Today we’d like to introduce you to Antoine Lewis.
Hi Antoine, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a kid I always found it difficult to be happy with who I was, so I turned to storytelling as a way to create a new version of myself. I would create stories of characters I thought were cool and I wanted to embody them. Naturally I began to enjoy the process of story telling more and more. I used a variety of mediums ranging from drawing, writing, etc. And eventually I discovered the ability to create video content at 11 years old, finding my new medium of storytelling. I was able to create videos getting any message out there and expressing myself. As time went on I wanted to take video creation more seriously and transition to cinematography and photography. So in 2018 my parents got me my first DSLR camera. And this camera opened plenty of doors for me, from family members asking me to take photos for their birthday all the way to being flown to West Africa to document life outside of the US at 17 years old. When I graduated highschool and turned 18 I felt stagnant and didn’t know what to do career wise. I got a job as a computer technician, completed some college, and eventually went off into the military. I spent almost 3 years actively serving in the national guard while putting my passion on the back burner, solely focusing on the money the military was providing me. Eventually I decided to pick my camera back up and decided that I can’t keep holding myself back and it was time to pursue my photography and cinematography professionally. I reached out to a skincare company to work together and create an ad for them, and they said yes. This was my sign that I can make this a career. So when the question came up of if I wanted to continue my time actively on base for the national guard, I declined with my eyes set on the goal of making this creative career work for me. Here I am, at 22 years old, only working for myself as a photographer and cinematographer. I have taken plenty of great photos and just published my first documentary. I still have a lot to earn and I’ll be honest the money is pretty much non existent, but I refuse to give up on this career. I didn’t sacrifice my security and well paying job just to give up now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest hurdle is the money. I’m 22 years old and the brokest I’ve ever been. I went from a guaranteed over 50K a year to barely being able to make 500 a month. Every day I deal with the thought of “did I just seriously f* my life up.” But I just have to face the consequences and remind myself I have no option but for this to work out.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional photographer and cinematographer/videographer based in Baltimore. My work is known for being a bit more polished and professional looking than the average person who just bought a camera. I put the time and effort in to learn and hone my skills instead on relying on fancy equipment to produce professional results. I am most proud of my photography, as I am still sharpening my cinematography skills. I recently released a documentary I created of a Baltimore rapper Young Swansii. That is a project that I could pick apart and find a million flaws in but most of my pride comes the fact that it is finished and can be enjoyed by many others.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see the film and photography industry losing a lot of the members that were interested in doing it professionally over the next 5-10 years. The industry became very saturated during Covid because people picked it up as a hobby and saw the potential to make a career of it. But I believe a lot of people will realize they’d prefer to keep it a hobby and not add the professional stress to it.
Pricing:
- $150 for a basic photoshoot
- $200 for event photography
- $220 starting price for video production
Contact Info:
- Website: www.twonshotit.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/twon_shotit
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoine-lewis-0a863a289
- Youtube: Www.youtube.com/@twonshotit
