By Princess Yeboah | Assistant Editor
Gary T. Brayboy, a student at MWCC, possesses a creative and intriguing talent for photography. After a breakup and losing his job left him at a crossroads, Brayboy decided to come to the Mount to “reboot his life.” Determined to turn life’s lemons into lemonade, he is now studying video production. With his degree, he hopes to become either a colorist for film or a camera operator. Having a background as a DJ for many years, Brayboy also plans to expand into videography services and eventually start his own production company. As an African-American artist, Brayboy aims to express himself through photographic means.
Originally born in Hawaii, Brayboy grew up in a military family stationed at the famous Pearl Harbor. Throughout his childhood, he heard stories within his family that carried a profound sense of mysticism about the Hawaiian islands. These stories sparked his creative imagination and led him to pursue studies at the University of Hawaii.
Although Brayboy initially thought it would be “a long shot to get in,” assuming many would apply with limited spots available, the University of Hawaii ended up being the only school that accepted him. Financial costs and distance were a problem for many so not as many applied to the university. Embracing the opportunity, Brayboy saw it as a chance to jumpstart his passion for photography. While at the University of Hawaii, he was surrounded by the island’s natural beauty. However, after seeing so many typical shots of beaches and sunsets—what he called “cliché”—Brayboy decided he wanted to create photography that was more of a reflection of himself.
Brayboy recalls picking up a camera for the first time around the age of 19, when he first started photography. “I naturally gravitated more towards macro photography,” explained Brayboy. This type of photography, which involves capturing objects up close, became his focus during his time in Hawaii and made him feel more original and natural when creating his art.
Growing up, Brayboy would often visually imagine things in his head and was inspired by the Sonic the Hedgehog logo with its bright graphic imagery to recreate his own video game design. His father, the more artistic member of the family, dabbled in photography but was more passionate about painting and drawing. Brayboy credits his father for passing down those creative skills, which began to “manifest” in him as he got older.
Brayboy has traveled to Boston and, more recently, to Cincinnati in April 2022 to explore his passion for street photography. Amidst the hustle and bustle of these cities, Brayboy was inspired to push himself creatively by “capturing the human experience of what people are doing” and define himself more as a photographer. As an African American male, Brayboy pointed out that there is an inherent risk when it comes to walking the streets, taking pictures of people. Despite this, Brayboy finds “satisfaction” in what his art encapsulates amongst people.
While exploring Cincinnati, Brayboy visited the Cincinnati Art Museum which he recalls as a fantastic experience. “They had a huge section devoted to Black artists,” he said. “They showed all different [types of] photography from the 60’s and 70’s about being Black in New York City. That was very inspiring for me.”. This experience made Brayboy realize what he wanted to do with his art, just like in a museum where people pause and think about its significance, he wants his audience to get an idea of who he is and what he is thinking, as well as “glean something from me” through his art.
When it comes to photography, Brayboy doesn’t follow a specific photographer for inspiration; instead, he has honed his creativity through trial and error. “I’ve kind of developed my own style. It took me a long time to really develop [that],” said Brayboy. He also recalls a quote from Don Cheadle, who portrayed the legendary Miles Davis: “It takes a long time to learn to play like yourself.” Brayboy categorizes himself as a documentary photographer: “capturing the world around me and interpreting the world as I see it.”
For people who are interested and curious in the art of photography, Brayboy has some meaningful advice. “Don’t obsess about gear,” he advised. “The best camera you have is the one that works.” He recommends buying something “affordable and used” and describes cameras quintessentially by saying that they are ultimately “tools to capture images” and to just start taking pictures, letting your imagination soar as you go.
One of Brayboy’s other pieces of advice is to avoid getting caught up in how your work is received on social media. He describes these platforms as “designed by algorithms” that can often misjudge your art. Brayboy has seen a lot of people getting frustrated when they don’t get high reception on social media and even found himself in that place until he realized, “That kind of defeats the purpose. It’s about expressing yourself, being creative and sharing your vision.”
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