For all of my new readers, “A Look Through My Lens” is an ongoing series on That GOOD GOOD Blog which features remarkable photographers from all over the world. I am a huge fan of photography and I have such a massive amount of respect and love for photographers so I knew that creating a series that shed light on these amazing individuals was a great move for my blog. I have done 3 “A Look Through My Lens” installations thus far which has allowed me to interview 8 incredible photographers: Nakeya Brown, Shako Oteka, Rog Walker, King Texas, Chris Charles, Mambu Bayoh, Dana Shum, and Brandon Hicks. Today, I present you all with 2 more immensely gifted photographers to add to the “A Look Through My Lens” family: Cameron Davis & Naima Green. As always, I have interviewed both of these photographers and their responses to my questions accompany their photos. Enjoy!
I've always been into photography in some form or fashion. When I first started delving into my art side, I used to draw, so I would find photos that I really liked and would free-hand draw them out. So maybe it started out there or when I saw this photo my Dad had shot of my mother before I was born, it was so classic and such a timeless photo. I still have it to this day and look at every now and again as a reminder of what I want my images to say years from now.
I'm a photographer so I take photos of whatever interests me but if I had to put myself in a category by industry standards, it would definitely be an editorial photographer. I try to capture emotion, feelings, moods, certain tones, and mold them in a way to tell a story through the photographs and create a sense of thought. This means I want people to look at the picture and start to think "what was that day like", "what was he thinking when he photographed this" "what was her mindset" etc...
If I had to think of certain words to classify my style of work only a few words come to mind, first would be nostalgic, old school, classic. Nostalgic because I want my work to create that feeling of longing to be there, to be in that photograph, to experience that day, to experience the moment. Old school because my work takes inspiration from great artist before me and classic because I go thinking that everything I take is classic even when it isn't, I think photographers need to have a sense of pride and self but not in an arrogant way but in a way that exudes confidence in the work that you do.
What is my favorite thing to capture in photos? People! People are my favorite type of subject matter to capture. Taking a photograph of someone is truly a unique and different experience every time because each person I take photos of is different from the last. It’s sort of a worldly experience you get to have. Everyone I shoot for the most 98.5% is either a friend or someone who I end up making a friend and I wouldn't get to do that if I wasn't photographing people.
Right now, I use a Sony Alpha that I've been using for the last 4-5 years now and it’s honestly a love/hate relationship with this camera. I've learned to embrace its negative attributes and turn them into positives which, in turn, make my style as it is today. I also started shooting with a Minolta x9 but I'm really in need of an upgrade as soon as possible for both cameras. The next camera I get will be a Canon, I've been sold ever since I got to shoot with one awhile back. Hands down, they have some of the best lenses in the industry.
Admiration is so tough for me because I honestly take admiration to the greats to photographers who just started yesterday, but Annie Leibovitz is definitely a huge inspiration for me. She has to be one of if not the greatest editorial photographer of all time. Richard Avedon for his timeless portraits, he inspired some of my recent portraits, and of course Andy Warhol for his amazing use of contrasting and over exposure. If there was one photographer that I shared a key trait with in terms of photography style it would definitely have to be him but as much as we look at greats, we miss amazing artist right in front of us right now, so if I had to think of a current photographer who is just amazing and has inspired me it would have to be the photographer Billy The Kidd from New York. Something about his portraits are unreal to me. One day I'm going to intern for him or just meet up with me and pick his brain.
I took my first photography class when I was 9 years old at the Harlem School of the Arts; we made our own pinhole cameras and developed our own film. From there I travelled for a few years only using disposable cameras. Then I started working with a Pentax ZX-50 and Canon DSLRs. In terms of inspiration—my parents are art collectors. I grew up around art and was always encouraged to make it.
I love daylight portraits; it’s like magic when the light is perfect. I also really enjoy shooting inanimate objects some may fail to notice as beautiful. Those items we work with day-to-day: telephones, pans, furniture etc.
3 words to describe my photos? Intentional. Detailed. Simple.
My favorite things to capture in photographs are personas. I like to go into my subjects’ space and capture them how they are most comfortable. Some of my favorite work is when I show up not having scouted a location and am forced to adjust to what I find.
Right now I shoot with a Canon 7D. I’ve been devoted to canon for 7+ years; it just feels right.
I love fashion photographers like Peter Lindbergh, Richard Avedon, Mario Testino, and Scott Schuman. I admire Lindbergh and Avedon because the quality of their images is unmatchable; they are icons. Two of my favorite art books are Peter Lindbergh: Untitled 116 and Avedon Fashion 1944-2000. Testino and Schuman are contemporary photographers, equally as talented, who take part in creating and documenting our incessant culture.
