Megan Clark is TikTok’s favorite photographer. To an audience of over 150,000 followers, Megan shows exclusive behind the scenes content of her superb photography skills. She even posts inspiration photos and posing hacks to make everyone’s Instagram game top notch. After starting her journey as a concert photographer, the pandemic quickly shifted her lifestyle and helped her discover a whole new side of photography that she loves. With hot girl summer quickly approaching, Megan is the one to call for your revenge pics.
Sheesh Magazine was lucky enough to learn more about Megan Clark and her photography style with a quick Q&A.
Q: How did you fall in love with photography?
MEGAN CLARK: Believe it or not, it was a complete and total accident! Around 2016 I was spending way too much money on concert tickets and going every weekend, because I love live music. It was killing what little money I had made at my part-time job in highschool. I loved music so much and there’s nothing quite like a live show so I had to find a way to get into gigs for free. I took up music photography to get free access to venues in NYC like Webster Hall and MSG. My first photography gig was for a Role Model concert. There was something so special about holding a camera in my hands in the front row of that show, so it all snowballed from there!
Q:What type of photography do you specialize in?
MEGAN CLARK: If you asked me this question pre-pandemic it would have been an easy answer, music/live event photography. Although seeing as there are no shows, and haven’t been for the last year, I’ve sharpened my skills working with brands as a product and fashion photographer. I’ve done some work for companies like Urban Decay, Colourpop, DollsKill, etc. So to answer the question, I don’t know. I love finding new things to make as the subject of my art and I hope to continue to do so the rest of my career.
Q: How has social media helped your career?
MEGAN CLARK: I owe my career to social media. To be fair, I got myself where I am with my years of knowledge, but you get what I mean. I’ve been given opportunities I never imagined possible because of social media, TikTok specifically. My latest project, thanks to the app, has been working with Columbia Records/Sony Music as a graphic designer for some of their artists. I’ve designed five artworks for them in the last few months. I was contacted by a manager there who saw one of my TikTok videos on their FYP.
Q: Can you tell us more about your creative method or process while working?
MEGAN CLARK: I have multiple answers for this question, some concepts I have had in mind for a very long time and I work hard on perfecting. This is the method I find myself working with more but it’s impossible to control everything and I’ve been driving myself nuts trying to. I often find with this thinking I am always underwhelmed with the photos I produce from it because I overanalyzed too much. My favorite works are last minute ideas I have where I gather some models and a team and just shoot. There’s not a direct vision in mind, it’s just free for interpretation. With these shoots my editing style depends heavily on what music playlist I listen to while editing. Softer vibes, like Taylor Swift, I’ve found produce softer works of mine which include less editing and muted colors. It’s a very natural vibe. If I put on something more stimulating, like my favorites from The 1975, I tend to get bolder and make more edits and cool manipulations in Photoshop. Like I said before, music means a ridiculous amount to me. I don’t know why I’m so connected to music (trust me I can’t sing or play an instrument to save my life) but there’s something so incredible about the way musicians and writers compose their emotions into a song and I try to recreate that in my work. I want my photography to be something someone sees and just knows I put my heart into it because I did. Every work I touch has a bit of my heart in it.
Q: What about living in New York City feels inspiring towards you and your artwork?
MEGAN CLARK: I am actually very fortunate because I’m from the New Jersey side of the border between New Jersey and New York City. I truly got the best of both worlds (hello Hannah Montana) growing up in a suburb while having access to everything the city has to offer. New York is the greatest city in the world no doubt. I’ve been going back and forth between NYC and LA for work lately and there’s nothing quite like the energy the East Coast has to offer. I think the people there are my biggest influence. Down every block there’s someone in an outrageous outfit or a mural that some artist has dedicated their week to paint. It’s an endless cycle of inspiration and other creatives to work with.
Q: Favorite conceptual shoot you have ever executed?
MEGAN CLARK: This is such a hard question! This changes everyday I would say. It’s so hard to choose a favorite, I think it would be like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. As of right now I would say my favorite conceptual project I created was with my model friend Dana. She’s also in the city and has that perfect blonde, natural look to her. I’ve been wanting to create a love letter to New York City for a while now but couldn’t figure out how. So I decided not to overthink it and do what I do best; just create. I bought red roses from a farmer’s market and Dana and I started walking around Soho capturing her in a very casual environment. The story of the photos became what I view as experiencing romance in New York.
Q: How do you make your photographers feel comfortable in front of the camera?
MEGAN CLARK: Truthfully, I don’t know. Being a very introverted and anxious person myself I often use humor as a coping mechanism. So far I’ve found that cracking a joke and making a model genuinely smile or laugh for a bit is enough to make us both open up and have a better experience. I like to think people see who I am online and in my videos and know what they’re getting into when it comes time to shoot. I’m an open book so getting them to talk is a great way for us to pass the time.
Q: What’s one thing you would like to see change about the industry?
MEGAN CLARK: Respect for women in the industry! I cannot stress enough how many times a man has tried to explain to me how to use my camera or tell me how I should edit. I always smile and reply, “thanks but I do it this way.” It’s obviously a much bigger issue than just in the entertainment industry, but I feel because I’m a woman I need to bring along my male assistant for photoshoots with clients I haven’t worked with before. Showing up to a random studio is intimidating and can be scary if I’m alone. There’s also the whole “male photographers being creeps” side of the industry which I wish didn’t exist. Models need to remember a photographer should never make them uncomfortable.
