We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Latiffany Latimer. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Latiffany below.
Hi Latiffany , you’ve got such an interesting story, but before we jump into that, let’s first talk about a topic near and dear to us – generosity. We think success, happiness and wellbeing depends on authentic generosity and empathy and so we’d love to hear about how you become such a generous person – where do you think your generosity comes from?
My generosity comes from knowing what lack looks like. I know what’s it’s like not to have toys for Christmas as a child. How when I was younger my mom would cry because she couldn’t do certain things for me like by my clothes and new things. I remember one time the lights getting cut off but she told me we were going to stay at a friends to have fun. So it wasn’t until my friends mom explained to me why we couldn’t go home. And so I never wanted anybody else to feel that way. God always provided for us and so I wanted to be the one that God could use to bless a single mother. Or to help a student who didn’t have what they needed.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
So being a photographer is more than a hobby for me. It’s definitely a passion. I learned photography in church. As I served in church I would learn no skills. I didn’t have a creative mentor or someone to help me along the way until my last 20s. In fact when I got the call to be a part of the TedX photography team is where I met my first photography mentors and my creative family. But I got my start in the church. And to this day I still serve at my local church. As much as I love photography I’m also a lifelong learner. Being in the sidelines of sporting arenas and shooting gives me this adrenaline like every moment is the superbowl. But I wanted something more. When I graduated high school I wanted to do athletic training or teaching. But I’m a 2 time college drop out so I was intimidated to do anything “big”. So I settled into a “career” and went back to school. And my bosses were encouraging me to do criminal justice and so because I am a reserve officer everyone thought I wanted to be a road cop. But I said no if I have to pick this path I’m going into law as a lawyer. I got through a few classes and I was like this is boring and I’m not feeling it. So I made what some would say a crazy decision and I changed my major or kinesiology with my focus being athletic training and sports medicine. People hear that and say do you know how long it takes to become a doctor? And I was like I was going to be in school for a while to be a lawyer anyways so I don’t care this is what I want to do. But because it’s not a 24 hr process you will still see me on the sidelines at sporting events with my camera until I get to the end of my program as an AT, and then a DO. So I’m pretty excited.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
3 important qualities I would said is have a good work ethic. Not just when you’re in school or working your jobs but in everything you do. From maintaining your home, your body, hobbies, you have to be willing to do the work. And not just doing it to say you did something but do it well like it’s the highest of quality. Also be willing to listen. If you have wise people around you that want to see you succeed you have to be able to listen to their wisdom. If you are always the wisest and the smartest in the group and you know all the answers then you’re failing yourself. I have 3 groups of people that I know have my best interest in mind and they have good wisdom and non of them are my age and non of them are “my friends” it’s my pastors, my God brother/sister, and my aunt and my uncle. Who might I add are all successful and who I admire in many ways. They are not afraid to tell me the truth even if it may hurt for a moment. But they are also the people who have the experience and can save me some life lessons if I just listen. And lastly don’t hold on to fear. You have to be bold and confident. Yes fear will come but don’t let it hold you up. If I would have held on to the fear that my dreams and goals are too big then I would still be in a call center making $13 an hour and not living half of the life that I have lived so far. People say do it afraid. I say show fear who’s really in charge.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
It’s so many people who have helped me along the way in different stages and different areas. I can say some of the people who have been in the trenches with me are definitely my pastors Dr. Bishop Alvernis & Shantell Johnson, my jurisdictional leaders Bishop & Lady Shelby. My God brother & sister Dr. Ryan & Jamie Guillen, and my favorite Aunt & Uncle Tammy & Deon Gray. These 6 people have pushed me in away I never knew I could be pushed. I mean they have cried with me. They have stay up late nights with me. They have taken chances on me and the most important they pray for me and they have NEVER taken advantage of me or led me wrong in any way. And then I have to shout out Shawn and Tay Lee! They were the first people to take a chance on my in the creative space and they pour into my creativity and they are my creative mentors and they have helped me take my photography to higher professional level and they are like the big brother and big sister I never had. And then my family. My family has helped me to learn patience and and how to stand strong in who I am and who I believe I am called to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tiffthephotographe.wixsite.com/lookattiff?siteRevision=53
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiff_the_photographer?igsh=MWo4NnBieGtmMHZoeQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/latiffany-latimer-74373371?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
Image Credits
All images were shot by me Tiff The Photographer
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
