Justin Kriel
I'm a commercial photographer based in Northern Virginia and studied Photography and Industrial Design at the University of Johannesburg (formerly Wits Tech) in South Africa. I left home after graduating to travel the world and build my portfolio (aka have fun!). After 4 years abroad my wife and I moved to London for 2 years where where I focussed on architectural and advertising photography.
A career opportunity for my wife led us to Washington DC in 2006. In 2008 he was hired by VRX Studios, a global hospitality photography agency, to join their international team of contracted photographers. I was fortunate to collaborate in producing content for brands like Hilton, Kempinski, Fairmont, Oceania Cruises, Hyatt and Shangri-La to name a few. In 2013 I took over as their Head of Photography, and now oversees a team of exceptionally talented photographers.
My work has been featured in publications such as DC Modern Luxury, Washington Life, American Spa, New York Post and Washington Post, and received a number of accolades including 2 honorable mentions in the 2007 Lucie International Photography Awards.