Interview with Ivy Ney, a professional photographer living in Los Angeles

Ivy Ney, known for her photos of iconic celebrities and musicians like Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, will be sharing a bit about herself as an artist and a woman, and her stories about working as a successful professional photographer.

          Prior to the interview, Ivy generously allowed us to read her manuscript for a photo book, which is something she’s been working on for years! This book will include Ivy's iconic photos of Hollywood celebrities, legendary artists, musicians, and fashion industry legends, and her insightful and honest description on what was happening in each photo.

          All the images included in this interview belongs to Ivy, and we are grateful that Ivy generously allowed us to include some of these images. If you would like to purchase any of these images included in the interview, please reach out to Ivy directly at ivyneyphotography@gmail.com.

<photo above> Regarding the phrase, “New York’s alright,” Ivy wrote to me saying… “this comes from a song by LA punk band FEAR ‘New York’s alright if you play saxophone’ They befriended John Belushi and appeared on SNL causing a ruckus.  I ran into Belushi with Fear’s bassist at the time and Chrissie Hinde one night and hung out with them, a week or two before John’s OD.  He was hilarious but a beast when it came to his drug use.  As we parted company, Miss Hinde turned around and said, ‘don’t tell anyone you saw me with him’.  Good one, until Belushi’s sad demise.”

Interviewer/Emily: Thank you so much for doing this interview with us today! Many of our readers are probably wondering how did you get started in this professional photography industry, documenting celebrities?  

Ivy: Thank YOU kindly, Emily. Actually, I became a professional photographer quite unintentionally, overnight, while living in Paris, the city of Haute Couture. Most of the work I did there was in fashion. I moved to Los Angeles in the mid 70's and LA had no fashion. What it did have was the film industry and the music business, thus, a never-ending parade of Hollywood celebrities, who tend to materialize in front of those of us carrying a camera.  I did enjoy a career as a freelance fashion photographer, shooting both ads and editorial layouts for the fashion and lifestyle sections of the Los Angeles Times, very regularly, over a span of fifteen years.

I photographed numerous celebrities on assignment for the LA Times, covering star-studded Hollywood soirées, film premieres and charity events. My job was 'reportage' on those occasions, photographing what the celebrity guests, both industry new comers as well as the old timers, were wearing. But not all the photos were taken on the job. 

I had many friends who were musicians, touring with famous bands, and I knew young musicians starting out who made the big time not much later. There were many fabulous, overcrowded Hollywood parties where one could come across the latest super celebrities, recently spotted on the largest billboards on Sunset Boulevard. I did not really set out with the idea of photographing celebrities, I never did the paparazzi thing, but I did manage to build an eclectic collection of famous faces, over many years.

Interviewer: Could you elaborate more on how you become a professional photographer quite unintentionally overnight? Please share a story with us (if there is one)!

Ivy: There is a story, it shaped my life.  I graduated from college in Montreal and immediately left for Europe, spent some time traveling around and after a while settled down in Paris.  I had no career direction but I had been recruited by a talent agency so I dabbled in some modeling, I booked a couple of major commercials and worked as background actor in several feature films. It was one of those jobs as an extra, where I was told to be at a location looking like a tourist, that prompted me to borrow a friend's camera to use as a prop. My friend loaned me a Pentax with a half roll of black and white film that was left unused and told me to go ahead and finish it off. I had no particular interest in photography, didn't own a camera and had no idea how to work the one I borrowed, so my friend demonstrated the basics. Shooting film was a little more complicated --  film had to be developed, there was no instant playback, cameras did not function the way they do now. All the settings were done manually.

Focus was easy, turning the dial until everything looked sharp, and as for the other settings, I was content to know that there was a light meter in the camera with a needle that responded to turning the dial and the needle in the middle indicated the correct setting.

I didn't even intend to shoot off that roll of film, but after long hours of idling on the set, I was happy to have that distraction. But I was really happy when a photographer friend, who processed the film, called on the phone to compliment me. He said I had a great eye.  Others agreed. I had no expectations and was more than pleasantly surprised.

<photo above> the very first photo taken by Ivy while on a set

I went to show off my newly discovered talent to my agency and one of the models asked if I would shoot the one remaining photo she needed for her Z card and within a couple of weeks, I photographed a dozen of the girls, my shots ending up on the models' composites, alongside well known, working photographers. A client these models had seen took notice of my photographs in the girls’ portfolios and hired me to shoot all the ads for  prêt-a-porter clothing manufacturers, to be placed in a guide for  buyers. A musician friend asked me to photograph him for the cover of his new single. His manager loved it, and hired me to work with all his clients.  I did press shots, live concert shots, portraits, and album covers. I photographed an all girls rock band from the States who were passing through, being interviewed at their hotel by a journalist friend for a music magazine. I shot a brochure for a travel agency who organized tours for Japanese students.

