Fascinated by his work, we wanted to know the secret behind his success and positivity that emits from his radiant persona. Intrigued to discover the real Kris Krug – the man behind the camera’s lens…the man behind the ‘name’, Styleablaze took the opportunity to interview Kris Krug.

Interviewing him was a pleasant experience…..

Q.1: Welcome to Styleablaze. Please introduce yourself and tell us who “Kris Krug” is – the man behind the great fame.

I’m an artists, a photojournalist, an author, a technologist, a digital nomad and an all around geek.

Q.2: Where you are from, when and how did you enter the world of photography?

I have lived in Vancouver, BC for the last decade but I am originally California. My entrance into photography was about 7 years ago. I was working for a “company” that had an ever changing Board of Directors. Instead of continuing hiring a photographer every time a new member came onto the board, I volunteered to start taking the photos. Photography started off as just this but then I started taking photowalks around my neighborhood in Berkeley, CA and shooting my neighborhood. It was during this time that I fell in love with photography. My camera and the creative outlet of photography literally saved my life… but that’s a longer story.

Q.3: If not a photographer, Kris Krug probably would have been a…………

Oh boy… so many things that interest me. I would love to be a park ranger, a pilot, a teacher, a pitcher for the Oakland A’s. Or a spy. With several passports.

Q.4: It is often heard that college educations don’t impart the best education in teaching photography as a profession. Being a teacher yourself, would you agree or support this notion? Support your answer.

I do support this notion. Sometimes the best professional photographers in the field are kindergarten teachers, lawyers, anyone… These people discover their own passion and their own style and they usually have never gone to school for photography. I would suggest that if from an early age, that someone is dead set on becoming a photographer, that they should study design or art history. Learning the history of the arts that came before you, color composition, art theory, typography, all these areas of learning can be very valuable in defining your own personal style and eye as a professional photographer.

Q. 5: As a teacher, what advice do you or would you want to give to someone who has just started his career as a photographer?

A lot of people ask me this key question and my response is always the most overlooked: shoot everyday. Just take pictures. The more pictures you take, the more you get comfortable with your camera and the better you can create your own style. The only way an artist is going to get comfortable in their art is to practice and not be afraid to make mistakes.

Q.6: Can you share with us the biggest challenges that you face being a photographer?

I think the biggest challenge facing most photographers nowadays is basic differentiation from every other photographer out there. In this day, every photographer has a DSLR camera, the newest version of Photoshop and a laptop. With all of these tools combined, with a photographer’s own personal style, the photos can begin to look the same. So to me this challenge is just an opening for experimentation to create my own style, my own signature to my photography. I experiment with lights, film, different types of camera and post-production manipulation.

Q.7: What has been your best fashion photography experience so far?

I am really grateful that I have had the opportunity to work with some great designers, shooting both runway and editorial. It is really hard for me to say my best fashion photography experience so far in my career but a definite highlight was shooting New York Fashion Week in March 2009. I was able to shoot several runway shows during the week, including the 50th Anniversary Barbie show, the African Collective show, Miss Sixty, Erin Fetherson, William Rast and George Chakra, just to name a few. It was a great experience and the week was jam packed with all sorts of events. I would love to attend another one in the future.

Q.8: Share with us something about your experience shooting for Pakistani fashion designer Nilofer Shahid’s event held at Vancouver? Was this your first time to have shot a fashion show put up by Pakistani fashion designer?

It was a really fantastic runway show to photograph. I have shot many different fashion events, from BC Fashion Week, Vancouver Fashion Week, China Fashion Week and even NYFW Week, and Nilofer Shahid’s show was by far, one of the best productions I have seen, especially in Vancouver. The clothes were impeccable in design as well as the
presentation of the show. Overall it was a great experience and that definitely shows in the photographs.

Q.9: Apart from photography, what else are you proficient at?

I am pretty proficient at computer.  I am a classically trained trumpet player and I can read music. Daringly I challenge anyone to a one-on-one game of basketball. :)

Q. 10: What is the prospect of fashion photography in ten years from now?

The internet is influencing the fashion industry in such a way that fashion bloggers are depicting and determining the flow of trends, just in the same weight that fashion magazines have been for years. I think that the internet will continue to influence in the industry in
such a way, that high end fashion shoots will still exist, but there will be a greater influx on low-end photos infiltrating the industry at possibly the same weight. Micro-trends will begin to appear quicker and quicker, especially with the internet reflecting the curation of
these trends.

Interviewing KK was a pleasant experience indeed and Styleablaze is thankful to him for especially taking time out of his tight schedule to let us explore his enchanting character.

Visit Kris Krug to feast your eyes with his exuberant work.

Title Image (CC) Randy Stewart,
Images from KK photostream

Having the passion for arts and crafts and a strong creative sense, in no time he became fashionistas most favored artist, while also gaining popularity among the corporate clients and independent multimedia projects.

But, there is no doubting of the fact that his breath-taking imagery and dazzling personal work caught everyone’s attention and brought him in the mainstream photography.

His famous exhibitions include Zoo Blue, Karachi Cityscapes, Moharram and Sand & Water where his work showcasing life and beauty in the ordinary was highlighted and highly appreciated.

Amean attained his graduate degree in Photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco in the year 1997. Later in 2004, he took admission in MA in Media, Culture & Technology at the University of Luton/Bedfordshire [UK].

Amean’s fervor and dedication to constantly enrich himself through exposure and experience has helped him greatly in getting his work featured many a times in renowned publications like The New Yorker, Colors, Herald, Newsline and books such as ‘1000 signs’ by Taschen.

Amean J. is indeed a multitalented and versatile personality. His dexterity with images as opposed to pictures is clearly evident in his work as a director. One can observe his brimming creative sense in his works, including a music video for the song Khuahish [Desire] by Rushk. A fresh take on war, although the video held some political issues and conflicting issues, thus was immediately pulled off air.

Amean sees the world through the lens of his camera. That is why his work clearly indicates that he seeks to change the way people’s outlook of the world by constantly pushing the envelope to help image making surpass photography.

In 2005, he set up his studio – 18% grey, where an aesthetic sense shaped by his training under his mentors namely Helmut Newton, Garry Winogrand, Joel Sternfeld and David Lachapelle was vividly seen combined with modus operandi, teamwork and professionalism in order to bring refinement and innovation to advertisements, graphics, annual reports, corporate profiles, and print & multimedia productions.

Amean J has become one of the most prolific and imaginative photographers in Pakistan. You will notice him everywhere, whether a fashion shoot showcasing some designer’s latest prêt collection or his travelogues exhibited by means of his website – Amean has evolved over the years, step by step reaching from high to higher step on the ladder of fame and success. Every photography exhibit in town – be it at the Koel, Canvas or Photospace galleries – or collaborative exhibits like 8.8.8.8 have Amean J’s signature photography displayed in all their magnificence.

Quite recently, his eye-catching photography for the Nabila Changes campaign was a hit, where fashionistas couldn’t resist repeatedly admiring his work. His involvement with the forthcoming Shanaakht Festival where his splendid work will be exhibited, showing his latest work on the ‘images of Pakistan taken throughout its history’.

Label & Designer : James Abidi
Photographer : Amean J
Hair and Make up : Nadya Hussain
Concept, Styling and coordination : James Abidi
Accessories: James Abidi
Model : Fayezah Ansari

Venue: Mix
Dated: Different
Photographer: Fayyaz Ahmed