Photographer Interview:
Yavez Anthonio
BIO
Born and raised in Amsterdam-Noord, photographer and director Yavez Anthonio aims to create contemporary ideas and stories through his interests in music, fashion and the cultures and communities around him. His use of vivid imagery and raw material, stems from his roots, creating a new nostalgia. Through creating connections with people and the world around him, Anthonio pushes boundaries, presenting unique textures to story-telling.
Where are you from? Where do you currently reside?
I'm born and raised in Amsterdam, the Noord side. I’m currently residing in Brooklyn, NY.
What brings you to New York?
I've always wanted to move to a big city. And of course, New York in a lot of places outside of America, is the biggest city people can think of. As a child, I always watched movies, shows and music videos that took place in America, especially in New York and Brooklyn. And with the career I am pursuing with photography, directing, and creative direction, it felt like the place to be at because of the culture and the possibilities.
Can you name some of those movies that inspired you?
Definitely, KIDS, Do The Right Thing, Belly and New Jack Swing.
Tell us a weird - fun fact about yourself?
I know a lot of little animal facts. I thought of becoming a marine biologist at some point in my life. I used to be a big nerd about the ocean. I still am actually. I don't think a lot of people know that about me. When I tell people shit, they be like, "Why do you know so much about the ocean?" I'm like, "Oh, you know, YouTube.."
How long have you been shooting for?
I've been shooting for the majority of my life starting when I was a kid. But to really say something like, "Oh, I started picking up a camera and started booking projects and shit", that started in 2016.
Did you buy your first camera or was it a gift? What type of camera was it?
My first camera was gifted by my late grandfather when I was around 8/10. It was a little point and shoot.
Does photography run in your family?
Not that I know of. I do remember looking through my parents' photo albums and that inspired me to have albums to look back on when I’m older. I think that whole feeling of wanting to capture that too for the next generations inspires me till this day.
How has your photography evolved over the years?
The first photos I took, I remember when I was 18. I'm 29 right now, when I was 18, I bought the Yashica T4 because it was a popular camera at the time. I was shooting just like food, my friends, sneakers... Very basic. Very Tumblr. I think over time, I created my own handwriting and signature as in capturing people's true essence or trying to tell stories.
“I think my only motivation is to motivate. To show someone that I just started like this, if I could do it, you could do it too.”
Any specific moment stand out where you knew you wanted to pursue photography?
I think it was during the music video for RIMON - ‘Sugarcoated Love’. Besides directing I also did the BTS photography and I remember seeing the photos and thinking "Oh, I’m actually nice."
Does your environment influence you as a creative?
Yeah, definitely coming from the Noord side of Amsterdam, which a lot of people don't know about, is very multicultural and you basically have to learn to live with so many people from different backgrounds. I think that definitely shaped me and helped me become this person that knows how to handle every situation or talk to everybody.
I think as a photographer, that's such an important trait to have, the power of stepping in someone else's shoes, or at least be observant and respectful. I think coming from that area, it definitely motivated me creatively to become the best version of myself and to motivate others as well. I think that definitely influenced me to be as real as I can be but also to pursue greater things, and still be true to my roots.
What came first for you, photography, directing or creative direction?
I started out as a graphic designer, I studied graphic design. I don't want to hype myself, but I used to be nice with typography and calligraphy. But after that I was kind of bored of that. Then I started my advertising course for a bachelor degree and that's where the creative direction / art direction started. Photography came after that.
Can you tell us one of the most memorable video productions you’ve been a part of?
I think one of the most memorable productions is the one for RIMON. She was the first person that asked me to do a video for her. It was just very cool to have this journey with an artist and to start from scratch. I think it definitely took a big part in who I am as a creative and what I want to reflect as a creative and creative. I think that's one of the fundamental jobs I've done for me to realize that I am able to do this and I am able to bring my thoughts to life.
You’ve mastered capturing people in their element. Are some of these portraits planned out or improv?
Everything is improv. I am super structured with my work with my cataloging and working. But when I shoot, it is very much freestyle. We're just going to walk around. We'll see something.
When working with brands such as (Gap, Sheamoisture, Nike, etc) as a director or creative director. How does your vision aline with theirs. Are you given creative freedom?
For me, it's very important to stay true to who I am and not to just blindly follow orders… So I always make sure that I have a form of creative lead on the projects I work on.
When do you feel like you thrive the most, when you’re behind the camera or behind the scenes?
It's a mixture of both because I'm at this point right now that I'm not sure what I enjoy doing. I took a little hiatus from shooting. I get bored really fast and at this point I’m figuring out what’s next. I think my favorite place to be at is to direct, but also to shoot photos at the same time. It changes every day for me. Sometimes I’m in the mood to direct, sometimes I’m in the mood to create or write something, but I'm still very much finding out what I want to do. Whatever it is, I want to be more story-driven than commercially driven, which is of course hard. Because one pays and the other one doesn't. But to answer the question more specifically, I think a good combination of both.
Do you feel like you have more creative freedom as a photographer or a creative director?
As a creative director, definitely. I tend to find whenever I get hired for a job as just a photographer, they come with a previous idea already. If I'm shooting for say a publication or a project that I'm hired on, they already have an idea of what they want to photograph or what they need to capture. So it doesn't really give me much wiggle room to change some things around.
Now sometimes I do. Be like, hey, what if we do this instead of this? That's where I put on my creative director hat. I'm like, okay, so I want to do this instead of this. Then they'll always be like, "Okay, I can see that." So I love that they're open to my ideas. But when I'm brought on as a creative director, which I'm actually working on a project right now with a brand. I came up with this project and I'm bringing it to them so that I can shoot it as well. But I have total creative freedom with that.
