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

Joshua , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

We are not defined by what is done to us, but so often by how we respond to the cards we have been dealt by life. I’ve had the honor and privilege of watching so many amazing individuals take on some of the toughest of life challenges and still choose to walk in integrity, in kindness, in humility and love. Through this observance, I have been able to craft stories and take photographs that speak volumes to the people who come in contact with them. This shift in perspective is vital to the human condition. In my media company, we strive to share these stories and perspectives to impact the world, even if it is only a few viewers or readers. Any spark can light the fire that changes the world. While that might sound pretentious, these stories told by our family, our friends, or our communities,they stay with us, inspire us and enlighten us. Our mission at Si’emon Studios is to tell these stories with honesty and sincerity. If it is a family-owned restaurant in Arcadia like Moffett’s Family Restaurant or an amazing music artist like Chris Perkins telling his story through masterfully crafted songs and EP’s we find them where they are. We treat each story with depth and value. Whether it’s a big wedding event or a small family photoshoot, we are excited to find the why when working with our clients. It is the “why” that continues to carry us through the tough times when we don’t want to go on. It’s the light that I see when I look through the lens of a camera. It bleeds out of me as I write. The moment you see it, it never leaves you.

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 Joshua Si’emon Hays Jr. I am a writer and photographer. I’ve been a writer all my life filling notebooks up with stories, writing theater shows and poetry, whatever words and ideas came to my head. I never thought much of it until you look around and realize maybe there is something you can share in all this. Photography, on the other hand, fell into my lap as something I never thought I’d do. It began with taking an opportunity for weddings and church events, then it just grew into something more. I’m grateful to all of those first families that allowed me to capture their special moments with the lack of experience I had. But it sparked a fire that has not subsided in me to this day. I often find that the lens catches things I can’t express in my writing, and they complement each other so well! I began working as a freelance photographer and videographer, tackling each project with creativity and connection, and out of it came the vision of Si’emon Studios Media. A visual media and publishing company that really strives to capture and control the narrative. I am releasing a book this November called A Voyage on the Sea of Thought. It’s a short story and poetry anthology that explores all different aspects of life, from death to God and even our flaws as humans. I wrote it as a culmination of the stories I’ve witnessed and experienced, and it’s meant to show you different perspectives of life. As a writer, I look to challenge how you look at the world and why we believe what we do; as a photographer, I seek to find the sparks that light the fire in people’s souls. At Si’emon Studios, we offer to capture your life’s greatest moments so you can pass down these moments and stories. The greatest part of my creative journey is the connections I’ve been able to make, the amazing moments I’ve been able to capture and the creative freedom I can help collaborate with. My network and reach is, I think, the biggest thing that sets me apart from other photographers. As much as I believe in having a specific direction, one thing I love about this craft is the versatility. From portraits to products and real estate, I have made connections with individual people, all with dreams and goals of their own. If something I can do can help those dreams come into fruition in the sea of success, the rising tide raises all ships. So many people get so caught up in competition when there are so many amazing perspectives to explore instead of fighting. We should really help each other. Therefore, growing the audiences we connect with.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I truly think non-creatives struggle to understand the necessity of art and creating to an inherently creative person. It’s analogous to loving someone. Deep down, only you can say how much you need someone in your life and the impact they have on you, but when done right it really impacts the entire world around you. I will never be so pretentious to say there are not bigger problems than being able to create art. There are children dying in Gaza, and poor people in our own communities who deserve to be loved and attended to. However, it is also extremely important to realize that when we can’t find the words to express our grief, joy, sorrow or love, we seek the art that can. That is what makes human existence so special; it’s the desire for connection and growth. The desire to seek God and solace and justice, these things are not definitively tied to art, but art is definitely tied to them. Those people tied to these creative paths (at least in my case) can not walk away from them. It really affects your soul when you try. The more you try to let it go, the more it haunts you until you see it through. The great Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Most of us get to a point where we realize that maybe our art won’t make us millionaires. We could have made more money pursuing something else with our time, but our lives would be void of that much more color. The art we leave brings us so much more than just monetary gain; it helps us see ourselves and the people in our worlds better.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I think life is largely about how and what information we choose to process and let go of. The biggest for me to let go of and unlearn is the idea that I need to be trained or go to school or be like the leading artist or writer to be valid. Most importantly, I need someone’s permission to create great art to express how I’m feeling. There is no gateway; there is a craft that needs to be continuously pursued and fed into, but there is no magic door you walk through after a particular achievement that grants you the title of artist. Not that you shouldn’t study your craft, be a student of the greats in your art-form and be aware of the ground that broke before you. But you should make what calls to you, what God puts on your heart and your soul to build. It’s something I still struggle with frequently. I really think it’s a reason it has taken my first book so long to come out; it never feels good enough or up to the standards of the writers I admire. Yet in reality you never will, and you will never get better until you take the step and keep moving forward. I sit on so much good work just waiting for my art to get better, and I keep creating and keep taking photos and writing just to realize that so often so many people are invested in the process of watching you grow! That’s what can bring loyal customers and clients and fans to see how each new project can bring you closer to the mosaic that is your body of work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://siemonstudiosmedia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siemonstudiosphotography/#
• Other: https://medium.com/@jr.hays15

Image Credits

Jesse Lopez (Profile Pic)