My POV: From Animation to Apertures - My Journey into Photography
Hey, and welcome to my blog. My name is Omii Thompson. I am primarily a portrait, and editorial photographer, but my journey into this field is far from ordinary.
Before I found my calling in photography, I was an animation designer, creating characters and storyboarding for television. This career, while fulfilling in its own right, turned my passion for drawing into a 9-5 grind, and I felt that the freedom of my creativity was being stifled. So, in 2018, I decided to take a leap of faith and transition into photography.
The shift was not without its challenges. While there were many transferable skills from animation to photography, such as understanding composition, lighting, and visual language, I found myself grappling with technical camera skills and understanding light in both studio and outdoor environments.
However, the challenges were also accompanied by a newfound love - a romance with portrait photography. I started in the studio, but as I grew more comfortable and adventurous, I began shooting outdoors. This led me to include street photography in my repertoire, a genre that was initially daunting but eventually became liberating and fascinating.
In this blog, I won't necessarily post in chronological order. Instead, I'll share my experiences and insights based on feeling and personal preference. I'll show examples of my work and share stories from my journey.
The WestenD_r: My First Zine
One of the most transformative experiences during this journey was creating my first zine, "The Westend_r," during the Covid lockdowns. Initially intended to focus on style and fashion, it evolved to reflect themes of isolation and emptiness, mirroring the general mood of the lockdowns in Toronto. This project helped me conquer my fears and taught me the power of connecting with people and places I usually wouldn’t.
Not Here for “Perfection”.
One of the most valuable lessons I've learned along the way came from an unexpected source during my college years. In my third year, I had an amazing figure drawing teacher named Gerry Zeldin. Gerry was a bit like Einstein, but for drawing. He had this unique way of observing and understanding art that was truly inspiring.
I remember one particular class where Gerry was walking around, observing us as we drew the model. I was incredibly nervous, especially because I had set out to draw the "perfect" pose to impress him. My hands were blackened and damp from the sweat of my palms mixing with the charcoal I was using. I thought to myself, "This is it, I think I finally did it, I impressed him!"
Gerry finally approached my station and paused. He took one look at my newsprint, then at me, and said, "Omii, You’re making my teeth hurt, you’re too tight!" I was taken aback. Here I was, trying to create the perfect drawing, and my teacher was telling me I was too rigid. I was like "damn...".
That comment stuck with me. It made me realize that the pursuit of perfection can be stifling, leading to unfinished work and disappointment. As I ventured into photography, I’ve been learning to manage that impulse. Sometimes you have to take 100 “bad” frames before you get the “good” one.
So, here's to the journey, the learning, the bad frames, and the good ones. I hope you'll join me as I continue to chase the light.
Until then,
O
