Drew Herrmann of Inglewood on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Drew Herrmann and have shared our conversation below.

Drew, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I think I’m doing both. There’s a destination I’m moving toward, a vision I keep in mind, but I spend most of my time wandering. The work doesn’t unfold in straight lines, and I’ve learned that wandering isn’t being lost, it’s staying present and responsive to what shows up. That’s often where the best ideas come from.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Drew and I’m a photographer based out of Los Angeles. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment work, focusing on images that feel natural and unforced. I’m drawn to the moments in between, when people let their guard down and something real comes through. Alongside commercial work, I stay grounded through personal projects that keep the work honest and evolving.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I owe a lot to the teachers I had early on, starting in high school and continuing through community college. Before I had the language for what I wanted to do, they recognized the curiosity and kept nudging me forward. I didn’t know photography could be a real path, but they treated it like one, introducing me to other artists, teaching me how to see, and walking me through the skills that matter, from shooting to editing. Their belief helped me see myself more clearly long before I could do it on my own.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I’d tell my younger self that even when it feels like nothing is moving, it is. I’d remind them that the life they’re building would already feel unbelievable to who they were back then. Progress doesn’t always look like momentum, but doing the thing you love, consistently and with care, is its own kind of success. They’d be proud of how far it’s gone.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. How do you differentiate between fads and real foundational shifts?
I think time is the biggest filter. Whatever is happening in the industry, whether it’s a fad or something more lasting, it almost always circles back in some form. Trends move fast, but the work that’s built on intention tends to stick around longer. I try not to chase what’s loud in the moment and instead stay focused on what feels honest to me. By continuing to shoot what I like, the way I like, the work stays consistent even as the industry shifts around it. That consistency makes it easier to recognize what’s worth paying attention to and what will pass.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I’d stop chasing the next commercial job. As a photographer, so much time can get spent behind a desk, emailing, pitching, and waiting, instead of actually making the work. If I knew I had ten years left, I’d trade more of that time for movement. I’d get on a plane, travel to remote parts of the world, and focus on personal projects, shooting for curiosity and connection rather than outcome. Making the work itself would matter more than where it landed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://DREWHERRMANN.COM
• Instagram: @DREW_HERRMANN

Image Credits
Drew Herrmann