visual Communication in 2005. Fortunately for me, my hometown university is well-known for having one of the best Visual Communications programs in the country. I learned the fundamentals of photography from very talented professors who were seasoned veterans, all while continuing to work for the local newspaper (The Athens Messenger) on a daily basis.
I still work a lot in New York City as my clients have predominantly shifted to commercial from editorial over the years, but I am interested in getting more engaged with the German Village and Columbus-area community to build local clients, perhaps take family/individual portraits, and other local commissions.
Here are a couple shots of taken in Schiller Park for a FAMILY article in German Village Magazine.
Here are a couple shots of taken in Schiller Park for a FAMILY article in German Village Magazine.
Please tell us why you chose living in German Village?
We’ve recently moved to German Village in January 2020 after 15 years in Manhattan. Having 1 and 3-year-old boys made us want to be closer to my family and have more space for them to grow up. We were looking forward to the warmer weather to get out and socialize, meet new families, etc., but the pandemic made that difficult. We’re slowly but surely meeting some great people in this wonderful neighborhood.
We’re often found in Schiller Park, Max typically on his bike and Bruno in the Radio Flyer Wagon. With two young kiddos during a pandemic, it’s been difficult to do much else!
We’ve recently moved to German Village in January 2020 after 15 years in Manhattan. Having 1 and 3-year-old boys made us want to be closer to my family and have more space for them to grow up. We were looking forward to the warmer weather to get out and socialize, meet new families, etc., but the pandemic made that difficult. We’re slowly but surely meeting some great people in this wonderful neighborhood.
We’re often found in Schiller Park, Max typically on his bike and Bruno in the Radio Flyer Wagon. With two young kiddos during a pandemic, it’s been difficult to do much else!
Robert also told me when we were walking down Beck Street after a photoshoot that parts of German Village remind him of nicer blocks in Manhattan, which is why he chose our quaint neighborhood to move his family. Much of Manhattan's housing was built during the 1850's to 1900, much like the development of what is now called German Village!
CREATIVE Robert Caplin Issue V 2020
