Meet the Photo Whiz Who Takes All Those Wild Pics of Glenn
- Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:36am by
Meredith Jessup
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What makes a great photograph?
For photographer George Lange it’s more about what you feel than what you see. Instead of flat reflections of his subjects, George uses his talent as a photographer to give viewers a glimpse at who the person is and hopefully illicit an guttural emotional response.
Perhaps this is why he and favored subject Glenn Beck can be political opposites, yet share an “insane creative energy” connecting through the camera’s lens.
Before he became the artistic genius behind Glenn’s amalgamation of portraits and caricatures, George Lange was a liberal Pittsburgher who had grown into a successful career photographing various celebrities, corporate ad campaigns and politicians — however Republicans, he says, were off-limits.
“My job is to glorify people,” George says. “I can’t glorify Republicans; I couldn’t sleep at night.”
So how did George get mixed up with the likes of Glenn? It’s a “completely ridiculous” story, he recalls.
When George snapped his first photo of Glenn, it was for an ad campaign that would advertise Beck’s CNN program. At the time, George admits he didn’t know much about Glenn, but tried to focus photographing him as a person rather than a political figure. Simon & Schuster later approached him to shoot the cover of Beck’s “Inconvenient Book.”
“‘I hate California,’” George remembers Glenn saying during one brainstorming session. From this benign declaration came the cover art for Beck’s bestselling book:
Despite having a successful cover and a fun shoot, George decided it would be the last work he’d do for the controversial radio host. “I can’t be in the business of glorifying Glenn Beck,” he thought.
When the publisher later reached out to him to capture Glenn the Book Czar for “Arguing with Idiots,” George turned down their offer. “I really like Glenn as a person, but the public persona was really troubling for me,” he says, noting Beck’s notoriety in liberal circles. But when the Beck team continued to pursue him, George relented and snapped another bestselling cover shot:
After the “Arguing With Idiots” photo shoot, “we were bonded,” George says, “and we were on our way.”
“I‘ve had to come to terms with what I’m doing and who Glenn is,” he adds. “In that process we’ve developed a great friendship. It’s kind of crazy — we’re really good friends and have a very special relationship.”
Politics aside, the photographer and his subject discovered they had much in common, including sharing experiences in parenting. Last fall when George and his wife welcomed a baby into the world, he says the first congratulatory flowers to arrive were from Glenn and his wife, Tania. “He’s amazingly loyal and supportive, a great friend,” George says.
In addition, Glenn can count on George’s unfettered opinion as an outsider looking in.
“George has taught me a lot about being a better man, he keeps me in check,” Glenn says. “George inspires me, we push each other creatively.”
Glenn and George’s earnest friendship spills over into their professional relationship as well. “I don’t hold back with him,” George says of offering Glenn his personal and professional opinions. “He’s been incredibly generous. He believes in supporting creativity and supporting artists… No one has respected me as an artist like Glenn.”
Showing the World a Different Side of Beck
He’s wrapped Glenn in police tape, smooshed him against glass, covered his face in clown makeup and even snapped his picture under water. Whether they’re shooting in a well-lit studio or in a dark desert, George enjoys freedom in his partnership with Glenn to push the creative envelope. “I’ve learned so much in a world I always kind of looked at like who are these crazy people?”
“I trust you to tell you my story,” Glenn told George at the start of their professional relationship. In turn, George was given free access to Glenn and his world.
“There are no closed doors, no place I can’t walk in,” George says. “Glenn has given me carte blanche in his world.”
In return, George has worked to create a library of images that give people a better idea of who Glenn Beck really is. Included in this portfolio of work have been some “incredibly intimate moments,” George says, including snapping personal shots of Glenn and Tania celebrating their wedding anniversary in Rome.
“My job is to show what makes someone special and interesting,” he says. “I’ve shown this to liberal audiences and they generally come to the work with a bad impression of Glenn but leave with a much more open, flushed-out opinion.”
In the future, George hopes to expand his portfolio to include more shots of Glenn’s “beautiful, empathetic and generous” audience. “Their story hasn’t been told,” he says.
On 8/28, George captured memorable images of Americans who descended on Washington, D.C. to restore honor. In Wilmington, Ohio, George says he was “so proud” to be part of a movement working to highlight people making such a positive difference in their community.
“I really want Glenn’s audience to see the work up on my website. It’s really becoming kind of a bigger story. I just know they’d appreciate it so much,” he says.
With Glenn’s announced departure from his 5 p.m. Fox News program, George hopes he will have more time to do w hat “he does best — helping people who are hurting, being generous and telling their story.” And wherever Glenn is, you can be sure George will be close behind, camera at the ready.
Beyond Beck
Snapping candid images of Glenn Beck is only a small part of George Lange’s professional portfolio.
His passion for immortalizing memories has also unleashed his inner-entrepreneur. In a newly developed iPad application, the veteran photog hopes to share this passion with others.
“Rather than organizing images by chronology, event or subject, I organize them by concepts and ideas — ideas that would help me organize them more emotionally than visually,” he says.
