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Yann Rabanier’s portraits of celebrities aren’t your typically glossy affair. The lighting isn’t perfectly flattering, hair is out of place; clearly Rabanier isn’t trying to imitate the hundreds of slick snapshots we normally see of celebs, but that’s what makes them great. It’s a real-life moment, without all the fuss that portrays the screen stars and other famous figures in a natural way. That said, it takes a few seconds to realize who each person is — an experience akin to bumping into your favorite actor on the street and having that “Aha!” moment seconds later. Antonio Banderas (plus his The Skin I Live In co-star Elena Anaya) and Ryan Gosling are amongst the few you’ll know, but the French photographer has also focused on un-Hollywood talent like Michel Piccoli (who has worked with all the French New Wave greats), and Dennis Hopper’s son, Henry. Visit our gallery below.

Tilda Swinton. Image credit: Yann Rabanier