LOST IN THE LEAN
Lost in the Lean has many different angles in it's meaning. Throughout the shoot you will see how stern I am vs Shay's softness. We lean on each other to create balance in the photoshoot. The buildings and the torn fragments also play into the literal meaning yet you'll also see how leaning plays apart in our posing in various shots. This was my very first photoshoot that I creatively directed/styled/shot and modeled for and I'm so pleased with the outcome. Working with Shay (@shaytallbeautii) is always a pleasure as we complimented each other very well during this shoot. We helped one another's ideas come to life in each shot. I even helped her to second shoot since she's interested in photography as well. We also had a dope videographer Mycol (@Dlinxtv) to capture the process which you can view soon on my BTS channel. It's such a great feeling getting to work with other strong creatives to produce visual pleasing art. I hope you all enjoy the photos below as I've put my heart and soul into it. To view the process click here. All images are available for purchase. To order email info@jazbsnappin.net.
KINLOCH SERIES
I picked the scenery of Kinloch as my inspiration and backdrop because not only was my father raised in this area, but it was once a very wealthy black community in the St. Louis region. In fact, it happened to be the very first black community in Missouri and with that being said I wanted to use the preserved beauty that lies within its demise. I hope this inspires people to look into the history of Kinloch and how there was once a thriving black community and how it came to be the ghost town it is today in 2021. How can we help improve it? How can we create and build more communities like this one.
I would like to thank both of my dedicated models Julisa Powell and Justin Carson. Both helped willingly and really put thought into the outfits that complimented the locations we picked within Kinloch. This was my very first conceptual photoshoot that I've ever creatively directed and shot alone. I hope that you enjoy the execution of this series as I have put my heart and soul into it.
For a behind the scenes look at this series follow this link.
To purchase a print from this series please email me at Jazbsnappin@gmail.com
FAINT SERIES
Faint was a collaborative project between three creatives from St. Louis, MO. The concept was created by photographer, Dion Clayton and model, Julisa Powell. Julisa briefly explained to me what they were planning to do and asked would I be okay with filming behind the scenes footage. I accepted but little did I know that this would bigger than all three of us had imagined.
Faint was shot March 26th, 2019 in Alton Illinois and took roughly 6 hours to complete. Despite the pictures you see before you shooting them was no easy task. The wind speeds were unbelievable which made shooting with the back drops and props extremely difficult but we made it work. I began with shooting solely behind the scenes footage because that's what Julisa had initially asked of me. Once we began shooting though I started to capture pictures here and there of Dion and Julisa together, but I also captured a few of the scenes with just Julisa. When we finally sat down to view the photos together we all were actually really surprised at not only how Dion's photos turned out but my behind the scenes photos as well. We instantly knew that this was more than just a social media post, we knew that this could be a successful gallery.
The work that needed to be done to have a gallery for Faint immediately started. We began looking for places to hold the event all the while editing, printing, framing and planning the event. I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't overwhelming at times because it definitely was but it also taught me a lot and pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Before this collaboration I NEVER like posed shots because I was so fixated on candid photography and how people were naturally. I shot protests, rallies, community events and to me the raw emotion in those moments were honestly addicting. Faint completely changed my outlook and made me try something I usually would have turned away. Even within my editing I grew tremendously. This was my first time ever manipulating photos in not only one but numerous ways and I am honestly very proud of myself. This was not something I was use to doing whatsoever.
On August 31st 2019, a gallery for Faint was held at Fresh Art Photography Studio. The turn out was definitely more than I expected and I sold 4 out of 9 photos I had displayed. We had a Dj, complimentary drinks, merchandise for sale and even a raffle held throughout the night. Faint was everything I hoped it would be and more. I am grateful for the experience and the things it taught me, especially when it came to working with 2 other strong creatives. Putting three powerful minds together can be challenging and learning to navigate through is a lesson I think we all need. Learn to be open to other ideas that aren't your own and at the same time knowing how to be confident in your vision and contribution.
Below you will be viewing Faint for the first time since the gallery. There are still five prints available for purchase so be sure to check the description on the photos for details as to which are available and prices. There will also be details of remaining merchandise and prices below as well.
