In the photographs, Lester Wisbrod is a constant: He always appears on the right, with a big smile and a satisfied look about him. On the left, a cavalcade of famous faces flashes by: Clint Eastwood, Jennifer Aniston, Charlton Heston, Renee Zellweger.
The A-listers look perfect, captured in a single moment of stardom. But as the photos flip by, it is Wisbrod who captivates. Crow’s-feet deepen. Hair turns gray. Jowls set in.
It is a portrait of a life — an unvarnished one.
For more than two decades, the longtime Hollywood cameraman snapped photographs of himself and celebrities he’d meet on television sets. In all, Wisbrod has about 150 of the shots, most of them taken in the days before digital cameras, never mind mobile phones with front-facing lenses.
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Ellen DeGeneres’ famous photo of herself with several actors at the Oscars — which was actually snapped by Bradley Cooper — became the quintessential selfie in an Instagram world of cellphone auteurs, self-obsessed teens and celebrity culture. But Wisbrod insists he invented the celebrity selfie. And now he wants his due.
“Generally I am not that ostentatious,†said Wisbrod, now 67 and semi-retired. “It just seems like it is bad form to be bragging. But what the hell.â€
It just seems like it is bad form to be bragging. But what the hell.
— Lester Wisbrod
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Wisbrod began taking the photos in 1981, shortly after the introduction of Canon’s Sure Shot 35-millimeter compact camera, one of the first autofocus models to hit the market. It would allow him to take a self-portrait that he could count on being in focus.
Still, his first Sure Shot selfie — with humorist Art Buchwald — came out blurry. But Wisbrod quickly got the hang of it, and termed the images “silly shots,†though his friends would eventually call them “Lesters.â€
The photographs capture Hollywood in all of its mystifying allure. For every enduring star there’s a has-been, and plenty of former cultural touchstones who long ago faded to obscurity. Viewing the images now makes Wisbrod wistful, and even a little bashful over having aged.
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“I guess I was better-looking then than I thought I was,†he deadpanned.
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Wisbrod said he never harbored dreams of working in Hollywood, or cultivated a childhood interest in movie stars. He was raised in Oakland in a working-class family and joined the Air Force after high school. He served in Vietnam, working in radar operations.
In 1968, Wisbrod enrolled at Nevada Southern University (now UNLV) and, needing work, found a job listing posted by local television station KLAS-TV, which was looking for a cameraman. The gig paid $2 an hour.
He was soon hired and began work on the local broadcast of the children’s show “Romper Room.â€
“I fell in love with it,†Wisbrod said. “I could not believe my good fortune — it was glamorous, and it was fun.â€
He would later work at other Las Vegas television stations over the course of a decade. In 1979, Wisbrod moved to Los Angeles. A few years later, once he’d gotten a toehold in Hollywood, Wisbrod — who worked on shows including “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous†and “A Current Affair†— began taking selfies.
With time, Wisbrod developed a routine. First he’d “chat up†his subjects — many of whom he’d already been working with on assignment as a cameraman — before asking for a photo.
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“That warms them up,†he said, adding that celebrities nearly always obliged — and happily. Wisbrod was turned down only once.
He said “M*A*S*H†actress Loretta Swit told him he could have a photo only if someone else shot it. “I awkwardly withdrew,†he said.
Many of the women in the images have their cheeks pressed up closely to Wisbrod. Several of the men have their arms draped around him. Wisbrod believes that the physical act of holding his trusty Sure Shot with an outstretched arm — which required he and his subject to gather closely — disarmed the seemingly untouchable actors.
“It just puts people in a whole different mood,†he said.
