Rachel Chandler: Beautiful People 2011
By JONATHAN DURBIN
In the two years since Rachel Chandler began shooting for purple-diary.com, the online home of Olivier Zahm's nudie fashion bible Purple, the photographer has learned a thing or two about capturing moments. "The object is to get mood across -- a feeling," she explains. "You want readers not just to know who was there, but also what it felt like." Conveying a sense of atmosphere is one of the 23-year-old's strong suits, whether that's through shooting her friends at private dinners or clubs, or portraits taken on travels, like of the actor Michael Pitt exploring his snake-charming side in Marrakesh. Chandler's skills behind the lens and her insider status have endeared her not only to Zahm, but also to Vogue.com, where she is on contract as a contributing photographer.
The L.A. native moved to New York to study art history at NYU's Gallatin School in the mid-'00s and while taking classes, she interned for a number of arts organizations -- like Reena Spaulings and the Whitney Museum of American Art -- and for photographers, including Patrick Demarchelier. She also DJ'd on the side at the likes of Avenue, the Standard Hotel and the now-defunct Beatrice Inn. "There are a lot of people with slashes these days -- model-slash-actor," she explains. "I never wanted to DJ, but I've wanted to be a photographer
my whole life."
Things began to pick up for her professionally after she met Zahm through mutual acquaintances; he asked her to contribute to his website, though she didn't have a portfolio at the time. She's since built up a collection of intensely personal photographs -- leading to a sort of public exposure she's not entirely comfortable with. And yet, she understands that the secret to her success is in conveying intimacy. "I know I need to pay my dues and learn from people who have more experience," she says, "but the culture that surrounds me is different than it is for older photographers. I have a different perspective to offer."
RACHEL WEARS SWEATER BY MARC JACOBS.
GO BACK TO SEE MORE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF 2011
The L.A. native moved to New York to study art history at NYU's Gallatin School in the mid-'00s and while taking classes, she interned for a number of arts organizations -- like Reena Spaulings and the Whitney Museum of American Art -- and for photographers, including Patrick Demarchelier. She also DJ'd on the side at the likes of Avenue, the Standard Hotel and the now-defunct Beatrice Inn. "There are a lot of people with slashes these days -- model-slash-actor," she explains. "I never wanted to DJ, but I've wanted to be a photographer
my whole life."
Things began to pick up for her professionally after she met Zahm through mutual acquaintances; he asked her to contribute to his website, though she didn't have a portfolio at the time. She's since built up a collection of intensely personal photographs -- leading to a sort of public exposure she's not entirely comfortable with. And yet, she understands that the secret to her success is in conveying intimacy. "I know I need to pay my dues and learn from people who have more experience," she says, "but the culture that surrounds me is different than it is for older photographers. I have a different perspective to offer."
RACHEL WEARS SWEATER BY MARC JACOBS.
GO BACK TO SEE MORE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE OF 2011
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