DALMATIAN

Yu Lez Interview


by Owen Mahoney




Yu Lez shoot for @uglyworldwide

Yulissa Benitez is a NYC-based photographer known for her grungy photography style.

I was able to have a conversation with her to see what she has been up to recently.


Yu Lez shoot for @vile922

How are you?
I’m good. I’m home on this rainy day.  I went outside to get a snack and I was like, “No”. I have things to do later and I don’t really want to but *laughs*.

Yeah, it’s super demotivating sometimes. But my first question is where are you from in the city (NYC), and how do you think that has affected your photo style?

I was raised in Richmond Hill, Queens, near Jamaica, Queens. I was raised around a lot of different types of people. I went to school in Manhattan and then would go back to Queens, and I was always around a lot of different personalities, which I was able to consume.  

Just lots of interaction would you say?

Yeah, interactions and getting to know what people like and having conversations. Like I’d say “OMG, you are so cool, can I take your picture?” And sometimes it would lead to taking more photos next week and be like, “What do you like?” and “Let’s go to your neighborhood and I’ll take your photo.”  

So you enjoyed growing up here?

Oh, yeah, I loved growing up here. I recently thought about moving to LA because I visited and was like, “This is so slow and nice.” Then, I came back and was like “WTF am I doing.” I love New York so much.

My next question is with Offshore Agency, has it helped you get certain opportunities? Or just helped with your workflow in general?

Yeah, they have helped me because sometimes I am too nice when it comes to pricing things in my work. Like what am supposed to say, $1,000,000 or $5, you know? So they have helped me a lot with protecting my work and me and not getting taken advantage of.


Office Magazine x Angelito Collective, cover 20, shot by Yu Lez

Shifting gears, I was curious if there were any other interests of yours that you feel have influenced your work, besides being from and interacting with the city itself?

Besides growing up here, music is a big one. And also mood. If I am feeling a certain way at a given time, my work will reflect that feeling and be consistent to that. Let’s say I’m feeling emo for a few months, work will start to come out in that sort of way. Or if I am working with musicians, I'll listen to music they are working on, and try to think about how it makes me feel and put that into the photo.

Do you like shooting more on digital or film? ‘Cause I have noticed you do both. Or are there specific cameras you love?

I like shooting digital more now. I started off with film. And then I was introduced to visual arts, like learning and using Photoshop. Now, film is something I’ll use in a close, intimate setting, like I’ll have my (film) camera and take a photo of my friend. But if it is a really big shoot, I don’t shoot film, because I don’t specialize in just film and it can be risky.

Will you make a big video out of the clips you have been taking?

I don’t know, maybe. I like shooting video but if I were to step into the film space, it would be more into the creative direction side of it, rather than actually shooting.

I have seen that you worked with Yves Tumor, Trippe Redd, SosMula, etc. Is there a favorite experience you have?

Everyone is super unique and their music is super insane, especially Yves. SosMula is one of my favorites. Aside from taking photos he’s very communicative and super cool. He’s just super nice, almost like a brother. I think I like working with people who get excited about their own work. It makes it exciting for them to come together with me and match it.

So moving more onto more personal work, are there any personal projects that you are working on that you are excited for? I saw you posting about a book a couple times.

Yeah, it is going to be a big, fat book. I think I keep delaying it because I am constantly shooting and then saying “I have to put this in there, I have to put this in there.” I was supposed to release it a year ago, but I think my goal is now the middle of next year. I just have so much work.


Yu Lez shoot for @taliaagoddess


Ok, so just some more fun fact questions for the end here, what is a Yu Lez day off?

On a day off, I’ll wake up and B.S. around… today, Saturday, I just cleaned my room, played around with random makeup, cleaned it out, and drank a bunch of coffee. I went outside with a friend, had some snacks, smoked a little, just really little things that I usually don’t have time to do. Like dusting a bookshelf or watering plants. I also hangout a lot with friends.

Yeah, I feel that.

But I am addicted to chilling. I’ll be on my friends couch like “Let’s watch a movie,” when I have like 100 photos to edit. But it’s really hanging out with friends and saying yes to plans even though I have things to do.

That sounds like fun. When you hangout with friends, is there a favorite spot you like to hangout with them?

My favorite spot is my house. If you want to hangout with me, I just tell my friends to come to my house. I think before, I would go to NOWADAYS and then all my friends would come back to my house. Or The Johnson’s, which is a bar off Jefferson.  

Lastly, is there a favorite song or album of yours that is stuck in your head at the moment?

I have been playing random stuff since I woke up actually. I have been really into the new James Blake album. I also went to see him recently. A song I have been playing constantly… I am not sure, I can’t even tell you. But yeah, definitely the new James Blake stuff. And the new King Krule. I missed him last time he was here. Wish I went. Also, bar italia, they are really good.



Check out Yu Lez Instagram to see her amazing work!