Meet Devon Williams

 

We were lucky to catch up with Devon Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Devon, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

i’ve had PTSD for the longest since about five years old. I’ve never really saw majority of my mental health as an issue till I got older when I first started photography. I actually noticed That the type of photography that I chose to do revolve around majority of my PTSD. Many different ways of overcoming most of my PTSD was just throwing myself in the fire. I would connect and network with many great creatives like myself. I went through about 12 therapist over the years so I never really found any comfort in that area. Majority of it revolve around me actually avoiding them to, but eventually I started noticing that I found therapy within the different people I would meetOver the years. Many different stories and different connections that I made actually show me that what I was going through or went through was not minor, but small compared to what happened in my life. being behind the camera allow me a chance to catch your majority of that beauty that way when I got older, I was able to actually hold onto the memories I created. I’ve experienced a lot of loss and being behind the camera actually shows me and reminds me of all the many places I’ve been the many places people I’ve came across, I’m a static where I’m at and how far I’ve come .

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am a photographer in the Minneapolis Twin Cities area. Owner of Von Visuals Photography. I specialize in capturing confident, beautiful, diverse and creative people. I also love, capturing abstract, art, and different varieties of art forms. I’ve also worked through many fashion shows and business events that surround the Twin Cities area. I’ve made many great connections with different brands, hairstylist, different creators, and musicians of many genres. I’ve gotten into photography when I was about I want to say 10 or 11 I decided to take a serious more after high school and actually decided to start my business and 2019. Since 2019, I have been a part of Black business enterprises. I have made a lot of great connections with many black businesses in the Twin Cities and honestly I’ve connected with many great people all over the state of different cultures and diverse ethnicities. My drive for what I do is just being able to catch what many people don’t hold onto these days. I work with a variety of age groups, but my specific favorite has to be the elders . They is always very welcoming to listen to the wisdom the experience the growth that has happened over the years through these people. Right now, I don’t have any major plans going on besides honestly helping most of the brands that I’ve already connected with just continue to grow within their growth. A lot of my growth happens so I plan to just grow in the men that I’m becoming and honestly just a lot my business to floors and grow from where it’s growing from. Fashion Season is about to start back up so that’s the only thing on my to do list these days. I do plan to do a lot more DIY projects this year so the lookout for that.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

My perseverance, and my consistency was the main two things that actually have my focus majority of my life. I’ve never allowed majority of what I went through to change, who I was never allowed majority of what I went through to deter the heart that I’ve had as angry as I’ve become or been, I’ve never allowed it to Stop my growth. I could’ve gave up many times before I’ve had times where I’ve slowed down had to change the trajectory of my plans. But I never gave up. I never quit. I never stopped what I was doing. I wanted to my support wasn’t as efficient as it is now and now I am 26 years old I’ve come to the realization that the people around you matter within your growth. When speaking on environment that also means the people that are around you and the people that are in your life. If it wasn’t for God, I would not be where I am today so many people in my path he plays so many people in my face. I think him for everything he has put me through the good the bad and the beautiful. It took finding myself and really diving into who I want to be and who I want to become and what I did not want in my life anymore. My advice to anyone looking to become better to be better, never quit never fold never back down. You are who you are and who you are not you will never be!!! Set your mind where you wanna be and don’t accept anything that isn’t that. Trust God and trust yourself!!

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Myself!!! I am my greatest obstacle. Majority of the fight that I have in my life happens in my head. I can figure out anything else when it comes to life. Sometimes I struggle turn off the voice in my head. Sometimes I struggle with telling that guy to. It’s OK, let’s slow down . Lately I’ve worked on meditating, more yoga, less caffeine in the morning. Bit more consistent with healthy, eating, and Constantly working out. I won’t act like it’s not difficult, but like I said one thing I will never do is give up so no matter how hard it gets. I’m a just toughen up and make sure I see it all the way through. I trust my God the storyline he has created for me.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

All images from Von Visuals

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