Nino Munoz.

It’s difficult to know whether Nino Munoz, who began his career in New York in the early 1990s, has led a charmed life or whether his charm has led his life in such positive directions. Maybe it’s a bit of both.

Nino’s first major fashion story, for instance—photographing Gisele Bundchen for British Vogue—sparked what has become a longtime artistic collaboration and (and friendship). The two have worked together on numerous shoots for magazines ranging from Muse to Rolling Stone. “I love fashion because it’s so colorful and emotional,” says Nino. “There’s a sexiness and a provocative nature to fashion photography that inspires me.”

Nino’s work is at once sophisticated and sexy, always polished but somehow also organic. It’s a tough balance to strike, but it seems to come naturally to him, probably because Nino is as attracted to the essence of a person as he is to the beauty of what they do and who they are. “I respect when people are devoted to their craft—whether you’re a designer or a housekeeper,” he says. “As long as you are expressing yourself, I respect you.”

Over the years, Nino has worked with some of Hollywood’s finest—Leonardo DiCaprio, Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tom Cruise, and many others. Celebrity portraiture can be a fraught process—there’s a lot at stake, the schedules are almost always really tight, and there can be trust issues—but Nino has his own way of keeping things in perspective.

“It’s really not that complicated to do, but so many people put on a front when dealing with high-profile figures that it becomes an obstacle,” he says. “I’ve noticed that people with a lot of fame are very sensitive to people who aren’t genuine. I just approach actors and models like I would anyone else—with respect and kindness.”

Here’s a look at Nino’s work.

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Tom Cruise and Amy Adams. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Ashton Kutcher and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Anne Hathaway. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Ryan Kwanten (left) and Jake Gyllenhaal. Photos by Nino Munoz

Christina Hendricks for London Fog (left) and an ad from a recent campaign for Daffy's. Photo bys Nino Munoz.

From a series of True Religion ads. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Photos by Nino Munoz.

Photos by Nino Munoz.

Photos by Nino Munoz.

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Jake Gyllenhaal. Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

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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…

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Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Esquire.

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