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www.brevard.edu/clarion
Volume 80, Issue 23 Web Edition
SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
Welcome
to Brevard,
Bojangles
See back page for more
March 18, 2015
Platon's powerful portraits
An intimate look at humanity and leadership
By Lizzie Graham
staff Writer
Thursday night Brevard made history when the
world famous photographer Platon gave a presen
tation of his work in the Ingram Auditorium. For
those who weren’t able to attend, you missed out
on a once in a lifetime experience.
Behind every famous photo was a story full
of passion, heartache or even terrifying, gut-
wrenching emotion. Platon can definitely say he
worked his way into the history books through
sweat, tears and even blood. He climbed his way
to the top of the list of the most famous photog
raphers known to man.
It all started after working for British Vogue
for several years. Platon was invited to NYC to
work for the late John Kennedy Jr. and his politi
cal magazine “George.” He then started shooting
portraits for a range of international publications
including Rolling Stone, the New York Times
Magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ and the Sun
day Times Magazine. Platon developed a special
relationship with Time magazine, producing over
20 covers. In 2007, he photographed Russian Pre
mier Vladimir Putin, for Time Magazine's “Person
World renowned
photographer Platon
Is seen here in a still
from a YouTube clip
on Hahnemuehle
Digital FineArt Paper.
Platon was on campus
last week as part of
the J.R. McDowell
Speaker Series, which
is sponsored by the
Transylvania County
Library Foundation in
partnership with Brevard
College.
Of The Year” cover. This image was awarded 1st
prize at the World Press Photo Contest.
Even though 2007 was a big year for Platon, it
didn't end there. In 2008 he signed a multi-year
contract with the New Yorker. Platon has produced
a series of large-scale photo essays, two of which
won ASME (American Society of magazine Edi
tors) Awards in 2009 and 2010.
Platon's New Yorker portfolios have focused on
many themes: the U.S Military, portraits of world
leaders and the Civil Rights Movement are just a
few. All of these have made his career one of the
best in the industry.
The following year, Platon teamed up with the
Human Rights Watch to help them celebrate those
who fight for equal rights and justice in countries
that have been taken over by political forces.
These projects have focused on human rights
defenders from Egyptian revolution, as well as
Burma. Following his coverage of Burma, Platon
photographed the 2011 cover of Time. He had
the world-famous Aung San Suu Kyi, a female
political prisoner on this cover. This photo caused
him to go undercover and sneak his way into the
house where she was hidden from reporters and
even protesters. During his presentation, Platon
talked about how he was chased by police for
hours through Burma, just to prevent the publi
cation of the innocent and breath taking photo of
Aung San Suu Kyi.
Public speaking now plays a major role in
Platon's career. He is represented by the Wash
ington Speakers Bureau. He has been invited to
be a keynote speaker on leadership at the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Chanel, Nike, Yale
University, Oxford University, Wharton Univer
sity, the National Portrait Gallery in London and
International Center of Photography in NY. He
has also appeared on a range of television media,
including Charlie Rose (PBS), Morning Joe (MS
NBC), Fareed Zakaria's GPS (CNN) and the BBC
World News. Platon was rewarded with a Peabody
Award for collaboration on the topic of Russia's
Civil Society with the New Yorker magazine and
Human Rights Watch.
Platon has continued to capture images that no
one else can imagine accomplishing. As long as
he continues to take risk and follow his gut, he’ll
forever be gifted with experiences. Not only is
he just taking photos, but he is leaving the photo
shoot with new friends and memories: “To be
blessed with a job didn’t come easy” says Platon,
“but so far, it has been one hell of a ride.”