We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michael Martin Jr. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michael below.
Michael, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?
The kindest thing anyone has ever done for me was taking a chance on me and believing in me. Those are two of the most important things that anyone could do for a young man in his early twenties trying to navigate this world. The stories I have to share would be too long for this article, but I am eternally grateful for everyone who has supported me and given me the opportunity to share my talents with the world. To my family at YBG/Paradym; without your guidance and mentorship, I wouldn’t be the man I am today; whether it was sending me across the stage for my high school graduation 5 years ago, providing me with opportunities to meet influential people, be a part of amazing events and creative ventures, housing; you guys have done wonders in my life and my only wish is that I can repay your efforts with my future success.
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?
For those who haven’t read about me before, allow me to re-introduce myself; my name is Michael Martin Jr, “The People’s Photographer”, CEO of M&M Photography, LLC. I am a professional fashion photographer, with 2 NYFW shows and one Bronx Fashion Week show currently under my belt at 23 years of age.
I shoot all things commercial and fashion with fashion portraiture being my specialty. My work style is very distinct in which you’ll see that it is very sharp, yet not too harsh, and it has a very smooth flow to it. I tend to use warm colors like shades of browns and other neutral tones, with hints of yellows and reds for highlights. This, to me, is how I best showcase the beauty of Melanin and the beauty of Black people.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson I had to unlearn: People in the creative field can be successful too. Growing up in the Jamaican culture, it was not common to see anyone do anything entrepreneurial or artistic of any sort. Every one that I knew had a normal job; medical field, education, so naturally, I had ambitions to follow suit. I wanted to become an environmental scientist as I had developed a love for earth science at an early age. As I got older, my way of thinking shifted and I started becoming obsessed with the idea of wanting more out of life; I didn’t want to do what everyone else was doing and I knew that I was destined for big things but I didn’t know how or what to do and how I would even get there. Photography found me at 15 years old and it was then that I found my gateway to the life I wanted. It was tough trying to unlearn the mindset that was taught to me; I no longer had ambitions to work 30-40 years of my life; I wanted to travel, see the world, and create a meaningful life that I enjoy.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative to me is seeing your hard work paying off, be it the finished productt of your work, or an award won, or an opportunity being presented to you. Knowing that your long hours and early mornings and sleepless nights have transformed into something that can be life changing for the better is a feeling second to none.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/capture.myworld
Image Credits
Model 1: wished not to be named
Model 2: @tmbforrreal