Celebrity Photographers

Kicking off a series that shines a spotlight on celebrities renowned for their achievements in one domain, yet also harbor a passion for photography, we delve into the life of Lenny Kravitz. Celebrated for his electrifying stage presence, critically acclaimed music, and dynamic lifestyle, Kravitz’s lesser-known facet as a thoughtful and reflective photographer comes into focus.

Born in New York City in 1964, Lenny Kravitz has become one of the biggest names in the music industry. He has sold over 40 million albums worldwide and has received numerous awards. Like many musicians of his generation he has crossed over into acting and many will remember his role as Cinna the creative stylist in ‘The Hunger Games’ movies.

Kravitz’s mother was Roxie Roker, an actress who appeared in many TV shows in America in the 1970s and 1980s. She is best known for ‘The Jeffersons’ which featured one of the earliest interracial marriages on American television. In reality, she also married a white man, Sy Kravitz, a news producer for NBC. He had served in the Korean War and as a photojournalist in Vietnam. Psychological problems, a deep sense of guilt over the death of his brother whom he had encouraged to sign up, and extramarital affairs resulted in a breakdown in his relationship with his son, but this was reconciled later and it is reported that it was Sy who gave Kravitz his first serious camera, a Leica.

By this time Kravitz was already an established name in his own right. It turned out that he had an eye for a photograph. The fraught circumstances of his childhood leading to the breakup of the marriage of his parents, his growing awareness and activism in justice and equality, and his sensibilities as a songwriter may all have come together to produce a photographer who seeks to look into the souls of those he portrays, to discover the essence of the countries, towns, and cities he visits.

He became very aware of his status as a celebrity, constantly photographed by fans and paparazzi, and started to question who he was, what he represented, and more importantly, for one of his earliest projects, who it was that all this was being represented to. At a red carpet event, he started to photograph those who were photographing him, be they individuals or a pack of paparazzi. He became fascinated by the crowds of photographers, young and old, professional or opportunistic, or fans simply wanting a memento, that appeared during his public appearances outside the concert venue, in the streets, and in shops he visited.

Leica, the company, was also aware of his work, and Kravitz, a keen businessman, was aware of the value of his brand to the camera maker. This resulted in not one, but two rangefinders being added to the Leica arsenal with Kravitz’s brand stamped all over them.

The Leica M-P Correspondent paid homage to Sy Kravitz who had worked as a war correspondent in Vietnam. It was a special edition of the M-P (Type 240) with only 125 units being made available worldwide on its launch in 2015. Inside, the camera was pure Leica. It was the outer appearance that set it apart. Kravitz’s first camera had belonged to his father and had seen active service. The Correspondent came with a well-worn and used appearance, each unit was aged by hand giving each a unique look. A special edition of the Summilux-M 50mm f1.4 ASPH accompanied the body. The lens followed the construction of its 1959 progenitor. A 35mm f2 ASPH was also available. They were sold as a kit in a special case at an eye-watering price.

The second camera Kravitz designed was the Leica M Monochrom Drifter. Unlike the Correspondent which had a heritage in hard work in extreme conditions, the Drifter was more suited to the reflective, often more introspective work Kravitz produced after ‘Flash’. It is an exclusively monochrome camera, the medium Kravitz prefers for these introspective qualities as well as its artistic values. The camera, he feels, has the same sense of soul that black and white film cameras have. Again the design emphasis is on a well-used, worn-looking effect, this time in an almost sepia patina with a vegan leatherette python skin cover. Another limited edition of only 125 units worldwide, the camera was supplied as a kit with a Summicron-M 28mm f2 ASPH and an APO-Summicron-M 75mm f2 ASPH, all bundled in a unique travel bag. If you need to ask the price, you can’t afford it!

The collaboration with Leica also resulted in exhibitions and accompanying books of photographs by Kravitz. ‘Flash’ was based on his experiences with, and photographs of, those photographing him. He admits to having been a complete novice at the time with little experience of using a camera or knowledge of the principles of taking a photograph. He sought the advice of his friends the photographers Mark Seliger and Jean-Baptiste Mondino, both of whom became huge influences on his developing style.

The ‘Drifters’ project saw a departure in style and content. It was exclusively in black and white and each photograph tells a story, and has its own narrative.

Drifters are those who travel with purpose and curiosity and Kravitz has assumed just that role. “It communicates my life in motion,” he says. “I enjoy photographing people when they’re just living. You save a memory that would’ve otherwise vanished. Photography allows me to document the world around me. I can pay tribute to it, in a sense. That can be very poetic…”

Drifters was a monochromatic project. Like many photographers, Kravitz believes colour impedes his perception of the world; colours are a distraction. It is only through black and white that he can confidently express his feelings and thoughts whilst accurately capturing the essence of his subjects.

In short Kravitz’s modus operandi is a documentary. He has a view of the world expressed in black and white. To say the medium simplifies this view would be to miss the point entirely. It has allowed him to explore his subjects more intuitively, to exclude distractions, and allow him as a photographer, and us as his audience, to understand a little more, our curiosity in the modern world.

Lenny Kravitz Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=9RtnypR-lEM