Can you give me some background on your journey as a photographer? How long have you been working and what progress have you made toward your goals?

I started two years ago. I started doing photography at the the end of my junior year and got really into it at the beginning of my senior year. I really got into fashion that year as well. I have always had a passion for dressing well and dressing in style. The progress I have made is amazing. In just two years I have hit many magazines, articles, and editorials. I have grown a bigger following on Instagram and Twitter as well.

Where do you draw inspiration from when approaching a new shoot?

I draw inspiration from editorials and magazines. Also from campaign ads – Vogue, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Harper’s Bazaar, to name a few.

You recently tweeted about wanting to create a “new range” of fashion photography – could you elaborate on your vision?

I am a black fashion photographer. There’s only one black fashion photographer and that’s Tyler Mitchell. He is amazing. I want to change the fashion game and be the next big fashion photographer. I want to have more black models in fashion as well. Runways and ad campaigns. I want to have more motion with fashion, not just standing still. I wanna do more angles, kicks, jumps, etc. I want fashion to be clothes and something more. I want young creatives to get more spotlights and jobs than just a highlight or their ideas stolen. Me and my team. We are on a mission to change the narrative of that.

I wanna say that all of these people are very important to my career and are the models I mainly work with. First off is my boy Mike – he is amazing and a very down to earth person. He was one of the first people on my team when I first started. Next is Antonio; he’s a wonderful model and an actor as well. He has a look that can’t be matched by anyone else. His spirit and attitude is amazing. Next is Hannah, one of the back bones for this group. She styles like no other, and has a very good eye for detail and matching colors and pieces. She also is an excellent model and fashion director. Nana, Isa, and Tricia are the last, but not least in the group. Isa is a model and a photographer as well. She can give you the best of both worlds. Nana is also another one of our world-class stylists, but she is pursuing modeling as well. Tricia is a model, but she also loves to work in architecture. She completes the group with her looks and fashion. Everyone I just listed is an influential part of this group. They helped me a lot and I am thankful for them.

How important is it to have that team surrounding you? And how would you advise other artists when trying to build a team of their own?

Everyone has to play a role. You have to play your part to be successful. No one is bigger than the group. Everyone is equal and striving towards a goal. We help each other.

I always find it interesting to see what people’s thoughts are on utilizing social media – so how would you say social media played a role in your success? What pros and cons do you see in it?

I would say this –Social media puts you on a platform. It can get you recognized and praised for your art. However, if social media “clout” is all you have, then you have nothing. At some point real life connections and jobs are the end goal. Some people don’t even have 10k [followers] and have worked for major magazines and brands. I want to work for a clothing/designer brand. That is the goal.

Another recent tweet of yours was about how you’re lucky to be your own boss and you stated that you never had to work a regular job, which is a huge accomplishment. Obviously, that was a goal at one point. Now you have this goal of working with a designer brand – so what’s next after that? Do your aspirations stretch further? Or do you take it one step at a time?