Jim Jordan (photographer)

Jim Jordan is an American director, fashion and commercial photographer, entrepreneur, talent scout and manager, and producer.

Jim Jordan
Jim Jordan with Jeremy Meeks at Cannes Film Festival, 2017.
NationalityAmerican
Known forFashion photographer
Commercial photographer
Talent manager
Entrepreneur
Websitejimjordanphotography.com
whitecrossproductions.com
whitecrossmanagement.com

Initially working as a hair and makeup artist and modeling talent scout, Jordan's self-taught style of photography gained the attention of the owner of fashion retailer J.Crew, which led to him becoming a world-renowned fashion and commercial photographer/director. Jordan's photography has been featured on the covers of magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, and Marie Claire, and other. Jordan has photographed and worked with celebrities such as Leonardo Di Caprio, Charlize Theron, Mila Kunis, Drew Barrymore, Jessica Alba, and Kris Jenner.

As an entrepreneur, Jordan is the proprietor of three businesses: Jim Jordan Photography, which handles Jordan's fashion and commercial photography; White Cross Productions, a production group that directs films, and produces ad campaigns and commercials for clients such as Mercedes-Benz, American Express, Warner Bros. to name a few; and White Cross Management, a talent management agency that has represented numerous celebrities and models, most notably Jeremy Meeks, Taylor Hill, and Gigi Hadid, as well as actors, musicians, and creatives in other branches of entertainment.

Biography

Jordan grew up in Southern California.[1] At the age of 15, Jordan dropped out of school and began working as a talent scout[2] for modeling agencies.[3] Jordan would find high school girls that were 5'10"-5'11" (178-180 cm), do their hair and makeup, and take them to his friend Greg Glassman (later the founder of CrossFit) to photograph. Jordan would then submit Glassman's photography to companies such as Elite Model Management, who placed many of Jordan's models in haute couture photo shoots. At one point, Glassman gave Jordan a camera so that Jordan could start taking the photos of the potential models himself.[1]

Elite Model Management recommended that Jordan fly to Italy and submit a portfolio of his hair and makeup work to the women's magazine Grazia. After Jordan arrived, Grazia hired Jordan as a replacement hair and makeup artist when a crew member failed to arrive at a scheduled photo shoot. This initial opportunity opened up more opportunities for Jordan to work on photo shoots with other magazines.[1] Jordan began traveling as a celebrity hair and makeup artist, working with celebrities such as Cindy Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, and Farrah Fawcett, and working underneath photographers such as Herb Ritts, Douglas Kirkland, Peter Lindbergh, and Patrick Demarchelier.[4]

While Jordan worked as a hair and makeup artist, he would get to know the models and celebrities being photographed, and would build a rapport with them. He would then photograph the subjects during lunch breaks and off hours, encouraging them to deliver more intimate and personal portrayals for his photography. Jordan stored the resulting photography in a large black box, with no intention of showing his work to anyone.[5]

Jim worked twelve years as a hair and makeup artist before working as a professional photographer.[6] Circa 1993,[7] Jordan was booked to do hair and makeup for a photo shoot with J.Crew, and ended up working with the company's owner Emily Woods. Woods requested to see Jordan's photography due to the recommendations of several models Jordan had worked with previously. Upon examining Jordan's work, Woods booked Jordan as a photographer for a two-week shoot in Hawaii, launching Jordan's career as a professional photographer.[8]

Photographic Style
Kris Jenner shot by Jim Jordan at White Cross Studios

Jordan describes his style as "energetic, bright, warm and light."[9] His style has also been described as having a "crisp edge and a brilliant energy.”[10] Jordan's frequent use of bright lighting[11] is influenced by natural lighting from the sun.[10] Jordan's style is primarily self-taught, and was achieved through trial and error and through observing other photographers work.[5] Jordan credits Bruce Weber and Arthur Elgort as major influences on his work.[9]

