#INDUSTRYTALK: SKIN TONES

Greetings #IndustryTalk fam! Long time no talk and my apologies! As an artist I strive to work with other great artist, but also to work in other places. I frequently travel and have yet to work abroad until my past birthday this year. For my 28th birthday I went to Hong Kong, Macau, Paris and London. Whilst in Europe I did two photo shoots. One being the shoot I have to dish about below and another we’ll get to on a seperate blog. I met Chesterfield Hector on social media when his Skin Tone photos popped up on a stream. Several liked pics later and I was sending a DM to see if he was available. As many may have realized social media is great in connecting people as well as for networking. It’s pretty much the millennials resume!

“ Several liked pics later and I was sending a DM to see if he was available.”

I woke up in my Paris hotel around 04:30 to head to the airport. Keep in mind I had just flown into Paris the previous day and had spent the better half of the night partaking in food and spirits with friends. After 1.5 hours waiting in the London customs line I was ready to go- to shoot, to explore, to see what had changed since my previous trip in 2016. I boarded the train and recalled the first time I took the tube and the hot guy across from me back in 2016. Two trains and one double decker bus... London style later I was on the other side of London away from the tourist on a studio lot ready to shoot with this inspiring photographer. In America our history has focused so much on colourism and skin tones that we sometimes find ourselves thinking we aren’t as attractive or marketable because we aren’t of a certain tone or color. The entertainment industry was the predominant place I was rejected on grounds of me either not being black enough, too black, not gay enough, too gay… it’s the one career field that the lines of discrimination are erased. We tell ourselves that talent will outweigh the rejections- but in reality we know that because of what we look like that can either help or hinder us. These pressures can cause so many mental health issues and body dysmorphia issues. I always tell aspiring artist the truth about the entertainment business as it is tough.

“We tell ourselves that talent will outweigh the rejections- but in reality we know that because of what we look like that can either help or hinder us.”

Chesterfield being Caribbean raised himself I’m sure felt the same pressures. As some older southern relatives would say “stay out of the sun or you’ll get too dark.” As a child I never paid much attention to warnings as such. However in today's political climate where black men and women are being murdered and all people of color the target of racial injustices and being labeled as terrorists, criminal immigrants or thugs it’s inspiring for an artist to bring out the beauty in all shades of color. To show the diversity in humanity. Chesterfield’s work whether he meant it in this way or not inspired me and made me think of the times we’re living in as well as pushing the envelope on acceptance. Accepting ourselves as well as others. That’s also directed towards other POC who judge one another based on skin tones.

For any of my fellow artist traveling across the pond in need of a great photographer I implore you to give him a shot! Also check out his coffee table book Skin Tones! I also must thank my dear friend Tanvir and his family. I had stopped by on my way to the airport and his mother & sister hearing that I hadn’t eaten all day started cooking for me and sent me back to Paris with several containers of delicious food. Her birthday was a few days before mines so she tried to give me her birthday cake being that I was working the whole day. But hey that’s the business!

PHOTOG BIO:

“Chesterfield was born in London and lived in the Caribbean during his formative years. When he turned 21, he returned to London.

In 2012 he was a finalist in the Adidas -Take the Stage competition. In 2017 he published his first book, SKIN TONES. The book celebrates diversity and the message that beauty comes in all different shapes.

His photos have appeared in publications such as Charlatan Magazine, Stark Magazine, The Daily Mail, Adon Magazine, and Ohlala Magazine.” - Website Credit