By: Carter Kenney
Photographer and director Jasper Soloff has built a career out of turning movement and color into emotion. His work has appeared in Vogue, GQ, Paper, and Dazed, and he’s created campaigns for major brands like Fenty Beauty, Maybelline’s “Press Play” with Gigi Hadid, and Amazon Fashion. He’s worked with icons like Billie Eilish, Billy Porter, and Emma Chamberlain — and more recently stepped into directing with his upcoming documentary following Broadway star Sam Pauly and her journey in The Great Gatsby. Through it all, Soloff’s focus has stayed consistent: celebrating queer joy, individuality, and the beauty of being real.
We caught up with Jasper to talk about how his dance background shapes his work, what it feels like to see his images in Times Square, and how he turns authenticity into art.
Q. You started out as a ballet dancer — that’s such a different world. How did that lead to photography?
Dance was my first language. I trained up to twelve hours a day, homeschooling so I could focus on it. Everything was about form, control, and emotion through movement. That obsession with how bodies move stayed with me — it’s still how I see the world. When I picked up a camera for the first time, it just clicked. I realized I could choreograph with light instead of steps.
Q. When did you realize photography was more than just a hobby?
In college. I took this black-and-white film photography class at Sarah Lawrence, and I became completely hooked. I’d spend hours in the darkroom, just watching images appear out of nothing. It felt like magic. Then, when I went to Central Saint Martins in London, I found color — literally. I started using it to express identity and emotion, and that became my thing. Bright, saturated, a little rebellious.
Q. Your work has such a signature look — so full of movement and color. How do you think your dance background influences that?
I don’t think I ever stopped being a dancer. Even when I’m shooting something still, I’m thinking in terms of rhythm, tension, and release. I see color as another form of movement — it’s emotional. It shifts the energy of an image. I guess I’ve just always wanted my photos to move, even if nothing in them literally is.
Q. You’ve worked with huge names — Gigi Hadid, Billie Eilish, Billy Porter — and shot campaigns for brands like Fenty and Maybelline. Do you ever have those “wait, how did I get here?” moments?
I still have those moments. I still get nervous before big shoots. I remember walking through Times Square as a kid, staring at the billboards and thinking how crazy it would be to see my work up there one day. When it finally happened, I honestly cried. It felt like this moment of, “Oh, I can take who I really am — my identity, my weirdness — and it can exist on that kind of scale.”
Q. Your queer identity is a big part of your work. How do you bring that into what you create?
It’s everything. Being queer shaped how I see beauty, intimacy, and strength. My work is about creating space for people who don’t always see themselves represented — and doing it joyfully. I love photographing queer artists, drag performers, and anyone who’s unafraid to take up space. It’s about visibility, but also about joy. Joy is a powerful force.
Q. What’s a typical Jasper Soloff shoot like?
Controlled chaos. (laughs) I love collaboration. I want my sets to feel safe, fun, and full of trust. Some of my favorite photos happened by accident. Early on, I used to shoot with my queer friends on rooftops in Brooklyn, totally spontaneous. Once, I was shooting Symone, and this disco ball started bouncing light all over her face — it was perfect. That kind of magic is hard to plan for. You just have to stay open to it.
Q. Have there been moments where you’ve had to really assert yourself as a director?
Definitely, early on, a producer once mistook me for a production assistant — like, handed me coffee and walked away. (laughs) It stung, but it also reminded me to take up space confidently. A lot of this job is believing in your own vision, even when people don’t see it right away. Once I started owning that, things shifted.
Q. You’ve done so much already — fashion, photography, commercials. What’s next for you?
Directing more film and music-based projects. I just finished my first documentary following Sam Pauly and her Broadway journey in The Great Gatsby, which I’m really proud of. It’s kind of my first step into storytelling that moves beyond still images. I’d love to direct a full-on musical someday — something wild and queer and emotional, like Cabaret meets Euphoria.
Q. If you could give advice to your younger self, the kid spending hours in ballet class, what would you say?
I’d tell him to relax. (laughs) To stop worrying about being perfect. The things that make you different are what make your art powerful. And that authenticity — that’s what people connect with.
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