reviewvancouver: Aaron Joseph Interview

Haiti, a photograph by Aaron Joseph

RMP: How did you develop an interest in Photography?

AJ: Ever since a young age (around 9-10 years old) I was always taking photographs or videos of people or random things, come to think of it I remember my first real camera. It was a fluorescent orange point-and-shoot camera from Mcdonalds, I don’t remember why Mcdonalds were giving away cameras with their happy meals, but I do remember nagging my mom to get me one; and her agreeing as I was going to camp later that summer. That was around 15 years ago. I got into photography more seriously in my second year of Journalism school, when I met my university instructor, Jean-Konda Witte and a few years later a friend/mentor named Claudio Bianchi, who also taught me about photography and the hustle needed to make it in the game.

RMP: What is it about photography that you find powerful?

AJ: Everything about the art form is powerful, I love how there are 1000’s of photographers in the city, but every single one has their own style photography and specialize in different fields of the art form (portraits, sports action, weddings, nightclub, recreational, etc) but everyone of these individuals knows that their photos mean something to someone else other than themselves and that depending on the way they felt and translated the feeling through their lens, the individual they are photographing will also feel the photograph and also have something to hold onto for years to come. It’s mostly about capturing moments, people, places and things. “I mean how else can I capture a moment in time and have proof of it in my hands?”

RMP: Select 2 images from your travels and discuss them in detail, why they were so memorable/powerful

AJ: Haiti (shown above) – This is one of my first “real” photographs this was taken in Gonaives, Haiti in October of 2004, a month after the flood that killed thousands. Pictured in the photo is my mother, as we travel through the graveyard to give our final farewell to my grandmother who was buried here a few years ago, amongst the 1000’s of other bodies that unfortunately washed up and out of the graves after the flood. I always tell people Haiti is beautiful and eerie all at once, it is somewhere between heaven & hell, and that is what makes it so unique.
This photo means a lot to me, especially as we walked and searched for a while amongst the bodies and never found grandma. I will never forget the place and I know she is there somewhere. There was a lot going on in this graveyard even while we were there, and I am sure even more happens at night (look at the blood on the cross).

AJ: Barcelona (top banner) – This photo is from my recent travels, I was lucky enough to spend a few unforgettable summer nights with my friend/mentor Claudio Bianchi, while in Barcelona, Spain. This photo was taken from the roof of one of his good friend’s apartment. Prior to us arriving here Bianchi kept telling me about this amazing place to take photos of the city, and that he had to take me there. I chose this photo as the image for The Commonwealth event because the first thing I noticed while on the roof was all the satellites people had for radio and television, with information being the common thread that links everyone no matter your race, religion or where you are from. This photo also holds a special place in my heart for personal reasons I will not go into, but I will say that the moment captured was the beginning of a wonderful Barcelona night, one I will never forget.

RMP: What are your future plans?

AJ: Well I have been traveling for the past year and a half across Canada (Nfld-Van) and across Europe (France, Spain, Netherlands, England) and have acquired what I feel to be some of my best shots to date. First off I’d like to take some time off and put more focus into my journalism and acting background. But after a few months I think I’ll be ready to go over some of my newer shots and possibly do another fashion/photography show, we’ll see!

RMP: It was very interesting how you merged music, fashion & photography all into one night. Where did the idea come from and why did you decided to put them all together?

AJ: Myself and the coordinator for the fashion show Meagan Therese Squire, thought it would be a great idea to actually have something for everybody, in one place. Thanks to the people at Donnelly Hospitality Management that understood where I was coming from, as well as friends and family from What’s Really Good Magazine, who helped me focus my vision. I had the concept for The Commonwealth months ago, but thanks to my team, the idea was chiseled out to make it the success it was.

RMP: What person in the Photography/Art world has given you inspiration to do what you do?

AJ: I get my inspiration from a lot of people not specifically photographers, even though many do inspire me such as: David LaChapelle, Jamel Shabazz, Steve McCurry, Ricky Powell, to name a few. A lot of my early inspirations came from Artists such as Herge, Banksy and from local artist and writers. I really do respect the locals who are actually doing what they love and representing for the city wherever they go.