About Me
I am Kristen Blush, a freelance photographer based in New York City with 20+ years experience in photojournalism and commercial photography. I am best known for my published work of Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and New York State Attorney General Tish James, as well as my continued work and advocacy for women in politics.
I graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in 2002, where I captured entertainment and music photography for nearly a decade before moving to New York City in 2010.
I reside in Brooklyn with my wonderful husband, Stefan, and two cats, Hooligan and Bandit.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
In 2021, I debuted, “ALL RISE: A Photography Exhibition Celebrating Women With the Courage To Rise Up.” The series originated in 2019 for an exhibition at the Clinton House Museum in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The exhibition would connect today’s modern feminism to the centennial of Women’s Suffrage. The series included more than 30 photographs but was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. ALL RISE is a smaller curation from that exhibition, including a few new images photographed since then. The artist reception took place on the one-year anniversary of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing.
In 2019, I was invited to the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. to photograph portraits of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for my upcoming photography exhibition at the Clinton House Museum. It was an extrordinary expereince, which I have since done talks about. It is possible my portraits of the Justice were among the last taken of her before her passing in September of 2020. When she lay in state at the U.S. Capitol, she wore the same embroidered collar from our photo session.
Portrait of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Kristen Blush.
Photo of Justice Ginsburg, Kristen Blush, and Ella Frederick at the U.S. Supreme Court by T.L. Duryea.
The Revolution Is Female Book
In 2018, I published a coffee table photography book, The Revolution Is Female featuring my original, grassroots Hillary Clinton campaign and documentary photography of the women’s movement. Photographs featured in the book range from 2016-2018, and were honored by Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Clinton, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor Kathy Hochul, and Attorney General Letitia James. The Revolution Is Female was accepted into the Library of Congress and the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Photo of Secretary Clinton and Kristen Blush by Nick Merrill.
The Revolution Is Female book cover by Kristen Blush.
I’m With HER!
In 2016, I joined the grassroots effort to elect Hillary Rodham Clinton as our next President of the United States. I brought my energy and camera to every rally and fundraiser I could find, started a Hillary fan club, collected supporter portraits, and of course proudly voted for Hillary before making my way to the Javitz Center on Election Day.
In the weeks and months that followed, I spent hours on end going through my campaign photographs. I created new images from the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., as well as joined organizations that worked toward electing more Democratic women into political office. I had grown an interesting and niche body of work that would eventually catch the attention of Hillary herself.
Photo of Hillary Rodham Clinton at the LGBT for Hillary fundraiser hosted by Billie Jean King, in New York City, 2016.
Photo of me at the New York Fashion Week fundraiser hosted by Anna Wintour in New York City, 2016.
Some Fun Facts
In 1998, at the age of 17, I began working as a photojournalist under the guidance of award-winning photojournalist Jim Bryant for my local paper in Port Orchard, Washington. All assignments were shot on film, and observed in the newsroom on light boxes.
I met and photographed Annie Leibovitz during my first job out of art school (around 2002), which was in curatorial at the Experience Music Project Museum in Seattle, Washington. Leibovitz made sure I received a signed copy of her book, American Music.
When I moved to New York City in 2010, my first photography assignment was photographing The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall—what an amazing introduction to my new NYC life!
Testimonials
“Kristen Blush is a wonderful photographer, and has shot many times for BUST. In addition to shooting live events, she has also done portraits and still life’s for us. She is always responsible and positive, and brings great energy to all that she does. I would highly recommend Kristen for shoots.”
“It was an honor to be included in [Kristen’s] beautiful tribute to the revolutionary women of today. We are at an unstoppable moment in history and [her] work will be part of that legacy.”
“Kristen Blush is a phenomenal photographer, artist, and activist. Her unique perspective has, and will shape the women’s movement for years to come.”
“When Kristen came to photograph Studio Mariposa, our free kids art center in Naco, Mexico, she didn’t just take pictures and leave. Kristen became part of our project, and even brought a trumpet to gift to our music program. She is always welcome here!”