Tom’s guest today, Lou Jones, is a long-time Boston freelance photographer. Lou received his degree in physics and you could say he was well on his way to becoming a rocket scientist, until he found his way to the art of photography. Since then, he has spent his career blending the commercial and editorial sectors. Through personal and long-term projects, Lou is working to effect change in how the world views different social issues.
In this episode, Tom and Lou talk about…
- Considering photography as a career choice from a start in physics
- Starting to build his own sense and skills as a photographer
- Perseverance through racism and other early obstacles
- Blending the commercial and editorial sectors
- Learning to navigate cold calls to make your way into the room
- Reaching a broader audience through the use of social media
- Using personal projects as a means to attract clients
- How social components of photography have changed over time
- Working to effect thinking about the realities of Africa
- Biggest challenges facing the team with the effort to cover all of Africa
- What brings Lou joy being a photographer
- Sustaining creativity after amassing such a large amount of experience
- Engaging the public in the value of work that photographers do
- Serious advice for anyone looking to become a great professional photographer
Links to resources:
Lou Jones’ website: https://www.fotojones.com/
Lou Jones’ Pan Africa Project: https://panafricaproject.org/about-the-panafricaproject/
Lou Jones’ Instagram: @loujonesstudio
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