A Look Through My Lens is
an ongoing series on That GOOD GOOD Blog which features awe-inspiring
photographers from all over the world. I have had the absolute privilege of
interviewing 13 photographers thus far through this series and today I have yet
another amazing addition to the ‘A Look Through My Lens’ family, Nneka Salmon from Brooklyn, NY. Nneka is no stranger to That GOOD
GOOD Blog; I featured her back in April in my He/She's Got That Good Good style series. The same classic style that can be found in the way Nneka dresses is certainly apparent in her photography as well. I feel that Nneka's photographic pseudonym, TheNewYorkan, is extremely appropriate for her because her work truly captures the essence of New York and the beautiful people who inhabit it. Please enjoy her
story as she shares about her passion for her art form and where her love of
photography all began.
To be
honest before I even knew what "photography" was or how big the art
was, all I had was a passion for pictures. As a pre-teen, I would take a
million and one pictures on a camera phone of people and scenes. I kept at it until
I reached a point where I kept asking my mom to buy me a camera, and she
finally did when I was about 16. At that age, I became fonder of the art itself
and realized that I can actually place my thoughts onto paper. My interest for
photography took off really in my 1st year of college; it was a breakthrough
for me when I finally started shooting without being ashamed, simply because it
was my own personal creative outlet. I always felt as if I had so much energy
and ideas caged inside and I simply didn't know what to do with it. With
photography, you are the leader. You are the creative director. The very
thought of visualizing your ideas and dreams is extremely powerful, especially
if you are looking and creating from the perfect/correct perspective.
As of late,
I have been taking mostly events, style, portraits and product photos simply
due to their demand and also my contributing work for internships.
My
photography is a reflection of my personality and style (at least that is what
I aim to achieve in my work). I strive off of my faith, emotions, visions and
love, so to speak, so to classify my photographic style is not so easy.
I like to
capture candid moments of my models/clients or when they are completely in the
zone. That single moment when they switch characters unknowingly, there's
something in their eyes that tell you "I'm ready".
I shoot
with a Nikon D3000 with a 50mm 1.8 G lens. Although I am ready for an upgrade,
this camera is my baby "Goon", always ready to go with me on a trip
no matter what. This is one camera that I will always have as a backup. It is
often highly underestimated, but it always shows out at the end. We work as a
team.
One
photographer who has made an impact in my life is a Professor of mine, Rachel
Barrett. She taught me about mood, colors, tones, and how to really read into a
photo. If the color was different would you feel different? What does the
subject tell you through their eyes, hair, expression, color or scene? These
were the questions that were asked during our class sessions. It changed my
view and judgment of a single photograph. We were no longer taking it for face value,
but we were now diving deeper into the making of the photo itself, and for me
that's where the "change" took place.
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