Oli Lee Andersson: Actor and Model Portrait

Oli Lee Andersson: Actor and Model Headshots (Rory Lewis Los Angeles Headshots 2024)

Last week, at my Downtown Los Angeles studio, I had the privilege of photographing Oli Lee Andersson, an artist, filmmaker, writer, and educator whose creative work bridges the realms of identity, community, and belonging. The session was both moving and illuminating—a reminder of how portraiture can serve as a vessel for storytelling and self-expression.

Oli’s artistry draws deeply from their lived experience as a trans and queer diasporic Korean person. Through film, photography, writing, and installation, they engage ancestral rituals, intergenerational histories, and collective care practices to evoke expansive visions of desire, joy, and connection. Their work not only explores identity but also reimagines it—inviting viewers to consider new possibilities for belonging.

Oli Lee Andersson: Actor and Model Headshots (Rory Lewis Los Angeles Headshots 2024)

During our session, I sought to capture this interplay of heritage and imagination. Using my signature approach—precise direction, cinematic lighting, and psychological depth—I aimed to translate Oli’s intellectual and emotional landscape into visual form. The result is a series of portraits that convey both quiet strength and creative intensity.

Currently, Oli is a first-year Master’s candidate in the Division of Cinema and Media Studies at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where they write, direct, and produce original films while also working as a cinematographer, production designer, and makeup artist. Prior to USC, they earned a B.F.A. in Art and Design from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, grounding their multidisciplinary practice in both fine art and visual storytelling.

Each portrait from our session reflects Oli’s layered identity—an artist rooted in heritage yet unafraid to redefine it. Their gaze speaks to resilience, their gestures to reflection, and the subtle interplay of light and shadow reveals the emotional complexity that defines their creative journey.

As a portrait photographer, my goal is always to move beyond surface likeness—to uncover the essence of who someone is and what drives them. Working with Oli reaffirmed for me the profound role portraiture plays in exploring and preserving identity.

Based in Los Angeles, with studios in New York and London, my work spans subjects from royalty and political leaders to actors, artists, and executives. Each sitting is an exploration of authenticity and human depth—an opportunity to create an image that resonates beyond the frame.

Being named among the Top 10 Portrait Finalists in the 2023 Hasselblad Masters competition, from over 85,000 global submissions, was a humbling recognition of that mission—to capture the complexity and dignity of the human spirit.

My portrait session with Oli Lee Andersson stands as a testament to the enduring power of art to connect us—to our ancestry, to our identities, and to each other.

For more of my portrait work, including sessions with Michael James Shaw, Ray Dalio, and other distinguished sitters, visit my online portfolio. Whether in Los Angeles, New York, or London, I remain dedicated to crafting portraits that are as meaningful as they are memorable.