I was ready to photograph whatever anyone wanted to put in front of me. Everyone was pleased with my work so I felt quite confident in no time. My good eye served me well. Another aspect of a good eye I think, aside from aesthetics, is being observant. I had no knowledge of how to shoot an ad for clothing or a promo for a rock band but I realized that I had an understanding of all the advertising I'd been exposed to over the years and that I could easily replicate what I had seen, on demand.

But it was only when I borrowed a camera, just for show, that my knack for taking pictures was discovered.  Little did I know that my prop would be a real life changer.

Interviewer: Could you share with us the basics of commercial photography? What are some of the most important formulas followed by commercial photographers? Do you have a story you could share with us?

 Ivy: Well, the photograph is and has been the most commonly used tool in marketing - everything being sold can be publicized with an image. In that sense, photography is commercial by nature. And we are continually bombarded by  images, most of which are selling something to the population at large or to a target audience. Whether selling a product or an idea, those identified as the most likely buyers are catered to with images that catch their attention and appeal to their sensibilities. Ads look like what they are selling. A car ad is clean, smooth, slick, high tech looking whereas advertising perfume looks romantic, like a soft and hazy summer night. But commercial photography is not only advertising.  Photojournalists document current events and sell their stories to newspapers and magazines, sports photographers do the same. This is not a formula, but viewers do expect to see a certain type of photographs from certain photographers.  If shooting sports, action shots are favorable. Everyone likes to see an athlete, mid-air, high off the ground.

There really are so many types of photographers. There are product, table-top photographers, pet photographers and wedding photographers, and photographers who specialize in a field. And unique to Los Angeles, photographers working strictly with actors is a big business. And then there are the celebrity stalking  paparazzi, making good money capturing some of the famous faces in awkward situations.

Interviewer: Speaking of celebrities, did you have any fascination with Hollywood and celebrities in general before you started photographing these big, names stars? I’ve personally always had some strange attraction and respect for celebrities even as a young girl.

Ivy: No, not really, I was more into the music scene, a fan of musicians, more than Hollywood celebrities. But I was certainly impressed when I suddenly found myself facing the legendary entertainer, old Hollywood luminary, Sammy Davis Jr., or when I was sent to photograph Lucille Ball. I was amazed to have 'I love Lucy', right there, in front of me.

Interviewer:  I love so many of your iconic photos, such as the one you took of Bob Dylan at Madison Square Garden, New York. In your experience working as a photographer, could you tell when you’ve got “the shot”? Do you have any strange superstitious rituals you abide by before going to events?

Ivy: I think I know when I’ve got the shot, though it’s a little more difficult to know when shooting a concert with a highly animated act on stage. But shooting is very different in the digital age. There's no wondering whether or not you got the shot or any anticipation - you can just look and see what you've got, right there on the spot.  I really enjoy getting the image I want with one shot. Like the film, The Deer Hunter. And no, no superstition involved. As long my equipment functioned as it was meant to, I relied on my belief that 'what you see is what (the shot) you get.'

Interviewer:  So many of your wonderful iconic photos are taken at live concerts and events. When working for the LA times, did someone usually tell you what type of shots they were looking for? Your photo of John Lydon of PIL is absolutely magnificent.

Ivy: Thank you. That was a memorable show. None of my concert photos were shot on assignment for the LA Times - what I did shoot live for the paper were the fashion shows put on by local designers a couple of times a year. The fashion industry thrives in the world's major cities that have four seasons, Los Angeles does not. I was never told 'how' to shoot my assignments, but commercial photography is mostly formulaic. There is a certain way to shoot an ad and another way to shoot 'real people' at an event or on the street. And an editorial layout has an altogether different look. And one knows to stay within those confines. Magazines and brands have their styles  I do recall an instance, when I was first staring out, shooting a spread of Children’s fashion for Home Magazine and in one of the set-ups with three kids, there was a shot that I thought was just gorgeous. I was surprised when it was not the one picked for publication. My editor laughed. She agreed that it was a beautiful photograph but reminded me that this was Home Magazine, not Vogue.

