Photographer Jamel Shabazz is a long-time icon in the arts community. In recent years, he’s turned more towards teaching others about his authenticity and people skills. But more than that, he’s still going through his archives to work to show us all the stills that he hasn’t brought to light before. So in his honor, we thought that we’d round up 15 quotes by the photographer given to us in previous interviews. Here are inspirational quotes by Jamel Shabazz.
You can enjoy more of Jamel’s work by visiting his website. All images by the photographer are used with permission provided to the Phoblographer during our interviews.
These quotes are from our interviews, which you can find here and here.
I feel that I was put on this earth to be a light, and the camera was the compass which guided me on this 40 plus year journey.
I consume photography like I consume a good cup of coffee; it is my daily fix.
Back in the old days, I would spend countless hours in Barnes & Nobles, or Rizzoli Books looking at photography books and periodicals, and now I can view them online.
All too often, people look at my earlier photographs and basically see the fashion and swagger, but what I saw was the soul of a people that were coming of age during a very troubling day and time.
As a photographer, I was perceived as being neutral and it gave me access that allowed me to bond, and build bridges; often with warring factions.
You have to expect and anticipate that there will be occasions where people are not responsive. I have very vivid memories of photographs I was not able to get.
There has been a lot of talk over the years about the difficulties that Black photographers have encountered in trying to break into the industry. Personally, I’ve been faced with a number of obstacles over the years in trying to get in the door and challenges were expected, but I never lost my focus to excel.
In today’s world the opportunities are endless, especially with the advancement of technology and social media. If you learn how to use these essential tools to present your materials along with networking, you can make strides.
Surprisingly, I find that all too often I am pigeonholed in one particular area and that is mostly a result of my work from the 1980’s that is synonymous with the birth of Hip Hop.
To make it in any industry, having an inside connection is always an advantage.
The world is in such discord today with all its wars and social problems. I feel that not only America, but the world needs to start looking towards its artists for solutions.
Art like music is a universal language that has the power to heal and inspire and I have seen the majesty of art and music bring people together across the color lines.
To add to the atmosphere that I set for myself, I throw on some old school jazz; in most cases, Lonnie Liston Smith and John Coltrane, burn some sage, and from there I am in the creative zone.
When shooting fashion photography, besides capturing the images, I prefer to work as the stylist too. Having more control allows me to get the look I am seeking.
The once packed exhibitions in galleries and museums have also changed dramatically. Most of them shut down during the early part of the pandemic. I miss those days dearly. They brought so many people from diverse communities together.
