GLAAD MEDIA AWARDS: DAVID LACHAPELLE
MARCH 3, 2006

It is rare for the person found behind the camera to attain a level of celebrity on par with the famous individuals he is shooting. Then again, David LaChapelle is a very unique photographer and director.

While growing up in Connecticut and North Carolina, LaChapelle never hid his sexuality, even if it meant facing harassment from his peers. He did, however, use his experiences growing up openly gay to influence his art. He has said, "Being gay, you see the world as an outsider. It makes you escape in your mind and it makes you more creative".

LaChapelle rose to prominence in the mid-1990s with photographs that use bright colors, makeup and lighting to distort reality into a seeming fantasy world. Name an icon and odds are that they have had their portrait taken by LaChapelle. His celebrity subjects have ranged from Hillary Clinton and Muhammad Alì, to gay icons such as Madonna, Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, and Elisabeth Taylor.

His photographs of Angelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Missy Elliot and other have graced the covers of magazines such as Rolling Stone, Interview, and GQ. He has also shot the cover artwork for works by major music artists including Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

A favorite muse of LaChapelle 's is transgender model Amanda Lepore. He attributes his passion for transgender subjects to his deep respect for them. "They really have strong desires and they follow them through rather than going into a closet".

In 1997, LaChapelle decided to try his hand at directing music videos, including Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl" and Christina Aguilera's "Dirty". He also conceived and designed Elton John's popular Las Vegas show, The Red Piano.

Last year, LaChapelle added documentary director to his resume with the critically acclaimed film Rize , which premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

Throughout the years, LaChapelle has also utilized his talent t contribute to social causes. In 2004, LaChapelle shot and directed ads for Declare Yourself, a nonpartisan voter registration campaign. He has also donated his works to raise money for LGBT organizations and AIDS research.

David LaChapelle is a visionary whose work has revolutionized the art world. Tonight, GLAAD is proud to honor him for his exceptional contributions to our culture.

The Vito Russo Award is named after the author of The Celluloid Closet, who was also a founding member of GLAAD. The award is presented to an openly lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender media professional who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for our community.