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Lester Wisbrod, a longtime Hollywood cameraman, has photographed himself posing with celebrities, including President Reagan and Clint Eastwood, since 1981. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
Steve Domier, who worked with Wisbrod on television shoots in the 1980s and 1990s, said his colleague’s approach was “unusual at the time, and it was novel.â€
“When you want a picture, you ask someone. Not Lester, because he is a cameraman,†said Domier, vice president of distribution marketing for the CW Television Network. “He wanted control. And then he’d know how it’d come out.â€
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There were technical aspects to the Lesters. Wisbrod, who’d almost always take a photo with just one other person, knew he’d need to hold the camera at least 18 inches from his face — the bare minimum for an auto-focusing camera. Wisbrod would also hold the camera at an angle slightly above him, “simply because it would tighten up my neck,†he said, laughing.
In taking all those photos, Wisbrod documented a career spent in the shadows of stardom. But until recently, he wasn’t so inclined to share his hobby.
Wisbrod’s wife, Jody Wicks, said that on a mid-1990s trip to visit her family in Iowa, she brought along a secret stash of the photos so that she could show her relatives.
“I knew he didn’t want me to take them,†said Wicks, a dentist. “He is not the kind of guy who wants to say, ‘Oh, look at me, look at what I did.’ But when people in Iowa saw them, oh my God! They’d never seen anything like it.â€
Wisbrod may have once kept his selfies private, but that changed this year when he posted a slide show of his photos to YouTube.
In the video’s voice-over, Wisbrod sounds mildly exasperated as he stakes his selfie claim, but also is almost apologetic in explaining his decision to publicize his pastime.
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“Everybody’s making a big fuss about selfies — selfie this, selfie that … give me a break. I’ve been doing selfies since 1981,†he says. “I thought I better do something or else I’ll end up as roadkill on the history highway.â€
::
On a recent afternoon, Wisbrod sat in the dining room of his woodsy Hollywood Hills home, shuffling through a file of old photos. He marveled at each, holding up the glossy 4-by-6 images and reciting the names of the celebrities. Sometimes, he couldn’t remember them. Others triggered warm memories.
He flashed a picture with Steven Spielberg.
“Spielberg said: ‘Are you sure you want to take it that way? You may not get another chance,’†Wisbrod recalled. The photo came out perfectly.
Admiring a picture with Anthony Hopkins, Wisbrod recounted having asked the “Silence of the Lambs†actor to autograph a bottle of Chianti — a playful nod to his turn in that film. (Hopkins obliged.)
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Jennifer Lawrence poses for a selfie with fans at the premiere of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1†on Nov. 17, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Singer Ricky Martin, right, with his lookalike at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas on Nov. 19, 2014, in Las Vegas. (Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images for Madame Tussauds)
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Actress Jena Malone at the premiere of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay -- Part 1†on Nov. 17, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Michael Buckner / Getty Images for Samsung)
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Ariana Grande with fans at the MTV EMA’s 2014 on Nov. 9, 2014, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Tristan Fewings / Getty Images for MTV)
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Niall Horan from One Direction with fans at the 28th annual ARIA Awards 2014 at the Star on Nov. 26, 2014, in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)
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Hailee Steinfeld with a fan at the premier of “The Homesman,†during the AFI Film Festival at Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood and Highland complex, Nov. 11, 2014. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
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Katy Perry with fans at the 28th annual ARIA Awards 2014 at the Star on Nov. 26, 2014, in Sydney, Australia. (Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)
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Actress Reese Witherspoon poses with fans as she attends the May Fair Hotel Gala VIP arrivals of “Wild†during the 58th BFI London Film Festival at Odeon Leicester Square on Oct. 13, 2014, in London. (Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)
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Writer-director Guillermo del Toro, left, actor Wilmer Valderrama, writer-director Robert Rodriguez and actor Danny Trejo attend the 2014 NCLR ALMA Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Oct. 10, 2014, in Pasadena. (Michael Kovac / Getty Images for NCLR)
