Philly stand up!
23-year-old Quil Lemons just made history as the youngest photographer to ever shoot a vanity fair cover, The Grio reports.
The South Philly native is known for his work, shooting icons, and rising stars like Spike Lee, Young M.A., and Chloe x Halle. He first caught the attention of Vanity Fair after his 2017 Glitterboy photo series, depicting Black men in glitter as a way to eschew the traditional lens of masculinity.
In 2019, at the International Center of Photography Infinity Awards, Lemons had the distinct honor of being seated next to Vanity Fair creative director Kira Pollack. After exchanging pleasantries, Pollack inquired about the budding photographer’s work and promised to check him out. An editorial shoot for the magazine with R&B’s beloved stars Chloe x Halle sealed Lemons’ deal. The magazine contacted him to fly out to photograph pop star Billie Eilish for their March issue, making Lemons the youngest photographer ever to shoot a Vanity Fair cover.
View this post on Instagramadvertisement
The historical moment is something even Lemons is struggling to grasp.
“I am actively processing that. It still hasn’t set in, like historically, what it means for my life. I think a lot of it has to do with me just being in the house. I go to set to shoot things, and I go back to the house with my family, or my boyfriend, or my friends. It’s been the same 10 people,” Lemons said.
Now he’s figuring out how to continue his legacy, focusing on reflecting more of the Black experience in his work.
“I’m conveying my version of Blackness and how I’ve come to understand that,” Lemons told reporters.
Congratulations, Quil!
Photo Courtesy of Hannah Choi/Allure Magazine