Interview

Jan Welters, a fashion photographer being passionate by the visual arts since he was very young. He began his photographic career in Amsterdam, focusing on fashion and portraits. Jan has photographed many celebrities such as Keira Knightley, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Tilda Swinton, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Paradis, Marion Cotillard, Drew Barrymore, Courtney Love, Kylie Minogue, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, Giorgio Armani, Jean Paul Gaulthier and plenty more. The Fashiongton Post is happy to share with you some interesting stories and life facts from our today’s exciting interview with Jan.

The Fashiongton Post: Who is your greatest inspiration in fashion photography?

Jan Welters: The classics like Robert Frank, Richard Avedon, Edward Weston.

F.P.: Your first camera?

J.W.: My dad’s Rolleicord.

F.P.: Can you describe the evolution that has occurred in your work since your first solo exhibition?

J.W.: I thought it was the right time to publish a book and with that came the launch events that you could see as solo exhibitions. I did them in Milan, Paris and Los Angeles where I live at the moment and I think they had quite a big impact. 

F.P.: What was your biggest fashion mistake?

J.W.: I once bought a pair of snakeskin cowboy boots and the next day I realized they were way so wrong… I ended up giving them to my assistant, he wears them really well. 

F.P.: What makes you laugh uncontrollably?

J.W.: My friends Johnny and Jordi make me laugh. Johnny is my main hairdresser so we see each other quite often.

F.P.: What is your perfect morning, day, and night?

J.W.: To sleep in. It hardly ever happens… Since I travel so much, this would be at home in our house at Topanga Canyon. During the day, I’d like to see art or a good film. My perfect day would end in a restaurant on the Malibu pier with my family watching the sunset.

F.P.: Memorable fashion moment?

J.W.: Helmut Lang’s early shows in Paris. It was in the late ‘80s, the time when I really matured as a fashion photographer.

F.P.: Who was a person who had a big influence on you?

J.W.: The photographer who gave me my first assistant job. I was 18 years old living in Amsterdam and he landed a big advertising job in NY and decided to move there. He had just split up with his girlfriend, so asked me to come with him. He became my mentor and we had a fantastic time. It was the early eighties so New York was a very exciting place to be. 

F.P.: What photographer alive today do you most admire?

J.W.: Paolo Roversi.

F.P.: What’s the best trip you ever made?

J.W.: The first one that comes to mind is a road trip around South Africa for D Magazine. We had a couple of weeks to shoot two fashion stories and we were free to do whatever we wanted. We witnessed a moon eclipse, saw all the wild animals and had an unforgettable time. 

F.P.: Describe the aesthetics of Jan Welters photography?

J.W.: I like things to be simple. Take out all that’s not necessary and go straight to the point.

F.P.: The lowest and the highest amount received for a single fashion photoshoot?

J.W.: The lowest one was for i-D magazine that I financed. The highest paid was an ad job. It’s hard to give a number as there’s a fee but also the buyouts.

F.P.: What is your favorite spot in your home now?

J.W.: The outside patio with a view on the Canyon.

F.P.: Who of the fashion personalities that you know in person we should definitely interview next?

J.W.: My wife, Lucy Pinter. She was the creative director of Superfine and is now launching a new label called dhAra.

F.P.: Your piece of advice to the readers of The Fashiongton Post?

J.W.: Try to find out where it is your passion lies and work really hard to make it happen.