RESPECT. The.97 is a Toronto based young photographer who has over time proven his worth through his crispy clean photography. He has been impeccably defining landscape and geometry through an eye of a camera. His fresh looking portfolio is filled with some of his best work. During a time when Toronto is on a very big come up with plenty of talent rising to the top, The.97 is one of the many talented photographers in the city that thrive to document a lot of it. He was able to spare a few minutes out of his busy schedule to speak about his passion for photography and how he got into it in the first place.
RESPECT.: How long have you been taking photos for?
I have been taking photos since I was 17 years old.
RESPECT.: Is this what you always wanted to do?
No it was not. When I was 16 I left High School to pursue my dream of becoming a professional soccer player. I finished a season in Italy and came back home for the summer. At this point I tore my ACL in my left knee which cut off my chances of returning to Italy for the following season. That summer I got a call from a friend asking if I was down to take some pictures with him in Toronto for a photography portfolio he was building. I don’t live downtown so travelling to the city was new to me. After the shoot I slowly began to fall in love with photography. I knew this is what I wanted to do. Immediately after the shoot I saved up some money, bought my own camera, and started going downtown almost everyday constantly learning how to use my camera. I slowly began taking landscapes and eventually realized I wanted to focus strictly on portraiture. Photography wasn’t something I always wanted to do before, but now I can’t imagine a life without my camera.
RESPECT.: How does it feel to see the world from the lense of the camera?
There is no better feeling. From concerts, to photoshoots, to exploring the city, there is no better feeling than going out and taking photos. If you are passionate about photography you will never lose that feeling you get when you go out and shoot.
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RESPECT.: What was your best photoshoot?
My best and favorite work is with my bro Roy Woods at East Room, the Waking At Dawn promo pictures. Something about the portraits I took at this shoot stood out to me more than any of my other work to date. From the wardrobe, to the setting, everything was on point.
RESPECT.: What about your worse photoshoot?
I wouldn’t say I have had a bad photoshoot. All the work I have done to date has always been a learning experience for me. Everyone I have worked with so far has taught me a lesson and helped me grow and I have nothing but love for them, and if they’re reading this, they know who they are, they’re the real MVP’s.
Take a look at some of his work below and for the rest of his content check out his website.
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