Framing the Feeling with James D Kelly
He arrives with slicked-back hair and a jacket cut as sharp as a clapperboard snap: James D. Kelly is a modern auteur with a camera in his hand and a Rolodex of fashion, film and music’s most photographed faces.
A long-time collaborator of My Beautiful City, Kelly talks instinct, the invisible lens and the art of capturing a mood without getting in its way.
MBC: You’ve spoken of “learning in motion” as a driving force behind your work. How has that shaped your visual language since first picking up a camera?
James: I always leave room for spontaneity—an embrace of happy accidents. My Beautiful City hired me for my first event commission; I didn’t even have the right kit to mount a flash. So I went with long exposures metered to the flash: the subject snaps into clarity while ambient light streaks around them. It fit a time when the nights were long and a little chaotic.
MBC: Your portfolio moves across some of culture’s most heightened stages—from fashion runways to red carpet afterparties, and the quieter moments in between. How does your approach change when the spotlight shifts?
James: : You have to adapt, but my core approach is constant. Photography opens doors you might not otherwise experience, so I try to enter as a quiet observer—honest, respectful—and add a touch of warmth to the interaction. I smile a lot. I want people to leave with a good feeling.
MBC: Let’s talk instinct. Who or what draws your eye? Are there recurring muses—be it a face, a subculture, a kind of light?
James: I often pre-empt the visual with a different cue—sound, or the room’s vibration. If one corner feels louder, the energy usually is too, and I’ll go there. From that starting point, you find the quieter, more sensitive moments that complement the noise.
MBC: The edit suite is its own theatre. Are you a maximalist on set and a minimalist in post—or is there poetry in the raw take? How do you know when a shot is done?
James: I like colour to feel neutral yet punchy; black-and-white slightly grainy and soulful. That guides the grade. I’m also lucky to work with great editors—useful when you’re too close to the image and need to move quickly.
MBC: In the hours before a high-stakes shoot, how do you tune in? Is there a ritual or a rhythm that helps you lock into the right creative headspace?
James: For me, it’s often about tuning out. Once I’m working, taking pictures becomes second nature and I dial into a headspace where you’re surrounded by “the shot.” It’s a subtle switch you can’t always name, but you feel it.
MBC: And a few standout moments?
I’ve been fortunate to work with My Beautiful City on projects where production and creativity genuinely elevate the experience—the BOSS ONE x David Beckham launch, and Aston Martin x Finch & Partners at the Venice Film Festival. That kind of environment is the perfect foundation for great imagery.
