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

Anthony, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

I’ve always been a creative at heart, whether it was through painting or expressing my art in photographs. Art has always been my driving force. Friday, May 20th, 2022 I attended a Slayyyter concert with my small point and shoot film camera and was able to capture some really cool pictures of an artist I love, when quickly, they surfaced on Slayyyter’s Instagram the next morning. I guess this would be the pin point of where my career in editorial photography started. This lead to lots of different opportunities of working with other amazing artists, and the beginning of my editorial photography. The next couple months were crazy. I began to book shows left and right and it was all about capturing the artist on stage in a non-conventional way. I didn’t want my photos to look like a stereotypical concert shot, I wanted them to read editorial.

In the beginning of 2023 is when I started shooting editorials in the city of Detroit. I was so incredibly inspired by the city and my basic senses, like sound and smell. This might sound funny but when my subject asks for a digital vision board prior to shooting, I’d rather send them a song that inspired me to shoot a particular concept compared to sending them a literal image i’d like to imitate. Through vision boards, it feels like we’re recycling concepts and ideas and there isn’t much room for interpretation.

When planning a conceptual editorial shoot, I’d rather look into historical references or music that made me feel a certain type of way that inspires a particular idea or look. The designers are a big part of the conceptual process as well. A garment can do a whole lot more than just sit on a subjects body. It can teach, it can inspire, it can move. That being said, the subject(model) is my primal source of inspiration.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

My name is Anthony Kabiity. I’m a 22 year-old Lebanese born editorial photographer now living in Detroit, Michigan. My work ranges from film to digital and I’m extremely inspired by the arts. I want to bridge the gap between editorial and unconventional beauty and make it that unconventional is conventional. My craft is my child. When conceptualizing, it’s almost like carrying a child for 9 months and finally giving birth to it when the project is complete. My style of shooting is very specific. I think you can see a pattern throughout my images, as I like to tell a story through emotion.
One of my favorite shots is of Korto Jackson holding her braids and screaming off camera. It supposed to be a visual analogy of the “angry black woman” stereotype. I love that image so much.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I think it’s so important that whether you have an audience of 4, or an audience of 40,0000 to just share your work and publish it like 40,000 people are watching. One thing I have learned throughout the past two years of creating and sharing my work to social media is that you never know who is watching and who can come across your work. I’ve gotten dms and emails from huge people that have literally sent me in a spiral because I didn’t think they would ever come across my page. Next thing you know, I’m in a green room with an artist I’ve listened to for ages. Share! Share! Share! Do not be discouraged if you have a small following. Create and share like the world depends on it because consistency is everything.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist/creative is having the opportunity of sharing that joy of creating art with my client or subject. When I’m conceptualizing a shoot, it’s a collaborative process. Majority of the time, my clients are not creatives so letting them in on my process is so exciting. There really is such a bond when you make art with someone. It’s all about being vulnerable, letting your guard down and most importantly, being receptive on both ends.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anthonykabiity.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/anthonykabiity
• Twitter: twitter.con/kabiity
• Other: https://www.vogue.com/photovogue/photographers/322625

Image Credits
all image credits to Anthony Kabiity