p h o t o   b y   b e c k e r     

I first met Kristyn Nucci on the set of a photo shoot for UGA's Little Red Book magazine back in 2011, and I can still recall that awkward, almost palpable, kind of tension that usually ensues when two quiet strangers' faces are forced a mere few inches away from one another.

You see, Kristyn had offered her services as a make-up artist on the shoot, and I as a model.

Little did I know that about a year later we would be studying photography together at the Lamar Dodd School of Art! More amusing still, is the notion that I could ever have thought of Nucci as 'quiet' or shy. The fact is that Nucci is as strong and   S A S H A   F I E R C E   as the subjects of her work, and getting to know her over the past couple of years has been entertaining, inspiring—and well—has ultimately led me here; to a point where I feel compelled to share her art with you. 

Nucci's photography never gets old because her work is so versatile —which is quite an accomplishment seeing as the multi-faceted characters that she conceives are often a performance by Nucci herself. Looking at her work, I immediately recall the chimerical portraits by renowned Cindy Sherman, whose work (similar to Nucci) seems to stir up a titillating commentary regarding the role and representation of women in society. But don't just take my word for it! Below, I asked Nucci about her start, her aspirations, and other tricks of the trade she employs to arrive at a pretty killer style.


PASTEL: You've mentioned before that you have a background in theater—a fact that is prevalent in your work. What inspired you to make that turn towards photography? 
KN: I had a blast doing theatre pretty much all my life up until college, but once I got my first DSLR camera in high school, I pretty much only saw a future where I was taking pictures. Photography is a competitive business, but nothing like the dramatic arts. 

PASTEL: Much of your portraiture seems reminiscent of the 50's and 60's. How do you think you find your personal style, aesthetic, or approach?

KN: I'm a bit of a history buff, and I'm a very nostalgic person—looking back on the past is always a lot prettier than actually living it. Aesthetically, the fashion, design, and architecture of those decades and the years before really inspire me. To me, every era has its own unique feel and look to it that I love to explore in my work. I enjoy researching the past as much as I can and trying to recreate it.

PASTEL: Multiple iconic female figures and (fictional) characters have shown up in your work as well—Twiggy, Rose DeWitt Bukater [Titanic], and most recently, Beyonce. Would it be fair to say that you tend towards depicting strong female figures? Why? 
KN: I'm totally drawn to pop culture, and females who can manage to be their own people while in the spotlight really inspire me. Women like Beyonce and other icons who maintain creative control over their empires never cease to motivate me. I gravitate towards depicting sexy women who are totally in control of their own bodies and have amazing minds to match them.

PASTEL: One of today's main discussion points amongst photographers is about the use of digital photography. Do you use digital cameras?
KN: I pretty much only use digital. I don't have the patience for film! There are just too many advantages to digital.

PASTEL: What are you currently reading, listening to, or looking at to fuel your work? Are there any artists that have inspired you? 
KN: Music videos past and present hold a lot of inspiration for me. Classic books and/or movies such as Gone With the Wind have always resonated with me, and they have snuck into my work from time to time. Fashion photographers like Miles Aldridge and Ellen von Unwerth provide a multitude of ideas for me.

PASTEL: You also include a lot of self-portraiture in your work. How do you think using yourself as a model changes the process and resulting image of your work?

KN: The purpose of using myself as a primary subject is to show how one woman can transform herself into anything she wants to by using the power of clothing, makeup, hairstyle, lighting, angling…the list goes on.

PASTEL: Do you have a favorite work, or set of works, that resonate with you over the others? Why?  

KN: That would be like choosing a favorite child, but of course I do prefer some over the others. The photos that came out exactly how I imagined them are usually my favorites, such as the Single Ladies series I did.  

PASTEL: If you could photograph anyone, or for any brand/company, who and what would it be for? Why?

KN: Any celebrity really, but if I just had to choose one person, it would be Lady Gaga. As far as brands, I would kill to shoot for Dior.

PASTEL: And if you could see your photography anywhere—where would it be?

KN: Vogue or Vanity Fair.

PASTEL: What are some of your other favorite hobbies?

KN: I love to sing and dance. I don’t have much of an outlet to do those things except when I sing in the shower or dance around my room.

PASTEL: As an artist, exposure and vulnerability are somewhat of a necessity to be successful. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

KN: Absolutely. The best kinds of art, in my opinion, expose the artist in some way, shape, or form. What’s the point in creating art if you’re not willing to put yourself out there and be a little uncomfortable? I constantly try to push the boundaries in my self portraiture, which can very often be scary.

PASTEL: What are the greatest challenges you face when creating your work and how do you deal with them?

KN: Producing work that looks how I imagine it to be. Many times, I will be disappointed in how an image turned out because it’s not quite what I expected it to look like.

PASTEL: What's the greatest risk you have taken with your art?

KN: Using myself as a model. Depending on how people look at it, I’m either self-centered or a creative risk taker.

PASTEL: What do you want your work to do?

KN: I just want to inspire people with the scenes I create.

PASTEL: If there was one thing that you would want us to know about yourself, what would it be?

