Kwaku Alston
Kwaku Alston | |
|---|---|
| Born | Philadelphia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Known for | Photographing Barack and Michelle Obama |
| Notable work | Art for Obama (2009) |
| Website | www |
Life and Work
[edit]Kwaku Alston is an American photographer and director. Born in Philadelphia, he has photographed some of the most influential faces of our time and his editorial work has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Billboard, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Time, among others.[1][2][3] He has photographed Key Art and Publicity stills and motion for movie and TV posters for major Hollywood studios[4] including NBCUniversal, Paramount, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and commercial work for Chase, Apple, NBA, Coca-Cola, Target and Verizon. He has also photographed President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on several occasions, including for Essence and the 2009 art book Art for Obama. Kwaku was also featured in Apple's 2020 Keynote as one of the modern creative visionaries for the M1 chip launch.[5]
After graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology, Kwaku launched his career in New York City, quickly shooting for major magazines and advertising agencies in his early twenties. Today, he is based between New York and Los Angeles.
Beyond commercial work, Kwaku has partnered with a range of charities and nonprofit organizations, including the DesignACure Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, Black AIDS Institute, Smiley Faces Foundation, and Project Angel Food. His photography of Betty White was the base for the 2025 USPS Commemorative Betty White Postage Stamp.[6]
Kwaku delivered the 2025 commencement address to the RIT College of Art and Design where he received RIT's Outstanding Alumnus Award, the highest honor RIT can bestow upon a graduate.
Exhibitions
[edit]Publications
[edit]- Black Masculinities, Hatje Cantz, 2023.[11]
- Art for Obama: Designing Manifest Hope and the Campaign for Change, Abrams Image, 2009[12]
Awards
[edit]- 2026: American Photography 42 Chosen Winner[13]
- 2025: RIT Outstanding Alumni Award[14]
- 2025: American Photography 41 Chosen Winner[15]
- 2024: Communication Arts 65th Photo Annual Award of Excellence[16]
- 2024: American Photography 40 Selected Winner[17]
- 2021: Photographer of The Year - Project Angel Food and STORIES Photo 21 Honoree[18]
- 2012: RIT Distinguished Alumni Award, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences[19]
- 2018: American Photography 34 Selected Winner[20]
- 2003: American Photography 19 Selected Winner[21]
References
[edit]- ↑ Gonzalez, David (2011-12-20). "Kwaku Alston's Rebirth in Venice". Lens Blog. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ↑ "PDN Edu - Fall 2012". digitalmag.pdnedu.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ↑ "Obama's First 100 Days: Private Life Fuels Public Success | NevadaAppeal.com". www.nevadaappeal.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2025-06-13.
- ↑ "Kwaku Alston IMDb Pro Page". pro.imdb.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ Apple Event — November 10, 2020. Retrieved 2026-04-16 – via www.youtube.com.
- ↑ "Betty White Stamps | USPS.com". store.usps.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Hauser & Wirth".
- ↑ "ANGEL ART 2025". angelfood.org. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Kwaku Alston "Egungun: The Spirit Catchers of Benin" | Leica Gallery LA". Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Kwaku Alston "Somewhere in Between" | Leica Gallery LA". Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Black Masculinities". Hatje Cantz. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ Flores, Dan (2009-09-24). "ART FOR OBAMA BOOK". Obey Giant. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "AI-AP Slideshow". www.ai-ap.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Kwaku Alston named Outstanding Alumnus". RIT. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "AI-AP Slideshow". www.ai-ap.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "Bill Hader for The New Yorker". Communication Arts. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "AI-AP Slideshow". www.ai-ap.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ Malkin, Marc (2021-12-08). "Herb Ritts, Robert Mapplethorpe and Ed Ruscha Photographs Up for Auction for AIDS Monument and Project Angel Food". Variety. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "College of Art and Design". RIT Alumni. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "AI-AP Slideshow". www.ai-ap.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
- ↑ "AI-AP | American Illustration - American Photography". www.ai-ap.com. Retrieved 2026-04-16.
