When Steve Jobs, who hated getting photographed, called a photo ‘best picture ever taken of me’
In a proof of power of a single image and the story behind the iconic portrait of Apple co-founder Setev Jobs highlights that how a competent photographer won over the famously camera-shy Jobs. In the year 2006, a Scottish photographer Albert Watson was given the task of capturing a portrait of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs for a magazine. Jobs was known for his camera-shy personality and he also disliked photo sessions. However, the portrait captured by Watson later became iconic and Jobs himself described it as ‘maybe the best picture ever taken of me.’ As reported by Bezinga, commissioned for a magazine feature, was scheduled for 9 a.m. sharp. Jobs arrived at 8:59 a.m., punctual and businesslike. Watson was warned in advance that ‘Jobs hated photographers’. When Watson met Jobs he said, ‘I believe I have you for an hour, but I think I can get this done in half an hour.” Jobs, visibly relieved, replied, “Oh, my god, that would be great. I’ve got so much to do today.”
A portrait of conviction
In order to capture the perfect photograph, Watson approached the shoot with minimalist precision. He used a white background, clean lighting and selected passport-style composition. Watson also instructed Jobs to lean a bit forward, imagining himself to be sitting across a table with someone who disagrees with him, but knowing that he was right. Jobs responded with characteristic wit: “Easy for me, I do that every day.”The photo session lasted for about 20 minutes and after seeing the Polaroid, Jobs reportedly said “That’s maybe the best picture ever taken of me.”Years after capturing the perfect portrait of Steve Jobs, Watson received a call from California requesting the photo again. On the same evening he got to know that Jobs has passed away on October 5, 2011 after this battle with pancreatic cancer. Apple then used the same portrait to pay tribute on its homepage. Since then the portrait has become a visual symbol of Jobs’ legacy.
Apple founder Steve Jobs lived by the rule that God is in details
Apple founder Steve Jobs believed and lived by a simple rule which clearly defines his successful career, “God is in the details.” As per biographer Walter Isaacon, Jobs spent ‘hours after hours’ obsessing over the smallest of design elements, driven by a belief that ‘God is in the details’. It is believed that this philosophy of Jobs has shaped Apple’s DNA and it still continues to be the culture at the company.
