2020 Vision | A Question Of Colour

I am a Black Man.

I am mixed Race.

The Coffee Latte Colour of my skin shouldn’t matter……but it does.

Being Brown Skin in this world is the curse of my life. I am speaking straight, if you don’t like it, stop reading and never follow me again.

You see, straight talking has become so uncomfortable to listen to in this world.

Malcolm X was a sharp shooting, straight talking Black Man.

Ali, the most famous Black Man in the World of Sports, was a sharp speaker, Ali spoke Rap before Rap was invented.

Martin Luther King spoke eloquently but his narrative created conflict for me personally because I could never understand the concept of non violent protest in the context of a violent world.

What on earth has this post got to do with Photography?

I am Black Man studying the craft of image creation.

I love this subject and very passionate about it.

I am a Photojournalist in training - I am teaching myself what it means to be a visual storyteller.

Most of my Heroes in this craft are all White Men.

I can only name one Black Man whose work is truly stunning; “Mr P” himself Gordon Parks, the director of the film SHAFT with Richard Roundtree from the 1970s.

I take my hat of to Mr Parks because he saw the power in the camera as a weapon against social injustice, the battle against poverty and the quests for equality and human dignity.

Gordon Parks inspired me because I have been thinking, what is the point of my Photography?

What is the overriding conversation?

My answer to these questions was “Life”.

Yes Life……but so what?

What about Life?

What’s so great about Life to make it worthy of creating images?

What’s the subtext?

What is the emotional content?

At the source of it is People.

Relationships and expression.

Ahhh, “The Expression of Life”.

The Gesture in every image contains an Expression. Even in Nature, the Gesture and Expression can be seen and felt.

I am at the stage now in my life where I don’t care about the colour of my skin, I am more concerned with the colour of my vision, narrative and self expression.

Recent events have show me that my life has no value outside the walls of my home. Once I step outside, the world is watching me.

The fact I am Black/Brown skinned is someone else’s conversation because they who aren’t Black have a narrative about me as a Black Man.

The minute a Non Black persons brings a conversation to me about my Brown Skin they better come fully educated because I am ready for the conversation about Anti-Racsim.

Let’s face it; imagine going through life knowing and feeling that you will never be accepted because you are Black?

Why do Black People look for approval from Non Black People?

Imagine being more than qualified and yet the curse of being Black means you will be passed over in favour of a Non Black Person

Imagine being a Professional Magician and being told by your non Black Audience get off the stage you Black BASTERED.

Yes, if your are non Black and reading this, IMAGINE, your entire existence is screwed up because the colour of your skin means the context you were born into is not and never will be catered for you, your happiness, peace of mind and well being.

I fight for my Mother and Myself everyday.

As Photographer, I will point my Camera at any story that needs to be told.

My images represent the colour of my vision, my life, my self-expression.

It has taken me this long to understand my place in this world.

I final get it.

Just know, the tables have turned, the thin veil of racism has shown its hand, the whole world has seen it.

There is no way back from this virus, there is no cure for it.

I am doubtful I will live long enough to see a transformation in this conversation.

That’s ok.

I just know I have a responsibility to tell stories through my camera that highlight the experience of the human condition.

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