Photographer Q&A:
Lawrson Pinson
Meet Atlanta based, film photographer and writer Lawrson Pinson.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Photography has always been a journey of self discovery. I started photography back in 2016 during a very dark period of my life. My family and I were completely displaced and we were forced to move to Atlanta for the sake of being closer to extended family. During this process, I remember taking my first portrait of my brother at a gas station. It was blurry, out of focus and poorly lit.
This was the start of something new for me.
I eventually started to take portraits and began to believe in myself again. Coming from a big family of eight, being an individual was always a struggle for me. With photography, I had the ability to tell my story and create my own path. Since starting - I've been able to speak at events, work for large brands, magazines connect with people.
Honestly, photography saved my life.
Q: Who inspires you?
A:
There are a variety of things that inspire me. Films made by Christopher Nolan have been such a heavy influences on my photography. Another huge inspiration for me would be unique fashion and minimalistic architecture. I love simplistic tones and contrasting light.
Q: What are a few fun facts about you that we might not know?
I'm a huge Geek! I love all things comic books, movies, video games and more.
I live, eat and breathe pop culture.
On top of photography, I am actually a screenwriter and I am currently looking to pitch a TV Pilot very soon.
I am a black belt martial artist
Q:
Who are a few local businesses you follow?
A: A few local businesses that have been a huge impact to my journey would have to be Chrisean Rose Studios, Artbox Atlanta and The Photo Spot in Douglasville.
Photo: @iamlawrson
Model: @stevenmichaelquinnjr
Lighting: @deloach253 & @toborah_otte
MUA: @zoesimonemakeup
Crew: @alexglife | @sweetbabyray13 | @scattered_perception | @captured_visionz | @willwanderphotography | @cameronbecht | @mikkmilll | @s.trianna
Q: Tell us about a collab that inspired you.
One of the most inspiring collaborations I've done in Atlanta would have to be the Joker project. I collaborated with a variety of other creatives to highlight mental health.
Last year when I saw the @jokermovie, I fell in love with it for very specific reasons. Other than it’s great overall tone and portrayal of one of my favorite comic book characters, I was drawn to how it portrayed a man suffering from mental health issues and how it went unnoticed by society. In the movie, a man was unraveling before people’s eyes and nobody seemed to notice. I think the film touched on issues of mental health and how if gone unchecked due to lack of awareness and sympathy, it can have dangerous results.
Months after seeing the movie, Shani Varner and @stevenmichaelquinnjr approached me about doing a Joker themed project and I couldn’t have said “Yes” any faster. With Shani Varner capturing the larger shots of Joker theme, I wanted to hone in on the intimate emotional shots of @stevenmichaelquinnjr ‘s Joker and capture his unraveling process. I couldn’t have been happier working with such an amazing team and professional production.
Q: Tell us about a collab that inspired you.
Another collab I worked on was the SUDAN crisis project. I worked on this project to bring awareness to the violence their community suffered. These collaborative projects to me have been the new standard in which I would like to conduct future projects.
Q: Tell us a more about the Hub x BLM campaign you are working with?
The HUB BLM work I did was tailored work to bring awareness to the issues at hand. I unfortunately wasn't able to do much on the photography side due to some personal issues getting in the way, but I'm always looking to bring awareness.
Q: How can we follow along?
A: The best way to connect with me is my website and instagram which can be seen below.