Griffin Lipson's life changed because of a chance encounter on an otherwise average train ride.
The William Penn Charter School graduate was a 22-year-old photographer who had recently moved to New York City when a head photo editor for the New York Times sat next to him.
Shortly after meeting him and seeing his work, she hired him.
His journey as a celebrity photographer began with Lipson starting at the top.
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His first subject? Oscar Award-winning actor and producer, Nicole Kidman.
“I was so green, I was so naïve, I didn’t really understand the magnitude of what was actually happening in the moment,” Lipson told NBC10.
He learned as he went along, capturing A-list celebrities like Tom Hanks, Grace Jones, Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington.
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"From the exposure to the Times I was able to connect with other clients," Lipson said of the experience.
Then, at 24, he took a risk deciding to go freelance. Eventually, he found himself at the Met Gala where a photograph Lipson shot of a then-pregnant Cardi B getting ready for the gala went viral.
"Within 20 minutes every news publication put it out. That was really a viral, viral, viral moment that was everywhere."
Since then, he has been in the presence of international entertainment television and film royalty, cultural and political icons, including Dame Judy Dench, former US president Bill Clinton, former US Vice President Al Gore and director/producer Spike Lee.
The Philly native collaborates with his subjects like people, not stars, and even put NBC10's own Keith Jones at the end of his lens.
He told NBC10 that the real craft is getting his subjects comfortable like he did with model Kendall Jenner. He traveled the country with her and went from admirer to peer.
“I approached Kendall and the team like I approach anyone in my life and we have a friendship and we developed that," he said.
Near the top of Lipson's list is human rights activist Malala Yousafzai who he says continues to be a source of inspiration for him and his work.
“The biggest thing I learned about myself is that you have to forget the noise. You put your head down, you go to work, and you just keep grinding," he said.
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