♥ AK

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After graduating from NYU, I attended the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies where I studied Documentary Photography. Photography had always fascinated me but it wasn’t until my last semester in undergrad that I finally enrolled in my first photo course, “Intro to Photography.” The high cost of the camera that was required for the class kept me away. But I knew that I would never have another chance to take a photography class for free. So I finally took the class. (Although technically, it wasn’t free since full-time students already pay to take those credits whether they use them or not.) During this time, a friend noticed my enthusiasm for the art and told me about her friend who had completed the Salt photography program. So I applied and was accepted.

In some ways, deciding to attend Salt was my way of postponing the inevitable. Getting a job. I had spent 4 years in college and still had no idea what career path to pursue. Once I returned to the city, friends immediately asked “Now that you’ve attended photography school, what are you going to do with it?” Since I still had not completely committed to photography, peer pressure made me commit to an administrative position at WireImage. But through that job, I was able to meet professional photographers and observe the business side, like sales and contracts and bookings (the part they don’t teach you in school). I started to assist photographers and shoot different events with them, some red carpets and celebrity parties, and also some weddings and bar mitzvahs. One of the photographers even hired me to go to Nigeria on assignment as a photographer!

From there, I accepted a job at Management Artists Organization as a Photo Producer/Assistant Agent. I loved this job. Loved it! I produced photo shoots for many foreign fashion magazines. A few of my favorites were an editorial for the Vogue Italia Black Issue, Gwyneth Paltrow in GQ UK, and Mariah Carey in ID Magazine. Finally, I was on the right career path! Or so I thought… Then the recession began. The photographers I worked with were booking less jobs. And I was laid off. Completely heartbroken, I had no clue what to do next. The only thing I was sure of was that I needed to pay my NYC rent, I owned some really expensive photography equipment, and I had the most fun assisting photographers at weddings.

So thats where it all began. But there were still so many other things for me to figure out, like “how in the world do I convince someone to hire me to shoot their wedding??” I will save that story for the next installment. Here are some of the images that were included in my final projects at Salt.

♥ AK

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i assisted him this past weekend shooting the wedding of devin and kevin, a faithful couple who made their commitment to each other in new haven, ct with the blessing of the Lord. the day unexpectedly hit me. from the pastor’s candid real deal relationship talk, the beautiful praise dance performance to “behold the lamb of God,” devin honoring her young daughter for her unconditional love and support, to finally, at the end of the night, while they graciously drove us to the train station, i heard devin tenderly say to kevin “you’re our hero.” so loving, a similar sentiment i have for my father.

they danced their first dance to stevie’s “ribbon in the sky.” which happens to be the same wedding song of my godparents! even more ironic, i must have been a baby at the time they were married, maybe i wasn’t even born yet. i am not quite sure. but years ago, when i was a kid, the song was on the radio, and my parents casually mentioned that it was their wedding song. i never forgot. uncle hal passed years ago. so hearing the song floods me with vivid memories of his home, his laugh, his patience, and the way he bought cases of girl scout cookies from me, his personal cookie pusher, just so i could win the bigger prizes for selling the most. i hope he didn’t eat them all alone.

to sum it all up, familiar love manifested in so many ways throughout the day.

~ak