Meet Faith Kotee | Photographer & Film Director

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

Hi Faith, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I often feel like I fall just outside of what’s considered “mainstream” or “commercial”. I find that when one feels there is no space for them, it’s an act of self love to create that space for themselves, which is exactly what I did when I formulated faith’s lens; it’s me, creating a space for myself.

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’m a fine art photographer as well as a film director. I’m most proud of the journey of discovering what I want to say and how I want to present myself as a visual artist. It was extremely challenging dealing with the imposter syndrome, the lack of trust in my capacity to learn and understand this craft, and the comparisons I made between myself and my peers. I think I overcame this when I realized just how subjective this art form truly is; as long as you’re staying true to what you believe in and what you like, then you’re right where you should be. I want my brand to represent those who feel similarly stuck outside the box of what they understand to be “the right way”—sometimes it’s important to be right where you are! The box can be a trap of never-ending comparisons and self-doubt, so I want my brand to speak to those who are ready to step out for a breath of fresh air. It takes a true knowing of self, and a lot of mental strength, but you’re stronger than you think you are.

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.
I’m a huge nerd, so I love Second Sundays at the High Museum or The Arts Atlanta at Underground (which is so cool!). I also enjoy hanging out at Peter Street Station, and every now and again I hop on Eventbrite or I follow ElevateATL for local artistic events, like galleries or fashion shows. When it comes to food, Atlanta has so much to offer! The catfish spaghetti at Breakfast at Barney’s is phenomenal; bottomless mimosas at Casa Almenara are always fun; for fancier dining, the Dirty Rascal at the Thompson Buckhead is delightful, and 9 Mile Station at Ponce City Market has great food and the best views of the city. Finally, for a chill day, biking on the Beltline is a fun activity to calm your mind, followed by a nice picnic at Piedmont on a Sunday.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
When I first emerged as a filmmaker, I advertised myself as a cinematographer. I remember applying for a gig as such, for a television series proof-of-concept that wasn’t fully written yet. The writer’s name is Rafael Solece, and our interview was the most fun I’d had on a phone call! He sent me the script, and I was so overconfident and audacious at the time that I gave him notes! Any other writer would’ve simply fired me and moved on, or put me in my place. But he invited me to auditions and introduced me as the director of the series….and we just rolled with that! I’d like to believe that he saw it in me before I was even honest enough with myself to see that directing was my real passion. So, this shout out goes to Rafael Solece and Sweetboy Productions; thank you for seeing me!

Website: https://www.faithslens.com/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itsfaithslens?igshid=NzZhOTFlYzFmZQ==

Image Credits
Photographer- faith Q