Nyah is an aspiring photographer from concerts to filming content. I have known her for a while now after meeting at a concert through mutual friends, so music and concerts have been a big thing for us even if we haven't been able to attend a concert for over a year now! In this interview she talks about her most prized work as well as how she found her love for photography.
Hi! So could you introduce yourself, how old you, where are you from and what area of the music industry are you aspiring to be in?
Hi, I’m Nyah and I’m from the Midlands. I recently turned 19 and I’m hoping to go into a career involving content production and photography, whether it be taking photos of an artist during their show or the journey throughout tour, or even filming content for them to use on their social media to engage and interact with fans.
What is your best piece of work that you are particularly proud of and why?
I think that this has to be one of my favourite photos, not just due to the composition or the editing, but because of the memories that come with it. I remember that I spontaneously bought the tickets to the Shawn Mendes show the night before, and my mum tagged along, we managed to get second row seats and I was so happy. I had such a great night with my mum and also managed to get some great photos as well, which to me was just a plus to a great night.
How did you discover what area of music you liked?
I’d always been creative and had a passion for photography, but I have also always had a passion for music, one of my favourite activities being going to concerts. As I started to follow these artists on social media, I saw these amazing photos of crowds of people enjoying an artist’s music, it captured the joy I felt at a concert. There were also beautiful images of the artist having the best time and I could really resonate with those images and emotions. I knew then that I wanted to try concert photography, to be able to capture that beauty and emotions myself.
I know everyone is so over being in lockdown! How have you made lockdown into a positive thing and how has it helped you in terms of progressing your area of work?
If I’m totally honest, lockdown has really dragged my creativity down, it made me reach a low point, but I’ve managed to slowly pull myself back up and get out of my funk. I think that lockdown has been different for everyone and I can’t compare myself to others, it’s just not healthy. I think that once I realised that I was able to not be so harsh on myself, it also allowed me to realise how much I missed and loved photography. Looking back on pictures I’d taken and remembering how much joy I’d had taking the pictures and how great I felt when they came out, thinking ‘WOW, I really took that!’.
What is something you wish you could say to someone high up in your profession?
I think I’d ask them if that they ever thought of not pursuing photography, stopping because it seemed like it wasn’t possible, and what it was that kept them going. I sometimes myself doubting myself and my talents when I see other people’s work who I believe is so much better than mine but the thing is everyone is at a different stage of their journey and that’s okay, it’s something I’ve had to learn and still am but it has honestly helped me so much.
What is your biggest achievement?
As I previously mentioned, I’ve had doubts about my work and talent numerous times, especially now during COVID when I’ve been unable to go out and collaborate/create. It’s been a really hard time for me in regard to my well-being but also my creativity. However, recently I have been able to start pulling myself out of that dark place, I’ve starting to feel better mentally and also creatively. I’m really proud of me for helping myself to get to a better place, and it may not seem like much to others but when I look back on myself then and now I see progress and even though it’s only a little it’s still a start.
Do you think music has become an aesthetic, so if you listen to Indie music do you think it influences you to adapt to that style such as what you wear and how you act?
I definitely think that we associate particular music genres with different aesthetics, like your example of indie, I think that when we think of an indie musician, we have this certain image in our minds. This could be the style of the artist (in terms of musical style or clothing), the types of music videos they create (and the content within them), or the type of promotional content they produce.
Trends are a huge thing at the moment, but do you think they happen to quickly these days? Do you think this results in new artists having 15 seconds of fame?
I definitely agree, especially with social media, and people emerging from tiktok etc. I think that some of the popular users of the app who are diverging into music are just doing it because others are, a way of diverging into another field. I think that it’s definitely stopping talented artists and musicians from emerging and progressing.
Who is your biggest influence or inspiration?
I think that my inspirations are constantly changing, coming from various sources. People who inspire me aren’t necessarily just photographers but also people like my friends and family. My mum has worked so hard to provide for me and give me the best education properly, sacrificing lots of things to allow me to do the things I do but she’s also been my number one supporter throughout it all, if I’m passionate about something she’ll let me pursue it. Apart from people like friends and family I have a couple of concert photographers who’s work I love but also just their relationship with the artist they work with, I think that these relationships help to create the images they capture: Josiah Vandien, Joel Chamaa, Michelle Hunder etc.
Do you feel any social pressure from the industry? Do you feel like you have to be a certain way or promote yourself in a certain way?
The photography and creative industry in general is so hard to get in and pursue full time, and especially in the concert area of photography right now due to COVID. I’ve definitely had to expand my areas of content, not just taking pictures of people as such and expanding to nature/landscapes, product photography, and self-portraits etc. I also think that with the industry now you have to be able to adapt and be constantly firing out content to keep people engaged and following you. You have to be able to create all forms of content for different platforms e.g. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram as a way to reach all audiences and keep being relevant. I think that it can be really hard to do such things and it takes a lot of hard work which many people just don’t understand how difficult that is to do as an individual.
Thank you Nyah! I wish you all the best for the future and am looking forward to watching you grow.
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nyahindia/?hl=en
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