Photographer JR was once almost thrown out for taking a stealth shot of Michael Jordan and Pharrell and has since learned his lesson, securing his position as the sole photographer for the event.
Since 2007, the 2008 TIME 100 honoree has been capturing stunning portraits from the post-ceremonial festivities where stars can let their hair down. This year, his on-location photo studio was a lime-green backdrop with an oversized sheet of detached white paper for partygoers to pose with as they please.
"Cinema has always had a huge influence on me," JR told TIME, who teamed up with the photographer and Madonna for the event.
"Last year I was nominated for an Academy Award, and I still spent most of that night creating new images at the very party I was almost kicked out of."
Reality imitated art.
This is a temporary panacea for our current social and political maladies.
Like any art, this masterpiece offered many interpretations.
Anything resembling strength in sisterhood gets a YASS.
There 's been much speculation of animosity between the two pop queens concerning plagiarism and jealousy, especially after Madonna said in a 2012 interview with ABC News that Gaga's song "Born This Way" felt "reductive."
She added:
"I certainly think she references me a lot in her work. And sometimes I think it's amusing and flattering and well done."
"There's a lot of ways to look at it. I can't really be annoyed by it...because, obviously, I've influenced her."
Gaga had her own interpretation over the hyped competitiveness and told Attitude magazine:
"I truthfully believe that there was nothing about those records sounding alike, and everything about this gay icon versus gay icon nonsense."
"I don't need to take anybody's torch. I have no interest in taking anybody's torch. I am over here and they are over there and if you feel connected to it, the door is open for you to come in and enjoy this with us."
"But this need for competition was everything that 'Born This Way' isn't about!"
But the spirited rivalry is all water under the bridge now. Guys, this is an official truce. It's time to bury the hatchet and move on.
Need more proof of their sisterly camaraderie? Here's a video from a fan site that managed to catch them cozying up together for the same photo op.
Other celebrities who posed for the night included Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Ibeyi and Swae Lee, and another photo of Gaga with her "Shallow" co-writer Mark Ronson.
But it's the photo of Gaga and Madge that will have people gushing for years to come.
