“You’ve got eight minutes,” Kobe Bryant said, knowing there were hundreds of media members waiting for him.
“Kobe, I can do it in four.”
That’s how Kevin Lynch – renowned celebrity photographer – earned Bryant’s respect back in 2012.
Lynch is an internationally recognized photographer, with his work showcased in museums and galleries across the United States and Europe. He’s also worked with celebrities such as Benedict Cumberbatch, Rihanna, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hiddleston, and of course, Kobe.
Lynch’s newest move is moving from the physical to the digital. He’s unveiling “The Kobe Bryant Experience,” which is a series of four NFT packages. The first is an interactive 3D image of his iconic “Black Mamba” photo.
I got to chat with Lynch on his initial foray into the NFT world and his experience working one-on-one with Black Mamba for the Kobe Bryant NFT.
The first time Lynch and Kobe Bryant met in person was in 2012, when Lynch showed up on media day for a photoshoot. Kobe, though, gave him only eight minutes, as hundreds of media members and photographers were waiting for him. To show the Lakers’ star he was serious, Lynch assured Kobe he could do it in half that time.
“So basically I had to produce all this work in four minutes,” Lynch recalled. “But I knew if I didn't, I wouldn't have earned his respect and gotten his attention. And the following year, and the year after that, and the year after that, Kobe gave me as much time as I needed.”
To Kobe’s shock, Lynch had his assistant time him, and he completed the shoot in just four minutes. From then on, he had Kobe’s attention. And continued to work with Bryant throughout the last several years of his career.
“He was probably the most focused person I’ve ever photographed,” Lynch said of Kobe Bryant. “He has a game face on even when he’s not in the game. It’s just his mentality. It’s the way he’s built. He’s focused. He’s serious. He’s disciplined. And he’s incredibly creative.”
Contrary to what public perception might be, a photographer’s work isn’t merely snapping shots of a subject and moving on. Lynch revealed that it’s more of a collaborative process. In fact, rather than “taking pictures,” Lynch called his work “making pictures” together with the subject.
Lynch’s goal was to get Kobe – or anyone he photographed – to reveal themselves in the shoot. To feel comfortable in a setting that allows for creative play from both the photographer and the subject.
And Lynch’s intimate session with Kobe is now purchasable as an NFT, which includes behind-the-scenes images that capture the environment Lynch created in the photoshoot.
“The NFT world allows you to reach a much broader audience,” Lynch explained. “Cryptocurrency is here to stay and is the future of all transactions.”
Lynch compared it to getting in on the ground floor of Apple or Yahoo stock back in the day. And he’s excited to be able to jump into the NFT world now. “It’s a gold rush,” he said.
Lynch’s first “Black Mamba” NFT is one of one, and is selling for $100,000. For Kobe Bryant fans, it'll be interesting to see how this goes.
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