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Rapper Taboo, left, of the Black Eyed Peas, actress Gina Rodriguez, actor Wilmer Valderrama and actress Alexa PenaVega at the 2014 NCLR ALMA Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Oct. 10, 2014, in Pasadena. (Michael Kovac / Getty Images for NCLR)
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Host Eva Longoria and professional soccer player Jorge Bernal pose before the 2014 NCLR ALMA Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Oct. 10, 2014, in Pasadena. (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images for NCLR)
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Actress Lynda Carter takes a photo of herself as she appears at the Bally Technologies booth to introduce two of the company’s new slot machines, Wonder Woman Wild and Wonder Woman Gold, at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2014 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on Sept. 30, 2014, in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
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Elyas M’Barek attends the premiere of the film “Who Am I†at Zoo Palast on Sept. 23, 2014, in Berlin. (Sean Gallup / Getty Images)
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President Obama takes a selfie with a diner at Gregg’s Restaurant and Pub Oct. 31, 2014, in Providence, R.I. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP/Getty Images)
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Collin Kelly-Sordelet with Bruce Springsteen backstage after a performance of “The Last Ship†at the Neil Simon Theatre on Oct. 15, 2014, in New York City. (Walter McBride / Getty Images)
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Actor Daniel Wu poses with his wax figure at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum on Oct. 15, 2014, in Hong Kong. (ChinaFotoPress / ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images)
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Actor Diego Luna poses at the premiere of “The Book of Life†at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live on Oct. 12, 2014, in Los Angeles. (David Livingston / Getty Images)
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Actors Ron Perlman and Zoe Saldana pose at the premiere of Twentieth Century Fox and Reel FX Animation Studios’ “The Book of Life†at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live on Oct. 12, 2014, in Los Angeles. (David Livingston / Getty Images)
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Dan Smith takes a selfie during a performance with Bastille on NBC’s “Today†on Oct. 6, 2014, in New York. (Cindy Ord / Getty Images)
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Michael Clifford of 5 Seconds of Summer greets fans after a private show at radio station Y-100 on Oct. 5, 2014, in Miami. (Larry Marano / Getty Images)
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Ashton Irwin of 5 Seconds of Summer greets fans after a private show at radio station Y-100 on Oct. 5, 2014, in Miami. (Larry Marano / Getty Images)
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Actress Bai Ling arrives at the Special Needs Network’s An Evening Under the Stars event at Sony Studios on Oct. 4, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Amanda Edwards / WireImage/Getty Images)
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Darryl Simmons, left, Usher Raymond, Kenneth “Babyface†Edmonds and Kawan “KP†Prather attend the ASCAP Rhythm And Soul 3rd Annual Atlanta Legends Dinner Honoring Antonio “L.A.†Reid at Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Sept. 25, 2014, in Atlanta. (Paras Griffin / Getty Images)
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Actor Michael B. Jordan at Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas. (Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images for Canon)
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Britney Spears before the presentation of “The Intimate Collection†at Centro shopping mall in Oberhausen, Germany. (Sascha Steinbach / Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 11: Actor Ryan Reynolds grabs a shot with a fan as he attends “The Voices†premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11. (Leonard Adam / Getty Images)
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Actor John Travolta takes a selfie with fans before “The Forger†premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12. (George Pimentel / Getty Images)
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Actor and producer Adam Sandler lets a fan take a photo during “The Cobbler†premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 11. (Philip Cheung / Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 09: Actor Benedict Cumberbatch takes a selfie with a fan at “The Imitation Game†premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at Princess of Wales Theatre on September 9, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/Getty Images) (George Pimentel / Getty Images)