Instead of capturing his own kids’ birthdays on film, George hopes to use this unique organization technique to emotionally link such milestones. In turn, he hopes the pictures he leaves behind will not remind his children of the particular day or event, but of how much he loved them.
“We’re all carrying these incredibly sophisticated devices in our pocket and using them to document our family, birthdays, everything going on,” George says. “There’s an emotional part of our experience that gets lost in the way people are taking them and archiving them. This iPad app is the first stage in helping you think about your pictures by emotions rather than events.”
Beyond technological advancements, George is also working on an accompanying book that will expand on his photographic philosophy. “His photos are the most honest today, but his real talent is writing,” Glenn says. “I will sometimes get an email from George at 2 a.m. after a long trip he has taken, or after a walk with his son; they are poetry. I don’t save many emails. I save everyone of his.”
“I like to think of pictures as kisses,” George says. “When you kiss someone, you never want to kiss them the same way. Most people kiss with their eyes closed to feel it. There’s something about that feeling of kissing or hugging and I want my pictures to have that.”
From a young 5-year-old with a camera to a professional artist with a portfolio overflowing with iconic creativity, George Lange never imagined he’d be working with someone like Glenn Beck, but as a member of the Mercury Radio Arts extended family, his photos have been indispensable in helping connect Glenn and his audience.
“I am trying to convince him to write a book about my fans. He understands them, he sees in them what I do,” Glenn says. “I believe he will tell you that they are consistently the most nice, kind and embracing people in the world.”
But above all else, George’s friendship may be the most invaluable asset.
“George is one of the most honest men I know — honest in his life and his work,” Glenn adds. “While we don’t agree on politics, I believe we are an example of how America used to be. We talk, disagree, learn from each other and in the end are better friends.”
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Comments (54)
Wilhelmus
Posted on April 22, 2011 at 5:00amWonder if that collar really ‘is’ beneficial in losing weight, Glenn?
Report Post »carnifex
Posted on April 22, 2011 at 2:12amI loved the way everyone ignored sleazyhippo till he went away… that was great, and its how all trolls should be treated-lol
Report Post »WeRunDCnotThem
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 10:33pmWhen George comes around he will give Glenn back all his money and realize he owes him for all of the knowledge gained. George must not be a flaming liberal just on the fence on issues. What an absolute MAN Glenn is I would love to meet him someday.
Report Post »BlazingChance
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:41pmI liked this article! I’ve always wondered who the photographer was and I even saved a few pictures for future ideas! Nice job!!!
Report Post »Its Gonna Getcha
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 6:19pmHave always done a double-take with these photos of Glenn. Always wondered who the director was. They somehow pop-out, and worth a thousand words. Thanks Blaze for spotlighting this incredibly talented photographer, and glad Glenn has such trust with him. This happens to be my favorite type of photography to look at, interesting twists on human existence.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 5:02pmloved the fun Beck photos, they are wonderful. wish we could see more!
Report Post »pandora
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 4:32pmGreat story! Though I’m a photographer so it may be more interesting for me than for some, it was a look behind the scenes in the world of Glenn Beck. I’ve always liked Beck. I see an honest man when he speaks. If my politics were totally opposed to his I would still be interested in why he says what he does. Fortunately for me, I agree with just about everything he is saying. Hey, Glenn if you ever expand to two photographers…here I am!
Report Post »justice
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 4:03pmIt may be a great Camera Man, But it is also the nut in Photo. LOL.
Report Post »chainj
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 3:37pmI really enjoyed reading this article.
Report Post »sbenard
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 3:27pmI love the rodeo clown pic. Great talent!
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 3:20pmVery interesting.
Glenn Beck won George over…………………because Glenn showed him that he is a nice man – is loyal – can be a good friend – and is what everyone should see in mankind – to co-exist – no matter what anyone’s politics are.
However, I got the distinct impression that George – changed from wanting to use his creativity as a weapon – by not wanting to work with Glenn because of his politics – to making use of his creativity as an art – by allowing himself to work with Glenn – and not allowing his creativity to be harnessed by a liberal mindset.
Report Post »landmark
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:53pmGB You’ll he missed on TV!!
Report Post »red_white_blue2
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:04pmThis story shows an example of the leason Glenn is trying to share with all of us..feel free to disagree, take a stand, but in the end you respect the other person. I wish the world could do this more often. We would be better off.
Report Post »capecodsully
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:46pmThis is why the left needs to demonize Glenn, if even the most intolerant of liberals spends any time listening to Glenn they will hear an intelligent, open minded individual who displays the love of Christ. Kind of hard for the left to hate and discriminate when you educate them.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 2:19pmThey don’t believe that intelligence and a love for Christ is compatible Capecodsully.
Report Post »Sam Brown
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:29pmOne fat boy to another, Glenn you got more chins than a chinese phone book. You better keep a good photographer like this guy around LOL
Sammy
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:19pm“My job is to glorify people,” George says. “I can’t glorify Republicans; I couldn’t sleep at night.”
