Meet Your Photographer, a  series that will be introducing you to the contributing photographers of this website over the next couple of weeks. You will be seeing their work on here fairly often so this is an excellent way for you to get familiar with these talented folks. 

My name is Shawn Theodore, I am a mixed media artist and  fine art photographer.

The  below series is a photographic exploration of modern urban Pan­African identity, social isolation, and traditional African spirituality v. Black existentialism. In this series, I use deeply saturated colors, silhouette and shadow to unveil analogous connections from within the diaspora, and also as a means to frame new perspectives and shift ideas around topics that matter deeply to us. I am asking myself, and of you, in each candid shot: What of Ellison’s ‘Invisible Man’?

Street photography, particularly that of the so­-called inner city, is not just a canvas to solely paint the now century old image of numbing detachment within our communities or, a means to exploit impoverished situations. Yes, there is still poverty and detachment. However, I see an incredible beauty speaking to me every time I shoot. I care enough about my subjects that I just don’t shoot and move, I shoot, talk, and most importantly,I listen. I work to unearth joy. I seek out the happiness in my subjects. I come back to the neighborhoods, again and again, making connections, one at a time. It’s not an easy thing to do. It takes time. I do this so I can present a photo narrative that challenges preconceived notions of the subject, and ultimately, of us all.

I started shooting street photography in 2008. Some of my favorite places to shoot have been NYC, Baltimore, Oakland, Camden, and I predominantly shoot in my hometown of Philadelphia. I prefer shooting with my phone, but I do carry a DSLR or SLR. My artistic influences are Barkley L. Hendricks, Aaron Douglas and Romare Bearden. My photographic influences are Jamel Shabazz, Henri Cartier­-Bresson, Gordon Parks, and Vivian Maier.

I attended Tyler School of Art with a concentration on Fine Art, and I graduated from TempleUNIVERSITY with a degree in Journalism, PR and Advertising. I currently work as the Brand Manager and CTO for Oyin Handmade, a company that produces all­-natural haircare and skincare products.

Link of interest instagram: _xST