Realism, With a Dash of Magic

Jordan Taylor Wright puts a futuristic spin on portraiture with his Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 all-in-one zoom.

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By Jenn Gidman
Images by Jordan Taylor Wright


From the first video production class he took in high school, Jordan Taylor Wright was hooked on creating imagery. He majored in film at Towson University and was working at Best Buy after graduation when he decided to quit his retail job and pursue videography and photography as a full-time career. “I didn’t have any real opportunities on the horizon,” he says. “Part of me thought I’d peaked in high school and that maybe I was making a mistake.”

But opportunity soon came knocking, in the form of a freelance videography job filming Usher, which led to Jordan touring with the performer for three years straight, serving as a documentary-style filmmaker and then photographer once social media started to boom. “Soon I was running his socials and creating album artwork, music videos, you name it,” he says. “That, in turn, led to me meeting Justin Bieber and doing some music video work for him, and then launching my own company, Taylor Cut Films, in Los Angeles to help Vine influencers transition to making longer-form content.”

Today, Jordan continues to film and photograph artists and influencers, as well as helps brands create global content, and the Tamron 35-150mm F/2-2.8 Di III VXD all-in-one zoom lens has become integral to his workflow. “I’ve typically bounced back and forth using primes for my video work, while for my stills, I’ll play around with lenses like the 24-70mm or 70-200mm,” he says. “Then Tamron announced the 35-150mm, and there’s nothing else like it on the market. I rarely go wider than 35mm when I’m shooting, and for portraits, anywhere between 50mm and 150mm is the sweet spot for me. Being able to stop down to F/2 is amazing, and it’s a very sharp lens as well, which is important for my portrait work.”

Achieving authenticity is crucial to Jordan’s images. “There’s a quote I love that says, ‘Photography is about capturing souls, not smiles,’” he says. “I feel like a lot of the time, people are taking photos to try to show the most pristine version of themselves or their lives—and that doesn’t feel real. I know trends tend to be cyclical, but right now there’s a leaning toward making images look almost nostalgic, and I’m the opposite of that. I like my images to look modern, even futuristic. I don’t shy away from using colors. I’m a big Disney fan, and I want my images to have that sort of ethereal, magical feel to them.”


All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Enola Bedard
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When shooting outdoors, Jordan relies on the beauty of natural light to make his subjects glow. “I don’t typically use strobes or softboxes, because the sun is the best softbox there is,” he says. “Often, my subjects and I will head up to Malibu or somewhere else that’s particularly scenic and wander around with my 50-inch reflector. I’ll notice where the sun is, lean the reflector against my knee, and bounce the sun right on their face.”


All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Brooke Monk
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For in-studio shoots, Jordan will often break out the tubelights. “I enjoy using those, because they’re RGB and you can set the color temperature,” he says. “I like working with complementary colors and finding ways to figure out what the right tone for an image should be.”

Both color and mood are key when it comes to the attire and backgrounds featured in Jordan’s images. “I work off of color palettes,” he says. “For the image of Shaelah McGilton in the wildflower field, those flowers were such a pretty yellow, and so the light-blue flower print of her sweater was a perfect complement. When I photographed her in front of that bookcase, we wanted to do something more earth-toned, with that green dress and beige featured prominently in the background.”


All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Shaelah McGilton
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All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Shaelah McGilton
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With Usher, meanwhile, the photo shown here was created to appear on billboards for his Vegas residency. “They wanted a look akin to a modern James Bond, so we went for a sleek, more modernized version of 007, with Usher in a custom designer suit and those colored LED lights illuminating him,” Jordan says. “It almost has a trippy Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibe.”


All image shot with the 35-150mm, model: Usher
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Jordan keeps his sessions casual and conversational to keep his subjects at ease. “I don’t exactly ask questions, because I don’t want their mouths moving while I’m trying to take their photos,” he says. “I’ll more talk with them about how the light is looking, or sing along to a song, or make a joke to keep the mood light. They almost forget they’re in front of the camera. Plus, many of my subjects are people I know, and so we already have that rapport. But even those clients I’m photographing for the first time have given me feedback that they’re surprised how relaxed and chill my sessions are.”


All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Anna Shumate
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Shooting at eye level most often brings out the look Jordan is going for. “In terms of video work, it can be empowering to shoot from a lower angle, like a hero pose,” he says. “But in general, I enjoy photographing straight on. I’ll make sure the lighting is consistent across their entire face, and then maybe just have then move their head down a little bit, so I’m not shooting at the bottom of their chin. That approach lets me photograph directly into their eyes and highlight their facial features.”


All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Zack Lugo
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Tapping into presets has allowed Jordan to streamline his post-production process. “I have enough presets now so that I’m able to quickly get the colors where I want them,” he says. “Then, once the client makes their final selects of, say, three to 10 images, I’ll do whatever beauty touchups or other fine-tuning is needed, though that rarely takes me more than three to five minutes per photo.”


All images shot with the 35-150mm, model: Savannah Demers
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In short, Jordan’s decision to quit Best Buy may have been the best move he’s ever made. “I guess the job security may have been tempting at the time, but I now tell everyone that you should always pursue your passion,” he says. “You want to leave something behind after your time on this planet.”

To see more of Jordan Taylor Wright’s work, check out his website and Instagram.

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