Art Concept Magazine: Introduce yourself to our readers and tell a little bit about what you do.
The.Vxsionary: I’m the Vxsionary, I do photography and I direct videos.
ACM: How did you get into the Media Production Industry
VX: I started out taking pictures of my shoes and then from that I started taking pictures of models and I used to take pictures of myself all the time as a way to express myself and from that it just grew as a saw I was just good at it, and I kept going.
ACM: What do you think made you different from others in the same field
VX: I think what made me different is, probably like my style of editing and the subjects I take pictures of.
ACM: Why do you think your photos get so much attention on social media and the internet in general?
VX: I think it gets that attention because of the story I attach to it. Through my art I attach my story to it and from that I grew my platform, my fanbase and then, like I said, the unique style of editing, I don’t think people had seen that before, so its kinda new to them.
ACM: Are there any artists or anything in general that have influenced the way you make your art or why you make your art
VX: Nah, I think that’s what makes me a little different. When I found out about photography I was just doing like my own thing I didn’t know about any photographers and stuff like that before I started so I think that’s what’s so unique about it, its like my own style that I came up with. That I like to say I came up with.
ACM: Has that [your style] changed at all through the process of you shooting and doing more shoots? Do you still not get inspiration from other photographers work or just other places?
VX: I mean now I try to draw back from that because I Don’t want my work to look like somebody else’s. I know on social media its easy to get caught up in that.
ACM: What advice would you give to a photographer/videographer that is just getting started in the industry
VX: I would say like, network a lot and find your own style that you like and stick to it.
ACM: What are your plans for The Vxsionary brand in the next year
VX: I want to get into art shows and start showcasing my art. I’ve never blown up any of my pictures or anything like that so I want to do that and I also want to drop a photo book.
ACM: What keeps you motivated to work the long hours and keep going in an industry that's so competitive
VX: Yeah, lately ive been a little unmotivated, but my long-term goals are what really keep me motivated. I know I have a lot of stuff I still what to accomplish so I try to use that as motivation and as far as competition goes I don’t really pay attention to that really. I don’t really think its competition when it comes to art. I feel like everybody got their own style, its just a matter of finding your own clientele. I think competition comes in when people want the other person’s clientele then its like trying to win it over that’s where the competition comes in at. Other than that though, I’m just self-motivated.
ACM: What is one thing you’ve had to sacrifice to have the success that you do?
VX: My ego, I had to sacrifice my ego and also shit, sleep. Relationships really, like I don’t know I sacrificed a lot to get where I’m at cause I was at because I had to isolate myself to focus on what I was doing. And when I was working and stuff it kept me away from a lot of people so, like regular conversations and stuff like that I kinda shied away from like small talk and stuff like that I don’t know, [that] made me a little awkward now, cause I was literally focused on one thing for like two or three years, I haven’t even noticed that three years have passed since I dropped out [of college] so, yeah.
ACM: Can you talk a little bit about your college experience?
VX: College was, cool to be around people that were like aspiring for something else like long-term, but for me I was depressed, yeah I was depressed. I didn’t like school at all and I felt like I should be doing something else and that’s what like led me to dropping out. I wanted to see what I can do on my own.
ACM: Does living in the south and having the type of photography industry that’s in the south, do you feel like it hinders you or it helps you?
VX: For my the culture is like, it can be limiting and it can be helpful cause its like you can take over your culture and stuff but its like the hip-hop industry and stuff like that is not necessarily deemed acceptable in like other cultures and stuff like that. Like the type of stuff I take pictures of I wouldn’t feel comfortable necessarily sharing it with like a particular type of art gallery, because my style is like new and raw. I don’t feel like our culture has been documented the way that I’m documenting it. Or that its being documented now.
ACM: Is there anything else that you want our readers to know?
VX: I just want to go on record and say I’m going to be a millionaire off of photography, just want to proclaim that right now. I like speaking shit into existence.