Today we’d like to introduce you to A. Hinders.
A., we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was initially attracted to photography to fix an imbalance, I hadn’t been exposed to African-American photographers, and I hated family photos (the posing, the forced smiles). Learning took time, experimentation, and patience- I started with film, making mistakes, exposing incorrectly, and my framing was atrocious. I started studying through YouTube university, became obsessed with the technical aspects of cameras, and eventually took time to master my camera setup.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
With new technology there’s always a learning curve, my kryptonite has always been Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop – when I first started out I definitely alienated myself by not investing time in making my portfolio and edits have a semblance of consistency.
The other biggest challenge was my subject matter, and that has always been people. Like me, people had their own opinions on how they looked on camera, and it’s still a negotiation between artist and subject, and making sure the finished project elevates them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in a hybrid of environmental portraits and conceptual portraits. Since the beginning of my photography journey I’ve been obsessed with film, completely aware that it expensive and unforgiving. I shoot a mix of film and digital projects on a weekly basis, prioritizing vibrant colors, and ensuring that I’m able to communicate/ pose my subject in ways that feel natural within the scene.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I develop and print my own film, and it’s a love-hate relationship. I started during the pandemic, primarily because the shops were closed and I needed a ways to occupy my creative mind. My darkroom setup definitely raised some eyebrows at first, especially when mixing chemicals and hanging prints in my small apartment / workshop space.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alt-nero.format.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alt_nero
