I'm a celebrity photographer. I captured the true nightlife-energy of famous people and refused to sell photos to paparazzi.

Sat, 04/15/2023 - 07:30

Mark Hunter sitting on a couch at a party with a lipstick kiss print on his cheek — Mark Hunter broke into the industry covering the nightlife of many celebrities in the early 2000s.
Courtesy of Mark Hunter

Mark Hunter is a celebrity photographer who started uploading nightlife-photos to his blog in 2003.
Paparazzi used to offer him money for photos of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, but he'd decline.
Hunter considers himself a hipster philanthropist shaping the culture with his candid photographs.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mark Hunter, also known as Cobrasnake, a 37-year-old celebrity photographer who lives between Los Angeles and New York City. It's been edited for length and clarity.