Today we’ll be talking with the bubbly and hilarious @Phil.Martin.
Why did you originally sign up on Instagram?
It was something new and looked to be exciting and this point I was really bored with all of the other social networking platforms.
Where was the first Instameet you ever attended?
The first meet I attended was an IGDC scavenger hunt around the Eastern Market / Capitol Hill area. We all met at the metro station and split into teams and searched the area! My team won!
What is your favorite camera/gear to shoot with?
I’m a huge fan of the current camera on the iPhone 7 Plus… does that count? Haha. I’m a really big fan of Canon. I shoot with a Canon 1Ds mark ii. It’s not the newest or the best camera but she’s a beast!
What is your favorite subject to shoot?
People. I was diagnosed with autism in my early teens so connections with other people have always been really difficult for me. But shooting portraits, I’m forced to exit my comfort zone and interact on an intimate level with people.
Who is your current Insta-crush (favorite IG photographer)?
Haha. @KipDynamite is my real life crush but my favorite right now is @_JulianThomas. He’s just so full of positivity and creativity. He’s a huge inspiration.
Can you show us your favorite photo you’ve taken and tell us the story behind it?
This was the first photo I took as a freelance photographer for Amtrak. I mean literally the first photo I ever snapped for them. I had just left their corporate offices and I was standing on the platform watching all of the holiday travelers and I saw this one particular conductor and I decided to just shadow her as she greeted riders. At the end of that day, I found out that Amtrak loved the image so much, they wanted to make it the cover of the following months Amtrak Ink Magazine.
And lastly what advice would you give aspiring photographers.
Find your own style and run with it. Don’t let anyone try to change who you are. Imagine if I would have just gone with the flow of shooting monuments and subways and listened to the people who said “No one likes portraits”. I wouldn’t be known. I’d be regular. There’s nothing wrong with being regular but why shoot for mediocre when I couldn’t achieved greatness. So listen to yourself.
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If you’d like to see more from Phil follow him on Instagram @Phil.Martin or on his website DCportraits.org.
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