Meet Emanuel (he/him)
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Los Angeles-based photographer and director exploring themes of identity and the question of what it means to belong. He took some time to share with us his work and what Support means to him.
Support means sharing knowledge, resources, and opportunities with each other. The artistic/creative landscape is very opaque and often intimidating to break into. By sharing our experience and resources, we can help creatives work on the projects that they care about the most.
Carmen Chan, a fellow photographer, helped me a lot in my early days of photography by teaching me about the ins and outs of the business and putting me up for big jobs.
Fellow peers that offered me advice, equipment, resources, and a listening ear have all helped me to reach where I am today.
My friends, who've seen me make the transition from tech to photography, are always so supportive.
Getting past gatekeepers that often don't understand you and advocate for you. Lack of access to key information and networks that can help you take you to the next stage of your career.
Be persistent, develop your voice, and don't be afraid to take up space. Work hard, be kind to people around you and keep pushing the envelope.
As a Korean-American third-culture kid, I'm constantly exploring topics that deal with identity and belonging.
It means greater visibility and awareness for underrepresented stories, which hopefully leads to greater empathy and awareness of the unique lives of people. Diverse stories are not sufficient, but necessary to break the cycle of systemic racism and general ignorance that plagues this country.
We need to see more nuanced and thoughtful images of colored people. We need to control the narrative of our own cultures.