We were lucky to catch up with Gyasi Tsarnas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Gyasi , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

My parents always encouraged me to follow my dreams and do whatever my heart called me to do. When I took an interest in photography as a kid, they got me a Canon DSLR and told me to take pictures and videos of whatever I wanted. They wanted me to try and find my own style and to learn as much as I could, which I will always be grateful for. So, as I got older and started to get more equipment, make better projects, and develop my own way of doing things that encouragement from them continued. Whenever I felt demoralized about something or I had that urge to give up, they would always tell me to keep at it. I always keep their kind words in my head when I’m dedicating myself to a project, because I know that if I gave up or let the struggle get to me then their work to support me was for nothing.

Gyasi , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name’s Gyasi Tsarnas. I go by Nixon, often stylized as nxndii online, and I’m a writer, photographer, videographer, and editor, among other things. I originally started out as just taking photos and writing for fun, but now I’m looking to expand into more artistic things. I try to get involved in photoshoots, making videos and short films, writing scripts and making edits, and just making overall higher-quality content. I want to tell stories that people find relatable and can feel emotion over, whether they laugh, cry, or think pretty hard, as long as they come away from one of my projects feeling something, then I think I’ve done my job. I think I bring a nuanced perspective to things that you can’t find in others. I have a different outlook on life and how I conduct myself, so I feel like that quality of mine sets my work apart from everyone else. I’ve had the privilege of making a lot of things, but the one I’m most proud of was working with my friend Julian Parke, aka Dominsquis, with the rollout for his album “ANDWEPARTIED…”. I got the chance to shoot all the promotional videos and photos and direct everything that was advertising the album. That’s a project I will always have love for, not just because a good friend asked for help, but because I was given creative freedom and the chance to direct it. I’d like everyone to know that I’m the next man up.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect for me is seeing the finished product. I love all aspects of the creative process, but watching it all pay off is the biggest reward. Shooting and editing videos can be fun, but once it’s finally posted and I can watch that final product that has been put out there, I feel a sense of accomplishment. It’s weird, but I like to go and watch my videos on YouTube after I’ve posted them or look at photos I’ve taken after they’ve been posted like I’m a different person who’s stumbling across them for the first time. I like to remove myself and see my own work in that final form, which really helps me enjoy it rather than look for mistakes or criticize something I worked hard on. Getting feedback and seeing how people react to the fruits of my labor is another aspect that I enjoy, too. Whether it’s good or bad, just knowing someone is seeing what I do is a rewarding feeling.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

For me, the best way to gather clientele has been just talking to people in a genuine way. I don’t go into conversations thinking, “I’m going to try and get this person to ask for photos, videos, etc etc,” I try to to just be myself. If what I do comes up in conversation and they’re interested, then great, but if not, then at least I got the chance to meet a new person. Everyone I work with is someone I’m comfortable with or would even consider a friend, and I feel like that has helped me grow my clientele. I do my best to make everyone I work with comfortable and heard, and in turn, they refer other people to me because of the personal touch I provide.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxndii.exe/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gyasi-tsarnas-02007b32b/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@nxndii?si=LsI5awftlfnq_Fum