Tonight’s a special one. Back in late April, I travelled to Los Angeles for the second time in the same month, for one of the coolest experiences I’ve had. I got to shoot behind-the-scenes, all-access at one of the biggest WE Days to date in the City of Angels. Star-studded only begins to capture this one: Karamo from Queer Eye, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Neil Patrick Harris, Natalie Portman, Mahershala Ali, Bill Nye the Science Guy (!!!), Chance the Rapper, Naomi Campbell, Joe Jonas, and oh yeah, Selena Gomez. So take that celeb firepower, focus it all on social justice with 18,000 inspired youth, and you get We Day California 2019.
And tonight the special airs on ABC. Here’s my exclusive look at what I captured both in front of the stage and behind the scenes at WE Day California. Cheers. Spread more love.
Karamo arriving. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Sofia Carson with fans on the Blue Carpet. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Neil Patrick Harris. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Sarah Michelle Gellar. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Natalie Portman (!!!) and fans. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Natalie Portman, some cameras, and me. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Bill Nye. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Chance the Rapper arriving, meet David. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Chance the Rapper and fans. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Mahershala Ali arriving. WE DAY LA 2019Selena Gomez arriving. WE DAY CALIFORNIASelena Gomez. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Selena Gomez. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Mahershala Ali arriving. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Sarah Meeting Neil. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)WE Day Cali Stage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Karamo Brown from Queer Eye. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Neil Patrick Harris kicking off the show. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Selena Gomez takes Stage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Lilly Singh, backstage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Inspired youth. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Eddie Vedder video surprise for Eli. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Bill Nye, inspired youth, Neil Patrick Harris. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)NPH. The Host. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Chance the Rapper. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Chance the Rapper. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)The Great Mahershala Ali. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Mahershala Ali. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)A surprise for and educator. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Neil thanking the fans. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Joe Jonas surprise. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Neil on stage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Pentatonix performing. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Pentatonix performing. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Pentatonix, backstage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Natalie Portman behind the scenes. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)The Best Crowd pumpers! WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Natalie Portman takes the stage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Natalie Portman. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Neil again. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Meghan Trainor performing. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Naomi Campbell. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Skai Jackson. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Meghan Trainor performing. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Spencer West, backstage. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Closing Celebrations. WE DAY CALIFORNIA (Ryan Bolton Photography)Last photo I took that day. Turned out to be of the amazing Cameron Boyce, who passed away suddenly last month. This is dedicated to him.
Ryan is a Toronto-based writer and photographer that likes to break the rules. His work has taken him around the world to do what he truly loves—storytelling. And drinking cold beer.
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