Today we’d like to introduce you to Wesley Grimes.
Wesley, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’ve always been interested in photography, and I’ve always looked at things a little different than others in my eyes but was always afraid to show what I see. In college I messed around with photography a little bit with phones (iPhone 4S at the time) but I never felt it would take me anywhere so I just gave it up and focused on just school. It wasn’t until recently that I decided to start getting back into it, I have a friend, Michael Smith, that I met through a basketball tournament back in 2014.
He is a barber but also ventures into street photography and very realistic portraits and I would just discuss different things about photography to him. Then my now wife (girlfriend at the time) and I, started doing a lot of traveling. I told her about my interest in photography and how I was tired of taking pictures on my iPhone when we traveled. She then bought me my first camera, a Canon 60D with Nifty Fifty right before our vacation to Toronto. It was then I instantly fell in love and didn’t want to put the camera down! I was in love with what I produced at the time even though now I look back at it and I tell myself, “you have come a VERY long way” and I’m slightly embarrassed by what I did two years ago. But since then, I have been finding my way and creating paths to get where I ultimately want to be as a photographer. I’ve always been big into the sneaker and music culture so I do a lot of night club and concert photography and I also want to be a personal photographer to a celebrity one day.
I also do other things as well such as events, parties, weddings and I am still very big into street and travel photography because that’s where I got my start. I also want to own my own studio one day and start a business of portfolio building for models and actors.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I’ve always been into candid’s. I personally never liked just standing in front of a camera and saying cheese. I feel like it lacks feeling and emotion. I like to see how whatever I’m shooting feels in just that moment of the shutter clicks. That’s one reason that I have always wanted to do concert or music photography. Nothing feels better to me than catching an artist in the middle of the show taking a break from performing and taking a second to soak in the energy of the crowd, and the look on the artist face as they do this everything to me. I also like to keep everything very natural. I was never really a heavy editor, not big into making people look like what they aren’t because I want people to accept the beauty of who they really are. Every single flaw and imperfection are perfect in my eyes and want people to feel the same way about themselves. I just want to inspire to be comfortable in the skin they are in and embrace the moment!!! However, I am very skilled in editing due to it being a known fact that it is required for some artwork.
What would you recommend to an artist new to the city, or to art, in terms of meeting and connecting with other artists and creatives?
Success to me is setting goals and surpassing them. A lot of people set money as a successful attribute. I feel a little different about it, however, I will say everyone’s definition of success differs. I see it as if you can pay your bills from it and you are happy with yourself and what you do, you’re successful! I do feel that being humble is very essential to success along with failure. You’ll never get better if you don’t fail at some point to help you grow. Everyone needs those learning experiences and growing pains!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Right now, my work is mostly only on my Instagram (@wesg.photography) and my business Facebook page (WesG Photography) but I am currently working on my website and looking to have it fully up and running January 1, 2019 along with some other changes as well. I would like my work to be supported with word of mouth, I pass out a lot of business cards when I attend various events. Also, sharing and tagging me in my work. There’s nothing worse than not getting the credit for your hard work!!!
Contact Info:
- Website: wesgphotography1.wixsite.com/mysite-1
- Phone: 3185106718
- Email: wesgphotography1@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/wesg.photography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/WesGPhotography
Image Credit:
Picture of me by Michael Smith (@regularviewz on IG)
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