Fashion Photographer Talks About Culture As His Inspiration

As a photographer, you want your work to stand out from the rest. For Obidi Nzeribe, also known as Obi, he does what he needs to do to make his work something special. Obi is a fashion and portrait photographer based out of Dallas, Texas. He recently visited H Headquarters in Brooklyn, NY, where we conducted an interview for everyone to get to know him and learn how talented he is.

On his website, you can find his portfolio along with a FAQ section. He spills his secret to applying the “hazy/dreamy” look in photos along with advice for fellow photographers, so if you want to know, keep reading!

Interview with Fashion and Portrait Photographer Obi

When did you first realize you were passionate about photography?

I think it was when I realized photography was more than just taking photos of people and I understood that I could tell stories and represent people in a different light or how they want to be seen by society. My work might not look like it but I know there’s a whole lot of social influence/politics that drives my creativity, and representation is the main message I want to preach. In other words, I realized my passion for photography when I realized the need to capture and represent different people in different ways.

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Where do you draw inspiration from?

I love fashion and culture, and I’m able to learn from these two factors and use them in a way to create meaningful work. Another huge source of inspiration for me has to be my experiences as an individual, they ultimately define me and I learn to pull from them.

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How do you balance your professional life and your personal life?

I think learning to say no is a key factor in being a balanced individual, I’ve learned to say no when I feel like I’m being spread too thin. Another good way is to keep some sort of planner, most people have a physical one but I prefer the mental one cause I can at least keep track of it.

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How do you want to inspire others through your art?

I want to inspire others to create work that has longevity, I want artists to look at their work from a couple years ago and still feel the feeling they felt while creating it, I want the message to stay the same and to never fade away.

Any advice for your younger self or others who are following in your footsteps?

Stay level headed, being a creative is not as glamorous as people make it out to be, you’ll experience your highest highs and your lowest lows but what matters is that you’re able to make something positive out of it. If you have a goal in mind the road is somewhat smoother, so learn to create with intention.

FAQ from his website:

  • What’s your setup?

    I regularly shoot with a Sony a7RII, and ocassionally with a Canon 80D. My lens of choice is the Sigma ART 35mm f1.4

  • How do you achieve the “Hazy/blurry/dreamy” look on photos?

    I do it all in camera by applying a bit of chapstick to my UV filter.

  • Which software do you use to edit?

    Photoshop most of the time, and Lightroom occasionally.


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