David LaChapelle on AllMovie

Deemed by more than one news source as the first true heir to Andy Warhol, surrealist photographer David LaChapelle made headlines (and turned more than a few heads) with his flamboyant, unabashedly witty, and often outrageous images of such iconic celebrities as Paris Hilton, Jerry Springer, and David Beckham. In time, LaChapelle became something of a one-man industry, as one of the three or four most in-demand fashion and commercial photographers of the early 21st century. He also directed a succession of music videos for various acts such as Courtney Love, Elton John, and No Doubt. A graduate of the North Carolina School for the Arts, LaChapelle landed his first job during his teens by simply approaching Andy Warhol unannounced and asking to show him his portfolio. Warhol responded to the photographs positively, and promptly secured the young man a job as a photographer for Interview magazine.