Hi beautiful people. Today is a good day. A good day for many reasons. For Brokecitygrl, it is a good day because I have added a new creator to our family. I wanted to formally introduce you all to a new face who will be assisting me throughout this journey. We happened to go to the same high school and after putting a cry out for help he reached out to me with an open heart and a helping hand. I am so excited to bring him aboard as a photographer and creative mind. Please read our personal interview below to get to know him better.
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Behind the lens:
-What is
your name and age?
Joshua Donté Shelton; 19
-Where did
you primarily grow up?
Alexandria, VA
-How did
you know that your passion was photography?
Art in general has always been a passion
of mine throughout my entire life. Photography has been a part of my life without me truly knowing it. Growing up we would have a bunch of disposable cameras around the house because
my mom loved to take pictures. I loved looking at an
image and mesmerizing over how amazing one moment in time could be captured with an entire
story behind it. I didn't really dabble into photography until the summer
before my 10th grade year. I took some of my money from my summer job and
bought a point and shoot Sanyo camera. I knew I wanted to document some of my
high school years. I also wanted to be a model at one point and time so I
figured I'd start taking pictures to build up my modeling portfolio. One of my close friends, MayaIndigo, is a
photographer and when we hung out she would ask me to pose for her. I
would look at her images on her fancy DSLR and think to myself "this is amazing." It seemed like fun being behind the
camera. She would let me play with her camera and explain how certain things
worked. On Christmas of my sophomore year, my mom bought me a bridge Nikon
Coolpix l120 camera which made me take photos even more. I didn't get serious
about photography until 2013 (my senior year) when my dad allowed me to borrow
his Canon Rebel XS. Photography captures an entire story in one shot which is
so powerful to me! I love the beauty of women and realized the stories of women
of color were not being captured in the media, fashion or art world as a whole. I felt and still feel that the
images of women of color are not fully inclusive of the full spectrum of
diversity and beauty. So I wanted to start to create these
magnificent and transcendent images that steer away from the western standard's of beauty.
-What was
your biggest fear when starting your photography portfolio?
My biggest fear about starting my photography
portfolio was and sometimes still is not being good or creative enough.
-What about
fashion interest you the most?
The thing that interest me the most about fashion is the ability to express yourself. We may not have been able to create our "look" at birth but with fashion we are somewhat in control. We are able to have fun and experiment in order to create who
you are and who you want to be.
-Do you
believe in good energy and bad energy?
Without a doubt I am a believer in good and bad
energy. I'm very aware and sensitive to when I or someone else does or does not
vibe right.
-What made
you want to come on board with Brokecitygrl?
I wanted to come on board with
Brokecitygrl because I knew you were a driven and passionate creative that wants
to create quality content. I knew joining Brokecitygrl would be a great team to
be a part of because surrounding oneself with other creatives will push
one to be and grow greatly as an artist.
-Who are
your biggest inspirations?
My mother, Tim Burton, Tim Walker, Spike Lee,
Oprah, Quentin Tarantino, Solange Knowles, Nina Simone and I think the list
could go on forever but these are the people I could think of off the top of my
head.
-What do
you do in your spare time besides photography?
I try to stay inspired and keep the creativity
flowing. I watch documentaries, research iconic artist and look
at blogs-- Streetetique Mood board Tumblr is amazing!
-Where does
your inspiration usually come from for your photo shoots?
Inspiration for my photo shoots comes from any
and everywhere. Whether it be a certain message I want to convey, a scene in a
film, music, a specific color, fashion show, an iconic person or an image.
-Do you
have any other aspirations in life?
My other aspirations in life include transitioning my
photography into cinematography/film. I would like to create movies that
are inclusive of all the types of people that breakdown stereotypes and shed light on new and
different stories.
-What is
the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “change”?
Relax and release. Allow yourself to walk into
the unknown with your guard down and a sense of optimism.
-Are you
excited about this new change and journey?
Yes, I'm definitely excited about this new
change and journey!
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I hope you all accept him with open arms and welcome him to Brokecitygrl with love. I included a bit of his work below for you all to enjoy. More of his amazing work can be found here: http://imagesbydonte.crevado.com/.
You can also connect with him via social media
Facebook: Josh Shelton
Stay tuned for amazing things!
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