Meet Ben Cope | Photographer and Director with 7 Artist Management

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ben Cope and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ben, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think risk has played an important role in my life and career. Most life choices that I have made that have put me in an uncomfortable spot short term have all, for the most part, paid off long term. I am not one to blindly take risks though. I am one to sit, think of all possible outcomes, and try to make the best decision at the time, despite what friends may say or how ridiculous it may seem to some. That way of thinking and risk taking helped me drop everything and leave home after college to move to Oakland in my early 20s. That eventually took me to LA and NYC where I learned the ins and outs of the photo world and built my career.

Calculated risk also helped me take over the studio that I have been in the last 11 years. The move to build my own studio was time consuming and costly and was a slow process over many years, but it has provided me with a home base for my work as a photographer. That risk has paid off over the years as the studio has grown into its own business and is not one, but three studios now. That calculated risk has turned into a place where other photographers and creatives can learn and grow as well.

Overall I would say that risk taking is a big part of who I am as a business owner and has helped me grow as an artist. I wouldn’t be anywhere if I didn’t step outside of my box and let myself be uncomfortable for a second to learn something new.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a professional, I work as a photographer and director focusing on celebrity and beauty primarily. As a creative, I do all kinds of stuff.

I started off with my BFA in ceramic sculpture and photography. I love working with my hands so clay, wood and metal were always fun for me to play with. In the darkroom it was the chemistry and the technique of printing that I really loved. I began playing with clay when I was in 5th grade and my dad gave me his camera to play with sometime around 7th grade. I also began playing drums in 5th grade and carried that all the way through high school where I began playing in punk bands. In high school music began to take over and would practice with my bands and run soundboards at shows for other friends bands.

Once in college I had to make a choice and had to narrow my field of view back down to photography and ceramics as that made more sense for me at the time. That proved to be the right call as I was able to take photography and turn it into an actual career. Its been amazing to take something I found joy in as a kid and use that to interact with other talented individuals, capture moments and create lasting portraits.

As a working professional in the field of photography, I believe that all the things I did as a creative before helped form my sensibilities now and all still play a role in my life. The technical nuances of all the different fields I have dabbled in over the years correlate and make it easier for me to move from photo/video production to music production.

And I still dabble, in everything.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am probably the worst person ever to ask about what to do in LA. I am always working in one of the studios. I’m either retouching, editing videos, writing/mixing music or just hanging with my son, Ace, who is 11. If I do leave I am, more than likely, at one of 3 places. Home Depot to buy more things for the studios. Zinc Cafe on Mateo taking a break from it all. Or the Soho Warehouse having dinner with a client or friend.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There have been a lot of experiences and people that have helped me along the way. I learned loads early on in my career by being thrown into the fire working with Steven Klein and Mark Seliger in the early/mid 2000s. From there I was able to first for Kevin Lynch, who has become a close friend and mentor over the many years and travels across the globe. Kevin gave me lots of leeway to build and run his team and also build my own career alongside my work with him. He has played a heavy roll in my growth over the last 15 years or so.

My agents, Bob Dixon and Corey Saunders, have also played a big role. Bob began representing my before he officially had an agency and is still my agent to day. The work that he and Corey put into building and supporting the artists they represent is amazing.

Website: www.bencope.net

Instagram: @ben_cope