Hollywood’s favourite photographer, Vijat Mohindra, resides the dream. He’s shot Kim Kardashian a number of instances since 2009, to market Skims and her scent and simply because. You’ve in all probability seen his pictures of Doja Cat, Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton, Cardi B… the checklist of his topics is lengthy and populated by luminaries from throughout the spectrum of celeb. He’s shot Pamela Anderson for Paper. Nicki Minaj for Complicated.
How are you going to spot a photograph taken by Mohindra? There’s the signature colourful, Pop-ish aesthetic probably finest described as Barbie-esque. However regardless of the sweet pink and blue and yellow plastic incredible backdrops, Vijat’s topics are at all times vibrant, dynamic and really a lot portraying themselves. Maybe that’s not stunning, as he realized the ropes from famed celeb photographer David LaChapelle. Within the years since, he’s shot music movies, journal spreads, album covers and extra for a number of the world’s high expertise.
Mohindra continues to be taking pictures, however he’s been branching out. Earlier this 12 months, he opened his first studio area in downtown Los Angeles, Powder Room Studio LA, which has a dozen uniquely Mohindra-esque units through which to shoot the whole lot from stills to reels. The 4500-square-foot area appears like Barbie’s Nineties-era dream home, and Paris Hilton and Christina Aguilera had been early followers.
We chatted with Mohindra on a busy weekday morning concerning the new studio, why he loves polished portraits and his recommendation for younger photographers.
Observer: What’s the story behind the Powder Room?
Vijat Mohindra: I’ve been a photographer—a celeb photographer—in Los Angeles for the final 15 years, and in these years, I designed and created a variety of completely different environments for my shoots. Over time, I began accumulating all these wonderful set items that had been left over from my shoots. They had been simply too attractive to throw away. I had them in storage at one level and I seemed by means of all of it, and I stated, oh my gosh, all these things appears so nice collectively. Perhaps I can put it collectively in a format that might carry all of it to life. After which I spotted that may be a spot the place creatives, photographers, administrators, filmmakers, and many others., may come and see all these wonderful items.
It appears like a Barbie home to me. Why?
It has that Barbie aesthetic as a result of a variety of my work could be very artificial—very plastic, with a sort of shiny sheen to it. After which all of it simply form of occurred to have these completely different components that coincided with the Barbie aesthetic however with a really ‘80s tackle it. Pink is the colour I exploit loads. In a method, it made sense to create this surrealistic Barbie dream home expertise.
Selfie museums are nonetheless on the rise—can simply anybody are available in and take some snaps with the units?
Truthfully, the area is for everyone. I’ve lots of people from Instagram and TikTok coming in who simply ebook the area for just a few hours to create their very own movies.
How frequent is one of these area in L.A.?
I’ve heard from another individuals who have studios with the same sort of setup, with standing units. They began again possibly round like 2018 or 2019, when there have been possibly a thousand or so listings on-line of locations like this all through the Los Angeles space that may very well be rented for shoots. Now in 2024, it’s as much as round 8,000 areas like this. It’s one thing that exploded in a method. Not all of the areas listed are aesthetic and design-focused the way in which mine is. I really feel just like the Powder Room is a really particular class.
Let’s speak about your work. How do you’re feeling about Photoshop?
I’m an enormous fan of Photoshop. I went to high school for pictures on the Artwork Middle in Pasadena round 2003—proper when movie was switching over to digital—and I graduated round 2007. That was when this massive debate was happening as as to whether movie was the long run or digital. However once I took a digital pictures class towards the start of my schooling, I spotted that it was the way in which of the long run.
It was wonderful to have the ability to get all these completely different footage and put them on the pc straight away. You didn’t must scan or retouch negatives. Photoshop opened an entire different dimension of creativity that wasn’t there for me with movie. So, I’m an enormous fan. I feel it’s lovely, and it enhances footage in a tremendous method. That stated, I nonetheless have respect for and actually love sure movie pictures. I feel there’s worth in it, and I do see lots of people going again to that these days as a pattern as a result of a lot digital pictures is over-saturated.
How do you’re feeling about representing celebrities in a flawless method?
In a flawless method?
Shiny. That very L.A. aesthetic.
I actually love a refined celeb {photograph} that could be very well-lit and has that shiny, punchy aesthetic to it. I’ve at all times been impressed by that sort of celeb pictures going again to the ‘70s and ‘80s with Andy Warhol and the Interview Journal covers. I feel that it brings that glamor and particular form of sparkle that we sort of affiliate with celebrities. I like photographing them that method as a result of I feel that’s the way in which I see them in my head. And in order that’s the way in which I wish to put them on paper—to indicate folks how I see them. I really feel prefer it’s very highly effective and it’s sort of show-stopping.
What’s it like behind the scenes when you truly get to know these celebrities?
For many of my celeb pictures, there have been a variety of collaborative experiences the place I’ll work with the artist to determine what their aesthetic is or what drives them. And we construct an idea round that and convey it to life from there. I actually like discovering out extra a couple of celeb’s persona and their background and what they’re all for after which pulling that into what we create collectively.
Who’re a few of your favourite celeb photographers and why?
My absolute favourite is David LaChapelle; he’s simply one in every of my icons. I’ve been very fortunate to have been in a position to help him at one level throughout my profession, which was an enormous spotlight. I simply love his tackle celeb pictures. It’s so completely different from something that I’ve seen and is so imaginative and inventive. I actually look as much as the creativity that he brings to the celeb pictures world. He takes celebrities out of their worlds and places them on this hyper-creative, colourful, aesthetically pushed area that I simply discover so lovely. I additionally love the work of Annie Leibovitz, in addition to Pierre and Gilles, a French pictures duo who shoot artistic portraiture that’s aesthetically pushed. I really like Miles Aldridge, who’s extra of a vogue photographer however shoots celebrities in methods which are extremely artistic and really colourful.
What’s subsequent for you now that the area is open?
I’ve been working loads on Powder Room Studio LA—attempting to get it up and operating. It solely launched this previous January, however I’m pleased to say that we’re fairly booked up at this level. We’ve been getting fairly just a few bookings from manufacturers in addition to people, and we’ve gotten some nice celebrities into the studio, too, like Paris Hilton and Cardi B. The area has been getting some nice recognition, and that’s nonetheless my focus.
Final query. What recommendation do you will have for younger photographers getting into the trade?
I’d give them the identical recommendation I used to be given once I was in pictures faculty, which I nonetheless take into consideration to today. One in all my professors informed me that it’s best to at all times shoot what you’re keen on, and that actually left an enduring impression on me. I really feel like when you’re not taking pictures what you’re keen on, you don’t actually put the identical ardour behind it. Ardour is what actually reveals in your general physique of labor—it’s the factor that individuals join with probably the most.
Take a look at Vijat on Instagram at @vijatm.