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DEAUVILLE, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 05: Jessica Chastain takes a selfie with a fan as she arrives to unveil her dedicated beach locker room on the Promenade des Planches on September 5, 2014 in Deauville, France. (Francois Durand / Getty Images)
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US actor and director James Franco poses for a selfie with fans as he arrives for the screening of the movie “The Sound and the Fury†presented out of competition at the 71st Venice Film Festival on September 6, 2014 at Venice Lido. (TIZIANA FABI / AFP/Getty Images)
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FLORENCE, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 05: Chrissy Teigen and John Legend attend the White Party Dinner Hosted by Andrea and Veronica Bocelli Celebrating Celebrity Fight Night In Italy Benefitting The Andrea Bocelli Foundation and The Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center on September 5, 2014 at the Bocelli Residence in Forte dei Marme, Italy. (Andrew Goodman / Getty Images for Celebrity Fight)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 07: Actress Anna Kendrick takes a selfie with fans at “The Last Five Years†premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on September 7, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD ** (Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 08: Actor Joel McHale takes a selfie with a fan at the “Adult Beginners†premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on September 8, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. (Sarjoun Faour Photography / Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 08: Actress Reese Witherspoon takes a selfie with a fan at the “Wild†premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 8, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. (George Pimentel / Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 06: Actor Ansel Elgort poses for a selfie with a fan as he attends the Gala Screening of Paramount Pictures’ “MEN, WOMEN,& CHILDREN†during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at Ryerson Theatre on September 6, 2014 in Toronto, Canada. (Jason Kempin / Getty Images for Paramount Pictu)
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TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 05: Actor Jake Gyllenhaal attends the ‘Nightcrawler’ premiere during the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival at The Elgin on September (Sarjoun Faour Photography / WireImage/Getty Images)
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Actress Milla Jovovich poses for a selfie with fans as arrives for the press conference of the movie “Cymbeline†presented in the Orizzonti selection at the 71st Venice Film Festival on September 3, 2014 at Venice Lido. (TIZIANA FABI / AFP/Getty Images)
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Bruce Willis, left, and wife Emma Heming take a selfie as Marin Cilic, of Croatia, faces Kei Nishikori, of Japan, during the championship match of the 2014 U.S. Open tennis tournament, Monday, Sept. 8, 2014, in New York. (Charles Krupa / AP)
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Actress Megan Fox, right, joins a selfie with fans at the premiere of Paramount Pictures’ “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles†at Regency Village Theater in Westwood on Aug. 3 (Kevin Winter / Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
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Sylvester Stallone, right, poses for pictures with fans as he arrives for the World Premiere of the film “The Expendables 3†in London on Aug. 4. (Justin Tallis / AFP/Getty Images)
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Wesley Snipes grabs a shot for fans as he attends the premiere of the film “The Expendables 3†at Residenz Kino in Cologne, Germany, on Aug. 3. (Mathis Wienand / WireImage/Getty Images)
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Kellan Lutz gets into the fan shot at the premiere of “The Expendables 3†in Cologne, Germany. (Mathis Wienand / WireImage/Getty Images)
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Usher and retired NFL player Allen Rossum attend the 15th anniversary Kick Off Celebration of Usher’s New Look Foundation on July 30, 2014, in Atlanta. (Moses Robinson / Getty Images)
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Women take selfies with actor Tom Cruise during Ladies Day at the prestigious Goodwood Races in Chichester, England, on July 31, 2014. (Dan Kitwood / Getty Images)
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Actor Mel Gibson takes a selfie at an outdoor screening of “Mad Max†during the 49th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on July 4, 2014, in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic.
