Behind The Scenes: Yuri Milner On James Lick And What Philanthropy Can Do For Science

The cover shoot for Hong Kong Tatler's 500th issue took place at California's 130-year-old Lick Observatory

Above Video: Summer Young; Edited by Kenneth Chan/Hong Kong Tatler

Billionaire tech investors running huge philanthropic programmes don’t have much time, which is why our cover shoot with Yuri and Julia Milner had to be meticulously organised.

We made the long, winding drive to the location, California’s 130-year-old Lick Observatory, a day before the shoot to map out all the angles well in advance. Yuri’s tight schedule allowed only two hours for the taking of photos before he had to head back to business in Silicon Valley.

Above The October 2018 cover of Hong Kong Tatler

Once photographer Austin Hargrave fired off the first clicks of the shutter, the shoot began to flow; Yuri even directed a few shots himself, while Julia, a former model, exuded professional poise with every frame.

Above Photo: Hunter Cates for Hong Kong Tatler

It was a picture-perfect blue-sky summer day, and when the temperature hit 29 degrees Celsius we took refuge inside the domes that house some of the most important optical telescopes in the world that—with the support of the Milners’ Breakthrough Initiative—might one day make the most profound discovery of all time.

Read our October 2018 cover story with Yuri & Julia Milner.

Topics

Yuri Milner Julia Milner Lick Observatory Science Space 500th Issue

Tatler Asia

Behind The Scenes: Yuri Milner On James Lick And What Philanthropy Can Do For Science