“I fell in love with photography officially in 2003, but looking back on all my childhood photos it was clearly a part of my life much earlier. Find something you love and just keep at it!”
God Given Gorgeous for Playboy
About Lani Lee
Image Credit: Taryn Anderson
NYC-based photographer Lani Lee was born in Seoul and lived throughout Asia and the Middle East during her childhood before moving to the states and eventually landing in Seattle, where she graduated with a double portfolio in portraiture and photojournalism from the Art Institute in 2005.
Lani's most recent body of work titled Mug Shots is a collection of portraits of notorious graffiti writers and gang members – individuals who ordinarily do not consent to being photographed. Lani’s understanding of street culture, coupled with her unique style of photography, allowed her to garner trust and respect from some of the most elusive subjects.
So physical!
When asked about photography, Lani confesses, “Film will always be my first love. There are just things that you can only do with film. Now that digital is the norm, film just feels so much more special.” She finds inspiration in industrial structures, cemeteries, abandoned buildings and most of all people. “People are all so unique and different,” says Lani. "If you are looking you can always find something interesting in everyone and everything.”
Some of Lani's commercial clients include Atlantic Records, Microsoft, Red Bull, Boost Mobile and Revlon. Lani's work has been published in a wide array of magazines including Playboy, Rolling Stone, Nylon, Maxim and Inked, to name a few. Lani divides her time between Los Angeles and New York.