Emily Monforte (they/them) is a queer photographer based in Los Angeles. Fantasizing about strangers’ lives — what they choose to hang on the walls, leave a mess, pick out to wear when hosting new guests — has driven Emily's image-making practice of the past seven years. Emily infuses their own curiosities and desires about their subjects through meticulously controlling the clothing, facial expression, bodily position and spatial arrangement to create their fantasized vision.
Selected clients: The New York Times, The Cut, W Magazine, British Journal of Photography, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Pomegranate Press, i-D Italy, Aint-Bad, AnOther Magazine, Pique Magazine, Both&, Life Framer, Cry Baby Magazine, Anywhere Blvd, Nowhere Diary, Hot Potato News, Stop.gap Journal
emilymonfortephotography@gmail.com
EducationBachelor of Arts: Sociology & Fine Arts, Wesleyan University, Summa cum laude
Artist talks
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, February 2022
Stoa Collective – Dublin, Ireland (virtual), November 2020
Publications
"‘I know who I am’ Portraits of the everyday lives of trans teens," The Washington Post, 2023
"Witness: Portraits of people living the news," The New York Times (print only), 2023
"Is there anyone more captivating than Juliette Lewis?" The Washington Post, 2023"
"TikTok’s ‘vibe check analyst’ helps queer youth feel comfortable in their own skin," Los Angeles Times, 2022
"Fighting Fire with Fire – Issue One | Transportation," The Dry River (print only), 2022
"The Mars Volta Returns With a Swerve: Its Own Version of Pop," The New York Times, 2022
"Abbi Jacobson Knows the Pressure Is On," The Cut, 2022
"How queer indie-pop trio Muna made the most of a second chance," Los Angeles Times, 2022
"In the Studio with Deanna and Ed Templeton," British Journal of Photography, 2022
"All hail the drag queens raising L.A.'s tight-knit families," Los Angeles Times, 2022
"With ‘Russian Doll,’ Natasha Lyonne wants to ‘catalog a life.’ Just not her life." Los Angeles Times, 2022
"Remi Wolf Turns Bedroom Pop Into Hypercolored Explosions," The New York Times, 2022
"Colman Domingo Takes the Lead," W Magazine, 2021
Press
"What Does It Mean to Be Queer? I photographed over 70 young people to find out," The Cut, 2023
"Queerness Beyond Desire Portrait Series," Gigantic Magazine, 2022
"Near Convergence Portrait Series," Anywhere Blvd, 2021
"Near Convergence Portrait Series," Aint-Bad, 2021
"Collection: Near Convergence," Life Framer Artist Collection, 2021
"Emily Monforte fotografa perfetti sconosciuti immaginandosi le loro personalità," i-D Italia Magazine, 2019
"Near Convergence Series," Stop Gap Journal (print only), 2019
Exhibitions
Cluster London Photography & Print, London, England, February 2020
Zilkha Gallery, Near Convergence, Middletown, CT, May 2018