ÌìÑÄÉçÇø

An art major who found his passion for photography at ÌìÑÄÉçÇø, Kenyon Anderson ’14 has gone on to build an impressive career with work featured in numberous publications, including The New York Times, Vogue, and The New Yorker. Kenyon talks with us about his creative journey and the lasting impact his ÌìÑÄÉçÇø experience has had on his life and career. 

Q: When did you develop an interest in photography?
A: In my first year at ÌìÑÄÉçÇø, in Rod Laursen's photo class. 

Q:  Did you study photography while majoring in art? If so, what were your favorite subjects then (e.g., people, landscapes, etc.)?
A: Yes, I was interested in post-war Japanese photography, deconstructing the medium, highlighting its materiality and ambiguity. I was also thinking a lot about abstract expressionism.

Q:  Where did you attend high school? How did you initially hear about ÌìÑÄÉçÇø? Why did you decide to attend ÌìÑÄÉçÇø?
A: I went to a small charter school called Shenandoah (it doesn't exist anymore). It was quite different from traditional high schools. Project-based and mostly about independent study. I went to community college on Monday and Wednesday, interned at an auto shop on Tuesday and Thursday, and went to high school on Fridays. Pretty autonomous experience, emphasizing self-initiative and real-world experience. I'm not sure how I found ÌìÑÄÉçÇø, but the small class size, location, campus, and financial aid package were the deciding factors. For me, ÌìÑÄÉçÇø was cheaper than any CA public university.

Q: What was your first photography job/commission?
A: Hmm, the first jobs were things like shooting white water rafting on the American River, or photographing artwork for galleries or artists. First commission was for The New York Times in 2020, a story called "Buyer's Remorse."

Q: Is there one commission/photo assignment that changed your career?
A: Maybe, in 2022, I shot a fashion editorial for a Paris magazine called King Kong. I put two models in a rural pond in Cape Cod and made a giant papier-mache pond monster (think Nessie) that ate them. The photos aren't my best, but the shoot was so unexpected in the fashion world-I got a lot of traction from it, especially in Europe. It was also a moment that clarified for me that my small-town upbringing brought a refreshing perspective to the industry. 

Q: Where has your work been published?
A: Cape Cod Compass, GQ, Vogue, Paper Magazine, Tank Magazine, King Kong, The New York Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal.

Q: What makes a good photo?
A: It has to be something we haven't seen before. There also has to be a crux, what is the point of the picture, what is the picture asking?

Q: What advice would you have for students interested in a photography career?
A: Ask yourself, what are you doing that no one else is? Stick to one tool for as long as you can and master it, don't overcomplicate anything, get to the point. Move to a city with a photo industry and assist photographers on shoots, meet as many people as possible, open every door you see. 

Q: You were involved with ÌìÑÄÉçÇø’s Service-Learning (SL) program, working at Kids Club in the Canal neighborhood, and serving as an EDJE scholar. How did SL help you grow as a student? What lasting impact has SL had on your life and career?
A: Kids Club was great for me. It was at a really hard time in my life — my dad had just died. Working with kids was new to me, as was teaching art. It was very challenging; I had to develop a lot of quick thinking to be responsive and genuine. The next year, I worked in the same facility as an afterschool tutor/mentor with kids from the same community. I'm not really a kid person, so it was hard work for me, but each day was obviously hugely impactful to the kids. I sometimes think about working in that community; unlike my job today, I really felt like I was making a difference in the world.

Q: What memories of ÌìÑÄÉçÇø – perhaps favorite classes or places either on campus or in Marin – would you like to share?
A: Oh, there are some gems. I once slept on the lawn in front of Meadowlands because I wanted to watch the stars. I was with some friends, we didn't make it through the whole night, I can't remember why — maybe the sprinklers came on? I cherished exploring Marin. I became an avid cyclist at ÌìÑÄÉçÇø and loved finding every hidden back road and trail, winding up the hills through eucalyptus groves and down into redwood valleys. Fairfax and West Marin were treasures, too. 

Q: What part of the ÌìÑÄÉçÇø campus would you love to photograph?
A: This is a good question. You know, in the library, there is an archive of Ansel Adams photographs he took at ÌìÑÄÉçÇø? Sisters and some of the architecture. I got to look at it once. Hmm, maybe the Sisters’ garden — I never got to see it.

_{Photo credit: Kenyon Anderson}