Meet Ryan Stokes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Stokes.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ryan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve always been interested in photography since high school, but because of marching band, I could never fully pursue it. I got started teaching myself and doing photography seriously in 2013 after I transferred to Georgia State University in 2012. I ended up graduating in 2016 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. My photography journey when I found out my school had a resource called the ‘Digital Aquarium’ which housed all types of multimedia equipment available for students to rent “free of charge”, so I started renting cameras and lenses to practice with so much to the point where they knew me personally.

I started out shooting photos of my friends that either lived near me or at school. I joined two organizations that helped me further expand my photography skills at school, Panther’s Allure and Infinite Appeal. In 2014, I became an assistant for Derek Blanks who is a celebrity photographer based here in Atlanta, GA. During my time there is when I learned a lot about photography including lighting and editing/retouching. I also got to assist on shoots with celebrities such as Eric Benet and Missy Elliott. Now I like shooting portraits mainly of my friends and people I find interesting. I got here today by learning and failing then learning some more, falling in and out of relationships with people (generally worth it because we need that), learning how to put up boundaries with people, and staying true to myself despite how other people may feel about it.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This is a funny question, haha, of course, it hasn’t been smooth because life isn’t smooth. My main struggle though is my depression because when I’m having an episode, in my mind, it can get really bad. Last year after I had some surgery I was suffering from my depression really bad for a culmination of reasons including the surgery itself. Just recently I lost my car and which has also been a really big struggle, especially living in Atlanta, it’s almost impossible to get certain places without the use of a car. I know through these struggles help make me the person I am and it makes me work harder to my goals and dreams.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ryan Stokes Photography – what should we know?
Well, I’m a photographer. I specialize in portraits and it’s really what I’m known for here. I know how to also shoot fashion and beauty. I’m not in the position to call myself a “company” at this time right now, but what I’m most proud of as a photographer is that I’ve met so many amazing people and made some great friends and connections internationally while I’m on this photography journey. I think what sets me apart from others is my editing. I edit very naturally because people want to look beautiful and “perfect” in their photos, but I don’t want them to look over-retouched or too smooth because then that’s when it starts to get fake looking.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I think almost everyone I’ve met that I consider a friend deserves credit I can’t specify just one person. All the people I consider a friend have and continue to impact me in amazing ways just from life advice all the way to business advice. It’ll be selfish of me to give just one person a shout out and not everyone else.

Contact Info:

• Phone: 678-492-3164
• Email: [email protected]
• Facebook: _ryanstokes
• Instagram: _ryanstokes

Image Credit:
Patrick English, Ryan Stokes

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