Jordan's photography also features a "human element" that derives from his practice of getting to know this subjects and building a rapport with them before photographing them.[9] Jordan is able to tailor his approach to a wide range of subjects to bring out an honesty and authenticity not often seen in commercial photography.[4][12]

As Entrepreneur (White Cross Productions and White Cross Management)

Jordan is the proprietor of several independent businesses. Jordan's photography business, Jim Jordan Photography, employs seven full-time employees in Los Angeles and four in New York.[13][14] In 2003, Jordan launched White Cross Productions, a full service production and management company.[12] The company has produced ad campaigns and commercials for clients such as Mercedes-Benz, American Express, and Warner Bros.[3]

Jordan launched White Cross Management as a talent management agency. As of 2015, the agency represents fifty models, as well as musicians, actors, and other creatives in the entertainment industry.[2]

After "Hot Felon" Jeremy Meeks' mugshot went viral in 2014, Jordan's White Cross Management took an interest in signing Meeks to a management contract while the latter was still in prison.[15] Jordan then signed Meeks to a contract with White Cross Management in March 2016.[16] Jordan's White Cross Management also signed model Taylor Hill to her initial modeling contract.[17][18]

References
  1. Rosene, Madeline (Summer 2016). "An Interview with Jim Jordan: Fashion, Celebrity, and Lifestyle Photographer". LeFair. No. 6. Los Angeles: Tracy Kahn. pp. 130–135. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  2. Test, Irene (Fall 2015). "Absolute Brilliance: Jim Jordan". Clientele Luxury. Clearwater, FL: Clientele Luxury, LLC. pp. 14–17. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  3. "Jim Jordan". Photoshelter.com. Photoshelter Inc. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  4. Sharma, Shivanand (2 December 2011). "Featured Photographer – An Interview With Jim Jordan". APNPhotographyschool.com. APN Photography & Web-Design. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  5. "Inside Jim Jordan's Black Box". The Photolife (blog). ShootQ. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  6. Arnold, Kathryn, ed. (January–February 2005). "Contributors". Yoga Journal. San Francisco: Lynn Lehmkuhl. p. 12. ISSN 0191-0965. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  7. Mislewski, Rik, ed. (January 2003). "Star Photographer". MacAddict. Vol. 8 no. 1. Brisbane, CA: Future Network USA. pp. 34–37. ISSN 1088-548X. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  8. "Understanding Jim Jordan". Focus Magazine of New York. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  9. "Jim Jordan: Fashion Photography With The Leica S-System". The Leica Camera Blog. Leica Camera AG. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  10. "Jim Jordan: A Visionare Par Excellence". IFDCouncil.org. New York: Islamic Fashion and Design Council. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  11. "Admirable Photography by Jim Jordan". Astrum People. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  12. Shaw, Steven (January 2009). "Celebrities, Children, and Animals, Oh My!". Studio Photography. Vol. 10 no. 6. Fort Atkinson, WI: Cygnus Business Media. pp. 10–11, 14–17. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  13. "Jim Jordan Photography / White Cross Productions". NECDisplay.com. NEC Display Solutions. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  14. Miller, Alice (January 2005). "FileMaker Pro 7: A Database System That Almost Runs the Business by Itself". Studio Photography and Design. Vol. 6 no. 6. Fort Atkinson, WI: Cygnus Business Media. pp. 42–43. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  15. Hutchinson, Bill (3 July 2014). "Jeremy Meeks, dubbed 'Hot Convict,' hires second Hollywood agent to handle modeling, endorsement deals". New York Daily News. tronc, inc. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  16. Sanghani, Radhika (3 July 2017). "Who is Jeremy Meeks? The rise and rise of the internet's favourite smooth criminal". The Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  17. "Taylor Hill: Model". Business of Fashion. London: Imran Amed. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  18. Holt, Bethan (26 July 2016). "Why Taylor Hill is the next supermodel name you need to know". The Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
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