YOUNGKINGSMEDIA

Internationally Published Fashion & Runway Photographer

50X+ Publishings

Specializing in High-End Beauty Photography Retouching & helping other photographers save $$!

I come from an art school, party and club background. As an artist, I have a very colorful background with very vibrant connection to others. I naturally bind to people of different backgrounds. In turn, the people also personalities who each had distinct features and a sense of style. I always paid attention to things like that; Style, character, flashiness and disorder. I wanted to capture these things in a way you would could popular trading cards. Or at least consider these mementos.

I took my first photography gig at a night club as a Nightlife Photographer. Many of the people who I met/networked with from the club scene were also entrepreneurs who worked on their own clothing brand. They would ask me to come out to their shows to take pictures as a press photographer. I got invited to more fashion shows than you could wink your eyes at. I met tons of underground runway models to work with.

However, there was one major underlying issue. I lacked the "vision" to do photoshoots. Not only did I lack the skill to shoot models, I also lacked the information, equipment and the ability to direct the models. Demand would push me to learn the craft.

I picked up fashion photography because it was progression from nightclub photography. I loved (and love) to work with different models with different looks/styles. I loved the environment that came with capturing models swiftly walking the runway; hair bouncing, the high energy, the bright and flashy colors. The models with different complexities; height complexion, nose, lips, eyes, facial expressions and the intensity of their walk. The look and ferocity of wild animals as they tamed the runway! The energy itself. It was interesting but challenging. So many ways to shoot and so much to capture.

For me, the most difficult part of professional development was the process of growth. I had to understand that I was a beginner. But what comes with understanding growth? To me growth means understanding "you." Your skills, and what you lack in them. Being realistic and honest is a very important necessity to growth. It is the tool that when tied with experience can allow your skill to grow slowly but exponentially. It is also very important to follow the work of professional photographers so that you have a bar to reach and one day surpass.

Knowing that just pushing a button on a camera was not enough for me... Understanding and executing concepts, retouching, lighting, megapixels, format, color, tones, and moods were not just interesting but were must-knows. These are but a few very important things that growth would introduce me to.

I would say my style is mostly influenced by street fashion and beauty productions I have seen in magazines like Fader, Vogue, XXL, and Elle. The level of work I see on social media has set the bar for me. There are so many great artists out there and I want to rise to meet the challenge of producing great work.