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Photographer Chris Buck has spent 30 years making celebrities feel uneasy

Photographer Chris Buck discusses his new retrospective book of celebrity portraits, from Joaquin Phoenix to Donald Trump.
Photographer Chris Buck and Tom Power in the q studios in Toronto, Ont. (Melody Lau/CBC)

"I kind of want everyone to be awkward in pictures." 

Photographer Chris Buck has captured portraits of some of the world's biggest names, from George Clooney and Leonard Cohen, to Barack Obama and Donald Trump. But, celebrity or not, Buck just wants to capture the most awkward parts of a human being.    

His latest book of portraits captures just that and it's called Uneasy: Chris Buck Portraits, 1986-2016

"It's not really voluntary," Buck says, of these odd moments he snaps. "I just stumble into it, accidentally." 

How does he do it, though? His advice for other photographers is simply: "You just ask!"

Toronto's Type Books will be hosting a book launch for Buck's Uneasy tonight (Feb. 22).

WEB EXTRA: Below are some celebrity portraits by Chris Buck. For more photos, head over to Buck's website.

Chris Buck's portrait of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. (Chris Buck)
Chris Buck's portrait of Donald Trump. (Chris Buck)
Chris Buck's portrait of actress Mary Tyler Moore. (Chris Buck)
Chris Buck's portrait of actor Chris Farley. (Chris Buck)

— Produced by Dawna Dingwall