{"id":51013,"date":"2018-08-20T15:20:20","date_gmt":"2018-08-20T19:20:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=51013"},"modified":"2018-08-20T15:20:20","modified_gmt":"2018-08-20T19:20:20","slug":"through-the-lens-back-in-the-usa-photographer-jordan-taylor-wright-taylorcutfilms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/through-the-lens-back-in-the-usa-photographer-jordan-taylor-wright-taylorcutfilms\/","title":{"rendered":"Through the Lens: Back in the USA – Photographer Jordan Taylor Wright (@taylorcutfilms)"},"content":{"rendered":"

To celebrate his thirtieth birthday last month, filmmaker Jordan Taylor Wright (@taylorcutfilms<\/a> on Instagram) didn’t blow out the candles on a cake or take a weekend trip to celebrate. Instead he released a special Instagram photo<\/a> for the occasion, portraying himself as an adulthood-loathing Peter Pan flying over London. If that sounds like something out of the ordinary, even for Instagram, you\u2019re beginning to understand Wright\u2019s art already \u2014 he specializes in surreal photos and video.<\/p>\n

Originally from Bergen County, New Jersey, Wright studied Electronic Media and Film at Towson University in Maryland and is now based in Los Angeles. Now, with his company Taylor Cut Films, interactive content platform IntentOn<\/a>, and a new book, Wright is flying higher than ever.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mirroring the efforts of Mickey as the Sorcerer\u2019s Apprentice in \u201cFantasia,\u201d Wright conjures up the fantastical for his images, and a closer look at a portrait of him driving a car reveals he\u2019s speeding through outer Earth orbit, smiling up through his sunroof at an astronaut. In fact, Wright credits Disney films as the initial spark that ignited this desire to channel his creativity into depictions of “visual narrative.” These grand visions have attracted a celebrity clientele, including The Chainsmokers, Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, and Usher.<\/p>\n

Adorama caught up with Wright to learn what tools he finds integral to his work, and how a crazy day in Dubai with Usher helped him to conquer a fear of heights.<\/p>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> First things first. What is your gear setup and your usual editing workflow?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> For photography, it\u2019s the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II<\/a> with the EF 35mm f\/1.4L II USM lens<\/a>. If I\u2019m doing video I use the RED Monstro<\/a> with the (VV) Vista Vision sensor. It\u2019s the only camera that can currently shoot in 8K at 60 frames per second.<\/p>\n

For editing, I\u2019ll use Adobe Lightroom to color the images and Adobe Photoshop to bring the different colors and tones to life, depending on the vibe I\u2019m going for. For example, when I was in Tokyo I wanted to highlight the cold, so I lower the color temperature to bring out the blues. If I\u2019m editing a beach shot, I make the color temperature warmer to bring out the reds and oranges. You just have to know what story you\u2019re trying to tell visually.<\/p>\n

I do use “presets” or “looks” that I\u2019ve created. These will also be available for sale on my new site, intenton.io<\/a>. Taylor Cut University is also launching in two weeks, and that\u2019s where I will teach users how I create my custom images.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> What would you consider to be elements of your signature style?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> Fantastical and surreal. There\u2019s an element of magic in all of my photos. I like them to be dream-like. They appear like the “real world,” but how it may be perceived in a different sense or imagination, like through a child’s eyes. For instance, I may add planets, stars, birds, or other things to lend a sense of surrealism and wonder, but the photo is of someone or something real.<\/p>\n

“For me, filmmaking is essentially photography… Watching Disney movies as a kid, I knew I wanted to be entranced in that world.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> Was there a moment you remember first falling in love with photography?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> I fell in love with photography from the first movie I ever saw. I was a huge Disney fan as a kid and was immediately in awe at the concepts of films. For me, filmmaking is essentially photography. That\u2019s why there\u2019s a Director of Photography on film sets who composes all of the frames and images. Watching Disney movies as a kid, I knew I wanted to be entranced in that world.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> How do you make a living right now, and how big a role does your photography play?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> My living is my filmmaking. I travel and tour with celebrities and brands and create their visual content. However, this question to me insinuates that one can\u2019t make a solid living off of one\u2019s art, but it\u2019s still a living regardless of how much income is received. If you\u2019re creating art truthfully, your living will come from that. <\/p>\n

“However long it may take to create a project \u2014 to the point where I\u2019m satisfied \u2014 that\u2019s how long it will take.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> How much preparation do you put into a creation? Can you give an example of an image or video of yours which required a great amount of prep?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> I can spend up to a week simply prepping for a 30-second commercial or project for a brand or celebrity.<\/p>\n

A great example is the Usher video I recently created. I spent three days on pre-production. This includes everything from scheduling production, wardrobe, figuring out the narrative, and deciding what props may need to be used. It also includes planning for at least a six-hour shoot day and three days of post-production. Post includes editing and sound scoring, but that depends on the client or project.<\/p>\n

I also avoid setting deadlines because you can\u2019t force creativity. However long it may take to create a project \u2014 to the point where I\u2019m satisfied \u2014 that\u2019s how long it will take.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> What was it like to work with Usher?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> I still work with Usher. It\u2019s great! Working with any client you should have the same perspective, and Usher and I vibe creatively. He’s very rooted in his creations and knowing what he wants and who he is. You get to meet in the middle and you both look through your lens of perspectives. He\u2019s very creative, and so am I, so sometimes we may have a different perspective or viewpoint, but we meet in the middle. You shouldn\u2019t change your view based on who you are and for whom you\u2019re creating.<\/p>\n

