Biography
Hailing from the sun-soaked beaches of California, photographer, writer, and director Lyon is regarded as an enigma within the art world and a bona fide Renaissance man. With a creative legacy spanning over three decades, Lyon has left his mark both in front of and behind the camera.
Discovered by Andy Warhol in the early 1980s, Lyon’s modeling career began as a featured face for Interview magazine. Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, he was celebrated as one of the top male models in the world and remains an internationally recognized icon of that era.
For the past 25 years, Lyon has immersed himself in the artistic umbrella of Paris. Drawing inspiration from cinema—particularly film noir and German Expressionist cinematography—he established himself as a trailblazer in the global fashion photography scene. His evocative work has been showcased in European galleries and published in prestigious magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, and GQ, as well as leading art house publications.
Since 2014, Lyon has been passionately dedicated to a feature-length documentary, Something That Matters. Filmed in Africa, this deeply moving project provides an unflinching look at the escalating crisis of poaching and corruption that threatens rhinos’ survival. Lyon has traversed over 1,000 kilometers on foot through the African bush to uncover the heart of this crisis.
In 2013, Lyon founded the non-profit organization LYONHEARTLOVE, with Something That Matters as its inaugural project. Recently, the organization released The Freedom Drop, a series of art pieces created by Lyon to support the Ukrainian war effort.
Lyon’s talents extend into filmmaking, with his directorial works earning accolades at international film festivals. His music video “Fire” for The Winery Dogs was an official selection at New York Film Week and the Los Angeles International Film Festival, and it won top honors at the Hollywood International Motion Picture Film Festival and the Prague International Film Festival. His sultry short film Remember Cuba won Best Film at the Los Angeles Sin Festival, cementing Lyon’s reputation as a “director to watch.”
After three decades abroad and in New York City, Lyon has returned to California, retreating to a serene mountain cabin. He founded and serves as Editor-in-Chief of INDULGE, a biannual analog image-based publication celebrating artists who support environmental and animal conservation.
Lyon continues his relentless commitment to raising awareness for rhino conservation with “A Journey That Matters” set to debut in Spring 2023 following final filming trips to Africa and Asia.
In his downtime, Lyon enjoys hiking in the mountains of Big Bear Lake. He also explores healthy cooking, writing, and enjoying his vintage guitar collection, embracing each day as a new opportunity for imaginative expression.
“Know your camera, Know your light, love your subject”