Reel Urban News Exclusive
By Dave Devereaux
Much of what we see on the pages of high fashion magazines such as Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Harper’s Bazaar are the concepts of white photographers that seldom feature black designers or black photographers. The only black photographer that I have noted of late to take on such an ambitious front is James L. Hicks. He has carved out a place for himself by supporting black designers and presenting their fashion in all print formats in the most respectful and creative ways imaginable.
James L. Hicks II has always been a unique individual who never followed in the shadow of anyone other than his own creative ideas. On meeting him during our college days, he was different. Being a jeans and t-shirt guy, he still conveyed style and originality back in the 80s while attending Morehouse College. There was a cool yet inventive manner to his dress and style as a student. He states, “I always liked fashion and would watch Style with Elsa Klensch back in the day.” The show ran from 1980 to 2001 and featured fashion and design from around the world. This began to fuel his ideas of what he wanted to eventually photograph.
Initially pursuing a degree in biology, he was somehow steered toward veterinary forensic, encompassing his love of animals and photography. As his interest in photography grew even stronger, he branched out to doing fashion photography which got him recognition by those that would ultimately lead to his current status. He stepped out on faith and started his own photography business. His first client was a male model, and those photos caught the eye of the Baltimore Sun newspaper which offered him a freelance quarterly editorial. He worked with The Baltimore Sun for five years.
One of his most memorable moments was a shoot for Garfinkel’s department store in Washington, D.C. The irony was that his grandmother, Katherine Winslow, loved the store and told him of the time when blacks were not allowed to try on anything in the store, yet here he was doing a full-on photo fashion shoot there. His experiences landed him shoots with stores such as Merry Go Round, a then very trendy store that many blacks frequented, which closed its doors in 1996. By this time, his work was being recognized and he landed a shoot for BET. He photographed the likes of Donnie Simpson, Brett Walker and Leslie Segar, also known as Big Lez. They were the on-air personalities that represented some of the most popular shows on the BET Network.
His exposure was growing and his career had taken off. He began to think of doing projects on bigger fashion stages such as Paris and New York City. However, he soon realized that “I was not really ready. I was caught up in the fabulousness.” Having been introduced to fashion greats like Andre Leon Talley and Naomi Campbell was awe-inspiring and a little humbling, he states.
“Hanging with artists and models but not getting any work done proved that I was not ready. I did too much partying with no real discipline at work.” James states that it all came to a crashing moment when a doorman at a club refused him entry and would not even look at the agency VIP list to see if he was on it. It was his first experience with racism in of all places, New York City.
He also remembers dropping his portfolio off with clients once and being asked if he was the delivery guy. He states; “I felt like I had to be black first before being recognized as a photographer. It was exhausting and hurtful.”
This was his first attempt at the big time, but he had met some awesome people through the Elite Agency, then one of the most recognized agencies in the world. He met Melanie Landestoy, who would later become the muse for designer Isaac Mizrahi. The likes of Naomi Campbell, Iman and Tyra Banks were all represented by Elite at one time in their careers. Returning to D.C. would not mean his end, only that he needed to build up his professional ethos. The fashion world is fast-paced and can be very exclusive of who they let in.
He returned to New York City later, more mature in both business ethics and his life. He focused on working with people who believed in his talent. His first celebrity shoot was of singer Karen White, who was new to the music scene but was taking it by storm. He honed his style of being fast and efficient concerning his clients’ often very busy schedules.
They began to like this, and word spread that he was spot on in doing his work and it was not just good, the photos were great. He garnered personalities like Aaliyah, Erykah Badu, Yoyo and Foxy Brown. He was lucky enough to get the gig for Deborah Cox’s album cover. James had the pleasure of working with the beautiful Pam Grier whom he described as breathtaking but so down to earth. Photographing Smokey Robinson was one of the highlights of his career. He stated that Smokey was incredible to work with on a picturesque location in Malibu California.
James stated “I wanted to be a photographer. I did not want to be just a black photographer, just for black people, but for everybody.” With that mindset, he began to book shoots for magazines like Essence, along with more high-profile assignments. “I photographed celebs like Usher in Los Angeles, actress Rosario Dawson and singer Ashanti. I also worked with girl groups like 702 and the Cheetah Girls for music editorial projects.” He felt that his focus was paying off in big ways.
