Celebrity photographer Nadja Sayej on her latest book, The Glitzerati

New York City’s legendary nightlife has long captivated the imagination. It’s a gateway to the glitz and glamor, a way of getting close to the stars. In a world of Photoshopped social media personalities and pre-booked Paparazzi photos, one photographer has seen it all, slipping behind the velvet rope to capture some of New York’s most elite events. Nadja Sayej, a renowned cultural journalist and celebrity photographer, showcases her best behind-the-scenes scenes in this dazzling black-and-white photography book, The Glitzerati.

A Book in Photo Captions

In today’s world, reading headlines and photo captions takes the cake. Reading a full 400-page book (without photos) is inconceivable for a social media-distracted readership in 2023. Sayej has wisely designed a book for the Instagram generation: photos accompanied by captions. That’s it. Just read the captions and flip through the photos. It’s that simple. With a paparazzi-esque photo style, and a penchant for spontaneous shots, this collection features over 200 photos from 2018 to 2023, looking into New York’s most opulent galas, cocktail soirees and parties that help define New York City’s style, society and ethos.

All Eyes On Celebrities

The Glitzerati is more than just a photo album, it’s a yearbook of New York’s best parties. It documents the social life of celebrities, art stars, influencers and fashion icons as they are one with the pulse of the city. The photographer offers a glimpse into some of the city’s most high-profile events, from Cardi B and Diane Keaton at fashion week to Bruce Willis at a film festival and Debbie Harry at an awards gala.

Paparazzi Meets Behind-The-Scenes Coverage

In an age where airbrushed perfection dominates the digital landscape, Nadja Sayej’s approach to photography stands as a beacon of authenticity. The book’s extensive captions accompany each shot, adding depth and context to the images. Nadja is a master storyteller, and her words breathe life into each photograph, offering insights into the personalities, emotions and candid moments of her subjects.

The book features a photo of renowned artist Marina Abramovic at an art gala in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where she walks with a cane, symbolizing the enduring strength that has carried her through her 50-year career. The artist is the first woman ever to have a retrospective at the Royal Academy of Art in London, which runs until January 2024. Another highlight is capturing 1990s supermodel Christy Turlington without makeup, while attending a quiet fashion boutique event in Soho. It reveals her beauty and understated elegance, while sharing an intimate moment as she whispers alongside Ansel Adams.

A Tribute to Society Photographers

Sayej’s photographic oeuvre may immortalize celebrities of today but it’s a collection that may be better understood far in the future, looking back on what the social climate was like during this five-year period. It also pays tribute to women photographers who came before her, like Diane Arbus or Ellen Von Unwerth, and society photographers like Slim Aarons, Bill Cunningham, Henri Cartier-Bresson and more.

By capturing the cultural class—the jet-setters, the movers, and the shakers of New York City—this photo book is a testament to society photography, and how it has changed and evolved over the years, from the time of Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball in the 1960s, to present day, where photo agencies dominate the scene in New York’s storied venues like the Plaza Hotel, Cipriani’s and more.

The Glitzerati proves to be a journey into New York’s entrancing nightlife. It goes beyond your typical filtered and staged shots, offering a behind-the-scenes, authentic portrayal of celebrities, high society and the people who work in the industry. From renowned photographers to photo shop owners, bartenders, doormen and valet parking, this book offers a look at those who take the stage as well as those who work behind the scenes. Candid captions accompanying each photo detail what this world was like in the post-pandemic “Roaring Twenties.”