We sit down with Marty Rush, long-time friend of Remix and director of photography to the stars, to find out what makes him creatively tick

Right now, I think we’re at one of the most exciting times in the world, creatively. Sure, we have to contend with things like AI and budget cuts, but some of the best artists thrive under these constraints. They’re pushing us to do more. And in the 28 years of Remix, we’ve built up an incredible community of creative minds—one of those is director of photography, Marty Rush, whose work you will have seen in our cover stories with Jessica Alba and Miranda Kerr. Frankly put, he’s one of the best in the game—here’s what makes him tick.

Hi Marty! We’re curious to know—what draws you to pick up a camera in the first place—what’s the feeling you’re chasing when you shoot?

For me, it all starts with the joy of observation. I find the act of watching the world around me incredibly natural — almost meditative. I often shoot videos or take photos just on my phone, and most of them never get published. But I don’t do it for the result — I do it because the process itself brings me a lot of satisfaction.

There’s something magical about capturing a fleeting moment — something simple and overlooked — and preserving it. That’s where I find a lot of beauty: in everyday life, in small, honest details.

One of my favorite examples of this was a spontaneous fashion film I shot with Anatoly Trofimov — a short called Frankly. We had no prep, no treatment, no plan. We just picked up a film camera during a friend’s shoot and followed our instincts. The result felt raw, sincere, and visually compelling — and it resonated. Frankly went on to win multiple awards at international festivals, including Best Cinematography and Best Short Film.

That’s the feeling I’m always chasing in my work: honesty, simplicity, and the kind of beauty that makes everyday moments feel magical.

Do you remember the first time you watched something and thought, “I want to make people feel like that”?

One of the first films that deeply moved and inspired me was August Rush (2007). I remember being struck not just by the story, but by the way music was woven into the entire narrative — like it was everywhere, in the air, in the streets, in the rhythm of life. The film carried this powerful message: that magic can be found in ordinary things, if you’re open to seeing and hearing it.

That idea stayed with me. The belief that beauty, music, and wonder are always around us — we just need to tune in. The film had such a lasting impact on me that I actually adopted “August Rush” as my creative pseudonym for a while. Over time, it evolved into Marty Rush — a name that now represents both me and the creative company I’ve built.

In a way, that name holds a piece of my worldview — a reminder of how I want to tell stories: with heart, with sincerity, and with the sense that there’s something special hiding in the everyday.

Your work has a real cinematic stillness to it—how would you describe your visual language, and where do you think it comes from?

My visual language is directly tied to how I see the world — it’s a personal, intuitive extension of my own perception. That’s probably why I’m so drawn to fashion as a genre. It aligns with my way of seeing — refined, focused, and emotionally subtle.

If you look at the videos I’ve done for REMIX Magazine — like the ones featuring Jessica Alba or Miranda Kerr — you’ll notice they’re very minimal and emotionally clear. They capture the beauty of the moment without trying too hard. The same goes for my work with Vogue, or my campaign for LIME that we shot in Greece. In all of those, the attention is on the subject — on the person — and on creating space for something delicate and real to happen.

I’m not interested in overwhelming the viewer with effects or noise. My instinct is to strip things down — to remove anything that doesn’t serve the essence of the shot. That’s where I find beauty: in restraint, in clarity, and in the tiniest details that often go unnoticed. To me, that’s what gives an image power.

You’ve shot Jessica Alba, Miranda Kerr — how do you approach capturing such iconic people in a unique, personal way?

First off, I have to thank OneTen Media for trusting me with these kinds of projects, and of course, photographer Nino Muñoz, with whom I have worked side by side on many productions. Shooting with celebrities goes far beyond technical skill. It’s about intuition, timing, and sensitivity. You have to understand when to step in, when to hold back, and how to communicate in a way that feels respectful and efficient. Everything moves fast, and you need to deliver results without disrupting the flow.

Because Nino and I have worked together on shoots with Zoe Saldana, Gisele Bündchen, Christina Ricci, and others, I already had a strong sense of how to approach talent like Jessica or Miranda. There’s no single formula — every shoot is different — but I believe I have a good sense for when I can suggest another take, or when it’s better to let the moment be. Some of the most powerful shots come from that quiet understanding.

That challenge — navigating that subtle space between direction and observation — is something I really enjoy.

What’s something you’ve learned from being behind the camera that’s changed how you see the world?

Filming has made my eye even more sensitive to the beauty around me. I notice details now that I might have missed before — the way light hits a surface, how reflections shift, the symmetry of everyday objects. All these things take on a new emotional weight when you start to see the world as a moving image.

In a way, filmmaking has trained me to experience the world more vividly. It also helps a lot in daily life — especially when it comes to things like running social media. I don’t struggle to find something beautiful to post; the world is constantly offering those little gifts. You just have to be open to them.

And like with any craft, the more you practice, the sharper your instincts get. I’m genuinely excited to see how much more refined my eye will become over time — how much deeper I’ll be able to see and feel through the lens as I keep growing in this work.

What’s inspiring you right now—what are you curious about, creatively?

One of my biggest sources of inspiration is my family — especially my grandfather, who’s 87 and still works every day as a sculptor and painter. He leads a very active creative life, and watching his dedication is incredibly energizing. It reminds me how much power there is in doing what you love — how it can fuel you, no matter your age.

Right now, I’m working on several new large-scale projects that push me creatively and confirm that I’m on the right path. I feel like there’s so much still ahead, and that’s a very motivating place to be.

I’m also focused on growing my company, Marty Rush. I see it not just as a production label, but as a creative brand with a clear voice and point of view. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see how far we’ve already come — for the last couple of years we’ve made videos for collaborations of Neiman Marcus and brands like Loewe, Giorgio Armani, Amina Muaddi, and more. We’ve also created a series of videos with Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts, across several international projects. That kind of trust and recognition from global names is something I’m really proud of — and it inspires me to keep raising the bar.

Through the work we do, I want to help make the world a little brighter — and inspire others to see everyday life as the beautiful, magical experience that I believe it is.