Even if you haven’t heard of Yis Kid, you have seen his work before. The London-based photographer has worked with the likes of Gentle Monster on its collaboration with D’heygere, as well as Mowalola and LN-CC, just to name a few, where models can be seen seemingly floating in the air and defying gravity, thanks to the magic of post-editing.
The independent designer brand best known for its footwear, Miista, is the latest to tap Yis Kid to put his signature photography spin on its Fall/Winter 2023 campaign. Miista has always had a sense of playfulness, whether with its designs or campaigns, and that very sense of humour is now captured by Yis Kid. Models are seen falling head-first onto a concrete ground, as their legs are multiplied, wearing all sorts of styles from Miista’s latest collection.
Founder and Creative Director Laura Villasenin was actually inspired by an illustration book by the artist Riva Christophe, that challenged the natural figure of the human body. That led Villasenin to question the number of legs we have, and in turn, “how many shoes can you wear?” Evidently, the answer is more.
Speaking on working with Yis Kid, she stated “it is important for us to support and work with this new generation of creatives with a strong vision and a different approach,” as experimentation has always been at the heart of Miista, whether that is through “the products, on our platforms, and on every aspect of the brand.”
We caught up with Yis Kid ahead of the campaign launch to talk about working with Miista, his photography style, and his creative process. Keep reading for the full interview below.
What was the first thought that popped into your head this morning?
If I had known you were going to ask me this I would have thought of something brilliant this morning.
What was the creative process like for this digital campaign? Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted to achieve?
Everything was from a reference. But yes, it was practically clear from the beginning.
Your title is technically ‘photographer’ but your work relies a lot on digital touches. Which practice did you first get into and then how did you add the other into it?
I studied photography, I read books about photography, I saw photography works… and I understood that current photography needs the digital world. So, to answer your question, I learned about photography and then came retouching.
Do you think the future of photography will rely on digital editing (more than just face-retouching) to create otherworldly images that blend the boundaries between the physical and digital?
It depends on each photographer I guess. If you want to stay looking into the past, then you don’t need the digital world. But if you want to look to the future, you need it.
Your style, which sees models floating above ground as if captured mid-fall, is very distinct. How did you come up with it?
Forgetting everything I had learned about photography and losing respect for it. Thinking. Wanting to separate myself from the rest of the images I see on social networks.
Is it the shoot or the post-edits that take longer for you?
Normally editing takes longer than taking the photo. I am quite fast when taking the photo.
On top of this project with Miista, you’ve shot the campaign for D’heygere x Gentle Monster, and have worked for brands like Mowalola, Rombaut, LN-CC and more. What do you think attracts brands to your work?
As you said before, what I do is very distinctive.
Do you have any fun projects coming out soon? Anything to tease our readers with?
Top secret baby.
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