Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ishmael Hunter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Ishmael, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was my final photo project in undergrad. It was the first assignment where I had felt I had no limits which meant I was allowed to anything with mixing mediums and formats and topics. I knew from the start that I had wanted to do a project based on myself and how I grew up in the church. Being a pastors son meant that a lot if not all of my life was a little performative. Constantly living on display for the congregation or used as a reference point or example for other people to model themselves after. I did end up going back to church for the first time in a few years.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Ishmael Hunter. I’m an Afro-Latino photographer base in South Florida Miami. I mainly do portraits but street photography and landscapes are a very close second and third love. I really love traveling and photographing. whenever I am able to. I first learning photography through my dad and his photo company. He is the person who first taught me how to take photos and since then I’ve never stopped. Anything that involves taking pictures means I’m pretty much there. Cause of that I’ve done photoshoots for things like weddings, album covers, grad photos and for zines. Over the past few months I done more and more studio photography and self portraiture. In my last two shoots I’ve gone as far as getting in sculpture and mask making to further my work. I think the work I’m most proud of are the ones that get me into shows. But I also love my mask work right now, it’s the first time I’ve gone in with trying sculpture and who doesn’t love wrapping your own head with plaster. I think the only thing that I can confidently say that sets me apart from other photographers is just my vision, whatever project I do or I’m on I will always have my way of doing my work.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The clearest pivot I’ve made in my life was the decision to step away from my father and his business. For the longest I was his assistant for not just photo work but in life too. I would be there constantly and do arguably too much than what really should’ve been required. It wasn’t till I was literally thousands of miles away on another c continent and time zone that I first started to realize that I not only could but really needed to do things for myself. As an artist and a person. Which did cause a lot of tension after I came back and for a months after we weren’t on the best of terms but I was talking photos for my own work not just assisting what he was doing.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The mission that drives my creative journey is constant improvement and amassing more knowledge. I know I can get better at taking photos, I know I can learn more about my craft and its history, and I know I can expand than just taking photos but creative a story for people follow and related to.

Contact Info:

• Website: Ishmaelhunter.com
• Instagram: Ishmaelhunter_