Welcome to Classics, introduce yourself to our readers.
Where are you from originally and where is home now?
Hi! I’m Naomi Christie, a fashion photographer and film director. Born and raised in California, my hometown is San Diego but I’ve lived in LA for 13 years now.
Who or what inspired you to shoot?
I’m such a nostalgic and sentimental person and I love that photography is seemingly a super power to capture an otherwise fleeting moment forever. When I got into fashion photography, I found it very empowering to work with other women and see people’s reaction to how I captured them and how confident it made them feel. There’s just something very special about that.
When did you get your first camera and can you recall your earliest pictures?
The camera that started it for me was a Polaroid Spectra I snatched out of my parent’s closet. I was in high school and my first photos were of random things around my neighborhood and of my friends and I galavanting around San Diego.
How would you describe your style?
Hyper-feminine, nostalgic, and playful
Do you have a favorite photograph?
There’s this incredible photograph that Clifford Coffin took of Ernest Hemingway and supermodel Jean Patchett. They’re in Hemingway’s home in Cuba and Jean is interviewing him. She’s dressed modestly and looks so poised and Hemingway is shirtless and slobbish looking with his bare feet kicked up. The juxtaposition of the two is just intriguing and it’s such a beautiful photo.
Who are your favorite Photographers?
Ellen Von Unwerth, Clifford Coffin, Robert Mapplethorpe, William Eggleston, Nan Goldin. Of modern day photographers on Instagram, I love Théo Gosselin.
What inspires & influences you today?
Traveling, films, road trips, confident women, the people I fall in love with in life and in passing.
Where in the world would be your dream location to shoot?
It would be amazing to shoot an underwater scene on an island somewhere like Hawaii or Tahiti.
Do you have a creative process?
For photography, I generally will make a mood board and wing the rest. For film, I like to pre- visualize with a mood board, shot list, and music.
Who is you favorite filmmaker?
Right now I’m a huge fan of Gaspar Noe. He is just so incredibly bold and rebelliously innovative in my eyes.
What is your favorite Feature Film?
Before Sunrise - swooooon
What are your favorite publications/websites?
Of course Classics Magazine! I’m not browsing much online anymore but I enjoy following some writing on Medium and a great modern secret (or not so secret) for filmmakers is Film- Grab and Shot Deck.
Any upcoming projects we can look forward to?
A time capsule of romance I documented during the pandemic’s quarantine days called Here Together. An AFI thesis film about the hyper-sexualization of asian women entitled Object of Desire. Also a photo series surrounding that theme!
Watch her film "Don't Call Me Baby"
