Photographer Chrisean Rose started out as a hopeful finance guy. The Bahamian American excelled in this field thanks to an early exposure as the offspring of family bankers. His native land is Exuma, the tiny Bahamian island of about 2000 people with one road and no red lights that is most famous today for the Instagram photos you see online of people swimming with pigs.

Back in the Bahamas, his creative side often showed itself as he grew up winning painting competitions in high school. His commissioned work still hangs in hotels back on the island today. However, three things cut this dream short: the return on investment in his family’s eyes; the way folks viewed artistry as a low-level career, and all the energy and time it took him. After arriving in the States, Chrisean settled in St. Petersburg, Florida, but the mindset of his Caribbean roots pushed him towards a stem career. He spent four years studying finance at the University of South Florida in Tampa, earning a dual degree in accounting and finance. Post-college, he worked as a financial analyst at Wells Fargo for nearly a decade and at SunTrust for another three years as a senior analyst.

Eight years ago, he embarked on a journey to capture instant paintings after spending a lump sum of much-needed money on a camera that would eventually change his life. Proof? He’s now shooting for Calvin Klein, Coach, The Hollywood Reporter, Glamour Magazine, Good American, InStyle, Essence, and the list goes on and on.

How does Chrisean prepare for a shoot? Does it vary based on the talent, or is there a streamlined process you follow once you’ve learned you have been booked?

My process now is the same as it was before I started booking A-list celebrities. When I was just shooting models or friends. I’m highly structured, and that’s undoubtedly a byproduct of my time in corporate America. I start my prep even before I’m confirmed for a job; while they’re working out dates with my availability, I’m at home working on a mood board showcasing the direction I want the shoot to go in. I think it shows my professionalism level, but this notion of “organization” is ingrained in me.

Once I get the call that I’ve been booked, I start to source my team and the different creatives, i.e., fashion stylists and set designers that will work with me to bring this shoot to life. Taking the photo is such a small percentage of that job. Most of my time is spent in pre-production where shoots are conceptualized and mood boards are created.

Where do you get your ideas? Is it a collaboration between you and the publication or you and the talent?

The ideas I come up with are particular to the talent and the publication. For example, my first U.S. cover was with Andra Day for InStyle Magazine. I was familiar with InStyle’s audience and aesthetic, and I also knew that Andra Day wore a lot of headwraps and that she likes to showcase her baby hair. So, with that, I knew I wanted her in a headwrap for every set and that the headwrap would be cohesive with the set design colors.

Once the idea was approved, we started booking the creative help; that’s when all collaborative efforts and inputs come into play. It’s always a collaborative effort and the goal is to settle on a direction that everyone is happy with.

How much direction do you give?

This varies based on talent. I never want to over-direct, so if I notice that this person moves and already knows how to pose, I go with the flow and see where they take it. Sometimes the opposite happens, and the talent wants me to lead. For example, Meg Thee Stallion pulled me aside and said, “I want to make sure we nail this, and I want you to be happy so tell me what you want; you direct the entire thing.” I was shocked she put that much trust in me, but she nailed every pose naturally.

How many pictures do you usually take?

I love this question. I prefer to avoid taking a lot of pictures. If I’m just taking pictures, that means something isn’t working, or I do not like something. If I’ve taken 30 – 50 photos, something should be in there that works. If we’ve made it into the 100s, the shoot is off, and there’s also the chance we will lose the talent because they start to get tired.

When do you know you have a good picture or that you’ve got your image and it’s a wrap?

Typically, it’s the reaction from everyone on set. When we pause to flip through the images, and everyone reacts to the same photos simultaneously, that’s usually when you know. It’s even better if the publication is on-site as well because they see the talent’s reaction and know that “okay, this is the photo.” This makes it easier for everyone, especially the photo team when they return to the office to make their selections.

As we watch the world evolve, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on print versus digital media? Does it make you feel like your work is fleeting because it gets somewhat dated so quickly now?

I’ve gone back and forth on my feelings about this. There’s something about print that is just a little more timeless and tangible. I save all my print magazine covers because one day they’ll be gone, whereas with digital, you can just go on the internet, and they’ll forever be there. But, on the other hand, some of my contemporaries feel it’s reducing the value of photography.

Tell me how you got to this point as a published celebrity photographer? 

It’s a rabbit hole that I fell into unintentionally. I started shooting models, and during that time, I was told that “you have to shoot at least one celebrity to move to the next level in your career.” Going back to Andra Day being my first major celebrity, I believe it was the experience she, her agent, and everyone else on set that day had with me. It started snowballing after that, and I’m assuming that was because word got around that I was pleasant to work with.

I’ve since built a reputation in Hollywood as the photographer who showcases Black women at their best. I have a strong point of view regarding shooting our women. Ultimately, I want everyone leaving my set to feel great about what we just created and confident in the images we put out.

You also shot Stacey Abrams for The Wall Street Journal. How did you approach working with a high-profile political figure? What was different?

With Stacey and/or anyone in her shoes, it’s not about fashion, pretty, or glam. It’s about showcasing strength and Black beauty and paying attention to the colors she wears. I wanted to showcase Stacey in her natural environment, which was her home in a natural setting with natural light while simultaneously making the imagery elegant, beautiful, and strong.

I saw you directed and photographed Meg Thee Stallion’s COACH campaign. Talk to us about how you landed this opportunity and what the experience was like. 

I believe this opportunity came from having a good rapport and foundation from the first shoot she and I did together. Between Meg, Zerina Akers, and I, we made magic happen, most likely because we all mesh so well with each other.

You already have several heavy hitters, but I’m curious as to what’s, or should I say, who’s next on your list? 

The goal for me is Rihanna. Of course, she’s someone with Caribbean roots, so I’m crossing my fingers that somehow my name gets tossed in the bucket for one of her upcoming projects, whether her next album or her Superbowl performance next year.

What do you want people to know about your journey as a photographer, specifically one who isn’t based in Los Angeles, NYC, or Europe?

I always had a Plan B because my first plan could’ve not worked, and sometimes that is how the world goes. I invested in myself immediately when I spent $5,000 on the best camera I could find. I know many people can’t do that. Honestly, I wasn’t in the position to do that either, but I decided to buy that camera even though I could’ve used that money on something else.

There was a time when I couldn’t get stylists and models to work with me because I was new, so I would pay them. I made all those investments in myself so that my book could look like I was already in the industry when it was time to present to these big agencies and clients, even though I was shooting these portraits right in my home.

IG: @Chriseanrose