Most of us don’t typically associate fashion model and reality television star Kendall Jenner with photography yet. During her recent appearance on NBC’s "The Tonight Show," she had a few pointers for host Jimmy Fallon.
Jenner is one of several celebrities that have received attention for their careers in photography. To the surprise of some, she has managed to put together a professional photography portfolio which includes several magazine covers and one of the most liked accounts on Instagram (2015’s most liked account, in fact).
In her recent "Tonight Show" appearance, Jenner talks to Fallon about her roots in photography and also discusses her images that have made the cover of Love Magazine. To the delight of the audience, Jenner manages to provide a few modeling tips to Fallon, who is known for being a tad bit camera-shy, while snapping a few shots of him with her newest camera. Fallon then introduces Jenner to an iPhone and manages to grab a few selfies with the model-turned-photographer.
Having been photographed by some of the fashion industry's leading photographers, Jenner should have some insight into how a high-end fashion set should look and feel. Do you think that experience is enough for her to carve out a place in a saturated fashion photography industry as a photographer?
Can we stop feeding into the b.s. of making unqualified untalented people famous?
Just out of curiosity, what do you feel would make her qualified?
Oh I dunno, maybe actually dedicating herself to the craft of photography for a number of years? Not being a model, or a diverting her energy to being a celebrity? She's put in absolutely no work for her accolades and opportunities she's receiving.
Not to defend her too gallantly, but she's only 21. Not many years of anything under her belt really.
Sorry her age is not an excuse look at JoeyL, Lara Jade, Emily Soto just to name a few... all photographers around her age that are doing remarkable work and have done so since their teens.
I don't think anyone is comparing her to Joey Lawrence, who has to be nearing 30 by now
Correct... the point being address is just because she is 21 doesn't mean she could not have accumulated the knowledge.... all those photogs mentioned started in their teens to become what they are today... as John noted they honed their craft before they got their big breaks.
On the flip side the fact that she is seen as an "influencer" and social media influencers are the in thing for brands today.... it makes sense that she'd get opportunities even before her skills have fully matured.
Joey L, is 27 and has been huge in the industry for how long? that guy was shooting since he was born
Maybe even sooner
like I have to assume this is how any cartoon feels when the simpsons have already done it. "oh look at this epic shoot I just did! wait Joey L did it when he was 21 and did it better" damn
Miguel de Cervantes was around 60 years old when he published Don Quixote. Does that make his work less qualified? No. Yes, she'll get the spotlight easier because she's famous, but as we can see she's not a shit photographer. If she picked it up just now as a hobby because she's spent her life on TV or modeling, I don't see what's wrong with that.
Not sure of the correlation here about Cervantes and if directed toward my response. But, in reply he actually honded his craft through writing other works non published and published (ex. La Galatea) prior to his seminal work on Don Quixote. It's not a matter of being less qualified my point was for us not to use age as an excuse for lack of knowledge or technique (hope that clears it up).
Actually, her work is quite basic and amateurish. If it wasn't a for a good editor and a team to set up, she'd just be another normal person with a camera pushing a button.
Can you honestly say the photos they show are bad or are you so prejudiced you don't think someone who's famous for being on TV can have talents?
I've seen her work, I don't think she has any more talent than every other early 20's kid who picked up a rebel and a fast prime lens. She just has access to teams of trained creatives who can edit and guide her work.
She isn't a photographer, she's a button pusher.
Who decides what's qualified? I got into photographer a year and a half ago and make close to six figures. Does that make me a fake photographer?
seeing your stuff makes me wonder how...
Monetary success and fidelity in the work due to acquired and practiced skill are not linked together. I know plenty of mediocre to amateur photographers that make a living on nothing more than a good camera, auto-correct, and purchased plug-ins.
That doesn't make them good photographers, just good button pushers who can sell themselves; And I agree with Dragen's statement above.
You can come back here and say this again when you are better than her at popularity.
This is life and you can not measure by anything. there's no standard.
Peter Hurley also used to be a model and now a great head shot photographer.
No comment! :-)
Personally, I'll always be sceptical of celebrities and their "photography endeavours".
Some have down really nice work and were/are very serious. In the were category, Yul Bruner stands out. He often had multiple cameras around his neck on sets. Jeff Bridges also has some really nice work. His photos are unusual and often dramatic because he uses a Widelux. A shame he didn't get into photography when doing Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
Jeff Bridges is cool AF
He seems like a nice guy. I've enjoyed his roles, starting with Thunderbolt and Lightfoot.
My favorite bank robbery movie ever! I'm a big Clint Eastwood fan and it was my intro to Jeff Bridges as well
I'm sceptical as well. The first thing she did was switch the camera flash on. She is in a TV studio where the one thing she is not short of is light, and she switches the camera flash on! OK, now for colour balance. The studio lights may not be daylight balanced, so and camera flash colour would be a different.
So me thinks, she may not be technically accomplished and thatshe has a really good "assistant" who sets up the shots for her. However, her photographs, however they are produced, do have a nice 'feel' to them.