“Fear is just the unknown waiting to be turned into love.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Usher is also a genuinely fun person. Here\u2019s one example: One time in Dubai we were scheduled to go on a helicopter tour after filming and, on the drive over, Usher kept teasing me by saying we were going skydiving as he knew I was afraid of heights at the time. I kept saying that I would stay in the car if so, until he finally said he was just joking with me. When we arrived at the helicopter facility, the pilot said, in broken English: “This is where we also do Skydive Dubai.” Usher replied to say that he\u2019s always wanted to go skydiving, to which the pilot replied, “Okay, you’ll go skydiving!” They harnessed him into a parachute and, when Usher looked over at me, his eyes said, “I’m not doing this alone.” I smiled and said, “okay, let’s do it.” We ended up jumping out of a helicopter at close to 12,000 feet and it was one of the best experiences of my life.<\/p>\n

Fear is just the unknown waiting to be turned into love. I was so happy to have stepped out of my comfort zone that day with Usher.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> You often work with photographers to create portraits of yourself, or other images, and then edit them into what you\u2019ve termed a “visual narrative.” How do discover the photographers with whom you collaborate, and how involved are they in building the concept for the final image?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> I find the photographers that I work with on social media or meet them on trips. There\u2019s really no specific way, and it’s kind of how life presents it. I\u2019m coming from my perspective and they have theirs, but the more open you are to collaboration and understanding their perspective, the more magic can happen.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s always a very open dialogue. I will send a photo with a rough idea to whomever I\u2019m working with, like, “this is the caption I\u2019m thinking of and here\u2019s what I\u2019m thinking for visual effects,” but I\u2019m always open to dialogue and feedback. <\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> How long might it take, from initial shot to finished creation, to produce one of the images like those you share on Instagram?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> Sometimes it can take a day, sometimes two or more days. Timing is the least important part of this. However long it takes is however long it takes. Don\u2019t rush creativity. I emphasize that some people on social media tend to feel the need to post regularly because they think that\u2019s how you get success on the algorithm, but this can come at the expense of quality. Just allow yourself the time you need, with no deadline to create your vision.<\/p>\n

“The notion of seeing the word as a child is seeing the world through innocence. There\u2019s no fear of judgment. It\u2019s the only way to create art because you’re creating for the sake of creating, not worried about judgement or how others will perceive it.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> In a caption on a recent Instagram, you noted: “I still continue to see the world with the same eyes and perspective as I did when I was a child.” How do you believe this approach has benefited your work? How may it have hindered it, too?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> This belief definitely hasn\u2019t hindered it! I would even go so far as to say that when everyone creates their art they are tuning in to their inner child. The notion of seeing the word as a child is seeing the world through innocence. There\u2019s no fear of judgment. It\u2019s the only way to create art because you’re creating for the sake of creating, not worried about judgement or how others will perceive it. Children can look at the ground like lava, because they don\u2019t have that notion that it\u2019s really just carpet. We all have childlike notions, but it\u2019s tapping into them that\u2019s key.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> You favor using your Instagram captions to expound on life, sharing snippets of affirmation or philosophizing on everything from overcoming fear to the power of vulnerability. What do you hope your followers and fans take away from these thoughts you share?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> I hope they understand that at the essence we’re all the same. We’re all living and sharing life and reality together and doing the best we can at our current state of awareness. We all want to express ourselves and to not have any fear of doing so. We need to allow what we’re feeling to be expressed to the world, with ego removed. We need to live with joy, not stress or anxiety. Even though viewers are seeing my art on a platform that stands upon the notion of likes and follows, they are the least meaningful part. Seeing the world through other people\u2019s lenses is what\u2019s important. I want my followers to express themselves truthfully and build meaningful relationships.<\/p>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> You\u2019ve published a physical book: Forever in the Infinite Now<\/a>. What have you been able to do with print, that you cannot in the digital realm? In other words, why publish in a finite way (only so many pages, only so much space in the book, only so many books) when your career has been so heavily in the digital realm?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> Digital is in the ethers. If all of a sudden the internet stopped existing and WiFi and connectivity is gone, then it\u2019s gone. We have a physical body, so tangible things are physically important. Even the writing process is a cathartic release. I wouldn\u2019t say it\u2019s “finite.” A video is technically “finite” as well.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t approach this project with the thought of just releasing a book. It was releasing thoughts in a journalistic way, which helped me, so I can go back to it at any time. It\u2019s easily digestible, and hopefully it will help others like it has helped me.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Photo by Jordan Taylor Wright<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Adorama:<\/strong> What\u2019s your single favorite photo you\u2019ve captured and shared, and can you tell the story behind it?<\/em><\/p>\n

Wright:<\/strong> I don\u2019t have a favorite anything. Every new creation I love just as much as the one before. I will use my latest birthday post as an example. I always felt like I resonated with the concept of Peter Pan as someone who never wanted to grow up and instead wanted to live in Neverland, a place of magic and wonder. It goes to show that it isn\u2019t time that\u2019s moving, but that\u2019s simply your perception.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m no different now than when I was six. In space, the sun and the moon are still rotating. We see it as day and night to help us cope. Allowing ourselves to feel that sense of newness in every moment can make you a kid forever and be at peace with the unknown. This mindset can make your life more pleasurable because you have no fears or worries. It\u2019s my job to express this in imagery.<\/p>\n

Check out Wright’s full <\/strong><\/em>Through the Lens<\/strong> episode below: <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Through The Lens | S06E08 - @taylorcutfilms<\/div><\/div>
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