We were lucky to catch up with Evan Harris recently and have shared our conversation below.

Evan , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

I believe that I strive to not define or enclose myself into a particular niche like I see many others do. That’s absolutely fine if there is a certain niche you prefer to be in, but I love to explore various styles in terms of not only angles but editing styles, too. I think the way someone edits and showcases their work gives audiences a preview as to who that artist is, their aesthetic, and so on.

Being in Indiana, I usually see photographers implementing those warm, cozy, nostalgic, romantic, and bright styles into their work. I love that style because that’s how my work looked when I first started, but then I wanted to do something different, you know, “make waves” in what seems to be uniform, especially as a Black photographer.

I picked up dark, filmy, grainy styles and aesthetics, and I always get compliments and praises about how unique my work is, and it makes me feel great about deciding to break away from the uniformity of the typical photography I see in Indiana.

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 Evan Harris, and my brand is called Planet Nave Photography. I do various forms of photography, like headshots, couples, and weddings, but nothing has my heart more than creative editorial and studio shoots.

I am 25 years old, and I was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This place is not well known, because it’s not that big… only about 260,000 people (I know, that’s a big city to some, but not to me!), but being within a few hours of Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, and Columbus, there are plenty of quick getaway places if you need new scenery!

I started Planet Nave under “Navetography,” in 2017, and if you haven’t thought about it, “Nave” is simply “Evan” in reverse! I started out doing simple portraits around my college campus, and slowly gained recognition from many of my peers.

Something about my work: I love dark, grainy, filmy aesthetics, though I usually blend dark film vibes with cinematic looks. I was super inspired by many photographers, from the filmy grainy appeal of Riley Jean Photography to my mentor, Michaela, who does more of a warm, moody editorial style, as well as many others, because you would be reading all day. Pinterest is also my best friend, and where I gained many inspirations and put my own spin on works for fun sometimes.

My brand matches my art: dark and vibey. I recently rebranded, established brand colors, and revamped my website with By Kylie Devon… a Toronto-based designer and brand strategist. I went with a dark retro space theme to encompass not only who I am as a person (a giant space nerd), but also to greatly complement my work in its entirety.

As I mentioned earlier, I set myself apart by not confining myself to a niche. That’s boring. Why confine yourself when there are so many possibilities to explore? Also, being proud of my evolution in my creative processes and recognizing my growth through my journey as an artist, allows me to enjoy what I do.

I always pose this to potential clients if they are considering a photographer: “If you have similar vibes to me and are looking for a hype man to help boost your on-camera and off-camera confidence, as well as capture your special moments, or want to be daring, what else is there to consider?” I also add something like “Let’s get cosmic with it,” or “SPACE TF OUT” for a little spacey razzle-dazzle!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Something I had to unlearn is that the photography industry is not a competition and that imposter syndrome is real. During my first year in photography. I felt like there were many times when I found myself trying to compete with other artists to try and stand out in an industry of diverse styles.

I always had an internal battle to quickly climb the ladder but realized it was not helping at all. It was not a competition at all.

I had to learn to slow down and take time to learn the world of photography and immerse myself, not race to the top. I’m glad I followed my instinct.

Also, imposter syndrome can be a damaging thing. Sometimes, I still fight with it. I also see and hear other creatives talk about it, and I feel super relieved I am not alone. There are times I really hype my work up, but then, other times, I may need that affirmation from someone else more than I realize.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Getting the text in all-caps that screams “I’M IN LOVE WITH THESE PHOTOS,” always does it for me. I can’t help but have the biggest, ugliest grin whenever I receive these messages. They are extremely affirming that I am doing amazing, and eliminate any imposter syndrome I may have.

It always feels good to know clients appreciate and value your work. It’s such a rush of serotonin, I can’t even explain it.

Another thing I believe is extremely rewarding is finding new people to shoot with. I do not always shoot for money. Sometimes, I shoot just for content, and it’s amazing.

I have made some amazing friends from finding them on Instagram and taking pictures of them, as well as shooting with them over and over and watch how not only their evolution in front of the camera, but also my personal artistic evolution in terms of inspiration, and finding themes and aesthetics that would perfectly mesh with each person.

Contact Info:

• Website: planetnave.com
• Instagram: planetnavephoto
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/eharris21
• Twitter: planetnave

Image Credits
Credit to Planet Nave Photography