Visual Revolutionary Episode 33: Atiba Jefferson / Renowned Skateboard Photographer and Entrepreneur
What other photographer can say they were a character in a video game? That's a great jumping off point to start talking about the storied career of photographer Atiba Jefferson. Although he's had the opportunity to shoot everything from the NBA to celebrity portraiture, it was the world of skateboarding that changed Atiba's life and helped create the amazing body of work he has today. On this episode of the podcast we talk about his humble beginnings in a small town in Colorado with his single mom and twin brother, and his early passion for skateboarding and the culture that surrounded it. It was the bad luck of a broken hand that first put a camera in front of Atiba, but once he started seeing the black and white film come to life in the solution, he knew what he wanted to do with his life. Through a series of "right time / right place" circumstances, and the hustlers mentality and work ethic that comes from being raised by a single mom, Atiba went on to head to Southern California and chase his dream of being a skateboard photographer. He quickly began to move through the ranks and soon found himself working with the top pros in the industry and publishing with the magazines he had read as a kid. We talk about what Atiba thinks it took to get his foot in the door and how that evolved into shooting some of the biggest names in the NBA and the music industry. We also talk about the business opportunities outside of photography that he has gone on to be a part of, including opening several bars, a coconut water company, and helping to create the Skate Board Mag. After years of shooting, and what most would call a lot of success in the industry, Atiba has some thoughts and advice on how to stay creative, not get burnt out, and keep making great work.
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Because we are interested in people's story, and not what type of gear they use, we introduce a new much needed podcast in the world of photography and filmmaking. Featuring in-depth conversations with some of the world's leading photographers, filmmakers, and other visual artists, we are bringing you the backstory on how they got to where they are today.