To Adrian Martin, Pictures Is not About The Digital camera

Since childhood, Adrian Martin needed to be part of the style world in some type. He was his household’s unofficial private photographer, all the time performing as a fly on the wall and a grasp observer, aiming to seize individuals of their most uncooked, genuine state. What he did as a baby will not be so totally different from what he does as a profession now: taking pictures celebrities, totally on movie, of their houses or resort rooms as they put together to step out onto purple carpets and into the highlight in probably the most glamorous of garments. Martin captures the quiet, intimate moments that come earlier than the hectic chaos of movie star life—together with these of Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Pamela Anderson, Greta Lee, Solange, Austin Butler, and so many extra.

Growing up in Cavite, Philippines and now residing in Los Angeles, California, Martin loves his new metropolis for the entry that he has to expertise and different creatives—in addition to for the meals, climbing, and exercise lessons that you could find him doing when he’s not working.

Ahead, we choose Adrian Martin’s mind about working with the largest stars, what makes an important picture, and his “Heated Rivalry” obsession.

Adrian Martin

What’s your star signal and do you relate?

“I’m a Virgo and yes, I relate. I’m a massive Virgo. In terms of work, I’m a perfectionist. But then in some areas I can be type B, like I tend to forget things. But if I don’t finish certain things, it will affect my whole day.”

What three phrases greatest describe how you are feeling proper now?

“Hungry, happy, and content.”

What colour is your aura?

“I would say brown. Because it’s kind of neutral and it’s also my favorite color, aside from black and white.”

Adrian Martin

How and when do you know that you just needed to be an artist?

“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be in fashion. I wanted to be a stylist, but then I realized it’s not easy to become a stylist in LA. I think being a photographer is one of my tools to express what I feel.”

When had been you launched to images?

“Honestly, I was the family photographer since I was a kid. I was always the one taking photos of a family and being a fly on the wall. When I first moved to America in 2015 and realized it’s hard to get a job as a stylist, I started working in retail. I worked at Zara for years and then I was pulled out of that retail job and started working as a creative director. I started working for a blogger and just started shooting stuff, and that’s how I built my network. In terms of shooting celebrities, it started during Covid because I do a lot of intimate shoots where you don’t need a lot of people on set. I would just come into their homes to shot and capture them.”

What’s the primary digital camera you got your self?

“I think it was a Nikon D700.”

Do you continue to use that digital camera?

“No, I’m leaning towards film cameras now.”

Adrian Martin

Adrian Martin

What do you assume the largest distinction is between movie and digital?

“With the AI stuff and the rise of perfectionism, film is effortless and imperfect. Sometimes it’s blurry or not too bright. Sometimes you don’t know what you’re gonna get until you have it and that’s the beauty of film, especially in this world where everything seems so perfect.”

What is your favourite digital camera?

“My favorite camera is the Contax G1. I could just use that one camera forever. I don’t need a lot of cameras.”

How would you describe your model of images?

“My style is just capturing real people. I love shooting behind the scenes or before the red carpet event because you can capture who they really are before they step into the actual world. It’s cool to see the realness of it.”

Adrian Martin

How does your Filipino heritage affect your artistry?

“I think as an immigrant in general, you tend to be more of an observer than a performer. I think being an immigrant, I know how to read the room and as Filipino, I think I’m very kind and I know how to work with people. I know when to step in and when to not. I just think reading the room is so important these days and I think some people don’t have that skill.”

How would you describe your relationship with style and private model?

“Fashion is my inspiration. Without it, I wouldn’t be a photographer. For personal style, I like minimal and classic. I stick to a uniform. I like wearing the same thing but different fits and colors.”

What is the largest false impression about being a photographer?

“Honestly, that it’s about the camera. It’s not. Sometimes I get offended when people ask: what’s your camera? But then I’m like: it’s not the camera, it’s the overall collaboration of people—the subject, their stylist, and their glam.”

Adrian Martin

What’s your on-set relationship like with the celebrities you shoot?

“I tend to separate work and friendship. On-set, I don’t act like we’re friends. I set boundaries, but at the same time I want them to feel comfortable. I think as a celebrity, you always have people wanting to get close to you and people tend to overstep. I just kind of let them be. I think, again, that’s about reading the room.”

To you, what makes an important picture?

“In a great photo, you see an actual emotion. It’s about the emotion in the face.”

Do you assume it is a part of your job to convey that emotion out?

“Yes. That’s why I think making people comfortable is so important. Some people won’t give you anything when they’re not comfortable. I’m not very directive and I want it feel more like a documentary when I shoot. I don’t like it when it feels too posed because you lose that realness.”

Adrian Martin

Adrian Martin

What’s your proudest work accomplishment?

“My mom didn’t understand what I do until I shot Kendall Jenner. Because I had to quit my 9-5 job and she was like: why? Then she saw my work shooting celebrities and was like: okay, I get it now.”

Can you educate somebody the way to be an important photographer?

“You can teach people technically maybe, but in terms of an eye, you can’t really. That’s so hard to teach. It’s about how you see the world and how you see people. I’m also so excited about fashion, so I think I have that eye too. I get so excited to shoot them in pieces that I’ve seen on the runway.”

What photographers are you a fan of?

“In Hollywood, I love Greg Williams in terms of how he captures celebrities in a more casual way. I also like how he covers awards season. I also love Wolfgang Tillmans. His work is very documentary and he shot Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonde’ album cover from 2016. He also cares about the world. He talks about what’s happen and I think being aware is important.”

Adrian Martin

What do you will have developing for the remainder of awards season?

“In this industry, everyone is so last minute. So I don’t know yet. But the Oscars are always busy for me.”

What’s your favourite restaurant in LA?

“I would say Bavel. It’s Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food and just so good.”

What’s entertaining you latterly?

“I just watched that show ‘Heated Rivalry.’ Everyone’s talking about it. I didn’t want to watch it at first because everyone was talking about it. But after one episode, I understood. And then I shot the guy for the Golden Globes! It was cool. The girls and the gays are freaking out. Those are the most comments I’ve got on an Instagram post.”

Adrian Martin

Do you imagine in manifestation?

“Oh, yeah. I think I manifested this. Everything I do now is because I manifested it.”

What are you manifesting for 2026?

“I think for this year, I’m manifesting my own coffee table book. I’m trying to work on that. As a Virgo, I’m such a perfectionist but I think I just have to do it.”

How would you describe your good day?

“A perfect day for me when I’m not working would be silence. Just me and my thoughts.”