(Matej Divizna / Getty Images)
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Moderator Chris Hardwick, left, and actor Channing Tatum at the Warner Bros. Pictures panel and presentation during Comic-Con International 2014 in San Diego. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley of “The Vampire Diaries†at Comic-Con International. (Handout / Getty Images)
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Actors Norman Reedus and Chandler Riggs and writer-producer Scott M. Gimple at AMC’s “The Walking Dead†panel during Comic-Con International. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Ex-Beatle Ringo Starr with fashion designer John Varvatos, left, his wife Barbara Bach and director David Lynch. (FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP/Getty Images)
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Michael Bay at the “Transformers: Age of Extinction†premiere in Berlin. (Franziska Krug / Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)
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James Van Der Beek and son Joshua in West Hollywood. (Michael Buckner / Getty Images for Saban Brands)
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Queen Elizabeth II and a young fan in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (PETER MACDIARMID / AFP/Getty Images)
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Zach Braff and a fan at the “Wish I Was Here†premiere in Los Angeles. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Jamie Foxx and Jawan Strader in Miami Beach. (Johnny Louis / WireImage / Getty Images)
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Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza, Clint Eastwood, Erich Bergen and John Lloyd Young at the premiere of “Jersey Boys†in Los Angeles. (Lester Cohen / Getty Images)
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A fan with new wax figures of David Beckham and Victoria Beckham at Madame Tussauds in London. (Tim P. Whitby / Getty Images)
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Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in Barcelona. (Xavi Torrent / WireImage/Getty Images)
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Jared Leto with fans at the 2014 Cannes Lions in Cannes, France. (Didier Baverel / WireImage/Getty Images)
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Rap star Macklemore just before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch at the Seattle Mariners-New York Yankees game in Seattle. (Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images)
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Samuel L. Jackson, center, with Jahmene Douglas, Simon Pegg, Jeremy Piven, Bear Grylls, George Lamb, Robert Konijc, Antony Mackie, David Gandy, David Walliams, Luke Evans, Jesse Metcalfe and Oliver Cheshire at the One for the Boys Fashion Ball in London. (Mike Marsland / WireImage / Getty Images)
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Channing Tatum at the premiere of “22 Jump Street.†(Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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Australian actor Hugh Jackman gets fans into the shot at the premiere of “X-Men: Days of Future Past†in Tokyo on May 27. (Franck Robichon / EPA)
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An admirer gets a photo with an accommodating Sally Field at the 2014 AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Jane Fonda at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 5.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for AFI)
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Ansel Elgort snaps a thrill at a red carpet and fan event for the new film “The Fault in Our Stars†in Nashville on May 8. (Rick Diamond / Getty Images for Allied)
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Actor Kevin Hart attends the Sony Pictures’ “Think Like a Man Too†red carpet screening in Memphis, Tenn., on June 4. (Greg Campbell / Getty Images for Sony Pictures )
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Drew Barrymore at the Los Angeles premiere of “Blended.†(Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images)
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Jennifer Lopez onstage during Fox’s “American Idol†finale. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
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James Franco at Sardi’s “Of Mice and Men†portrait unveiling ceremony in New York City. (Brad Barket / Getty Images)
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Actor Jon Hamm takes a selfie as he unveils Don Draper’s wax figure during “Mad Men’s Final Season†at Madame Tussauds in New York on May 9, 2014, in New York City. (Cindy Ord / Getty Images for Madame Tussauds)
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Jessica Chastain, right, poses with fans as she arrives for the screening of “Foxcatcher†during the 67th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 19, 2014. (Guillaume Horcajuelo / EPA)
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Rosario Dawson takes a selfie as she arrives for the screening of “Captives†(The Captive) during the 67th annual Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, on May 16, 2014. (Julien Warnand / EPA)
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Sylvester Stallone, center, takes a selfie as he arrives on a tank for a photocall for “The Expendables 3†at the 67th annual Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 18, 2014. (Sebastien Nogier / EPA)
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Andrew Garfield takes a selfie with fans as he arrives on the red carpet for the world premiere of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2†in Leicester Square, London, on April 10, 2014.
(Jon Furniss /Invision/ AP)
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Hilary Swank poses for a selfie as she arrives for the screening of “The Homesman†at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 18, 2014. (Loic Venance / AFP/ Getty Images)
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Lea Seydoux poses for a selfie during a photocall for the film “Saint-Laurent†at the 67th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2014. (Valery Hache / AFP/ Getty Images)
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A member of the public takes a selfie with Prince Harry as he meets locals in Freedom Square on May 16, 2014, in Tallinn, Estonia. (Chris Jackson / Getty Images)
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Singer Justin Bieber, center, takes a selfie with a young fan as he watches the Los Angeles Clippers play the Oklahoma City Thunder with his mother, Pattie Mallette, in the second half of Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 11, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Mark J. Terrill / AP)
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Shailene Woodley, right, attends the European premiere of “Divergent†at Odeon Leicester Square on March 30, 2014, in London. (Dave J. Hogan / Getty Images)
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Adam Sandler, right, arrives for the premiere of his film “Blended†in Berlin, on May 19, 2014.
