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    The Art of the SNL Portrait

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    Description

    The electric spirit of Saturday Night Live as captured by longtime resident photographer Mary Ellen Matthews Andy Samberg in a giant martini glass. Billie Eilish peeking out of a pile of snow. Kevin Hart writing his own cue cards. Paul Rudd as Paul McCartney. Sarah Silverman dusting the NBC marquee. Alec Baldwin as the Godfather. These are just a few examples of Matthews's bold, dynamic, and playful celebrity portraits that for over two decades have artfully highlighted the hosts and musical guests who help bring the show to life. Week after week, photographer Mary Ellen Matthews makes magic happen on Saturday Night Live with her inventive, irreverent, and truly original photography for the “bumpers”—portraits of the host or musical guest that transition the show to and from commercial breaks. Published on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of SNL and exquisitely designed by Pentagram, this book is the first collection of Mary Ellen’s remarkable body of work as well as a celebration of America’s longest-running comedy TV show. Includes: More than 200 color portraits and behind-the-scenes photographs A foreword by SNL founder and executive producer Lorne Michaels Mary Ellen Matthews in conversation A thumbnail index of all the images with captions by the photographer Read more

    Publisher ‏ : ‎ Harry N. Abrams (March 4, 2025)


    Language ‏ : ‎ English


    Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages


    ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1419782533


    ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 34


    Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.95 pounds


    Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.6 x 1.2 x 11.55 inches


    Best Sellers Rank: #91 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #1 in Television Comedy #1 in Portrait Photography #1 in Celebrity Photography


    #1 in Television Comedy:


    #1 in Portrait Photography:


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    Top Amazon Reviews

      • Disappointing Execution Overshadows Great Concept
    As both a professional photographer and lifelong SNL fan, I’m deeply disappointed in this book celebrating Mary Ellen Matthews’ brilliant portraiture. While I’ve revered her work for years, this book undermines her artistry through baffling design choices. Countless two-page spreads of standout portraits bisect faces across the binding gutter, distorting expressions in ways no photography book enthusiast would tolerate. The absence of captions forces constant flipping to the index, turning what should be an immersive tribute into a frustrating scavenger hunt. While Matthews’ weekly SNL work remains masterful, this presentation doesn’t do justice to her legacy or SNL’s cultural impact. I’ll reluctantly return this book. ... show more
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2025 by Xander
      • Great behind-the-scenes insights on SNL’s photo bumpers by Mary Ellen Matthews
    I’ve been a fan of Mary Ellen Matthews’ SNL portrait photography, so I’ve been waiting patiently (for years) for this monograph of her work. This book doesn’t disappoint as it provides wonderful behind-the-scenes insights into Ms. Matthews’ creative process in producing the SNL bumper portraits each week. Since taking over as head SNL photographer from her mentor, the legendary Edie Baskin in 1999, these shots have evolved into telling their own stories and with new visual technologies, such as animation. As SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels wrote in the book’s foreword: “Mary Ellen is both an artist and a star.” ... show more
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2025 by The Hawk
      • Stunning photos with a mid book layout
    The photos are STUNNING but 2 things kept this from being 5 stars for me: 1. A lot of the photos are two page spreads with the subject’s face lost in the gutter (center spine) of the book. What could have been gorgeous 2 page photos end up looking strange because half the image is hidden and it distorts the persons face. Considering the price of the book and quality of the photos I wasn’t expecting such a glaring layout misstep. 2. There are no captions on any photo so if you want to know who is in the photo you have to go to the index at the back of the book and look them up. Not a huge deal - just more of a nuisance Overall it’s worth getting for the ICONIC photos I’m just surprised such a pro photographer would allow the layouts I experienced ... show more
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2025 by Kat Phillips
      • Great Work Ruined by Terrible Design Layout and Presentation
    I'm not a review guy. I love Mary Ellen Matthew's work and approach. Absolutely inspiring as a photographer and creative in general. The layout designer of this book needs to answer for this terrible execution of a beauty body of work. I honestly can't believe it was approved. There is literally a portrait of Paul Rudd near the middle of the book that cuts down the middle of his face. The work is obviously formatted for a landscape orientation and this collection did an atrocious job highlighting a great body of work. ... show more
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2025 by Mike Dunn
      • it’s ok but less than stellar
    i was so excited to get this book. a lot of the pictures were hard to appreciate because of being tucked in the spine of the book. the pictures were good but for the price i wanted more. the book wasn’t in the best condition because there were several of the last pages bent at the lower corner as well as the back cover. not sure if it was damaged in packaging. the box it was in seemed to be in tact and there was no cellophane encasing the book that was in the cardboard box ... show more
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2025 by Noname
      • Very disappointed
    Like several reviewers have pointed out, the overall design of the book does nothing for the photos. The gutter-bleed images are just awful. I'd be happier if the turned the book to a horizontal to capture the images. I can not recommend this, and I'm kinda surprised that it didn't get more resistance in the production meeting. Also, it isn't cheap. I expect more for the subject matter and the price. ... show more
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2025 by kent snodgrass
      • Nostalgic and Stunning.
    Awesome book. Too bad there wasn’t room for everyone. Need another volume. A must read if you’re a fan of SNL.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2025 by Karl Miranda
      • Nice coffee table book
    It's a very nice coffee table book very nostalgic and creative. I would probably also order a companion book that is more historical.
    Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2025 by Emily Austin

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