Interview with Jenn Collins: The Photographer of Beauty and Inclusion

When you see the photographs by Jenn Collins for the first time you can’t help but notice their beauty: diversity, inclusion, technique, passion, and emotions will come out through every piece. We absolutely wanted to interview Jenn to ask her about her path into Beauty Photography, what’s the mission of her work and some curiosities about her professional kit.

And, of course, you can’t miss her photos on Instagram, not even one!

How did your passion for photography begin and how did it evolve in beauty photography?

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I originally had started photographing flowers and landscapes when I was in high school, but ultimately fell in love with photographing people (and more specifically beauty photography) when I moved to Los Angeles. I had started working alongside a couple of beauty photographers in the area, and was so inspired by the detail and precision of beauty photography and decided I was up for the challenge of shooting it myself. I spent several years trying out literally every avenue of photography (school portraits, weddings, fashion, product, ecomm, sports, etc.), and beauty finally felt right. I’m so happy to have found my little space in this industry. I feel at home.

A particular photo shoot that was special for you?

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I don’t mean to sound cliche or cheesy, but honestly, every shoot is special for me. I am so lucky to be able to spend time with beautiful and wonderful souls on set, all while creating and having fun. How cool is that? Beyond that, I will always remember my first campaign shoot and feeling so validated in my passion. It was (and still is with every campaign) so surreal and wonderful, and continues to give me butterflies in my tummy to this day.

You work in the beauty industry which is an ever-changing industry, especially in these last years with inclusivity. What would you love to see in the future of this industry?

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My true hope is that inclusivity and the presence of all skin-tones, gender-identities, and body-types in commercial imagery will continue to grow and take over, and won’t just be seen as a “trend.” It would really make my heart soar to know that every person can feel represented and appreciated in the marketing material they see online or in-store. I’m aiming for this in my own work and hope to grow in this as well. I also would love to continue to see the growth of female photographers taking over the industry. I am so inspired by so many women photographers in the industry, and can only hope this number will grow!

What was one of the most challenging works you have ever done and why?

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I shot a campaign for a cosmetic company a couple of years ago, and we were shooting 24 models in a day, 2 looks per model. This was challenging just because of the sheer volume of subjects, and how fast we were shooting. I typically prefer to have time to connect with the models prior to shooting, so it was tough not having this time to connect and build a rapport with the models. It ended up being a super fun day and the images turned out great, but that day was definitely a blur of activity.

“My true hope is that inclusivity and the presence of all skin-tones, gender-identities, and body-types in commercial imagery will continue to grow and take over, and won’t just be seen as a trend.”

Your editorial shoots are stunning. What is the creative process behind them and how do you usually work on creativity?

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Typically I will start out with a model that I am inspired by. I love unique features (gap teeth, freckles, beauty marks, bleached brows, shaved head, etc.) and ethnic diversity/ambiguity, so when I find a model that has a look that I’m inspired by, I will build a concept around them (and hope that they will want to shoot as well). I work closely with my hair and makeup teams to create a storyboard of lighting, hair and makeup that pair well with the model.

I am notoriously selective with who and what I shoot because I want to make sure that my team and I are inspired by who we are shooting, and that the model is excited to shoot with myself and the team as well. I think this helps aid in the creative process. If the whole team is excited, then it helps fuel the creative spark. I also keep a small album of inspiration on my phone that can sometimes kickstart an idea for an editorial; this can include makeup, textures, artwork, etc.

“I LOVE UNIQUE FEATURES.”

In your kit.

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My personal kit includes the Canon 5DSr and Canon 100 f/2.8 Macro lens. I wish I had more in my kit, but my other lenses were recently stolen. I will say that my favorite camera/lens duo is the Phase XF IQ3 100MP setup with Schneider 120 Macro lens. This is my go-to for commercial work.

Favorite photography book or exhibition.

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I’m ashamed to say I don’t go to as many photo exhibitions as I should, but my favorite photography coffee-table books are: “Vogue: The Covers” and a book of Helmut Newton’s works. I also have a small collection of old W Magazines and V Magazines that I love to look through.

Favorite photographer of all time.

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Ben Hassett. His work just demands attention. I love that. So striking and intense.

Zoey Grossman as well. It’s so inspiring to see a young female creative just completely dominating the industry! All of her work is so feminine and fresh.

“Zoey Grossman: her work is so feminine and fresh.”

Never without…on set.

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My old-lady orthopedic shoes (I’m not old but my feet sure feel old after a 14 hr day on set), chapstick and a giant iced oat-milk latte (I am in LA, afterall).

Your shooting Star.

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Oh man, this is tough because I feel like I’ve already had so many dream shoots (again, cliche, I know). I think shooting a large-scale cosmetic campaign in Paris or London would be the dream. But who knows, maybe in a year or so that will be a not-so-distant dream 😉

Your photographic superpower.

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I’m really proud of my ability to capture emotions and genuine expressions in my models. Like I mentioned before, I love building a relationship and rapport with who I’m shooting, and I think that comes through in my images. No fake smiles here!

Your next photographic purchase.

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Probably just studio spaces. I always rent a studio when I do my personal or editorial shoots, so I have to plan to purchase a rental space a couple of times a month.

“No fake smiles here!”

Photo and Credits: Jenn Collins.

Follow her: @JennCollins.