Jay L. Clendenin is a Los Angeles–based Creative Director and Principal Photographer whose work spans entertainment, sports, and portraiture. With more than two decades behind the camera, he’s built a career on capturing authentic moments — whether on the set of a feature production, at global film festivals and premieres, or on assignment for leading studios and publications.
A former staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times, Jay developed a style defined by immediacy, humor, and connection — work that feels as alive as the people in them. It’s taken him from film festivals in Sundance and Toronto to Comic-Con, where he’s directed portrait studios and collaborated closely with studios such as Warner Bros., Disney, Neon, and Universal Pictures. Known for his humor, encouraging presence and collaborative approach, he guides crews, talent, and clients with ease — translating creative ideas into imagery that resonates.
In His Own Words
Bottom line: photography is everything to me. I don’t really have hobbies — everything comes back to pictures. This is what I’ve done since high school, always with a camera in my hand.
I learned collaboration in newsrooms and carried that forward into creative direction and production, gaining a deep understanding of the business side — marketing, evolving platforms, budgeting, and management. At the L.A. Times, managing my own projects became a key part of my growth, often in partnership with our business teams. When COVID hit, I had to rethink how to create portraits safely — including setting up three separate studios in George Clooney’s driveway.
My passion for sports started with peak action and has melded into my portraiture, which feels like a sister act to my entertainment work. Both come down to timing, emotion, and finding the image that tells the story of people working together toward something bigger than themselves. Storytelling has always been my passion — and it still drives everything I do.
-Jay
