Portfolio Review: Photographer Chuck Grant Shares Incredible Portraits of Her Many Muses

"I met Tina while studying photography at Parsons. She embodies a kind of 'Alpha Female' persona I’ve always found fascinating. We bonded over an affinity for photographer, Tina Barney, and modeled our photos after a similar but more youthful style (à la Juergen Teller.) During that time, I was also photographing different facets of the 'American Dream.' Photographs from Tina’s world tie into an ongoing commentary I’m developing about the ways in which people project, approach, or lust after certain lifestyles. Ninety percent of my work is film; I shoot on a Hasselblad usually with a tripod and always synch with a direct or fill flash."

"I normally describe my work as ‘Fine Documentary’—documentary photography geared toward the aesthetic. I don’t like directing my subjects; I’m more interested in learning from them as they navigate their daily lives. I like this process, because it allows for quiet and candid moments like the one seen above."

"Leandra Medine, the Man Repeller, was another muse of mine during undergrad. It was exciting and fascinating to watch the rise of such a strong female figure in fashion. She was a great introduction into the world of fashion photography; always commenting on trends in a very approachable, relatable and entertaining way."

"One of my favorite things about shooting Leandra was witnessing how seamlessly her life slipped in and out of an editorial context both on and off camera."

"Man Repeller grabs mail between takes."

"As a young woman and former model, I found this relationship between subconscious performance and self worth both fascinating and alarming. I began to shoot behind the scenes of television shows and photo shoots, interested in capturing the source of underlying tension between takes."

"God Bless Tan Lines. From the God Bless America series."

"My sister, Lana Del Rey, is perhaps my most influential muse. We’ve collaborated on countless shoots, often obsessed with the same themes, but interested in them for different reasons."

"Lana Del Rey, 2010. Early photoshoot in a loft on Astor Place, NYC."

"This is one of my favorite portraits of my sister. It shows her as both beautiful and vulnerable, successfully fusing two of our favorite influences—Lolita and ‘Toddlers and Tiaras.’"

"Lana Del Rey x National Anthem"

"Lana Del Rey x Ride"

"Dreamland is a series we’ve been working on together in installments. It’s a bit more romantic than my previous work, something I’ve found both challenging and exhilarating. It will most likely come out as a book in the next couple years."

"New York Magazine sends me out on the most fascinating assignments. One of my first stories was in Salt Lake City documenting the local style. I met amazing women out there, from liberal college students to conservative Mormons. I could not have asked for a more interesting or suitable assignment. As an artist, it’s such a blessing to have a magazine that is supportive of one's own visions for a shoot. This was one of the first assignments where I began to see how my work could exist within the more commercial or editorial realm."

"I shot Cat Marnell for Page Six Magazine immediately following the Salt Lake City story. I was asked to photograph Cat’s wild night out on the town. While scanning the film for both assignments, I was struck by how lucky I was to have been able to experience such different worlds through photography. It was a great moment color correcting between hazy scenes at The Box and SLC family portraits."

"Shooting Mark Sanford for New York Magazine was a dream. I was curious about Sanford’s story and excited to shoot a male subject for a change. I’ve always been interested in one’s presentation of self, whether it’s professionally or privately. Watching Sanford campaign for a solid 12 hours was exhausting and enlightening. It also piqued an interest in shooting more male-oriented stories."