Jordan Blake is a Nigerian-born black artist. He has lived in Baltimore, USA for several years. After graduating from college, he moved to New York to better understand and discover who he was and the kind of image he wanted to create. Of course, no one noticed that New York also offers more opportunities to collaborate and share work.
While in school, Jordan worked as a model. He finds that being a model gives him extra motivation to be creative. As a model, he also has friends who are photographers, which allows him to be in an environment where he can be fascinated by photography. 
After moving to New York, he borrowed a friend Canon T3i. The camera allows him to not only explore the city, but also act as a social tool for discovery. He further explains that having a camera gives him a reason to not only explore the city and connect with others, but also explore the aspects and ideas inside him that have shaped the world. his worldview.
Jordan was quick to credit advisors like Mick Gooden and Ricardo Andre for his success. Connecting with other creators, who allow him not only physical space to grow and create, but also act as a beacon of knowledge and advice, is a factor. integral to his (and any young photographer’s) success. It’s important to find people who want you to succeed.
I also argue, and I’m sure Jordan would agree, that if you’re in a position to pass on opportunity or knowledge to others, you should. I know for me photography is a very welcoming space where opportunities and growth are intrinsically linked to the way we connect with others.
Jordan’s creative drive comes from an inherent need to be expressed. He is bound to document the stages of his life.
Self-portraits are scary for some people. But by focusing on himself, he can streamline his expression. Instead of directing the model to express the meaning of the image, he can act as a means of expression.
For context, Jordan’s first portrait session was during quarantine. He came back from a modeling session (where he was a model), and he durag from this shoot. This inspired him to set up a lamp and tripod, and he decided to just experiment. His goal is to learn and grow and just figure things out, such as a timer function. He has to run back and forth between the camera to see the image and the front to model!
It was just such a moment.
This is the ultimate joy: the feeling of creating something just for yourself.
I definitely try to exude that vulnerability and strength. My work, as a black artist, I definitely try to represent and celebrate black skin through different forms of creativity inspired by different forms of people’s experiences. black skin.
He admits that self-portraits aren’t for everyone. I know I can certainly attest to this – I’m terrified of self-portraits. But Jordan assures that it is like any other skill. The more you practice and hone it, the more comfortable you will feel with it.
It is a process of trial and error.
Not every shot is perfect. Jordan explains that self-portraits require a certain mindset shift. Self-portraits are not about finding or creating photos, but about having moments of self-discovery. It’s not all about a destination, but the journey to get there.
Jordan finds inspiration in everything around him but is drawn to his surroundings, as well as popular culture and media. He takes notes on things that inspire him and will refer to these when he is thinking about a photo session. Some photos can be conceptualized, taken and edited within a day. Other shots, he considers, can take a week or more. For example, he may capture something and have absolutely no vision of how it can be edited. To reiterate, it’s not about the final image, but the process to get there.
Jordan is quick to advise that it’s important not to rush. Take your time. If it is available to you, then spend as much time as possible creating images that make sense to you.
We turned the conversation to his process and some of the tools he uses. To my surprise, Jordan pointed out that he always has a thumbtack in his camera bag. I mean, I’m sad I didn’t think about packing these; There are so many times I can imagine where they’ve been of help to me. These he uses to keep the background, as well as generally collapse things that need to be kept in place. He also has a wireless shutter release for his camera, which he appreciates, since he was initially using the 10 second self-timer! He also often uses a tripod, if not two.
Jordan tends to keep his gear to a minimum and highlights his dependability Canon 6D Mark II and 24-105mm . lens. He’s also attached to Adobe’s suite of photo-editing programs, including Lightroom and Photoshop. He’s quick to point out that his practice isn’t about equipment or what the latest trends are, but rather cultivating a deep understanding of a concept or model. It’s not about gears, gears are just a tool; It is important to use photography as a conversational tool. That is to say, photography is a means of communicating and saying something more than using one camera or the other.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story.
Nice to talk with you to Jordan! I look forward to seeing what you create next and how your career develops. Ever since I started writing for Fstoppers, I’ve always tried to promote a unique voice in photography—not always the biggest followers or the flashiest gadgets, but people with something interesting to say.
That’s what photography is: stories.
Image provided by Jordan Blake. Used with permission.
