“If your pictures arenʼt good enough, youʼre not close enough."

— ROBERT CAPA

Henry Leutwyler has carved a niche in the photography world by delving closely, 
deeply, and personally into the lives of our times through the power of his 
images. From his iconic still life of the gun that assassinated John Lennon, to the 
2008 “Magazine Cover of the Year” honors for his New York magazine portrait of 
Elliot Spitzer – Leutwyler has defined himself as an artist who drills into the soul 
of his subjects.

Henry Leutwylerʼs meticulous eye for nuanced detail has revealed the unspoken 
interiors of such figures as Michelle Obama, Karl Rove, Julia Roberts, Tom 
Wolfe, Cate Blanchett, Beyonce Knowles, Nathan Lane, Rhianna, Martin 
Scorsese, and Spike Lee. His recent work has been featured in numerous 
publications including The New York Times Magazine, Portfolio, Esquire, 
Vanity Fair, Vogue, The New Yorker and Time. His photography, inspired by 
intimate working relationships with his subjects, has been an integral force 
behind the narrative of such books as Flavor by Rocco Dispirito, Living Beauty by 
Bobbi Brown, and Elvis by the Presleys.

Beyond his craftsmanship with the human mystique, Mr. Leutwyler brings a 
forensic intensity to his creation of a unique collection of still lifes that chart a 
cultural timeline of the modern world. Jimi Hendixʼs guitar. Michael Jacksonʼs 
white glove. Andy Warholʼs paintbrush. The pistol that killed Lee Harvey Oswald. 
Alfred Hitchcockʼs passport, the glasses of John Lennon and the harmonica of 
Bob Dylan. From the legendary to the sublime, Henry Leutwylerʼs vast catalogue 
of history-influencing images comprise a roadmap of the late 20th century, 
captured with a stark reality that begs the viewer to create their own 
interpretation.

Mr. Leutwylerʼs humble beginnings led him from shooting “cheese, chocolates 
and watches” as a youth in Switzerland to a street-wise education soaking up 
color and culture from around the world. He journeyed through Africa, Asia and 
the Middle East – ultimately landing in Paris for ten years where he documented 
the human form, travelled extensively with the Ballet Bejart Dance Company.

Henry Leutwylerʼs photographs have earned him the ASME 2008 Magazine 
Cover of the Year award. He has been recognized as the Graphis magazine 
2008 Photographer of the Year and was voted among the Top 10 Best Swiss 
Photographers of 2008 by Annabelle Magazine. Other honors include the highest 
recognition from The Art Directors Club of New York, The Society of Publication 
Designers, PDN, D&AD, American Photography and the James 
Beard Foundation.

Today, Henry Leutwyler crafts his probing work based out of his downtown 
Manhattan studio. Simultaneously, he is a global citizen, fluent in four languages 
and at ease wherever he casts his lens. Son of a Swiss father and an Italian 
mother, he is constantly shaped by the precision of one and the exuberance of 
another. Photographer, artist, and documentarian, Leutwylerʼs work is a 
meditation on the mayhem of our times, and an investigation into what lays 
ahead.

Photo Credit: Sharon Suh