Hey, I'm Ragan 😊 I'm a director + photographer based in NY.
I grew up with a therapist mother and a finance "dad photographer" dad, which thoroughly explains the kind of photographer I've become. My mom passed down the psychology trait to me, so I was naturally attracted to storytelling, listening to and analyzing everybody's life stories and lessons. When I got into my dad's camera collection when I was nine, it was over!
The first time I remember taking a photo and falling in love with the craft, I was in Johannesburg, and I took a photo of a young girl peeking her head out at me from behind a stone wall. Taking a photo that I thought was so beautiful and that to me had so much meaning + story behind it, that feeling was kind of unmatched. I chase that feeling every time I shoot. I love hearing a group of people analyze a photograph and listen to the 5 million stories each person creates behind it. I want people to be able to come up with a million different stories behind my photos; that's the goal. I was eleven when I took that photo in Johannesburg and looking back now, it's an awful photo, but I still have it framed. :)
My favorite part of capturing a subject is the connection I can make with them beyond the photograph. Capturing somebody can be super intimate sometimes, and I've made special friends through it. You learn a lot from people.
I've had some excellent set memories. Shooting @chrisrock's tour poster was unique and one of my most enjoyable times on set. I shot an editorial with @sephora and @complex with a majority black woman set, which was great. I spent a month with @hitboy, shooting in his studio during the summer of 2019, which was super inspiring to observe and be a part of. I've been thinking about directing a campaign with @lelabofragrances and doing some visual work with @devhynes. And, of course, @vogue is at the top of the list too.
Ragan Henderson
