Photographer Benjamin Rasmussen Recalls Deceptive 2015 Bloomberg Businessweek Shoot with Elizabeth Holmes
In a recent Instagram post, Benjamin Rasmussen recounted a 2015 photo shoot for Bloomberg Businessweek featuring Elizabeth Holmes, which he suggested might have been a façade. His reflections were prompted by the trailer for Nathan Fielder's documentary You Can See Everything. At that time, Holmes was under scrutiny for allegedly misleading claims about Theranos' blood testing technology. Rasmussen observed that Holmes was styled similarly to Steve Jobs; however, as controversies emerged, her public relations team pivoted to showcase women scientists. They orchestrated group photos, leading Rasmussen and assistant Ryan Brown to convene for a crisis meeting to capture the ideal image. The final photograph depicted Holmes with an expression of quiet desperation. In 2022, she was found guilty of defrauding investors and is now incarcerated at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas.
Key facts
- Photographer Benjamin Rasmussen shot Elizabeth Holmes for Bloomberg Businessweek in 2015.
- Rasmussen shared his account on Instagram after seeing the trailer for Nathan Fielder's documentary You Can See Everything.
- Theranos PR team required group portraits of women scientists in lab coats during the shoot.
- Rasmussen and assistant Ryan Brown used a white window shade as a backdrop and a large reflector to block the PR team's view.
- The final shot was a head-and-shoulders portrait of Holmes with a look of quiet desperation against a white backdrop.
- Theranos feedback on the photo was not good.
- Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of defrauding investors in 2022 and is incarcerated at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas.
- Rasmussen did not tell his story until now.
Entities
Artists
- Benjamin Rasmussen
- Elizabeth Holmes
- Nathan Fielder
- Ryan Brown
- Steve Jobs
Institutions
- Theranos
- Bloomberg Businessweek
- CNN
- CNN Style
- Federal Prison Camp
Locations
- Bryan
- Texas
- United States