She shot the gatefold image of the Beastie Boys on the Licensed to Ill album, and the infamous Lesbian cover for Newsweek in June 1993, which still ranks among their top ten selling issues.
At the same time, Sunny Bak was studying photography under Philippe Halsman at The New School for Social Research in Manhattan.
In the 1980s Sunny Bak developed a style using Polapan film photographing New York City's downtown diva scene, including Michael Musto, Nile Rodgers, Dominique and Madonna, which got her noticed by Annie Flanders, editor in chief and founder of Details magazine.
In 1984, Bak's intern from City As School, David Scilken introduced her to his former bandmates from the punk rock band, The Young and the Useless who had since changed their style and their name to the Beastie Boys.
[1] Her studio became the location for their infamous "Fight For Your Right To Party" video and she shot them numerous times on the Licensed to Ill Tour.