The Innovator | An Interview with Photographer James C. Lewis

                                                   

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James C. Lewis in his studio

When walking into James C. Lewis’ home studio one can be easily captivated by the creative energy that emanates from his meticulously maintained space. His studio holds props and clothing from times past to present day—which he uses to create attention-grabbing photo narratives. I was most fascinated by the many photo albums that were neatly placed about. It was clear that his love and appreciation for photography started long ago—and the pictures, which are historical artifacts themselves—told amazing stories about his life and his family.

Great Great Grandmother Alice Hall with her children & grandchildren (circa 1913) in Statesboro,GA

James C. Lewis' Great Great Great Uncle Judson Lyons 

In a small town called Statesboro in GA, Lewis was born into a rich and well-preserved heritage, where stories were readily passed down from one generation to the next, and history was kept sound through images. Half of Lewis’ lineage can be traced directly back to Nigeria, and he retains the knowledge that a part of his ancestry were never slaves, but came to America by choice.

James C. Lewis at work in his studio

His great grandmother’s aunt, Jeane Hall Catlidge (b.1849) however, worked as a slave and was separated from her family at a young age. She was 16 years old when the slaves were emancipated. She told her stories to her family until her death at age 115 in 1964. Although his family (like many African Americans) faced many trials, there were also triumphs. One of the most prominent people in his family was his mother’s great granduncle, the Honorable Judson Whitlocke Lyons. He was one of America’s highest-ranking African American government leaders and was one of only four African Americans to sign US currency, an immeasurable accomplishment for any African American living during those times. Coming from such a varied and noteworthy background, it seems that Lewis was destined to leave his mark on the world.

                                                   
Lewis began drawing at age two. His mother noticed that he had a knack for it when he began drawing pictures in the books around the house. She eventually bought him a sketchbook so that he could redirect his artistic energy, and from there he began to develop his creative skills. He continued to draw through his young years, and at age ten he received his first camera. His father was an avid photographer, and enjoyed it as a hobby. He says of his first Polaroid camera, “With only 10 exposures, you really have to think about what you are going to shoot.” By age 13 he received what he called his first, “real camera.” He remembers seeing it at a yard sale in San Francisco, and being enamored with it. The old woman who was selling it saw his joy and interest, and decided to give it to him. She told him that maybe one day he would become a photographer. Unbeknownst to her, he was already on his way.

 

In high school he was admitted into a magnet art program, and he began taking more formal art classes, in addition to photography. He won his first art award from the American Press Association for a political cartoon that he created while in his junior year of high school, and that encouraged him to consider art as an optional degree in college. His mother was very supportive of his creative goals, but his father questioned his plans. In order to appease to them both, while finding his own path, he decided to pursue a degree in Visual Communications and Graphic Design because he wanted financial stability, and he felt that photography alone would not allow him that opportunity. Lewis graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 1998.

While working as a Graphic Designer, Lewis photographed weddings, and family events on the side. He thoroughly enjoyed photography, and wanted to challenge himself even more, so in 2007, he joined a website called Model Mayhem. It was on that website that he was able to meet new models, and his creative inspiration began to manifest. By 2008, Lewis, along with millions of other Americans, saw their jobs disappearing, and soon he found himself laid off. Placed in an unstable situation, it didn’t take long before he realized that he could turn to his photography full time. Lewis established his company Noire 3000(N3K) in 2008, and transitioned full time into his photography.

Lewis’ business has grown exponentially over the last five years, with models flying in from all over the country to work with him. He is fast becoming one of the most sought after photographers in the South. Many of the models that come to shoot with him come for the same reason—his innovative creative style. He shoots models from all backgrounds for business and commercial purposes, but his niche is his creative photography—which he uses to tell fascinating stories or deal with political and emotional issues. 

                                       

Lewis says that what he shoots, and how he shoots sometimes happens organically, and he often, “feeds off of the energy of the models.” He says that 75% of an image is based on having the right model and lighting. When he creates, he wants viewers to be shocked enough to ask questions, because for him, dialogue about the topics are important. Although Lewis works with models of all races, many of his photos features African Americans in positions of strength and power. “ I am driven to enlighten the younger generation about who we really are as black people…and depict us the way we should be portrayed.”

His current series, which he calls, Yoruba African Deities, features his interpretations of the African Orishas from the Ifa religion of Nigeria. His choice to create this series may have been a subconscious homage to his Nigerian heritage, but his true goal was to tell the story of the Orishas who inspired much of the Greek mythology that we have come to know. This series is a powerful and enlightening series that features astoundingly beautiful imagery of Africans and African Americans.

Lewis has worked on several series, some dealing with politics and others dealing with sexuality. His photographic series, Naked Black Justice, features a compilation of images and videos of African Americans with words and slogans written on their bodies. These words deal with the many stereotypes that African Americans face simply because of their skin color. The videos show a more in depth and personal experience with the models chosen for the series. They show an emotional and captivating view of life through the eyes of others.

Another series—Androgyny with a Twist—discusses sexuality and individuality. Lewis plays with society’s perception of what is perceived to be normal in order to evoke emotion and dialogue.

For Lewis, being a photographer is a challenging yet highly rewarding career. Although he loves his craft, he often feels that others take for granted the amount of time and effort that he puts into his photography. He says the worst insult that one could ever give a photographer is telling them that they have a good camera, and he equates it to telling an artist that they have good brushes. Lewis shoots and edits his own work because he wants to produce his art from, “conception to completion.”

James C. Lewis is an ingenious creative who is refining his skill by breaking the rules, and setting new standards. He truly is an innovator who trusts his instincts and dances to the beat of his own drum, and others are truly taking notice.

Final images from the shoot in studio with model, Chris McDowell

“If you are going to do this make it your own.”

James C. Lewis, 2012

You can find his work at www.noire3000studios.com and to see more images of his Orishas follow him here.

Please check out the in studio visit with James and his model, Chris McDowell in the video below.

You can catch up on all of N3K's youtube videos here.

 All images are © copyrighted by the artist unless otherwise noted. Images cannot be reproduced without permission of the artist. 

Cultured Artists™ ©2012