Spike Lee for The Hollywood Reporter

Photographer Adrienne Raquel @adrienneraquel /
Visual Media Director Ash Barhamand @ash_mack /
Artistic + Fashion Director Alison Edmond @edmondalison /
Creative Director Ada Guerin @guerin_ad /
Senior Film Editor Rebecca Keegan @that_rebecca /

Vandervoort x Spike Lee: A Portrait of Power and Perspective

Earlier this spring, Vandervoort Studio was honored to host a true icon of American cinema — director, producer, and cultural force Spike Lee — for the Hollywood Reporter’s Cannes 2025 cover story. Shot by the acclaimed photographer Adrienne Raquel and helmed by creative director Ada Guerin, this shoot wasn’t just a production — it was a statement.

Dressed in a crisp white button-up and his signature circular spectacles (this time in electric yellow), Lee locked eyes with Raquel’s lens with the same intensity and precision he brings to every frame of his films. Between setups, the team flowed effortlessly through wardrobe, lighting changes, and framing decisions in our expansive, concrete-floored daylight studio — a space designed to adapt quickly, just like the man being photographed.

The day unfolded with energy that only Spike could bring. He arrived straight from a whirlwind schedule — having just stepped off Steven Spielberg’s private jet, en route to speak at the AFI Life Achievement Award Ceremony and attend a Knicks playoff game the very next morning. Somehow, he still made time to light up our space with his presence.

His wardrobe reflected his duality: deeply rooted in Brooklyn hustle and global creative intellect. As he swapped a streetwise Knicks jacket for a surreal Michael Jordan-print suit, there was no mistaking it — this was peak Spike. And this photoshoot, staged here in Brooklyn’s own Vandervoort Studio, offered the ideal canvas to showcase his complexity and charisma.

The editorial marks the upcoming Cannes premiere of Highest 2 Lowest, Lee’s newest film in partnership with Apple and A24 — a reimagining of Kurosawa’s High and Low, now infused with Harlem soul, sonic heat, and piercing social commentary. It’s a project that fuses past and present, just like our studio’s design: industrial bones filled with modern light, modular space shaped by legacy and innovation alike.

This wasn’t just a shoot — it was a living document. Spike Lee, at 68, continues to push cultural boundaries while standing firm in his role as one of America’s most critical Black voices in cinema. “The perspective of Black Americans right now is under attack,” says actor Jeffrey Wright in the accompanying article. “Spike’s place as the guardian of the African American perspective is critical.” That weight and urgency pulsed through the shoot. Even in stillness, his energy demanded motion.

The creative team — including Hollywood Reporter’s Artistic and Fashion Director Alison Edmond, Senior Film Editor Rebecca Keegan, and Visual Media Director Ash Barhamand — turned our minimalist environment into a vivid character of its own. With every flash of the shutter, a new layer of Lee’s narrative was revealed. Sharp lighting etched deeper meanings into his expression. Stark backdrops amplified his defiance. Our space allowed the story to unfold, undistracted and unfiltered — a rare opportunity for truth-telling.

As an independent photo studio in Brooklyn, we’ve always built our brand on supporting artists, boundary-pushers, and visionary thinkers. Spike’s presence at Vandervoort wasn’t just a high point — it was a reminder of why we exist. This is where cinema and style intersect. Where legacy meets future. Where storytelling takes form.

And this story is one we’re proud to have played a part in.