(Joerg Carstensen / EPA)
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Pope Francis poses with faithful at the end of a Palm Sunday service in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 13, 2014. (Gregorio Borgia / AP)
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Rapper Curtis “50 Cent†Jackson, left, and actor Russell Crowe take a selfie during the New York premiere of “Noah†at Clearview Ziegfeld Theatre on March 26, 2014, in New York City. (Jemal Countess / Getty Images)
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Red Sox Designated Hitter David Ortiz takes a selfie with President Obama after presenting a jersey during a ceremony on the South Lawn at the White House on April 1, 2014. (Jewel Samad / AFP/ Getty Images)
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Conan O’Brien and Angie Harmon take a selfie backstage at the TNT and TBS Network 2014 Upfront Presentations at Madison Square Garden on May 14, 2014, in New York. (Evan Agostini/ Invision/AP)
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Bill Murray, center, takes a selfie with singer Lady Gaga and host David Letterman on “Late Show with David Letterman†on April 2, 2014, in New York. (Jeffrey R. Staab / AP)
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Idina Menzel and Zac Posen attend Variety Power Of Women: New York presented by FYI at Cipriani 42nd Street on April 25, 2014. (Neilson Barnard / Getty Images for Variety)
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A visitor takes a selfie with the Dalai Lama as he arrives for a press conference on May 14, 2014, in Frankfurt, Germany. (Thomas Lohnes / Getty Images)
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Stephen Colbert, left, takes a selfie with David Letterman on the set of “Late Show with David Letterman†on April 22, 2014, in New York. This was Colbert’s first visit to the show since CBS announced that he will succeed Letterman as host when he retires in 2015. (Jeffery R. Staab / AP)
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Actor Tom Hanks and a young woman take a selfie as director Tom Tykwer, left, looks on at the DFB Cup final between Borussia Dortmund and FC Bayern Munich at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on May 17, 2014. (Kay Nietfeld / EPA)
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Model and media personality Nick Cannon takes selfies with fans at the “America’s Got Talent†red carpet event at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2014, in New York City. (Jemal Countess / Getty Images)
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Model and media personality Heidi Klum takes selfies with fans at the “America’s Got Talent†red carpet event at Madison Square Garden on April 4, 2014, in New York City. (Jemal Countess / Getty Images)
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Ellen DeGeneres gathers members from the audience for a selfie at the 86th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
A photo with President Reagan, taken after he’d left office, made Wisbrod chuckle.
“That was a tough one to get, because I had to slip in between the Secret Service and the dignity of the presidency,†he said.
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A picture of Bill Pullman triggered an awkward memory.
“He thought I was macking on his girlfriend,†Wisbrod said. “I wasn’t.â€
But when Wisbrod came across photos of people who died before their time — among them Gregory Hines, Robert Urich and Jim Henson — he turned melancholy.
“They were really young, as was I,†said Wisbrod, the wail of a siren on some Hollywood street far below just barely registering.
There’s a sense that Wisbrod felt that by documenting his proximity to celebrity, he’d secure his reputation as a Hollywood high roller. Wisbrod, however, said he took the silly shots simply because it was something fun to do.
“It was kind of a goof,†he said, fingering the stack of photos.
Lester Wisbrod holds up a photograph he took of himself, posing with actor Woody Harrelson.
(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)
But he conceded that after working behind cameras all those years, he had wanted to memorialize his connection to all those beautiful faces in front of them.
“I came from East Oakland,†he said. “People in East Oakland really don’t get out and about into the celebrity scene much. I did it so much I really kind of took it for granted. In a way, I kind of miss it now.â€
Daniel Miller is an enterprise reporter for the Los Angeles Times, working on investigations and features. An L.A. native and UCLA graduate, he joined the staff in 2013.
