Jasper Dylan Soloff: I’m Drawn to the Human Stories Beneath the Surface (Director, Cinematographer, New York, 134K Followers)

Jasper Dylan Interview

"I treat Instagram like a gallery — a place to show work I believe in, not a scoreboard to chase metrics. "

Q. Your work moves fluidly between photography, direction, and cinematography. How do you usually introduce yourself — to others and to yourself?

I usually start by saying I’m a photographer and director because that’s the shorthand people immediately understand. But more honestly, I think of myself as a visual storyteller. My work across stills and motion comes from the same impulse — to capture visceral, emotional truth. Whether it’s a portrait, a beauty film, or a documentary sequence, I’m drawn to the human stories beneath the surface and the way visuals can open empathy in an audience.

Q. You split your time between New York, LA, and Paris. How does each city shape your visual language differently, if at all?

Each city gives me something different:

New York feeds my energy and edge — its rawness teaches me to capture grit with grace. Los Angeles offers light and freedom, a landscape where colour and movement breathe.

Paris always draws me toward elegance and nuance — it’s quieter, encouraging a more contemplative visual sensibility.

I don’t think I’m consciously “different” in each place, but the rhythms and palettes of these cities absolutely inform the way I see — and the way I make others feel seen.

Q. In an era where everyone has a camera, what truly separates a professional visual storyteller from the crowd?

Access to a camera is democratised; vision is not. What separates professionals isn’t technical prowess — it’s curiosity, empathy, and the discipline to commit deeply to a story. A great storyteller listens first: to the subject, to the context, to what’s unspoken. And then they choose imagery that elevates — not just illustrates — the experience. That emotional intelligence is what makes images resonate.

Q. Social media has become both a portfolio and a pressure point for creatives. How do you use Instagram without letting it dictate your art?

I treat Instagram like a gallery — a place to show work I believe in, not a scoreboard to chase metrics. I post where there’s intention: a series, a body of work with context. I try not to look at numbers when I’m creating — because art made for algorithms rarely feels alive. If something resonates socially, great — but that’s a response, not the reason for the work.

Q. Looking ahead, what excites you more right now: new technology in visual storytelling or a return to slower, more intentional creation?

Both excite me, but for different reasons. Technology — new tools, sensors, formats — expands possibilities and helps us reach audiences in immersive ways. But at my core, I’m drawn to intentional depth. Projects like my documentary work, where you spend real time with people and a place, teach you something that speed never can. The trick is using technology to serve intention, not replace it.

Q. If you had to shoot a film or photo series with just one lens for an entire year, which lens would you choose — and what kind of stories would you tell with it?

I’d pick a 35 mm lens — it’s versatile, intimate, and true to the human perspective. With that lens, I’d focus on stories of connection — everyday moments that reflect broader cultural pulses. Intimate environmental portraits, documentary scenes, moments of joy and tension — all seen through that one, honest frame.

Bio

Jasper Dylan Soloff is a New York–, Los Angeles–, and Paris–based photographer, director, and cinematographer known for his cinematic visual language. Blending fashion, portraiture, and narrative storytelling, his work often feels like a paused film scene—intimate, stylised, and emotionally charged. 

Navigating both personal and commercial spaces, Soloff represents a new generation of visual storytellers who move fluidly across mediums while maintaining a strong authorial voice.


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Interviewed By Tarunanshi Sharma