Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Krall.
Richard, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
As a kid, I drew lots of pictures. When it came time for college, I pursued a degree in painting which, I never received. My hyper-realistic paintings did not sit well with the faculty at NTSU and on the advice of one of my professors, I moved to Austin, where I became a commercial illustrator. Working from photographs for my illustrations led me to photography itself: quicker gratification and much less messy.
I moved to Dallas and for several years, I made pictures for Southwest Airlines, Trammell Crow and the like when I began to collect fashion photography books and magazines. Fashion, itself, was of little interest to me but, I saw the editorials by the great fashion photographers as art. Inspired by the work, in particular, of master photographers, Guy Bourdin and Helmut Newton in French and Italian Vogue, fashion photography became my focus.
In the summer of ’85, in hopes of fulfilling my dream, I filled a backpack with my Nikons and Hasselblads, purchased a plane ticket for France and was off. After a brief stay in Arles for the https://www.rencontres-arles.com/en, I made my way to Paris and soon located French Vogue studios. On one Thursday afternoon, I walked into the office of the studio manager and asked for a job. Almost without hesitation, she said to come back Monday morning. You can assist Guy Bourdin shooting advertising for Emanuel Ungaro with the French actress, Anouk Aimee. She didn’t ask to see a portfolio, references, a resume or anything. I was stunned and couldn’t believe my luck. After those three days of shooting, Guy asked me to stay in Paris to assist him so, for the next 2.5 years, that’s what I did. When Guy took time off, I assisted Helmut Newton, Patrick Demarchelier, Norman Parkinson and several others.
On occasion, photos I mad in places we visited, on photo shoots in France and other countries, were featured in the magazine. Once in a while, I was asked to shoot various editorial shoots for Vogue Homme, as well. As all good things come to an end, I returned to the states late in 1987. Eventually, the Dallas Morning News opened Fashion Dallas to freelance photographers. I produced much of my fashion and beauty portfolio with the great art director and stylist there, Tammy Theis. The editorials we made for Fashion Dallas, later called F|D or FD Luxe, led to local advertising for Neiman Marcus and Stanley Korshak, among others, most recently, Galleria Dallas.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s difficult to build a portfolio for fashion or beauty. You can’t do it by yourself. You need other people. I used to ask myself and still do, ‘Is this worth taking a picture of?’ If anyone element of your picture is off, you have a problem. If either the model, makeup, hair or clothing isn’t perfect, it’s a fail – no matter how good a photographer you are. And the hardest part, the struggle, is getting great clothing when you’re just starting to build your book. Unless you’re rich, of course. In the early days, we were shooting film which was costly. You have to shoot a lot of it. Then it’s gotta be processed. That was expensive. Not to mention the trips back and forth to the lab. To keep enough money coming in to cover that when you’re not working commercial jobs… I’d say that’s a ‘struggle.’
After Paris, not all struggles but, some… Frankly, my experience at Paris Vogue went, largely, unappreciated in Dallas, I felt. Only a few of my friends wanted to hear about it. To most, it seemed to me. They didn’t believe me… like it had never happened. It was only thru F|D that I was able to make a mark of sorts but, until then, my pursuit of fashion photography in Dallas fell on deaf ears. Back in Paris, I had met Phillipe Starck on the movie set of ‘Frantic,’ a movie with Harrison Ford, directed by Roman Polanski. Incidentally, I made several appearances in the movie. No speaking parts but, if you pause at just the right moment, my head and huge ponytail fill the screen for a split second. Anyway, meeting Starck and visiting the Paris studios of Andre Putman, sparked an interest in furniture design so, after a less than spectacular return to fashion photography in Big D, I set out to design and build custom furniture. Some degree of success came about as my stuff was featured in various publications but, after a few years of hot, dirty and repetitious work, I came back around to photography. That’s when the work with F|D began. And, with F|D, the models, great hair and makeup people and, as mentioned before, access to great clothes started and a lot of my book really began to take shape. After a few editorials were featured, I started receiving requests for commercial work.
Another would be the constant strain and worry for keeping the money coming in. Editorial doesn’t pay much so, the hunt for advertising and more lucrative projects always loomed in the background. I’m sure other ‘struggles’ persisted but, at the moment, besides the usual trials of finding a rep, getting your work seen by more people, constantly working on the portfolio – they seem to fade in the haze.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Richard Krall Pictures is my business name but, my company which, essentially is just richardkrall.com – a small collection of my entire portfolio I feel is best suited, currently, for work that might be available to me whether, locally, regionally or nationally.
Fashion and beauty is probably what I am best known for but, I’ve also shot food, automobiles, products and portraiture with still and/or motion picture cameras. I love motion work. In addition to several videos on my website for various clients, I’m an executive producer and director of photography for a low budget feature film – still in post-production, at the moment. More recently, just before the pandemic, I directed and shot a music video for a talented young local singer-songwriter that I’m very proud of.
I am available for all the above and, in addition, would love to bring my experience in fashion and beauty to personal and bridal portraiture. I think that would be a fun way, now, to utilize my knowledge outside the pressures of the agency-based commercial environment. One of the photos from an F|D Love editorial I’ve included would be an example of bridal portraiture I’d like to do.
Photography is the recording of light so, I think (and I hope) what sets me apart is my handling of light. My early days of drawing and painting has helped form and influence that. “What am I most proud of as a company?” I suppose that would have to be that I’ve managed to stay self-employed in this business for about 40 years now. And still going. Ha!
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
That’s a very good, big question. Not to sound really negative (the playing field has always and will always change) but, the digital revolution opened the door to the masses. This had the effect of allowing many talents to enter the field, to be discovered thru the various channels of social media but, at the same time, this same revolution unleashed a torrent of imagery that is drowning under its’ own weight. It is very difficult now within the business of photography, amongst the plethora of pictures, for true talent to be seen. I think the appreciation for what we, as photographers do, has waned considerably. The ‘race to the bottom’ among young photographers vying for their place in the sun has driven the fees down, far below what is really required to produce good content. Certainly now, most fees being paid to photographers today are a fraction of what they used to be.
Nonetheless, there is a place for the new generation. The trend is and has been for a while, ‘less is more.’ Less production, less retouch, less glam. A move to reality and truth. I’ve embraced that to a degree but, along with that ‘less is more’ philosophy, you just have to be OK with accepting much less money for what you do.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.richardkrall.com
- Phone: 214-208-2737
- Email: richard@richardkrall.com
- Instagram: richardkrall
Image Credit:
F|D Luxe (F|D Love) – Christina Geyer (for image uploaded)
Mindfood Magazine – New Zealand – Publisher/CD: Michael McHugh
Patron Magazine – Terri Provencal – Publisher/Editor in Chief, AD: Elaine Raffel
Mary Kay
BeautiControl – Creative Director: Derek Robinson
Tracy Achor Hayes, Rob Brinkley and Tammy Theis.
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