Name: Ryan Stokes
Age: 22
Class: Senior
Major: Psychology
Instagram: @Blax.ican
If you know Ryan, then you know sarcasm is his middle name. Besides his sarcastic comebacks, Ryan is full of surprises. He’s shy, yet seems to everyone. He’s quiet, but full of wisdom. Ryan let’s us know who he really is and how photography has brought him out of his shell.
Who exactly is Ryan?
“Ryan is an introverted person. I know people but I’m shy and quiet. I stick to myself a lot even though the looks on campus might be different.”
How did you get into photography?
“I’ve always been interested. In high school I had a point and shoot but it broke. Also, since I was in band, I didn’t have time to do photography. I picked it back up when I got to Georgia State, after I transferred from Georgia Southern. I’ve been doing it ever since.”
Where do you usually find inspiration for shoots?
“When I first started, inspiration came from Tumblr. Now my inspiration comes from Pinterest. I’ll search ‘men’s or women’s fashion editorials’ and pull ideas from there to put on my mood board.”
Who has been your greatest mentor in photography?
“I have two. The first mentor is Derek Blanks. He is a celebrity photographer in Atlanta. He taught me about lighting, retouching, and the technical things in photography. The other is Ahmad Barber. He taught me everything about staying inspired and how to make clothing look more interesting. He also showed me how to be more creative while editing.”
What are your plans after graduation?
“I really just want to do photography as my profession because I love it so much. I would love to shoot for big magazines like Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar. I want to work with the top models and top celebrities.”
When was the moment you realized you were maturing and coming into yourself?
“When I got to Georgia State. It happened around my second semester of my sophomore year. I started joining organizations, meeting new people, and creating a name for myself. It helped me start to break out of my shell.”
What would be some advice you would give to your younger self?
“Stay inspired and don’t let other’s opinions on your work, work ethic, or who you are, change you.”
If there was any moment you could relive, what would it be?
“When I traveled to East Africa. I went to Tanzania last May for about three weeks. I traveled there to study the psychology of skin bleaching because it’s such a huge issue in Tanzania. While I was there I went on a few safaris and enjoyed some amazing food. I just felt so free from obligations and responsibilities.”
Favorite Photographer(s)? Derek Blanks, Ahmad Barber, Exquisite Eye, Donte Maurice, Mario Testino, Peter Lindbergh, Inez & Vindooh, Luigi and Lango, Nick Knight, and Rio Romaine.
Favorite Model? Jaycina (@jaycinaa)
Favorite article(s) of clothing? All of my BAPE clothes and all of my sneakers.
Dream Job? A fashion photographer