John
It actually depends on the studio. I would agree that Fallon's studio is probably pretty bright, but I was at f/2.8 & ISO 800 to hit 1/125s for the shot below. I would have preferred to be at f/8 for DOF and more like 1/200s as some shots had motion blur, but the light was about 4 stops shy of that and much dimmer than expected. Other studios I've shot have been fairly dark as well.
I hear what you are saying. But switching on the flash means she gets a better exposer not a better picture. I hear what you are saying. But switching on the flash means she gets a better exposer not a better picture. Also, what about the colour balance?
I somehow do not think we will get to see the result of this portrait.
I definitely understand and it does seem like a bit of a rookie thing on her part, but she is young. I'm sure you're right about us seeing the shot, too. When I've shot in the studios, the bigger concern for me is usually the shutter sound. The producers get really nervous about that...even though the lavalier mics don't pick it up from that distance. And obviously flash use is a no go, needless to say.
It's a compact, fixed lens film camera. They're not exactly known for their fast aperture. And we don't know which ISO is on that film.
I've used disposable film cameras. They're fixed lens, fixed aperture, fixed ISO. It's less expensive than the Contax that she uses.
Have you ever shot with a Compact film camera? I doubt she's running anything higher than 400 speed film so a flash seems quite necessary, especially with a 2.8 lens.
And what's wrong with using hard frontal flash? It's an aesthetic in itself and those cameras aren't built for low light.
Hummmmmmm
Can we just take a moment to recognize the real talent in the Jenner family, Kirby Jenner?
https://www.instagram.com/kirbyjenner
Joke? Bruce had no child named Kirby.
Yes, it is a joke, everything is photoshopped. But the quality is pretty good. The guy has over 500K followers.
Good for her, she seems rather affable and grounded given her family. Photography is a medium that anyone can express themselves within, no need to feel disgruntled if her celebrity affords her opportunities in photography the rest of us may not be able to achieve.
Reminds me of Brooklyn Beckham's story as well. We have to accept that some folks come from privilege which allows them to "short cut" some avenues that most of us have to endure. People like Kendall or Brooklyn may want to open up a restaurant, or a coffee shop, or a garbage truck company and it probably wont be hard for them to do and that business WILL get public attention. That said, I don't think that makes them "unqualified" to be whatever they want to be, in this case a photographer. We live in a time where we see more a more pro-cameras being used by more and more people. They may not be the best photographers, or have years of experience, but that makes them unqualified as well? If you haven't taken images for more that 5 years then you are not a legit photographer?
I believe that more competition is good for the craft. In my opinion it makes you work harder to achieve better results. If an image is good, is good period. We can't hate a well taken picture just because we don't like the person who pressed the shutter.
I just don't understand why we're so enthralled by a rich woman surrounded by beautiful, creative people almost all the time taking decent photos.
I mean, kudos to her, but the photos aren't breathtaking in a way that makes them anymore remarkable than photos from any other fashion photographer, so why does she deserve that attention if not SPECIFICALLY because of her privilege.
This article is first and foremost about her celebrity. The quality and content of the photography is secondary.
Her celebrity status is an asset. Her modeling experience is an asset. Being around other professional photographers - assuming she learned a bunch from them - is an asset. She's got a lot of things going in her favor. I wish her a successful career!
My homie Channing Tatum takes fire pictures
https://www.instagram.com/p/BArHyRtACCB/?taken-by=channingtatum
She may or may not have an "eye" for it... she may or may not know what ISO is but her real asset, her power comes from being a celebrity... she has access to people most of us don't (even if you make close to six figures) She can pick up the phone, call Beyonce and say "hey B, wanna shoot?" She can shoot a garbage bin and get her images published anywhere or sold in an art gallery because of who she is.
In this world of instant gratification we have created, trust me when i say no one will remember Kendall Jenner the photographer in a few weeks or maybe even days... but years from now people will still remember names like Ansel Adams or Herb Ritts...
As if the Contax T2 isn't pricey enough, you know that market is going to blow up.
so much bitterness due to the fact that she's a celebrity. what's the problem? let the girl shoot some stuff! If they're all at the same level as her niece's portrait in the program, it is honestly not that bad !
I actually like the work I've seen from her. I am by no means a fan of her (I could not care less), but objectively I think her work is pretty good. I hope people don't hate on her photography just because of who she is.
It's not just fashion photography, all of it saturated. It depends where you are to niche that.... as for her, people are buying her name and brand if they hire her, just like that kid in Europe cause his parents are famous.
Contax T2, she has good taste.
Holy crap these comments are hilarious. Are you all so insecure about your work that you need to pick apart everything someone does? Be honest with yourselves here. Is she ever, EVER, going to steal any work away from you? No? Then who cares?
The Contax is a great compact fixed camera. As for talent, I do not know. All of her photos look like photos I have seen from others in the past.
Also, Gary Oldman takes some really good photos as well. Or, at least, I think he does.
I think that besides the attention and the opportunities she will evidently get because of her name / fame she will get an equal amount of bullshit and people opinianating about her work that will make it hard to evolve in a normal way.