Crystal Renn has never played by anyone’s rules. After more than a decade in the modeling business, she has made her name on defying expectations, first by breaking barriers for models beyond a size zero, and then by starting a dialogue about body image with her best-selling memoir, Hungry. Given her unique career trajectory, it seems fitting that Renn is fashion’s latest multi-hyphenate, adding “photographer” to her list of specialties. “I knew that I loved imagery; that’s absolutely why I pursued modeling in the first place,” says Renn. “It was always about the images.” Here, the star talks inspirations, what she owes to Instagram, and why directing may be in her future: “I have always believed that one can do it all, and for me that is being in front of and behind the lens.”
When did you first start taking pictures?
The first time that I started taking any kind of pictures was when I traveled to Patagonia on a hiking trip. I did it just to record this moment that was special for me, not with the intention to pursue photography as a creative outlet. My travels are what made me pick up a camera, but when did I do it with intention? I would say that the real marker of when that happened was probably Instagram, funnily enough. It actually came because of encouragement from others.
Your first job as a photographer was for Chanel. What was it like creating images for such a storied brand?
One of the managers at Chanel who I had been friends with for years gave me a gig to shoot backstage at the Dubai show. What he said to me was, “I want you to shoot Chanel. But I want you to do it your way. This is not about showing Chanel, this is about you and Chanel.” I thought that was very interesting; they don’t just want me to take backstage shots. The pictures I wound up creating were intimate; I found this playground randomly at the hotel. It [looked] abandoned and was kind of hidden, and I put my Chanel bag on the slide and then wanted to see where it would fall. I did that and it ended in a certain spot and it was the perfect shot. Chanel gave me the motivation to take this seriously, because I enjoyed taking those pictures so much.
You work frequently with self-portraits. What is it like for you to capture your own image? I think that when others shoot me it’s often about creating a character, or transforming into these different ideas and different concepts—which I love. Posing offers me a wonderful outlet, but what I like about shooting myself is how intimate it is. I feel like I’m telling my little secret and it’s authentically me. I came to the table with the idea; the clicker is in my hand. I like to shoot alone, to embrace the solitude and the privacy; it’s really connecting with myself in a way that is cathartic.
Are there any photographers whose work inspires you?
I like secrets when I’m shooting; I like mysteries; I like intensity. The type of photographers I have always loved have those messages. André Kertész is the best of the best, for me. The cinematic, old-film quality of his work captivates me. Francesca Woodman—her talent was just incredible, you stare at every image. Sarah Moon is another; she’s exceptional.
What influence has Instagram had on your photography work?
Instagram brought a different awareness to my eye that hadn’t been there before. Documenting my day-to-day experiences instead of just “Oh, I’m going on a vacation. I’m going somewhere else to take pictures.” Photography became a daily part of my life. Everyone does social media for a different reason. Some people like to keep in touch; some people like to say, “Hey, I’m working on this or that.” What I really love about Instagram is that it puts me in the habit of finding moments within my life and creating an image daily. It offers a structure to my work, and the encouragement to keep at it. I knew what I was thinking and feeling, and it was really interesting to have a diary that I could give to the public that was more than just another modeling job that I was doing or something that was expected of me. It was a new way to show the more emotional and private side of my life. People might look at my Instagram and think that I’m being very private, because the images aren’t overt. A lot of times models will post the green juice that they drank that morning, or a selfie from hair and makeup. Don’t get me wrong, those are great, but that wasn’t how I was ready to approach this outlet. Instagram also allowed me to keep practicing to keep getting better, keep looking, keep hoping, and keep wondering what’s around the next corner that you can share with the world. The Internet offers us this access to each other that can be really magical.
What was it like working on your first acting project?
I have been in numerous commercials and short fashion films through the years, but acting in The Puppet Man was a completely different experience. When Jacqueline Castel approached me about being the lead in her slasher short film, I was psyched, because I grew up addicted to the horror film genre, and the fact that John Carpenter was making an appearance and doing the music score—I was in! When the film got accepted to Sundance, it was quite a celebration for the cast. We all flew out and had this whirlwind time in Utah, checking out the films and catching up.
I love acting, but directing is what I wanted to learn more about, and working with a strong female director was enlightening. I have always believed that one can do it all, and for me that is being in front of and behind the lens.
Now that you’re acting, taking pictures, doing short films—what’s next? What defines this stage of your career?
These days what’s really interesting about fashion is that the people in this industry can do so many things. You know, you can be a model and you can be a clothing designer and you can be a presenter, you can be a number of things. You can be an editor at a magazine and also a blogger. I love modeling, of course, but I also love clothes, and if the right opportunity presented itself I wouldn’t be opposed to doing a line.
I never want to put myself in a box and say, “Oh, well, I’m doing photography and that’s the end of that.” I’m doing all of these things. Photography just happens to be, for me, a true love. It’s something that I do when I feel called to do it. It’s something that I can do when I feel I want to say something, when I maybe want to let something go, when I want to capture or remember a moment of where I was in time. For me, photography is like therapy.
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