Fine Art or Photography? We Say Both! Meet Still-Life Photog Joanna McClure

PHOTOS COURTESY JOANNA MCCLURE

If you happen to browse through the advertisements of top-tier beauty and fashion brands, chances are you’ve seen Joanna McClure’s work. The New York-based photographer and art director is most known for her still life portraits depicting provocative angles of her most beloved subjects through a fine art and high-fashion lens. What began as a love to capture beautiful things in beautiful moments, propelled into commissioned projects by the world’s top luxury brands. You’ve heard of La Mer, right?

A McClure original is easy to spot with a discerning eye. The images feel feminine, personal and highly elevated—her compositions can sometimes trick you into what the intended subject is supposed to be. Her humble props become as interesting as the priceless pieces they’re flaunting. There is a je ne sais quoi to her photos that leave you in a state of wonder, but inspired. Although McClure’s photographs are still life, most of her work evokes a feeling of movement and sometimes even chaos in motion—an artistic and fluid snapshot of an aftermath as seen in her flipped tables compositions surrounded by packing peanuts and bubble wrap. Her work has sparked conversation and has drawn in an impressive clientele list including Shiseido, Vanity Fair, Neiman Marcus and Philip Lim.