Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Washington.
Hi Joshua, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My creative story started in high school. I was tasked with filming a commercial for the weekly sports telecast. I choose to copy a famous Nike commercial. I’ll never forget the moment my teacher told me that my commercial would air that week. From that moment on, I fell in love with production and the world of creativity. I majored in Broadcast Production at North Carolina A&T State University. While there, I produced several shows and podcasts. Senior year, I purchased my first camera and I started my business. Already having a reputation, I was hired by classmates and friends to capture photoshoots and music videos. After graduating, I had trouble finding a job within communications. Around this same time, Atlanta was starting to break ground in film and entertainment. With a little confidence and huge leap of faith, I begin promoting myself as an entrepreneur. Things didn’t change right away, but with persistence, calls begin to come in quickly. With film and entertainment growing, the production market grew saturated. The only way I would remain successful was through evolving. I shifted my focus from working on client projects to bringing my dreams to light. I begin entering film festivals and taking advantage of photography sharing platforms. Fast forward to now, I have produced several independent films and self-published two coffee-table books.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Early on, I struggled with imposter syndrome. I’ve captured incredible moments and deleted the files because I felt they weren’t good enough. I intentionally avoided competitions and showcases because in my eyes, my work was only subpar. Part of the reason I struggled with this was because of the lack of applause, also known as recognition. I would share my work on various social media platforms and would receive minimum likes and shares. To me, that was an indicator that my work was average at best. Because of this, I begin creating content that I thought my audience wanted to see. The content was fine, but I wasn’t being true to myself. After many great conversations with mentors and other entrepreneurs, I realized that finding your voice was a part of the process. Eventually, I found my voice and started creating what I wanted to. I overcame my struggles through believing in my true self and finding the right audience.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I visited my cousin who was living in Montreal at the time. As he was showing me around the neighborhood, I noticed an alleyway with amazing graffiti. Although I noticed the alley immediately, he’d never saw it. I thought to myself, how cool would it be to discover art in our day-to-day activities. When I returned home, I created the concept Leaving Art Around. I printed over 100 Polaroids of my work and literally left them in random places. Riding Marta? You’ll see my work on a bus window. Shopping in Midtown? You’ll see my work in a dressing room. There were hundreds of my photos spread throughout the city of Atlanta. I converted this idea to a coffee-table book. The book featured the Polaroids and locations of where I left each photo! Most recently, I self-published a second coffee-table book, this time I captured the photos with a drone. In the book, you’ll see incredible skylines, farmlands, mountains, all within 30 minutes of Atlanta city limits. Staying true to form, I left Polaroid prints around at the World Series and the SEC title game. Although video production is my first passion, photography is a close second. I specialize in landscape and nature photography. Every photo I’ve taken comes with a story. Every photo I’ve taken is a reflection of who I am as a person and that’s what sets me apart.
What matters most to you? Why?
Laughing matters to me most. Laughter is the best medicine and I love giving my family and friends large dosages of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/joshua-washington/above-all-else/hardcover/product-68r4ye.html?page=1&pageSize=4
- Instagram: @therapeuticphoto
Image Credits:
All but one photo was taken by me: Joshua Washington The photo of me standing with book bag on in Canada was taken by: Billy Parker
