We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Michael Ellison a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Michael, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
I came up with Double Rim Slim when I was at my lowest point. I was dealing with the lost of my dad and grandma, the pandemic was at its highest point causing me to be out of work and my car got totaled. I felt like my photography career came to standstill and I wanted to switch my focus to a solo project. Besides photography, Basketball is another passion of mine. Basketball played a huge part in helping me deal with everything going on in my life at the time. I already had photos of few basketball hoops and thought what if I expand on photographing basketball courts while telling a story and making my audience feel nostalgia. I started going to basketball courts around Baltimore, MD capturing each court uniqueness from the lines to the wear and tear on the nets. while documenting and sharing my work, I realized there is whole community of hoop hunters i’ll say from all over the world documenting basketball courts. This didn’t stop me because I knew what I had was special. this project is connected to so many things in my life and felt so natural to me I couldn’t abandoned it. I feel like with the feelings my art brings out in others is why it will continue to grow and succeed. I had friend tell me my work makes her interested in a sport she never cared to watch. Hearing how I can touch others through my art motivates me to continue documenting courts not only in my city but every where I visit.
Michael, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
My name is Michael Ellison and was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. I graduated from Morgan State University in 2016 with B.S. in Transportation Systems. while in college, bought a camera because I started falling in love with photography. I would do free shoots with family and friend and go on photowalks to build my portfolio. I have photographed parties, lifestyle/portrait, product photography and weddings. There was a lot to learn starting my career in photography liking learning the correct settings, scouting a location and finding your own style. while working with clients I want them to feel as comfortable as possible because when you feel great it shows in your pictures. one thing I learned to help with that is posing models. Helping my clients get the right pose and angle for the photo helps ease their mind and loosen them up a bit to have a fun successful photoshoot. i want my clients to look their best so I make sure we have all the shots we need before calling it a day. Besides photoshoots i have done an Art Show and sold prints of my work. out of all prints I’ve sold, the one that sold the most was taken on my iPhone while on date. it just goes to show you that your best work can be created at any given time and that you don’t always need the top of the line gear to create a timeless piece. Being timeless matters to me. I want my photographs to be viewed for years to come, studied in classrooms and inspire others to pick up a camera and capture what they see. people will not remember how many followers you had but will remember how your work impacted them.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To me, having your work resonate with so many others is the most rewarding aspect of being an artist. It feels good when someone sees a photograph and know you took that photograph or hearing people say your work inspired them to pursue their dreams. I think about some of the most iconic photos ever taken and how the photographer captured a moment in time that unlock feelings in people. Nathaniel S. Butler has taken some of the most iconic photos in NBA history such as Michael Jordan being helped of court by Scottie Pippen after scoring 38 points in 44 minutes in a 90-88 Bulls win known as the “Flu Game” That photo has been recreated a million time, put on clothes, made into posters, and more. when you see that photo your mind instantly telling you what time period that was. you are able to put yourself there or remember were you were during that event. the ability to do that with a photo you’ve taken make you timeless.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Pretty much on Instagram, I stayed consistent with everything from posting to who I follow. I try to post everyday if not at least 3 times a week. I only follow accounts that share the same niche or similar to mine. You want to interact and build connections with your audience and potential partners. Answer Dms (that are not spam) reply to comments and try to show your personality in your stuff to make stand out from the rest. Don’t be afraid to try different things or tools because its more than one way to connect with your audience and you never know what works best for you and your page until you try.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Doublerimslim
- Other: doublerimslim@gmail.com