I find that when I am a creative director on a project, it has to be something that I'm really interested in, because if I'm not, I can't do my best work. So right now, I'm kind of finding that out about myself because some clients do come to me like, "Hey, we want you to creative direct this shoot for us." I'm like, "How do y'all expect me to creative direct something for y'all, but y'all aren't giving me any information or things like that?"
If you don't already have opinions for yourself, how do you expect me to come up with ideas for you? It has to be authentic to you. But I love creative directing. I don't know if I love it more than photography. I don't know. I kind of put them on the same level.
Are you a self taught photographer? Any advice you would give to beginners?
Yes, I am most definitely a self-taught photographer, also a self-taught director. I'm self-taught at everything to be honest. I think my biggest advice for people in the same situation as me, or just starting up, is to take it seriously. But also don't take it too seriously. Just have fun. Shit's not that hard. At least I think the more serious you get, the harder it gets to have fun. I think that's something I'm discovering right now to have fun again. Just hit up a model you know personally or hit up a stylist you know personally and whatever camera you have available. Don't go too hard buying a crazy camera and just start having fun and experiment, whether that be film or digital. Do your research, everything you want to know is on Google.
Anything you’d like to do with photography that you haven’t?
I'm experimenting a lot right now. I bought some new cameras that are pretty hard to find, just to try some shit out with. I am currently working on a documentary that I've been working on for two years about several youth cultures in Rio de Janeiro and their political views on the city.
On Set…
What camera would you want to be your last?
This a hard one. My favorite camera used to be the Yashica T5. But then, I discovered that there's better cameras out there. I would say at the moment, the Contax T2.
Assistant or solo?
Solo. But I’m learning to appreciate shooting with an assistant.
When shooting analog on set, do you also shoot digital and/or vice versa?
Never digital. Don't get me wrong. Sometimes I do projects on digital, but those projects I tend not to share.
Candid or posed? Why?
I would love to say "Mixture", but if I had to choose, I would say posed.
Flash or no flash? Why? No flash.
What vibe or mood do you like to curate on set? How do you go about doing that?
The mood I'm always going for is honest and friendly. For me, it's very important to just have conversation while I shoot with the person, just to figure out who that person is, how to shoot that person, how to get the real person to talk. I normally ask what the talent wants to listen to and from there on we just vibe!
Fav song to bump to on set?
Oh, that's a hard one... It depends on the shoot. I have this one playlist I made, it's very chill. Honestly, sometimes I like to smoke on set. I got this 420 vibes playlist and it's very mellow. But to answer your question, Erykah Badu.
When it comes to photography what moves you to shoot?
That was a really hard question. I think what moves me to shoot is the feeling of capturing someone's essence. The feeling of having this object in your hand, that takes pictures of this certain place in time and space with a certain person that you're kind of bound to have met up with. And to capture that and to look back at that, let's say a week or two after when the photos are developed, and to understand that time is relative.
For a second there, you’ve created history. That image is something you're always going to remember.
Yes, I don't know if people would look at it in a hundred years, but for me I have a lot of philosophical thoughts about time. For me taking a picture on film and to have that in my possession and to realize how fast time goes or how slow time can go. That motivates me to stay doing that. I feel like for me, that gives me a sort of euphoria or feeling of like, "I'm in control of this' ' or "I'm on the right path to do whatever I want to do".
I like to think that I'm not even from this continent and meeting people out here, that is a special feeling. I don't even believe in God like that, but it feels like it's all written in the stars. I meet so many people that I'm like, "we were destined to meet each other." I like to look at everybody I shoot with, with that mindset as in like, "Oh wow, your life started here. My life started here. And here we are doing a shoot and getting to know each other" And I think that's a very rewarding feeling.
What would you like people to take away from your work?
I think about that sometimes too, "What do I want people to take away". I don't think my photos are more special than someone else's. I think what I'd like to establish with my work is to motivate. Let's say a kid of eight looks at it and he has a feeling of, "Oh, I can do this too". I think my only motivation is to motivate.
To show someone that I just started like this, if I could do it, you could do it. So it's not that hard, you just gotta want it. I think that is the main thing.
I don't really think that I'm this difficult photographer or all my work is so meaningful. I think for me it has meaning, but I think the deeper meaning I always strive for is my own story. As in where I come from, who I am, and how I made it this far. I think that's something more feasible for myself to share with people or to give people motivation by my photos' persona.
What would you like people to take away from your work?
I think about that sometimes too, "What do I want people to take away". I don't think my photos are more special than someone else's. I think what I'd like to establish with my work is to motivate. Let's say a kid of eight looks at it and he has a feeling of, "Oh, I can do this too". I think my only motivation is to motivate.
To show someone that I just started like this, if I could do it, you could do it too. So it's not that hard, you just gotta want it. I think that is the main thing. I don't really think that I'm this difficult photographer or all my work is so meaningful. I think for me it has meaning, but I think the deeper meaning I always strive for is my own story. As in where I come from, who I am, and how I made it this far. I think that's something more feasible for myself to share with people or to give people motivation by my photos' persona.
Any upcoming projects that you're working on?
That will be my first documentary ‘Rivers of January’. Not sure when that's coming, but it's coming and it's going to be really cool. I just need to take my time with it because it's my first personal project. It's my baby. So there's a lot of time invested in that. There's going to be a book. There's going to be a short movie. There's going to be exhibitions. Hopefully at least three places in the world. There's going to be merch. In other words, a lot to be excited about.
Interview by 35s & 45s
08.25.21