Meet Edan Edmonson | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Edan Edmonson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Edan, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
As a creative, and especially true of photographers, we spend most of our time seeing the end. We visualize the end result of a shot well before we even lift the camera to our eye and when there isn’t a camera available we take mental photographs, After a lifetime of seeing the world in these rectangular and forever ending moments, I hope to be at a point in my professional career that I can bring it all to a final end and still be creatively happy with every “ending” I have created.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Every time someone asks “Is photography hard?” I immediately think about Elle Woods when she told her man “like it’s hard?” when expressing how easy it was for her to get into Harvard Law School. Elle Woods’ journey to Harvard is the true embodiment of how I got started in photography. No, I didn’t have any public break-ups, but I was feeling rather bored with just working and going to school. So I took a photography class one semester just for the heck of it and I distinctly remember in the syllabus stating that all the assignments could be done with a cell phone camera. Well, a few lessons in and I got to a piece of homework I felt would have been done a great injustice had I not used an actual camera. So I went on Facebook Marketplace, found a nice Nikon D3300 for about $100 and the rest is history. Its been a little under a year now Nov. 22nd is my photography anniversary and boy has it been a whirlwind. Going from shooting golf balls using light bulbs and a yoga mat, to photographing professional models for editorial pieces in under a year can be daunting and very challenging.

Photography is hard and takes a lot of practice. I think the hardest thing is that you must understand not only the principles of photography and cameras, but also lighting and how lighting is more important than composition, camera settings, models, modifiers and the likes. Great photographers are great because they have a great understanding of light. Overcoming lighting challenges or even other challenges in photography just takes a lot of study and a lot of practicing. I look at it like this, for every 100 photos I might find 2 or 3 that I like, will edit and publish. That leaves 97-98 photos for the museums to choose from when deciding what pieces of mine to showcase after my death. This remembrance that even photos the great photographers hate made it to print or museums reminds me that mistakes are okay, even Beyoncé isn’t perfect.

I think my style, creatively, is very indicative of my continued struggle with ADHD. I’ll stick to one seemingly cohesive style, then all of a sudden I don’t like it any more and I switch it up again. I’m still also finding my niche so I’m just enjoying the creative journey and thankful that people trust me to photograph them at all. I get so much love from my friends, family, and I’m just now starting to get a little traction on Photography Twitter so we’ll see what style I land on. For now I’ll keep shaking the 8-Ball.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Taco Mac, Taco Mac, TACO MAC!

I have a deep love for mac n cheese and this restaurant does not disappoint.

Also,

Sweet Potato Cafe.

When it comes to things to do, Stone Mountain Park on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon is a lovely mood. Also, lately I have really enjoyed riding scooters through Piedmont Park. Hopefully the panorama wraps up here soon so we can all enjoy outside again. I’m sure once I move to the city full-time this list will grow but, as a commuter, these are my go to!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Who to shout out first is the real question!

Of course I must shout out my mom. I’ve been creating since I was in middle school and while she has seen the creativity take different forms, she hasn’t stopped supporting. Whether it’s booking me to help her on shoots, or marketing me to her friends, or even trying to buy prints, without her support, insight, and sometimes creative eye, I wouldn’t know where to turn to when I’m feeling stuck creatively.

Next would have to be my best friends Michael, Shamari, De’Andre, Darien, and Taylor. I can’t begin to express my gratitude for having all of these wonderful individuals in my life. From Micheal being my photography partner, to Shamari being the first person to see every photo, De’Andre who checks-in after every shoot, Darien who asks to model for even my crazy ideas, and finally Taylor my FaceTime creative director! I love them all so much and I’m so thankful for the support system.

Finally, gotta shout out my boy Ra’shad for being the first famous person & model to trust me with their image and continues to trust me even when its 9pm at night and I’m attempting to shoot in the dark.

Website: www.edanelon.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/edan.elon

Twitter: www.twitter.com/edanelon_

Image Credits
Model(s): Kenon Prevo, Jamyre, Brandon Jones Asst: Dorian Braxton