The Portraits of Putin

How an iconic portrait became a symbol of protest.

“I was about an inch and a half from Putin's nose, I could feel his breathing on my hand.”

On December 12, 2007, Platon photographed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the cover of TIME. More than fifteen years later, it remains one of the most singular portraits of a world leader ever made. The menacing, cold image transcends photography - it has beco…