The fact that Teller's photos lack staging can contribute to the feeling seen in the images, in photographer Dominic's opinion. "Some people are just used to posing and the setting may not affect them. Others it may take completely off-guard and they in-turn let their guard down. I'd say it generally comes down to the subject and what's going on at that moment," the expert said.

Photographer Dominic added that people who are critics of Teller's work may not be comfortable with seeing celebrities in normalized situations. "People, in general, are quick to criticize anything and everything online. We're all guilty of making critiques and/or assumptions before we know any backstory. It's just a general method of operation for so many online. We're all guilty of being quick to judge. If we took a step back and tried to understand each other's motives, we'd be a lot happier, and less judgmental right off the bat."

Naomi Fry, from The New Yorker, rushed to Teller’s defense despite some journalists calling the photographer out. “These weren’t the kind of photos that you’d post on Instagram; they were the kind of pictures that a friend might take of you, upload to their story, and then tag you in. As I clicked through the images, I marveled at Teller’s coherent vision. For the past thirty years, he has taught us that being just a little bit ugly is cool,” Fry writes.

Meanwhile, Highsnobiety suggests that those who don’t get Teller’s photo shoots might have had their brains “rotted” by Instagram. “Teller’s aesthetic has hinged around breaking the fourth-wall between celebrity and non-celebrity by framing his subjects as candid ‘real people.’ They eschew the trappings of a glam squad, photoshop, and meticulously detailed creative direction informing every shot.”

In an interview with Tim Blanks from the Business of Fashion, Teller declared that “these Hollywood people are so careful of their image and looking right, but there’s a wildness when I come into the photographs… And I prevail.”

However, Twitter seems to be extra critical of Teller’s work. Some believe that there’s no place for his images in W Magazine (or anywhere) else. Others understand that it’s his signature style and believe that it isn’t worth featuring because the stars look unflattering in the photos.

Meanwhile, a minority of Twitter users appreciate Teller’s work for what it is: a comment on modern photography’s obsession with perfection, intertwined with capturing the raw emotions of the person in front of the camera. Rushed shots? Snaps of genuine emotion? You decide.

The composition and the posing all have something slightly off about them. They make us feel uncomfortable because we’re used to highly-curated shots, but we can’t vocalize what it is that weird us out.

57-year-old Teller has blurred the boundaries between his personal and commissioned work since starting his career in the late 1980s. Some of the main aspects of his photography include raw emotion, grit, and humor.

Eventually, this solidified to become his iconic style which he’s known everywhere for. So it’s no wonder that W Magazine reached out to him to have him take photos of celebrities: he’s well-known in the industry and everyone knows what can be expected of him.

Teller has photographed all kinds of celebrities, from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kurt Cobain to Kate Moss and Kanye West. The German photographer has been a distinguished member of the artistic community whose work has been featured in Style Magazine and elsewhere.

There’s no doubting Teller’s photography pedigree; and whether or not you enjoy his work or find it overly simplistic doesn’t change the fact that he’s sparked deep discussions with his camera.

There’s a contrast between how well-known the stars are and how simple, rushed, and unconstructed yet colorful the snaps are. This creates a dissonance that immediately draws you in. Ironically, while the photos stand out color-wise, they remain camouflaged among all the other content you’re scrolling through on social media with their ‘mom-like’ composition.

This isn’t the first time that Teller has courted criticism on social media. In 2018, Twitter users complained that his photos looked too much like Mickalene Thomas’. Meanwhile, in 2015, Teller photographed Kim Kardashian and Kanye West in a confusing photo shoot that featured a lot of rubble.

Take it for what it is: an attempt to strike up a meaningful conversation about the relationship between beauty and ugliness every time the photographer snaps a new picture. But what do you think of Teller’s work, dear Pandas? Are you a fan or are you a critic like Twitter? Do you see Teller’s photos as something deep that spark conversations like I do or something average that has created a cult following with much ado about nothing? Share your thoughts below!