Don’t do us any favors buddy, there are millions of photographers out there that will take conservative money and sleep just fine.
Report Post »Sam Brown
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:15pmGuy has talent. He has been able to hide Glenns fat really well. Have another doughnut Glenn LOL
Sam
Report Post »Killa From Wasilla
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:57pmLOL, i’m glad someone said it.
Report Post »SheriS
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:08pmGeorge Lange is one of the most amazing photographers I’ve ever seen. His pictures of Glenn are always amazing and just plain great! This article is also very well done and just a glimpse of the relationship two people on opposite poles of belief can truly have! Thank you George for the amazing pictures you have given us, Glenn’s fans, over the years! Awesome job!
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:00pmNose for news. Eye for photography. George Lange has that gift or skill depending how you look at it. Terrific!
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 2:05pmInteresting that if George were to post on the Blaze, folks would call him a Troll and discredit his opinion. Great to see how a liberal “kool aid drinker” can still have usefulness to Glenn’s career and have worth as an American human being.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:58amGreat, wonderful talent!
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:59pmThis gentleman has been trained by the best Visual Communication specialists in the Community.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:54amI’ve heard of Cheese Whiz, but never Photo Whiz. I’d think it would taste terrible.
Report Post »MacGirl
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:46amFrom the photographer’s website that is linked above…..
I have two images in the auction tonight in NYC to support my friend Leora Kahn’s organization, “Proof: Media for Social Justice” Info for the auction is here.
PROOF: Media for Social Justice
PROOF: Media for Social Justice uses photography as means to inform and educate global audiences about human rights. Powered by a strong belief that visual media is a unique and potent tool in the fight for human rights, we empower future generations to work for social change.
Our work focuses on individuals whose lives have been dramatically altered by violence or genocide: rescuers who cross lines of hatred to save the lives of neighbors and strangers; survivors of atrocities who live in evolving but still fragile societies; and child soldiers coerced into committing acts of horror.
Report Post »IMPEACHBHO
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:41amThank God for GB.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:00pmThank God again (and again and again) for (((GB)))!
Report Post »BetterDays
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:34pmI concur, Glenn showed up! Praise GOD ( and Lord keep and protect Glenn and his family too!).
Report Post »sleazyhippo
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:56pmMay the Good Lord above, God in Heaven praise Glenn and his Family and his pets and protect their property and privacy!
Report Post »Country
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:41amHi George, great pics.
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:53amYep they’re cool & funny .
Report Post »TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:39amSlow news day.
Report Post »theonefromabove
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:41amI found this article to be quite interesting.
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos
Report Post »Rich White Christian Conservative
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:43amagreed…
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 11:59amIt took me 30 minutes to tear myself away from Lange’s photos to come back to comment. Thirty minutes!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:07pmGeorge will come around maybe some day…when he sees how wrong he is LOL
Report Post »Mannax
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:11pmGlenn with the cake… *gasp* he wears the cone of shame.. (For those of you who have seen the movie “UP”).
Report Post »TSUNAMI-22
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:28pm“I‘ve had to come to terms with what I’m doing and who Glenn is.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translation: “Beck offered me a ton of money to take pictures and I couldn’t refuse.”
Report Post »Marcobob69
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 12:29pmEarth-shattering! It must be an uneventful day in the world.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 1:27pmVery interesting…Well done..
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 2:21pmVery nice piece , excellent work George !! Actually it’s a VERY busy news day . Don‘t like what’s posted on here go read the Puff Ho .
Report Post »MommaGrizzly
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 2:49pmIt proves that once Glenn has a chance to actually speak to people he can make the realize he is a great person with a generous heart.
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 4:43pmI love the pic of Beck and the cake!
I laughed so hard, I got the hiccups!
I hope there is no copyright infringement by saving it to my laptop. I put it right next to the ones from the RH Rally and the cowboy hat pic……….
Great pictures!…..Great photographer!
(I still don‘t understand why people that don’t like articles feel the need to read them anyway and then leave a snarky post. If their life is so much more relevant, meaningful and exciting than the rest of us, then why are they even here?….Getting pretty sick of annyomous trolls!)
Report Post »Rational Man
Posted on April 21, 2011 at 4:48pmOH MY GOSH!! It’s Mr. Limpet!………With contacts!!
ROTFL!!!!
Report Post »pattybbb1
Posted on April 22, 2011 at 12:52amwow, Beck really was skinny for a while there! check out the ‘candid’ photos.
Report Post »weeblewacker1
Posted on April 22, 2011 at 11:36amcreative? hardly. right away,i spot a rip-off. the under water glenn,obvious rip-off of a 90′s album cover from the band “Nirvana”.
Report Post »betterthantv
Posted on April 22, 2011 at 4:42pmI thought it was an interesting article myself. I’ve known for a while the Lange was an uber liberal. Always wondered how these 2 ended up together. Pretty cool
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