We spoke with the emerging photographer Jordan Thompkins. Through his work, he captures portraits with a familiar sense of intimacy and connection, an authenticity that draws the viewer in. In this interview, he shares with us his inspirations, hopes for the future and what visibility means to him.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I’m 23 years old, a photographer, and I’m based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Also, when I was about 6 years old, I got my very first camera out of a McDonald’s happy meal (it was a 110 film format Spy Kids point and shoot)
Your work is predominantly portraiture, what is it about capturing people that inspires you most?
What inspires me the most about portraiture is its ability to communicate so much about a person without the use of words or obvious narrative. Something as simple as someone’s eye direction or a particular posture can speak volumes in a portrait.
What do you feel visual art can offer in society today? Are there any themes you are inspired about that you try and discuss in your work?
I feel that visual art offers today’s society the opportunity to visualise and understand ideas and concepts that are otherwise abstract in nature. Visual art can take the quintessence of that abstract concept or idea and bake it into something that is much more tangible and easier to understand.
What themes are you inspired by that you aim to discuss within your work?
I would say that the themes I am inspired by and that I try to discuss most in my work are blackness, masculinity, nostalgia, and coming of age.
What has been your favourite project to work on so far?
I had to really think about this one! I think I’d have to say one of my favorite personal projects so far would have to be a video I created for a competition about 2 years ago. In the final piece, I overlaid audio of my friends describing to me what being an individual meant to each of them over a montage of videos. Not only were their answers really profound and beautiful, but the days we spent shooting were a lot of fun and the footage came out amazing!
What are your hopes for the future as a photographer and filmmaker?
I would love if I could spend some time shooting docu-series. I love getting to know people on an intimate level and I think it’d be really great to be able to bring some visibility to a subculture or group that’s gone unseen. I’d also like to have a hand in the creation of more young adult dramas and series that revolve around black and other youths of color in a way that feels authentic and has a wider range of narratives. I feel that while a lot of the titles available today might be diverse in cast, they can sometimes still be lacking in their ability to depict POCs in more than just a handful of archetypes.
Eventually scoring a solo photo exhibition at the MoMA would be pretty cool too!
What or who have been your greatest influences?
Some of my greatest influences in photography have been Nan Goldin, Dash Snow, William Eggleston, Philip Lorca Dicorcia, Larry Sultan, Sally Mann, and Gregory Crewdson. They all have beautiful bodies of work that have helped to shape my photographic style and eye. I’m also really inspired by the work of other up and coming creatives like Myles Loftin, Juliet Wolf, Salim Garcia, Julius D. High, Ashley Pena, and Sarah Bahbah,
What does visibility mean to you?
Visibility, to me, is about being able to see myself and people like me in mainstream media and spaces that we have not typically been portrayed in or have historically been unable to occupy otherwise
You can follow more of Jordan’s work through his website, Vimeo or Instagram.
Models featured:
Dorain Shields (@irie.97)
Ajale Brown (@ajaledreams)
Lucien Battise (@lucienbattiste)
Darien Brielle (@onlydarienbrielle)
Morgan Connor (@pecasitaa)
Kaya James (@kayajames.a)
Chichi Ofodile (@sugarhoneyicechi)