Meet Demetrius Williams | Photographer

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

Hi Demetrius, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
There is not much that I am NOT inspired by. Inspiration surrounds me in day-to-day life but when I need a boost, traveling to different countries and experiencing different cultures never ceases to provide added inspiration. I am inspire by the countless ways that different cultures go about their daily lives. It reminds me that there is no single correct way to live life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am the founder of Usual Suspects Photography, LLC. I am a photographer who prefers a more natural (photojournalistic) style of shooting (less post-editing and more concentration on telling the story). I believe in celebrating the NATURAL beauty of anything I photograph.

Two of the things I am most excited about are my ongoing “Naturally You Project” where I photograph women from all walks of life with NO make-up in celebration of the natural/unique beauty inherent in everyone – regardless of perceived “flaws”. Also, the Inspire/Aspire Photography Retreats I created in 2017 as a means to inspire photographers (professional, amateur and hobbyist alike) to travel to locales they might not normally think of visiting. My retreats began as an annual trip to Cuba, but has since expanded to destinations such as Morocco, Peru, Bali and Tanzania/Zanzibar.

My current success was DEFINITELY not easy. It took years of trial-and-error, honing (and constantly evolving) my craft, and building trust with my clients. A primary lesson I’ve learned along the way is to never allow setbacks to discourage you. Take each setback or failure as a lesson and learn from it in order to comeback even better than before.

I am constantly evolving. There are always ideas for new photo projects and new destinations for my retreats, but my clients ALWAYS come first. If you are in front of my camera, my top priorities are to 1. Make sure you are comfortable in front of my camera, and that you are having fun; and 2. Make sure you are happy with the finished product.

For those on my photography retreats, my first goal is to make it easy to travel to places they may never have thought they’d be able to go. While we are there, I encourage immersion into whatever culture we are visiting (my retreats are not resort-style retreats. We stay among the people). Finally, I always want everyone to return from the retreat with not only a better understanding of photography, but also a better understanding of the culture of each destination.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots in the city include:

– Little 5 Points – great area for artistic expression that also has good restaurants and my favorite music store; Moods Music.
– Ponce City Market – Pretty much anything you’d want to eat can be found in Ponce City Market. There is also a City Winery located there if you’d like to take in a live show, a rooftop featuring Skyline Park – games, mini golf, vintage amusements and a breathtaking view of Atlanta’s skyline.
– You can’t come to Atlanta without visiting the home and neighborhood of our most beloved Civil Rights leader; Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
– Finally, there is the Georgia Aquarium – the largest aquarium in the world…and right next door is the Center for Civil & Human Rights.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My father – Chandos Carl Williams. He introduced me to photography as a child and while I showed little interest back then, I believe he was instrumental in my current love for photography.

Also, the late Anthony Bourdain – while I never had the pleasure of meeting him in person, he HEAVILY influenced my love for travel and immersing myself in the culture of where ever I visit.

Website: https://usphotog.com

Instagram: @suspexceo

Facebook: https://facebook.com/usualsuspectsllc

Other: Instagram page for IAP Retreats: @iapretreats

Image Credits
All images ©Demetrius Williams for Usual Suspects Photography, LLC