23-Year-Old Photographer Noa Griffel on How She Got a Gig at Tory Burch
If getting paid to travel the world and take beautiful photos sounds like a dream job, that's because it is. And would you believe us if we told you this glamorous gig belonged to a 23-year-old?
Noa Griffel is the photographer-at-large for Tory Burch, which is exactly as rad as it sounds. Her pics document the growth of the company—as well as pop up on the brand's blog—and take her to places far and near. She's snapped models, actresses, and fashion bigwigs, including (of course) Tory herself. It's a big job for someone so young, but Noa has had more than her fair share of experience. Before she even set foot in the door at Tory, she already had bachelor's and master's degrees under her belt, not to mention years of internships, jobs, and freelance projects in the photo world.
We hung out with Noa at Tory Burch's beautiful New York offices to get the lowdown on her blossoming career, so read on and get inspired!
1/8This up-and-comer gives us all the deets on her too-cool career.
2/8"I went to Montclair State University for my bachelor’s in fine arts, and I got my master’s from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. As an undergrad, I started taking digital imaging courses right away. I made collages in Photoshop, not really knowing how that could translate into doing something for a living. I thought if I was making stuff in Photoshop, I should major in graphic design, but I couldn’t do my first graphic design assignment! I dropped the class and realized photography was my passion. It ended up being a sort of fluid progression, even though at the time I felt like I was all over the place."
Shirt by Tory Burch.
3/8"In college, I worked as an artist's assistant and also at a photo studio and an art gallery. I helped out with shoots for any photographer I could and always looked for new opportunities. I felt like I needed to keep going, or otherwise I was standing still. The gallery I interned at actually hired me as a photo editor, and in grad school I was a photo intern at Atlantic Records. My internship there is where I learned everything about how to shoot in different environments. An ecutive saw my work and started hiring me to do some private jobs—that's how everything took off!"
4/8"It was through a mutual friend that I ended up meeting Tory Burch. The company is such a good fit for me, though I never expected to end up in the fashion industry! I considered myself a fine art photographer, but I had done a lot of test fashion shoots to build my book, and art in general ties together with fashion really well. I don't think you can have one without the other really! Each day here is really different which I love. When I'm not in the office editing photos from shoots, I'm at the actual shoots doing anything from portraits to food and travel photography."
5/8"Some of my work is for internal use. It’s important to have a documentation of how the company grows! Some of it goes on the blog, and some images are sent out for press. A lot of the photo shoots are on locations we haven’t been to before. Part of my job is figuring out what works best compositionally in the moment and what works best for the actual subject. There’s not a lot of time to plan the shots, so within those first few minutes after you show up, you need to soak in your entire environment. You need to figure out what would make the best setup, where’s the best natural light, and all of that. Those concentrated few minutes are where all the hard work is done! It’s intense, but it’s so fun because every situation feels new. The coolest location I’ve been to with Tory is definitely Morocco. It’s unbelievable—the colors, the textures. There’s inspiration around every corner."
Dress, cardigan, and belt by Tory Burch.
6/8"I'm always experimenting with what I wear. I try to dress nicely, but keep it kind of fun. I have this little collection of dinosaur necklaces, so I'll wear one of those to lighten things up. I also really like tea party dresses lately! When I'm shooting events, it's good to wear heels because I have a lot of height on people and can see more of what's going on. I'll also wear darker colors because I don't want to stand out as much. It's about what's happening there, not about me! On set, I like to be dressed up but comfortable, which has a lot to do with the shoes I wear. I usually choose mid-heels for those situations!"
7/8"Be proactive about following your passion. Hard work and eagerness to learn are absolutely key. Every experience offers a new learning opportunity, so really take in everything you do and every situation that you’re in! It was during my internships that I got a solid foundation for what I do now, and those experiences propelled me to where I am today."
Jeans and necklace by Tory Burch.
8/8"Meeting all the subjects we photograph is so inspiring—it's really the best part of the job. I've shot all sorts of people, from Anna Dello Russo to Rashida Jones to Christy Turlington to Susie Buble. I learn so much by observing what these people do for a living and how they carry themselves. I also love that specific moment in documentary photography when you're shooting people at their most passionate. You can really feel the heightened intensity! Tory herself is also so inspiring. She's one of the kindest people I've ever met and so empowering! The fact that she's an incredible businesswoman and has built this successful company fuels an entrepreneurial spirit throughout the office. People are really passionate about their jobs."