With success always comes personal setbacks and discoveries about self. “I lost my partner, Ellison Jackson during this time, a gifted makeup artist in his own right, who had accompanied me on many photoshoots.” He says the loss was devastating and he threw himself into his work after his death to keep occupied.
The loneliness also made him realize that perhaps a dog would be therapeutic for his grief. He got a pet that needed as much, if not more, care than himself and a strong bond resulted. It also reawakened his love of animals which would guide him to a passion that he still expresses in the breeding and showing of rare and beautiful dogs. James found himself researching the best raw diets for his dogs to maintain their beauty and health. Twenty years on now, he credits much of this to his first dog obtained during a critical time of grief in his life.
New York felt different after Ellison passed so he moved back to Washington, D.C. as his base of operations. He still had many projects in New York and was back and forth, however. He was on a commute to New York when 9/11 happened. All trains into the city were halted, forcing him to return to D.C. Everything seemed to stop for a while as the world grappled with the incredible tragedy of that day.
While in D.C. he continued taking photos of people like poet Nikki Giovanni, George Wolf, the playwright and director of theater and film, and Denyce Graves, the mezzo-soprano opera singer. When he did return for work in New York he was not able to visit Ground Zero as it was too painful and along with the loss of Ellison it had taken its toll. It all seemed so surreal. His first photo shoot after 9/11 was of Erykah Badu, whom he had previously photographed. He spoke of this with a tone that described his excitement of working with her.
After his grandmother who had been a massive influence in his life, passed away he decided to refocus and pour into work again. A cousin directed him to watch RuPaul’s Drag Race as an interesting project. James always wanted to photograph drag queens as an art form and present them in an image that he saw. He finds their creativity most interesting. He would seek them out for photo shoots using the New York City streets as a background. He amassed so much material that it led to the creation of his self-published book Drag Dolls, Dames & Divas.
James suffered a stroke five years ago that landed him in the hospital in critical condition. During his recovery, he learned how serious the incident was and how important it is for quick medical attention to afford the most successful recovery. The stroke seemed to motivate him to live life more carefully while striving to achieve some of the dreams he had been postponing. He fully recovered and got right back behind his lens.
James is currently working on one of his most ambitious projects to date. He is planning to honor those who inspired him in a possible documentary piece that will highlight not only their influence but also their inspiration on fashion and culture. He has approached some real heavyweights in the fashion industry such as model Alva Chinn, known as one of Halston’s Halstonettes, and model Melanie Landestoy who are both very supportive of his career and talent. Both these ladies are icons in the industry.
James states that some of the models in his repertoire have served as his muses and inspired ideas of creativity that led to him photographing them. He notes, “Before I knew I was a photographer, I would go to Lenox Square Mall to views video fashion shows at Rive Gauche . . . I’ve been unable to put myself on a timeline, it all happens when it happens.”
When asked what photographers inspire him he shared the great Peter Lindbergh, a German fashion photographer because he mastered the use of black and white photos that are simple and clean. He also mentioned Colombian-born Ruven Afanador, a long-time contributor to Vogue, Vanity Fair and Elle magazines because “he’s about production and beauty. Afanador shoots very raw and industrial.”
James is a huge fan of putting these genres together to complete his focus. He cites having worked in great locations such as Acapulco, Malibu and South Carolina as some of his favorites. He feels that this project might possibly be a huge credit to his photography legacy. It has a name that he shared with me, but I feel the need to keep it quiet until he announces it.
James L. Hicks II, the photographer is most certainly headed toward being a household name such as that of the late and incredible Gordon Parks. He is blazing a trail that others have not ventured to travel and proving that his creativity is just as edgy and intense as others. He continues to forge ahead without apology in areas that might seem controversial at times yet are meaningful to him and relevant to the fashion culture. I do not doubt that we will see his work on billboards, in magazines and other mass media, sooner rather than later. He is talented, creative and many might even say innovative with his photos of both fashion and background. His fashion photos evoke a mood while conveying a message that is unlike many you have seen to date.
