We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Norrel Blair a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Norrel, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
One of the most meaningful projects I took upon myself was my “Queer American Road Trip” photo series in 2021. It was a literal road trip over two weeks when I was moving myself from South Florida to Los Angeles, that also allowed me to photograph queer people throughout all my stops- including, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc.
To me, it was important these portraits not only exemplified what queerness meant to each to person, but how it juxtaposed with the natural beauty of the world around them(which in many cases, is also queer in itself). Additionally, I wanted these to feel like a diary/snapshot of who they were in the time we photographed these together, so I collected handwritten journal entries and doodles from each person and integrated these into the photos themselves.
My work as a queer artist began by wanting to showcase the queer people around me in Orlando, Florida- so it only made sense that when given the opportunity to travel through the country, I used this opportunity to showcase queer people across the United States.
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.
Before I was even a junior in high school, my artistic journey began in South Florida as a contributing concert photographer- in fact, the very first show I ever shot was Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution, and over the next year, I photographed Katy Perry, Nine Inch Nails & Jane’s Addiction, and even Ultra Music Festival in Miami… to name a few.
Despite this sounding like “the dream,” my artistic interests began to pivot toward queerness as I grew older and found my own queerness beginning to blossom. By the time I eventually graduated in college, I made the decision to focus my work solely on queer people & expression- it not only helped me navigate my own queerness, but also served to inspire other queer people.
One aspect of my work that people seem to have picked up is the way I allow my models to really express themselves. Perhaps, because I came from background shooting concerts where I had no direct control over the subjects, this bled into my approach as a queer artist. While I still retain executive decision on many factors, I always allow the model to express themselves naturally(with some guidance on direction) first, and see where this takes us in our journey together.
Perhaps, also, this ethos is how I set myself apart. My inspiration growing up came mostly from fashion magazines and album artworks of my favorite musicians, which all felt “too posed” to me. There’s no greater of sense of freedom for me in my work than relinquishing control, and allowing the model to feel their own freedom.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Madonna, Madonna, Madonna.
Her career is the biggest inspiration to me, because she built it on a foundation based on the the simple idea that she shouldn’t have to pivot herself or vision as an artist just to make someone else comfortable. She made a career out of being unconventional, sticking out, being herself, and always moving FORWARD, instead of backwards.
It’s no wonder why she’s struck a chord with a largely queer audience, or people who find themselves a bit on the fringe, and no wonder why she has had such a significant impact on my own work, and my own philosophies as an artist.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I touched on this earlier, but pivoting from my work as a concert photographer to a queer artist.
Regardless of the perks and the artists I was shooting, it wasn’t speaking to me or fulfilling anything for me as an artist, and I couldn’t continue pouring my energy into a situation like that as it would not have been sustainable or beneficial in the long run.
Additionally, I realized being able to create work for a smaller, niche audience would be a better way to re-launch myself and my work. This probably was supported by my academic background in Advertising, but creating work targeted at a specific audience helped me find my footing and gain a following online.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://norrelblair.com/
- Instagram: @nrrlblr
- Twitter: @nrrlblr