KN: Performers are my favorite subjects. Men and women who are experienced in drama, dance, acrobatics, etc. are always the easiest subjects and the most fun to work with. If I don't end up working as a fashion photographer, I would love to have a career photographing the performing arts.

p h o t o   b y   b e c k e r     

I first met Kristyn Nucci on the set of a photo shoot for UGA's Little Red Book magazine back in 2011, and I can still recall that awkward, almost palpable, kind of tension that usually ensues when two quiet strangers' faces are forced a mere few inches away from one another.

You see, Kristyn had offered her services as a make-up artist on the shoot, and I as a model.

Little did I know that about a year later we would be studying photography together at the Lamar Dodd School of Art! More amusing still, is the notion that I could ever have thought of Nucci as 'quiet' or shy. The fact is that Nucci is as strong and   S A S H A   F I E R C E   as the subjects of her work, and getting to know her over the past couple of years has been entertaining, inspiring—and well—has ultimately led me here; to a point where I feel compelled to share her art with you. 

Nucci's photography never gets old because her work is so versatile —which is quite an accomplishment seeing as the multi-faceted characters that she conceives are often a performance by Nucci herself. Looking at her work, I immediately recall the chimerical portraits by renowned Cindy Sherman, whose work (similar to Nucci) seems to stir up a titillating commentary regarding the role and representation of women in society. But don't just take my word for it! Below, I asked Nucci about her start, her aspirations, and other tricks of the trade she employs to arrive at a pretty killer style.


PASTEL: You've mentioned before that you have a background in theater—a fact that is prevalent in your work. What inspired you to make that turn towards photography? 
KN: I had a blast doing theatre pretty much all my life up until college, but once I got my first DSLR camera in high school, I pretty much only saw a future where I was taking pictures. Photography is a competitive business, but nothing like the dramatic arts. 

PASTEL: Much of your portraiture seems reminiscent of the 50's and 60's. How do you think you find your personal style, aesthetic, or approach?

KN: I'm a bit of a history buff, and I'm a very nostalgic person—looking back on the past is always a lot prettier than actually living it. Aesthetically, the fashion, design, and architecture of those decades and the years before really inspire me. To me, every era has its own unique feel and look to it that I love to explore in my work. I enjoy researching the past as much as I can and trying to recreate it.

PASTEL: Multiple iconic female figures and (fictional) characters have shown up in your work as well—Twiggy, Rose DeWitt Bukater [Titanic], and most recently, Beyonce. Would it be fair to say that you tend towards depicting strong female figures? Why? 
KN: I'm totally drawn to pop culture, and females who can manage to be their own people while in the spotlight really inspire me. Women like Beyonce and other icons who maintain creative control over their empires never cease to motivate me. I gravitate towards depicting sexy women who are totally in control of their own bodies and have amazing minds to match them.

PASTEL: One of today's main discussion points amongst photographers is about the use of digital photography. Do you use digital cameras?
KN: I pretty much only use digital. I don't have the patience for film! There are just too many advantages to digital.

PASTEL: What are you currently reading, listening to, or looking at to fuel your work? Are there any artists that have inspired you? 
KN: Music videos past and present hold a lot of inspiration for me. Classic books and/or movies such as Gone With the Wind have always resonated with me, and they have snuck into my work from time to time. Fashion photographers like Miles Aldridge and Ellen von Unwerth provide a multitude of ideas for me.

PASTEL: You also include a lot of self-portraiture in your work. How do you think using yourself as a model changes the process and resulting image of your work?

KN: The purpose of using myself as a primary subject is to show how one woman can transform herself into anything she wants to by using the power of clothing, makeup, hairstyle, lighting, angling…the list goes on.

PASTEL: Do you have a favorite work, or set of works, that resonate with you over the others? Why?  

KN: That would be like choosing a favorite child, but of course I do prefer some over the others. The photos that came out exactly how I imagined them are usually my favorites, such as the Single Ladies series I did.  

PASTEL: If you could photograph anyone, or for any brand/company, who and what would it be for? Why?

KN: Any celebrity really, but if I just had to choose one person, it would be Lady Gaga. As far as brands, I would kill to shoot for Dior.

PASTEL: And if you could see your photography anywhere—where would it be?

KN: Vogue or Vanity Fair.

PASTEL: What are some of your other favorite hobbies?

KN: I love to sing and dance. I don’t have much of an outlet to do those things except when I sing in the shower or dance around my room.

PASTEL: As an artist, exposure and vulnerability are somewhat of a necessity to be successful. Do you agree or disagree? Why?

KN: Absolutely. The best kinds of art, in my opinion, expose the artist in some way, shape, or form. What’s the point in creating art if you’re not willing to put yourself out there and be a little uncomfortable? I constantly try to push the boundaries in my self portraiture, which can very often be scary.

PASTEL: What are the greatest challenges you face when creating your work and how do you deal with them?

KN: Producing work that looks how I imagine it to be. Many times, I will be disappointed in how an image turned out because it’s not quite what I expected it to look like.

PASTEL: What's the greatest risk you have taken with your art?

KN: Using myself as a model. Depending on how people look at it, I’m either self-centered or a creative risk taker.

PASTEL: What do you want your work to do?

KN: I just want to inspire people with the scenes I create.

PASTEL: If there was one thing that you would want us to know about yourself, what would it be?

KN: Performers are my favorite subjects. Men and women who are experienced in drama, dance, acrobatics, etc. are always the easiest subjects and the most fun to work with. If I don't end up working as a fashion photographer, I would love to have a career photographing the performing arts.