Today we’d like to introduce you to Darnell Mcadams
Hi Darnell, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’d have to say that my story like so man others is about tragedy and triumph! I’ve always been into movies and visuals from a young age, about 9 or 10. My father was in the military and would be on TDY (Temporary Duty for all the non military folk) which took him away from our home for weeks at a time and to pass the time, my mother an I would go to the movies at least twice a week! That’s really when I started to unofficially train my eye for composition and cinematic style. Fast forward my college days at the University of Washington in Seattle, I really got into the poetry and spoken word scene but would also be the guy always walking around with a disposable camera. I fell in love with art then but my parents weren’t the type to go for me getting a degree in it. It was also this time when I became apart of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity incorporated. Due to me enjoying college a little too much, I lost my academic scholarship and had to drop out, then my father passed away from lung cancer in 2002 and I never went back. This is when I started the relationship with my now ex-wife and had the two most precious human beings on the planet, my daughters Anai now 16 and Danae now 15. My mother ended up passing away in 2015 and at that point I stopped chasing “the bag” and started following my passion which was visual arts, specifically photography. I started Raw Glass Photography 2 years later and by the grace of God it’s still going today! Life happened and by 2019, me and my family moved to Cleveland with the intention of separating and we did. However, I still had every intention of following my photography dreams, and did! We got to Cleveland August 10th 2019, a Saturday, and by the next weekend, though a tip from my cousin, IG messages and a little luck, I found myself shooting for Triumph Magazine, a cleveland based magazine focusing on the who’s who of the african american community! Since then I dove right into the art community creating a non-profit called the Creative Healing Foundation, an organization focused on using the arts to help with mental health, had my work featured in dope exhibits and got into shooting videos and independent films, and started teaching visual arts to middle and high school students. With that also has came the creation of something called The Living Room Cookup which is basically our version of Tiny Desk where we feature local artists that shine a light on positivity. So here we are! (Sorry, that wasn’t very brief) 🙂
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing is ever smooth and I believe I mentioned some of the things that happened but while I’ve been in cleveland, I lost my grandfather, gotten divorced, been to rehab, and lost a couple of very close friends in the span of 5 years. All while building a brand and business.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a photography/filmmaker/educator that specializes in editorial style images but I’ve been running around the city like every other photog doing events, weddings and everything in between. Style wise I think I’m known for my dramatic look and ability to find interesting ways to pop some color in a black and white photo. I’m most proud of the work that I’ve done for Triumph Magazine, also the work I’ve done through The Creative Healing Foundation bringing together artists in the community and educating the youth especially. I believe what sets me apart in my personality and hustle.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
All I would say to anyone starting out is just to GO OUTSIDE!!! What I mean by that is just start showing up and shooting EVERYTHING!! That’s the only way you’ll find out what your niche is, and once you do, attack it with all your soul!
One thing I wish I would have known is like anything, there is no shortcut to the top, you have to take the stairs! Meaning don’t get mesmerized by these “quick fix” courses on social media claiming they have the “sauce”. Your money is their income! DO THE WORK!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rawglassphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rawglassphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rawglassphotography
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darnell-mcadams-b87701b/
- Other: https://www.creativehealingfoundation.com/
Image Credits
Raw Glass Photography
