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

Hi Willis, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
An unyielding work ethic. Whenever I got bummed out I would just redirect that energy into making more work.

I think tenacity is a major part of success. I think luck is too, but lottery winners don’t run in my family to I have to do my part by having talent and having tenacity

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I do photography and my main focus is in a genre called “southern vernacular” I also do “reportage”. The lens of my work is focused in fine art.

I’m proud of my work being published in the national magazine “Mother Jones” and i feel especially proud when i sell some work to a client.

I think to myself: “Van Gogh only sold 1 painting while he was alive” and so at this point; i think I’m doing pretty good.

I think i got to where im at now by never accepting the answer “no” for something i wanted to do. And continuously staying motivated in the face of adversity.

If i have any advice to someone it’s to become a subject matter expert in what you’re doing. Become a master in that thing. Show to everyone looking that you have every right to be there.

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.
MJQ, controllerise, mood to move, would be the spaces I’d take them to.

Food wise:

The varsity
Fish Mongers
2 Urban Licks
The Sundial
South City Kitchen

I’d also hike Stone Mountain with them so they could see the city from a distance

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To Elizabeth Turk and Michael James O’Brien. Both are two professors at the Savannah college of art and Design who have been incredibly supportive to me

Instagram: _TrapLanta_

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