Meet Anderson Fortune Jr

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anderson Fortune Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anderson, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

My work ethic derives strictly from dedication to the art. The art being photography. I was primarily drawn towards the technical aspect of photography, the time consumption that bred perfection and in result created a self-preserving sight catering to a variety of people. I would study the works of Albert Watson, Garry Winogrand, Kwaku Alston and Eddie Otchere, in order to garner inspiration to even WANT to conceptually develop my own work. Surfing through YouTube in search for old interviews of Jonathan Mannion, Barron Claiborne and Danny Clinch really made me feel like I was working towards a special goal- that goal being a prominent career in editorial and art direction. I mean, I’d constantly rewatch Jonathan Mannion interviews of him pulling out his old contact sheets from photoshoots he did with DMX, Aaliyah and Jay-Z, seeing the tangibility that photography offers its creators. Eddie Otchere has also been the driving force behind “putting your work on PAPER”. Don’t just send your negatives to a lab and have them send an email… pick up your negatives and print them out- never operate only on a surface level! Parents would constantly advise me to go for a job that can ONLY put food on the table, a job that requires no creative acumen- only practicality. But for me being a fan of Hip-Hop and R&B, heavily into filmmaking, combined with this insatiable desire to stamp my name amongst those I’ve always aspired to be… I decided to let my work speak for itself. My work ethic constitutes me buying my own film, my own cameras (along with any lens compatible with the vision I have in mind), developing my film, editing and then officially publishing the final cut. All of that takes time and money, none of which I think regrettably about! I also constantly promote my own work, sharing it with those I call “friends” or people I believe to show more love and interest towards my work. All in all, my work ethic comes from the inspiration and the vision I think proves the distinction between me and today’s creatives.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m Anderson, a portrait photographer and freelance writer hailing from the multicultural streets of Brooklyn, New York. My story begins at 4 or 5 years old, watching both of my older sisters play “Final Fantasy VIII” on the Playstation 1. I’d sit behind them and watch them strategize their way out of difficult boss battles and that alone, I began to perceive the concept of fun and how easily attainable it is. As I grew older and attending elementary school, I’d begin to befriend numerous people who lived in my neighborhood, walking to school every day talking about what adolescents usually talk about. At the time, there were BeyBlades, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards, but we’d mostly talk about our favorite anime. My favorite anime at the time was “Naruto”, secondarily “Dragon Ball Z”. Seeing the newest episode every Saturday morning would build this anticipation that kept me glued to the plot, the characters and their powers. Thinking about it now, it would be my undying love for anime and the thrilling anticipation that it ignited in me, which would inadvertently inspire me to pursue a career in the creative/communication arts. My “business” is ‘TRU DELEG8TOR’, a production group I founded in 2022 servicing editorial, photography and music production. I’ve written for magazines like “The Culture Crypt” and I’ve had a conceptual project of mine published by a French publication known as “The Eye of Photography”. After graduating from the illustrious St. John’s University with a Bachelor’s in Communication Arts, I figured it’d only be right if I’d delve deep into the “Jobs” tab on LinkedIn as well as other employment sites. With my focus mainly being film photography (occasionally digital), I pursue models or anyone willing to partake in bringing my vision to fruition. I’ve also been publishing my own articles on Medium- mostly about underrated or overlooked Hip-Hop albums and the technicalities of photographic/cinematic films.

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?

It would be impossible to only name three, however, you must be PERSISTENT in embarking on your mission. You cannot be totally reliant on others, you have to put the work in. If you must, get a part-time job… that way, you’ll have the finances to sustain personally and creatively. Secondly, you must be COOPERATIVE with those taking their time out of their lives to help you reach your goal. You mustn’t overlook their contributions regardless of if they believe in you or not. Do not be swayed by discouragement, nor fret at the first sight of conflict. The dedication I’ve always had for my craft allowed me to freely search for source materials like interviews and gallery shows- they’d make me feel like I can make a name for myself no matter the odds! Lastly, LISTEN CAREFULLY! Do not just selectively pick apart the lessons, absorb the good, the bad and most definitely the ugly. That way, you’ll be able to get easily comfortable with rejection- taking “No!” for an answer doesn’t always mean that an opportunity won’t present itself in the coming days.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes, indeed! Scrolling through social media daily in hopes to stumble upon an idea, I always encounter photographers that are WAY BETTER than me. I do not harbor any hate or ill will towards them, they worked hard to get where they are now- and I truly do get inspired to create. One photographer by the name of Taiye or Taiye Godbody, whose been featured by PhotoVogue and at arms length with legendary photographer Jamal Shabazz… his work is really experimental and they focus mainly on the uplifting of Black people. Another photographer by the name of Jasiah Powers, he’s made a name for himself by bringing all sorts of people together in an eventful fashion- all projects dedicated to the culture of New York’s underground phenomena. If we’re talking “cinematically”, I’d want to meet and learn under Nicolas Johnson or WonderWrkr, a photographer, cinematographer and director of photography for many established brands.

If any of them are reading this, I’d love for them to email [email protected] or Direct Message @yakavetta__ and @flixbytrudeleg8torz on Instagram.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Joshua (@_j.xsh), Brendan Geddes (@brendangeddes), Malik Allen (@leek_ig), and Sebastian Torres (@sxbastianxo)

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