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

Roosevelt, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I am actually self taught. My father gave me my first camera back in high school. It was either a birthday or Christmas gift. I don’t remember. Lol. I was doing music then, but once I got my camera, my focused changed. So, I spent a lot of time in Books-A-Million. Purchasing photography books, studying back to how the first camera was invented, & learning fundamentals. I also would purchase fashion magazines and figure out how to duplicate their images. That helped me understand how lighting worked.

I’ve been doing this for 23 years, so knowing what I do know, I believe my path was the necessary way for me. Aside from actually going to school, this new generation has access to, what I call, “YouTube University.” Whereas, when I was coming up, I didn’t have access readily at my fingertips in that manner.

The most essential thing I learned & value the most was the importance of knowing your camera & equipment. I began my career with a film camera. So, “KNOWING” what you were doing was vital. Understanding the full functionality of your camera was crucial because purchasing film wasn’t money you wanted to waste.

I don’t believe in obstacles. It sounds negative. Lol. I prefer to say learning challenges. But to be honest, nothing really got in my way of learning. What I wanted to know, I figured it out & I’m constantly learning to this day. Everyday is a new opportunity to learn something new to advance your business, increase your self-worth & value, or simply make yourself better. So, always be sure to do so.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Roosevelt Askew, III. I’m a photographer and businessman based out of Virginia.

I got started in the photography industry as a young man, in high school, who received his 1st camera as a gift. It started off as a hobby, but was to expensive to remain that. So, while still a public school student, I also became an entrepreneur and started my first business.

It took me going thru a series of ideas, but I finally narrowed down a name for my company…Creative Beauty Photography, LLC. I’ve been doing this for 23 years & absolutely love what I do!!! This camera has opened up many doors & opportunities to work with celebrities, top industry executives, and my favorites, which are your regular hard working individuals. Why are they my favorites? Because those are the ones you truly get to connect with. The ones you see the most genuine smiles from. It makes you feel good to see how a simple image, created from the push of a small button, creates such BIG memories that last forever and means so much. A birthday party, a baby shower, a wedding, etc.

My company provides services for anything that requires a camera. I don’t believe in limiting my options because that limits my growth. The only work I haven’t done yet is real estate photography, but we’ll tackle that soon as well.

We have a lot of fun with our clients. I believe in the authenticity of the image I’m capturing and that may be something that sets Creative Beauty Photography apart from others. I don’t believe in over editing an image, but more so focusing on the true beauty of what is. So, I keep it clean, crisp, & amazing!!!

I’ve seen a lot & been thru more, but have still managed to remain humble, grateful, & extremely optimistic about everything in life. I think that’s what I’m most proud of. I don’t strive for perfection, but instead focus on always being the best version of myself. I set that same goal in business as well. I keep God 1st & thank him for every blessing that comes my way.

Photography brings pure joy, excitement, & an intense enthusiasm that all of our clients see. You won’t regret booking with me & my team!!!

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

That the one’s that are closest to you are usually the last to support you. Have you ever heard of the “Crab in the Barrel” mentality? See, when you have crabs in a barrel, it’s always 1 that’s trying to get out. When that attempt is made, the others reach up & pull that 1 back down. Unfortunately, a lot of people think this way. They don’t mind seeing you do well, as long as it’s not better than them. It’s a sad thought process that many have. But the lesson to learn is to keep going, keep striving for greatness, & to conquer every setback. Your gift is designed to bless the world, not just the few you know. And once you discover your gift, it’ll make a way for you.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting is part of life! It’s like in basketball…You have the 1 pivot foot that stays in place. That foot represents the focus you have on your goals & dreams. In your hand is the ball, which represents your actual goals & dreams. The other foot is the one you move around to avoid defenders, which are the haters & life challenges, that try to knock your ball out of your hand. Now, sometimes, you have to pass the ball to a “teammate”. These are the people, divinely placed in your life, to help you succeed and win. And, of course, the ultimate goal is to get the ball in the basket as many times as possible. In doing so, that is representation of you fulfilling your destiny and purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.cbimagery.net
• Instagram: @cb804photography & @creativebeauty804
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Cr3ativeB3auty
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@creativebeautyphotographyl7213

Image Credits
1st image: (From Left to Right) Kendall Shelton(Model), Oneika Bristol(Wardrobe Stylist), Manuela Stortzer(Makeup Artist), myself 2nd image: (From Left to Right) Oneika Bristol (Wardrobe Stylist), myself, Sharee Murphy(Model), Matthew Reid(Photo Assistant) 3rd image: Trae Fuller(Model), myself, Oneika Bristol(BTS photographer) 8th image: Jack Rose(Model)