Stockland Martel

Jake Gyllenhaal. Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

.

Nino, who excels at bringing out the gorgeous in his subjects, photographed Academy Award–nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal for the December issue of British Esquire. Jake is doing press to promote his new movie, Love & Other Drugs, which costars Anne Hathaway—who last appeared onscreen with him in Brokeback Mountain—and which opens nationwide on November 24.

Nino worked with photo editor Henny Manley and art director David McKendrick, as well as stylist Sam Spector, who is repped by Stockland Martel; groomer Sarah Potempa from the Wall Group; and Jessie Kaufman from the Magnet Agency.

It was a cover story, and cover shoots with celebrities can be stressful affairs, but not this one. Nino’s dog Hunter romped around at Milk Studios, where the shoot took place, while music played. (The playlist was a who’s who of great indie acts like the Hundred in  Hands, the Drums, Surfer Blood, Beach House, Glass Candy, Junkie XL, Mark Ronson, the XX, Wait Wait, and Sleigh Bells.)

“The cover is a big part of my responsibility every month,” David, Esquire‘s art director, told Professional Photographer in a recent interview. “Essentially, it’s the most important page of the magazine, our ‘shop window.’ Because there is often a celebrity involved, commissioning the right photographer for the shoot is essential. Get that wrong and the whole process can go wrong quite easily.

“When I’m commissioning a cover shoot,” he continues, “I consider things such as whether the subject is a man or a woman, as well as their personality and then I think about who might be the right photographer for that shoot. It’s a bit like trying to find the perfect marriage. Even the seasons make a difference, I’m trying to create a different mood every time so the choice of photographer will change according to that.”

Let’s have a look at some more of Nino’s photos…

.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

.

.