Photographer of K-Pop stars, Justin Jun Lee, started with a BA in Art at UB

Justin Jun Lee has spent his time well since graduating from UB with a BA in Studio Art and Psychology degree in 2012. Launching his photography career in New York City right after that, he has grown to be regarded as one of the top wedding photographers in NYC. That distinction is paired with Lee’s highly successful work as a fashion and editorial portrait photographer, whose work can be seen in Vogue, and newly as a cover of the LA Times magazine The Envelope. That shoot features the three artists EJAE, Audrey Nana, and Rei Ami, the singing voices of Huntr/x, the K-Pop group from the Netflix film "K-Pop Demon Hunters". Take a peak at Lee's Instagram, @justinjunlee for photos from the shoot and other highlights of his work!

Along the way since leaving Buffalo, Lee has received additional training at School of Visual Arts and the International Center for Photography. As his work increasingly enters the public eye, we are happy to see where this alum’s work shows up next.

How has your BA in Studio Art degree influenced your career development?

The program at UB provided the foundation for how I think about visual storytelling. Beyond just technical skill- I was often encouraged to experiment, and to work on developing a strong personal vision. Going through all the critiques, feedback, and studio projects- it helped me to articulate ideas, think conceptually, and develop a disciplined creative process. It also grounded me in a professional-creative mindframe that still guides how I work, how I collaborate, and how I evolve even with all the editorial portrait work that I do now. Beyond just the "degree", I'll never forget that I had a photo professor at UB named Daniel Calleri who gave me the extra push to pursue photography as a career. Having that support was extremely encouraging for me, especially at a time when I initially felt afraid to pursue photography full-time.

What is one of your fondest memories from your time studying Art at UB?
I have such fond memories of spending countless hours with friends at UB's photo lab. Whether it was experimenting digitally through prints, or developing film negatives in the darkroom- all of it was so much fun and a part of me still really misses those days. Another fun memory was getting to meet people from different types of art majors who were experimenting with photography along with their specific art forms. It made me think about all the different possibilities, and how fun it was to get to try and mix different mediums.

Do you have any advice for young and emerging photographers?
I can't emphasize this enough, but make time to create personal work. You just never know who will see it, or where it might lead to. Personal projects were a great way for me to hone in on what I wanted to do within photography. It also opened doors to collaborating with so many different people who shared similar creative energy. Personal work is a great way for the world to see what you care about most and the kind of imagery you want to keep creating. Whenever I was feeling stuck on ideas, I'd carry around a small notebook and would jot down anything that was inspiring me- some of the things I'd jot down weren't even photo or art related. It's often those unexpected things that might help you reveal something unique about yourself. The more you understand what moves you, the more authentically your work will reflect who you are.