Edition Twelve
In Real Life. And an interview.
Reach. Followers. Engagement. Community.
We see this on a daily basis. Not necessarily where we want to but because we browse our metrics on social media. We have a fascination with metrics. For various reasons. They make us feel important, give us a sense of connection. Sometimes we rely on this for validation which isn’t a good thing.
Ask yourself questions like this:
What was my reach IRL today?
How did you influence people in your circle?
Did you share something with someone you know?
How many people did you engagement with at work, at a grocery store, standing on the bus on your way to work?
Socials are taking away things we need from real life interaction.
If you have to share photos also share with a friend. Share your newsletter with a friend who is into writing. Start a discussion with a random stranger and see where it leads.
Talk about your craft & art to people IRL. Create opportunities to showcase your work IRL. For a balanced life we need people who are there when we log out of social media.
I’m currently pursuing the idea of being a full time writer. If you’d like to help support my dream I have a Paystack page available which you can find here
Interview with for Anthony Gonzalez
I found Antwon’s work on X a few years ago. We hung out in the same chat and eventually started following each other. Antwon is a great photographer but I think he is a slightly better film maker. If you are curious to see his work I will leave the links to his platforms below.
Instagram | YouTube | Darkroom
Now onto the meat and potatoes…
Hey Antwon, first of all, thank you very much for agreeing to take time and answer a few questions : ) I'm going to start with a classic and ask you to tell us about yourself and how you started your photography journey?
I started my photography journey because I couldn't do film making. I love movies and I've always wanted to make movies but I didn't have the time to. I figured taking photos was the best way to make a "movie" with a still image.
On your YouTube channel you have a few videos which centers around small town photography. You manage to capture the essence of a small town extremely well in these videos - how do you think being in a small town shaped your photography & film making?
I think being in a small town definitely made me more aware of the smaller details. I always saw these great images captured in big cities and the people in them but in smaller towns you stick out like a sore thumb and people are less likely to want to be photographed and especially their property.
It taught me to be more aware of what I'm taking photos of and how to go about them. It really helps you develop the "do what you can with what you have" mindset.
Who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to film making and photography?
My inspiration mostly comes from movies and music. But there are so many great photographers and filmmakers that inspire me. Daido Moriyama, Alex Webb, Vivian Maier, Garry Winogrand, Andre Wagner, Martin Parr
If you had to give advice to anyone who was starting out with either photography or film making, what would you advice be?
Use what you have with the best you can. I think we all get caught up comparing ourselves to everyone else that we forget to look at ourselves.
Please tell me more about your video Ghost of Us. What was your inspiration behind it?
My inspiration came from a part of me who longed for photographing the cities and the people in them and in small towns it's very rare to do so but humans leave pieces of us behind.
I wanted to photograph and document the desert town I live in and the stuff people have left behind. It's sad though because the desert can be beautiful and so can people but we end up destroying ourselves and everything else around us.
Final question for the interview - what are your thoughts around social media and how it affects people's idea of what makes 'good photos'?
I believe social media makes and breaks us. It's a great place to get inspiration but I think we fuel our self value through it. One mistake people make is that you don't need to share your photos to be a photographer or an artist. What makes you one is you.
Social media is a great tool when used right but we ruin ourselves with it when it stops being a tool and instead a way for us to give ourselves value. A good photo is different than a trendy photo and the lines start to blur between them in this day and age.
Checkout
In this weekly section I browse the internet (mainly YouTube) and look for interesting videos to share with the readers.
Video
Skillademia
This video is something I’m looking forward to watch. Since starting with my online writing a few years ago I’ve always been looking to improve. The internet makes learning about your specific skill very easy.
Substack
perfectlight
If you’re interested in some really good insights into photography look no further than this newsletter. I’m particularly drawn to the industrial weekly section and you’ll find some interesting images in there.
Connect
I know social media can suck up a lot of time which is why I limit myself when using these (or I try to). If you are on Instagram please share your profile in the comments, I like seeing photos from all over the world and connecting with photographers.
Thanks for reading :)
thank you very much, you made my day! i'm extremely happy to hear that my work has an impact on you!