Interviewer: You mentioned that there is a certain way to shoot an ad and another way to shoot ‘real people’ at an event and/or on the street. Could you tell us what you mean by this? 

Ivy: I came to Los Angeles with a portfolio that looked like I had been working for years, rather than months and having arrived from Paris, a young female fashion photographer, I made an impression on the small community working in the underwhelming fashion industry. It did gain some prominence for a while but it is not a thriving force here, like film and music. There was no fashion section in LA's major newspaper until 1978 and from its inception, I was a regular contributor, working on the variety of articles presented by the paper, every Friday, for many years. The fashion photography that I did in Paris, starting out, were all ads for ready-to-wear clothing lines that appeared in the guide to the market, during the shows.  But the ads that ran in the fashion section at the LA Times were mostly provided by the client paying for the space, although, I was asked to shoot an ad, now and then, when the client needed an image.

There is a standard way that ads are shot, mostly from up close, with or without a model.  The emphasis is on the item being sold, without clutter or distraction. The focus is on detail such as fabric, cut, length and all the garment's desirable qualities. This is the type of photography seen in catalogs and is often referred to as 'cuffs and collars'. Not all advertising fits into that mold. Some major brands are sure to stand out, like those provocative, 'nothing comes between me and my Calvin's' Calvin Kline's' popular ads in the 90's. When selling something, not a concrete product but insurance, for instance, the ad may show a nice home with a relatable couple who have made the right choice.

Many of the articles found in the LA Times fashion section were human interest stories, told from the perspective of fashion. These stories were drawn from recent, real life moments, of real people, in their chosen attire. Some of these stories included the coverage of special galas and private events, with Hollywood celebrities and well-known fashionistas. Covering an event and documenting those in attendance is called 'reportage' and it is the type of photography employed by photojournalists. Another type of story featuring real people focused on well-dressed, fashionable, regular folk, setting trends in the streets. It is funny, in a way, because everyone to me, other than professional models, were real people.  They all pose the same, regardless of celebrity or status, they all pose like real people, like guests at a wedding.

The featured spread in an issue was editorial fashion, with outfits chosen from the latest arrivals at the department stores, worn by the models, picked for the shoot. I had make-up, hair and a stylist and a location to help set the mood of the photographs. There are no restrictions on the presentation of the clothing in an editorial shot. That had always been left entirely up to me. The garment is still the basic element in the photograph, but the sales tactic used is creating a look, a mood and an atmosphere, the feeling of a desirable situation. These fashion spreads are selling a lifestyle. They are selling fantasies. I liked doing these shoots and I had been assigned to do many. There were plenty of photographers on staff but they excelled in reportage. They cover current events, documenting a story taking place in real life, as it occurs in the real world. When shooting editorial fashion, there is no story. It has to be created. And there is the freedom to be creative. These shoots were  my specialty, (I shot several twelve page color spreads for Menswear Magazine, as well as Home Magazine)

Interviewer:  It seems also some of your iconic photos of celebrities happened spontaneously when you ran into them in the streets of LA. Your photo of Leonard Cohen in his jean shorts is  absolutely a delight. What a treasure!!! Would you say the celebrity culture in America has changed since the 70s and 80s?

Ivy: It is certainly well entrenched in Los Angeles.  It is hometown to so many film and television personalities, just living their lives, doing normal things.  Should you spot someone at a restaurant who looks like a certain celebrity, it isn't only someone 'who looks like'.  it is who you think it is. While it is unlikely that you' would run into Angelina Jolie by the check out at your local pharmacy, I did see Jay Leno and an assistant, entering the supermarket in my neighborhood, as I was leaving.   He was very cordial, waving back and smiling at people.

Interviewer: Do you have tips for new professional photographers who might get intimated by the idea of being around someone famous? What are your personal tips on how to make models/subjects feel comfortable?

Ivy: I think it is a good idea to tell your subject what you have in mind, giving some direction, so that your model knows what is expected of them. It is good to have a plan, at least, in the beginning, to form a bond and assure your model that you are on the same page.

Interviewer: Another thing I wanted to ask you was in regard to your work photographing fashion events for the LA times. Your photo of Paloma Picasso, daughter of Pablo Picasso, taken at the launch of her perfume brand (held at Tiffany & Co. in Beverly Hills) is truly amazing. Paloma's statement earrings and necklace really speak in volume! You mentioned in your manuscript that you had the most scrumptious hors d'oeuvres you had tasted to date that day. May I ask you what they were? I am so curious.

