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PHOTOS BY Lucienne Nghiem

I always say your name like Luxzine. But someone said it’s actually Loose-zine.

It’s all good. I always say– anything said with love. My real name is Lucienne. I guess a lot of people call me looks Lux on the internet. I don’t really know how the name started, but I like it. It’s cute.

What do you do?

I’m from Richmond and I’m a photographer. I also style, and love to act as a creative director. And I do it full-time now. This is my second year doing it. I hope to get into more tour work this year. I’m definitely thankful to RVA Mag; I think I got my first PhotoPass from you guys about five years ago maybe?

How long have you been shooting photos?

Six years this year. But I started really taking it seriously three years ago.

Did you go to school for photography?

No, but I did take classes in high school. I had a photo class and a graphic design class. Graphic design caught my eye and the teacher really taught me how to manipulate in Photoshop.

Your photography is very feminine and dream-pop-based. Where does the inspiration for your photography come from? Is it a specific era? I see some 70s disco and modern techno in it.

Yeah, my favorite genres of music are pop and hyper pop. I love the 70s Disco vibe. I get most of my inspo from early 2000 movies. I love 13 Going On 30 and all of the girly movies. I’m interested in how those girls in the movies dressed and how they paired accessories, like earrings, with their clothes. I try to get colors to pop. I love spark- ly anything–I love pink and red and purple. Love the show Euphoria.

How’d you get into event photography?

I used to live right by a coffee shop that did open mic nights on Thursdays. So still to this day, Thursday is my favorite day. When I was in high school, I really wanted to be a makeup/beauty YouTuber. So I got a little digital camera and I started bringing it around to the open mic nights. And I was like, wait, it’s fun to take photos of people who are performing. I was enamored, I would stay really late. I’d be the last one there.

Later I got disposables from CVS and I started doing photography by shooting birthday parties for my friends, like sweet sixteens. I’d get my photos printed at CVS or Walgreens. One time someone asked if they could pay 20 bucks for one of my rolls of film and I was like wait, you can make money from that? I thought it was so much fun and I just kept doing it. I’ve been doing it ever since.

I definitely started on film. The photo class I took in high school was film-based and that taught me a lot, like how to shoot with colors and how to get the lighting right. I did give up the YouTuber dream but I definitely still kept up with photos. I’m really thankful to have lived and grown up by that coffee shop. They don’t do open mics anymore, but I’m hoping to find another one in Richmond.

I snuck my camera into the Bradbury one time five years ago and that was the first show I had ever been to by myself. I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea that there was a gate in front of the stage. I remember thinking, what is that? Why are photographers there? I have a camera– why can I be there? So I tap the guy’s shoulder in the front and he told me that I had to have a press pass. He set me aside and explained to me what it was and how to go about getting on. I was like, Whoa, I have no idea what any of this is. But it seems really cool. I did a Google deep dive when I got home. And yeah, I’ve been doing it ever since.

That’s when you hit us up, right? Yeah, it was about that time.

Your work has really matured in the last year and a half. Can you talk about that transition and where your career is going?

I think I just started taking it seriously. Versus doing casual shoots and casual approaches. Over the last year, I put a lot of thought and effort into how people are dressed and the shoot location, and the lighting. Through friends that are into YouTube, I learned more about lighting and editing this year. I found my own style. I’ve always had a kind of colorful style, but I think I’ve finally found something that I’m happy with and that I’m sticking with. I’m using warm and disco-inspired colors. I’ve also tried to be as booked and busy as possible. And practicing really often is important. I hope I’ve grown over the past year.

Definitely. You mentioned before the interview that this is your fulltime gig now. Was it scary to take that leap?

Very. I used to be a swim teacher and I was happy to quit. Committing to it was scary and stressful, but I think I love it so much that it makes it worth it. I have a lot of friends and people that support me and are willing to help out and assist– they let me borrow clothes for shoots. Having a close loving group of people around you that are supportive is huge.

What are you excited about for this year?

I’m really excited to start traveling more for gigs. I was in New York a couple of weeks ago. That was the first time I was booked for a photoshoot in New York and the whole experience was eye-opening. And really, really nice. I have a couple of photoshoots booked for the month of March in Nashville that I’m very excited about.

So yeah, I’m looking forward to going to other places and being not exclusively Richmond-based. Although, you know, my family lives here. I’m from here, and it’ll always be home.

What do you feel that, as a creative person, Richmond provides for you?

Having grown up in the Richmond creative scene, I feel like everybody knows each other. That’s helpful when you’re trying to get started versus if you had grown up in New York, getting your foot in the door would be harder, just because it’s so concentrated. There are fewer artists here compared to other major cities because fewer people live here. I like the fact that everyone knows each other. There’s a sense of community here, which is unmatched in a lot of other major cities. I loved being raised here because of that.

Almost anybody can pick up a camera and start going, right?

Totally. And I hope people do. Make friends here. I think that’s the only way to get your foot in the door. And don’t be afraid to ask for help.

@LUXXIENNE LUXXIENNEN.WORK