I recently started to put myself in the firing line.
I began approaching photographers I’ve been following or which I known for a while and asked them if they would agree to an interview with me.
I’ve been considering it for a while but it was only in the past few weeks I decide to do it. In my mind I’ve already had many answers.
“No, sorry I’m too busy.”
“No, I don’t want to.”
And I’m perfectly okay with those type of answers. But when you start getting a yes, or a definitely - it feels gooood. Not only because you are doing something you enjoy but because you took a risk and it paid off.
Starting out we tend to see all the pitfalls and none of the possible success. Because as we start out all those options only exist as potential energy. Nothing is set in stone when you start down a new path.
This coming week I’m going to try even more new things and see where they lead me. I might not get what I wanted out of the interactions but I will gain experience.
If you trying anything new feel free to leave a comment - I’ll do my level best to make a post on notes as soon as I tackle something new for this week.
Interview
Derrick is a photographer and videographer based in Seattle. I found his channel whilst searching for short films and street photography on YouTube. To me there is something about his images, especially the ones of Seattle in the winter which creates a quiet moment and makes you want to go out and take photos & make videos.
A big thanks to Derrick for answering my questions. I am leaving links to all his social media as well as his website.
YouTube channel | Website | Instagram
Now, onto the meat and potatoes…
Let's start with an introduction, can you tell us about yourself and why (or how) you started doing photography, are you a full time photographer?
Hi, my real name is Derrick but also known as Zo on YouTube and Instagram. How I started doing photography was in school when I took a photography class to fulfil my credits to graduate five years, I wasn't really fully interested in it at the time but I remembered that I really enjoyed the process of just taking a photo.
Fast forward a year later, when the COVID pandemic hit, I was going through a lot both emotionally and physically as I was mourning the passing of a loved one and facing health issues of my own from overworking. It was a dark place to be in and I was really losing hope.
One day, I remembered the glimmer of joy and fulfilment that I had when I was learning photography and with the encouraging support of my girlfriend and now my wife, I decided to start again and the rest is history. Currently, I am only a part-time photographer. Someday, I would love to be a full time photographer.
Please share with us about your style, what are your main influences and who do you look up to as a photographer?
My style of photography I would say its really depends on my mood (haha...), but all in all, I feel that it falls into the candid melancholic category? My main influences, I would say Billy Dinh, Alex Webb, Fan Ho, and Saul Leiter just to name a few.
I am always at awe and really get really inspired by their work. The photographer that I look up to the most right now is Billy Dinh and I hope to be able to meet him someday.
On your YouTube channel you mentioned you were taking a break a while ago. As a creative, how important do you think taking breaks are, especially if we look at how social media in a way pushes people to keep churning out content?
I think it is paramount, especially in this day and age where many things are too fast pace and over stimulating at times. People are starting to realize this more and more as it can be really detrimental to their mental and physical health. As a creative, I can understand the need to keep pushing out content, and please the quote on quote 'algorithm' to stay relevant. Not to mention, there are many social media 'gurus' out there pushing this agenda.
In turn, the pressure to post arises, and over time this is very toxic to the creative that is stuck on this hamster wheel as they want to keep up engagement, reach, etc. Most creatives feel they have to do this as this is their main source of income and survival and understandably so. But, there needs to be a balance because this is not sustainable. Just like it’s not ideal to work out every day.
We all need to slow down and take a moment to relax and breath and look at the bigger picture. Because once you are at a calm state and start to evaluate, you will begin to see there are multiple solutions. For example, creatives can setup photo walks and gatherings of photographers within the community and create a human connection with them instead of over the internet.
This is way more powerful the algorithm, is the human connection, and community building. Without saying too much more, this is why I feel that breaks are important. As it opens our minds to other possibilities, because not all the time its black and white. There is always a way, it’s not pretty sometimes but there is way to counter balance. In addition and most importantly, breaks also helps us remember the why and what we are doing this for in the first place.
You shoot a lot with Fuji-film cameras, do you find them more user friendly or do they offer something different from the other brands of camera on the market?
I love Fujifilm colors. They offer film-simulations that other brands don't. This to me makes it way more enjoyable as I don't have to edit all the time and can just shoot jpeg with the film like simulations and they be tweaked to your liking as well. In conclusion, I would say that if the user is interested, then it will become user friendly :)
In one of your videos you say the following "this reminds me that sometimes simple is best". This is a great approach to photography. Too many people are trying to stick with trends but ultimately this doesn't bring the results they have in mind.
Do you have any advice you give to people asking you about starting photography?
This is going to sound cliché, but really discover within yourself to enjoy the process of holding a camera and pressing the shutter. The snap of a photo, a moment that captivated your eye, your heart. The rest will come.
Connect
In here I share the social media channels of artists I found while browsing the internet. Got any artists which inspire or interest you? Leave some feedback for us to check out.
Photographer
Ben Horne
I discovered Ben’s channel within the past week and what pulled me in was how organised and consistent his channel looks. And as I went to the ‘oldest’ sorting I found he had videos on the channel from 14 years old making it one of the oldest channels I’ve ever seen on YouTube. If you’re look for a starting point I would suggest going to the playlist section and start watching from there.
If you’re interested in solo photography trips and analog photography this channel will be definitely peak your interest. His website also features a link to his podcast
Join Cody Schultz and myself in our new podcast: Creative Banter. In this weekly podcast, we discuss the creative and philosophical aspects of our photography experience.
Photos
Some of the photos I took this week. I don’t post these on other social channels and share them with my subscribers only.
Connect
I have a few social channels I maintain. If you’d like to connect please send me a message. And if you have any interesting content you’d like to share please don’t hesitate.
I’m including links to my Instagram and Threads channels. If you enjoy this content please restack or share the newsletter with you friends.
PS
I’ve recently setup a Paystack account which will allow me to accept tips for my work. There is a subscription option available but for now I am going to see how the tip system works. As I am not able to use Stripe I’m going to use this until the option becomes available.
The link can be found here: Richard Paystack Link
I will still write newsletters on a ‘free subscriber’ basis, but I’m thinking about rewarding anyone who tips me with something special in form of a e-zine.