Creator Spotlight: JOSSIELL

What struck us most about Photographer JOSSIELL, is that when asked how long he had been dabbling in photography, his answer was “less than a year”. It is not often that someone is able to develop such a fine-tuned understanding of their craft, in such a short amount of time. Not only that, but his ability to establish a unique aesthetic and signature right out of the gate is truly astounding; it is a trait that usually takes years for an artist to develop naturally. At that point in our interview, we knew Jossiel was destined for greatness.

1. What is the earliest memory you have of yourself doing something creative?

6th grade “graphic arts” class. To this day this is the best class I’ve ever been in. They taught us everything from photoshop to designing floor plans to photography and developing film at the age of 11/12. I don’t even think middle schools offer classes like this anymore.

2. What kind of creative work do you do?

Right now I’m only doing photography for the most part. I go to school for graphic design but don’t really practice it as often as I should. Ironic enough I used to always say that I didn’t want to be a photographer and would much rather be known as a creative director or graphic designer. But here I am now. Loving photography more and more the deeper I get into it.

3. Tell us a little about yourself and your background.

I’m 23 years old and was born and raised in Miami but come from Cuban descent. I’ve been doing photography for a little less than a year now.

4. How would you describe your specific style? What makes you unique?

I often find myself having trouble answering this question. I feel like I haven’t 100% discovered my “style” yet. I’m constantly evolving and trying out different ideas so I’m not sure if I’ll ever even fully discover it. I think this happens to a lot of artists. The more you learn and improve your skills the more you change your style. A couple months ago I would get frustrated that I haven’t fully discovered my style, now I have accepted the fact that I probably never will. I can say studio/fashion photography is what I enjoy the most though.

5. What has been some of the biggest influences and sources of inspiration in your work?

Inspiration… I don’t even know where to begin. Instagram, traveling, coffee table books, Pinterest, music, Tumblr. Those are some sources of inspiration to me. Music is interesting cause I’ll hear a lyric and think “oh shit I like that, how can I turn it into a concept for a shoot?”

I also tend to get a lot of ideas when I’m in the shower or driving late at night.

6. Do you have any rituals to help you get the creative juices flowing?1 response

Techno, house music, and Tame Impala. That’s the key.

7. What have been some of your favorite projects you’ve worked on? Any current projects you’d like to mention?

I actually haven’t posted my favorite project yet, but I’ll add one of the images to this interview. It’s the one of Ashley wearing the Gucci tights with the red and green lights. There’s something about this picture that I love so much. I also love the glitter shoot I did with Patty and the film shoot I did with Penny and the colored tiles.

Not related to photography but I’ve been working on a clothing brand for a couple months now. I was supposed to launch it in April but it made more sense to just hold off on it a bit longer. Hopefully I can launch that before the year ends.

8. What are some of the best lessons you’ve learned while developing your craft? What valuable advice could you offer to other Creators like you?

I’m still verrrryyyy early in my career but I think the best lesson I’ve learned so far is to just do whatever the fuck you want. Might sound a bit cliche but it’s true. The creative industry could be very cutthroat. Break the rules and try new things out. Don’t be scared to take risks and whatever you do, do it for yourself and not because others want you to or say you should. Put your work out there. Just because one person doesn’t like it doesn’t mean the next person will have the same opinion. Set some goals, stay focused, remain humble, and support those around you. Most importantly, the signs the universe sends out to you are very much real. Pay attention.

9. Where can we find more of your work and follow your journey?

You can follow my Instagram to stay up to date with my latest work. The world is a fucked up place right now so I haven’t been posting much but I’ll be getting back into it. I’m also launching my website soon…. (hopefully)

I’ve been procrastinating on that for way too long :/