Clara Balzary

Clara Balzary can make everyday banalities look majestic. Guided by her emotion as much as her eye (“I try to take pictures that stir up some kind of emotional feeling, even if visually they're pretty deadpan”), the LA-based artist captures sun-drenched naturalistic shots and candid photos of her friends, with a romantic, soft hue presiding across her work.

Balzary may be the daughter of Flea – co-founder and bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers – but she’s certainly making a name for herself in her own right. At the age of 12, she received her first camera from her dad’s bandmate, Anthony Kiedis, and quickly proceeded to endlessly snap photos of her cat. After discovering her passion, Balzary went on to study her craft at the Art Center College of Design in California, before assisting esteemed lensman Mario Sorrenti in New York.

Since then, she’s shot campaigns for Converse and Urban Outfitters, as well as producing editorial for the likes of Numéro Paris, W Magazine and Teen Vogue. In December 2015, she road-tripped from LA to the Grand Canyon and back for the #DZDNMD Diaries, Dazed’s travel series produced in collaboration with adidas Originals.

Next, Balzary will be working on her personal projects, including a black-and-white documentary series capturing the Fairfax High School basketball team throughout their season.

Text Lakeisha Goedluck