Photography: An Intimate Photo Shoot With Vladimir Putin

In December 2007, TIME Magazine named Russian president Vladimir Putin as Person of the Year. Photographer Platon was flown to Moscow for the shoot. He approached the massive fortress-like wall covered with snipers. At gunpoint, he was led through the gate and told to wait until Putin arrived; when he finally did, he walked in surrounded by a posse of translators, advisors, and bodyguards.