Artist Bio

“My path as an artist has produced a portfolio that continues to reveal my predisposition for the love of beauty and my evolution as a creative mind.  It is a path that includes twists, valleys, hills, scenic mountain-tops, then more valleys and more hills.  At the beginning of my journey I started out with the earnest desire to help those I photographed feel their worthiness by revealing the physical beauty that I could see in them.  In a world which places such a high regard on physical appearance, we all deserve to know that we are enough and that our being enough actually has very little to do with exterior facades.  (I write this as an individual who is continuously inspired by Beauty in all forms)  Recently I learned from a teacher in the business that the number one characteristic possessed by the majority of top successful creatives is not obsession, as is often thought to be the case, but is instead self-compassion.  The artist’s way and the way of life must be one of hope and the faith to believe that the best is always yet to come.  It takes courage to be an artist.”  -Josh Norris

American photographer Josh Norris was born in Asheville North Carolina and has always identified as an artist.  After graduating high school in 1997, the choice to pursue modeling and acting eventually led him to New York City.  It did not take long to conclude however that his attraction to the idea of being “on-camera” was ill-fitted, unsustainable, and could not compete with the deeper desire that he had to create.  He became inspired to step “behind the camera” and test his own shooting skills after working with some very talented photographers- the most influential to him being Beth Boldt.  Boldt is credited with discovering supermodel Naomi Campbell and helping to cultivate the early careers of Christy Turlington & Ashton Kutcher.  Not only did Josh model for Beth but she also hired him to be her photographer’s assistant and it was this experience that led to his falling in love with the idea of being a “fashion photographer”.
In 2001 his mother agency encouraged him to begin photographing portfolios for their models & talent.  Leaving his “corporate” job and focusing entirely on photography led to his becoming the official photographer for TALK Greenville, shooting all of TALK’s monthly covers and inside editorial starting with the prototype at TALK’s inception then continuing afterward for nearly nine years.  A few years after signing on with TALK, Norris acquired his first official studio space in The Village of West Greenville.  Along with this came opportunities to photograph leading S.C. business women & men, portrait clients of all types, model test shoots for Ford NYC & Major Models NYC etc., headshots for the Miss SC America & USA franchises…the list goes on.
Most recently employed as Creative Director and Cover/Editorial photographer for an international women’s lifestyle quarterly called ELYSIAN, Josh Norris worked with Publisher, Editor & the creative team to further build and strengthen the brand.  Coming on board after their 2nd edition and serving through the 8th edition, he photographed everything from the Inauguration of President Trump to family portraits of Jennifer Justice- NYC powerhouse attorney and primary force behind the building of Jay Z’s brand, Roc Nation.