Ivy: Sushi, from a Beverly Hills top sushi chef and some sort of stuffed mushroom delicacy I have never come across since.

Interviewer: Speaking of the manuscript you shared with me, what is your future plans with that manuscript? It’s an incredible amount of wonderful writing and photos. Did you have any specific focus and intentions when writing this book?

Ivy: Well, it is a picture book and the main focus are the photographs. There are many 'never seen’ photos of world famous performers, painters, athletes, photographers, accompanied by blurbs and short stories, situations or incidents I thought significant, basically, my observations. I think of it as a coffee table entertainer.

Interviewer: You also did a wonderful YouTube video series with a talented filmmaker, Fred Munk, on the channel @StoneSkipFilms. In one of the videos focusing on the Red Hot Chili Peppers, you mentioned that you are one of the first people, if not the first person, to shoot the Red Hot Chili Peppers professionally. At the time, they were around the age of high school students, and you opened up your home to these young adults. Did you see something special in them early on that gave you this firm conviction that you could trust them with your home? It's very hard to imagine myself doing this and opening my living space up to young artists and musicians.

Ivy: Yes, I love the clips Fred created.  He and his friend, Derek Banner, shot some footage of me being interviewed by Fred, about my photographs of certain celebrities - some of the same stories as the ones in my picture book, without all the arms waving, the eye rolls and giggles.  I'm so impressed with Fred's skills; he turned them into great little 'shorts'.  I was one of the early Chili Peppers enthusiasts. I photographed them and went to many of their shows, during the 80's. But it was actually the Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan's band, not the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who rented my basement as their rehearsal space in 1990. And you know, considering the reputation of rock bands and The Strip, these boys in my basement were very well behaved. I mean, Motley Crue lived just a couple of houses up the street from where I was living, behind the Whisky a Go Go, and it was also the old stomping ground of the Doors', bad boy, Jim Morrison. And they were young, probably 19, but they were talented and serious in their pursuit of being career musicians.  And I loved it, these guys writing and arranging and rehearsing some great songs on a daily basis.  Good live music, it's the best thing.  I think.

Interviewer: You are also a talented sculptor. Where do you get your inspiration for your artworks? Many of them are very figurative and wonderfully whimsical. For those who want to see more of your artworks, where can they see them?

Ivy: Thank you, Emily. My sculptural work is all spontaneous and improvisational, assembled from found objects and clay. Unfortunately,  I have no website at the moment but I do have some albums I created on my Facebook Page, now.  It is open to the public and it is just “Ivy New.”  There are several albums, all titled with an image to indicate the content.  the sculptural assemblage is titled 'Diamond Dolls' and there's another, named Rattles and other Artifacts   I'm trying to warm up to Instagram, I don't know why I have been so reluctant –  I'm ivy.ney on Insta. 

Interviewer: What are you up to these days? What’s been happening in your life lately?

Ivy: I have moved recently. It has been five months by now but compared to the almost forty-five years I spent at my previous address, I am still acclimating to my new place, shaping the unfamiliar flat into my home.  I'm particular about my surroundings so I am still reshuffling and rebuilding. But I do have an Art Installation in mind, based around a large collection of kaleidoscopic imagines that are manipulated photographs of trees. I call the series, Geometrees. I have put them together as a slideshow and it has been projected at an Art Space called MODA, here in Los Angeles and has been well received by those inside the gallery with the screen in view, as well as passers-by on the street who were able to see the slides on the other side of the screen that had been placed behind the large glass front.  I would like to do an audio-visual, interactive installation, an immersion with the projections of my Geometrees. I think you would enjoy it, Emily.

<Side comment from the interviewer>: Ivy is, hands down, one of the coolest and nicest people I’ve ever spoken to! She has impeccable style, and you can catch a glimpse of her interior decor style in these two YouTube videos created by Fred Munk & Derek Banner. I also ended up ordering three photo prints from Ivy for my husband. #notsponsored and I really love my prints so I strongly recommend ordering photo prints from her via email.

**These YouTube videos were created by Fred Munk & Derek Banner. Fred generously gave Advanced Leisure permission to embed these videos. Please make sure to check out their YouTube channel Stone Skip Films & watch more of their amazing videos! Here’s one about the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

**All the images in this interview belong to Ivy Ney, and any unauthorized usage of these photos will be met with legal consequences. Advanced Leisure, LLC. is granted special permission by Ivy Ney to publish these photos. If you wish to purchase any of these photos in prints, please directly contact Ivy Ney.