EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW With Franklin Aduda PhotograPhy is an exPensive world Franklin

When did your passion for photography start and what were the main milestones that turned you into the artist you currently are?

I was born in Nairobi, Kenya and moved to Germany in 2015. While I had worked as a photographer and videographer in Nairobi, I decided to undergo a professional training in photography when I moved to Hamburg.

My passion for photograph and actually also videography started in my childhood. My father worked at the cultural section of the British Council. He introduced me and my siblings to documentaries. Meanwhile, we had a lot of picture books in the house. Therefore, I was always surrounded by the art of images. In my teen-years, I re-discovered photography through my childhood friend Eric Kilele, who always had a point and shoot camera whenever we used to hangout. Later on, when he went to study journalism, he would always come back and share how much fun it is to shoot using DSLR and SLR cameras. He also introduced me to high end glossy print magazines such as Vogue, Ebony, or the hip hop magazine The Source. I always marvelled the covers of these magazines and enjoyed their content. The concepts of the presented work and their retouching were on another level. They were my initial point of contact and inspiration to get into photography.

Franklin, what are the biggest challenges do you experience in the photography field?

Photography is an expensive world where technology evolves faster than the blink of an eye. Thus, one of the challenges is to get a hold of the technology necessary for doing certain kinds of shoots – or coming up with creative alternatives.

Tell us a bit more about your project "Naomi!". Is there any particular message you would like to get across to the viewers?

My project “Naomi!” was birthed out of a long desire to shoot together with Naomi. She had contacted me ages ago, asking to collaborate on a shoot. We never really managed to fix a date; and then the pandemic turned up and turned everything upside down. I also became a new dad as my son Kieran was born at the end of 2020, when I went into paternity leave for a few months. Finally, I managed to rope her in for a spontaneous shoot where she incidentally also asked if I can try pitching the shoot as an editorial to you (Malvie Mag). With these images I wanted to bring out the many sides of Naomi in all her youthfulness, vibrance, charm, beauty, and also showcase her delicate nature too. She is such a multi-faceted individual, which I wanted to strongly underline. Ultimately, it shows how we all have different sides that have their own beauty to them.

What gives you ideas and what inspires you to create your beautiful images?

My images reflect my world. The people in it play a central role in my creative work that gives birth to my images. I am generally drawn to people; I find the geography of peoples’ faces very interesting. I live in world balanced between light and darkness. Some of my best ideas were the products of a long distillation process.

You bring a very high production value to your work. What is your retouching/production philosophy? How important is Photoshop in your final images?

My post-production philosophy is fairly simple in that I prefer to retain as much creative control as possible while shooting without being tethered to a strict protocol. I started working with the Retoucher Larinka last year and since then she handles all my beauty and editorial projects. She understands my style and delivers stunning results – all the while keeping up my tight time lines.

At the same time, as probably for many photographers in the 21st century, Photoshop and Capture One play a huge role in my creative process. They are the two legs that I stand on, since I shoot tethered at least 90% of the time.

From your own experience, what are the biggest challenges for an independent photographer?

The times are changing and more amateurs are gaining the tools and skills necessary to shoot pro quality work. This means a lot of undercutting. I have the impression that photography as a field is now going through some growing pains.

Who or what was your biggest influence in photography and why?

I am inspired by bold and playfulness of Lindsay Adler’s work, strength of Tamara Williams’s beauty shots, high contrast and avant-garde masterpieces created by the late Irvin Penn as well the flamboyance of Mario Testino’s beauty and portraiture.

How important is it to stay up-to-date on the latest trends to be successful in what you do?

I would say it’s really important because the industry is very dynamic and only those who can keep up will survive. One has to be at the forefront to remain relevant.

What are you usually looking for in a beauty model? What is an "aha" factor for you?

Before I choose a model, I usually have the idea of the shooting I would like to do fully crystallised in my mind so that makes the decision process easier. I thereby develop a preference for specific features for the particular shoot I am doing, for instance freckles like Naomi, or a gap tooth, full lips, glowing skin, and of course always the energy. We all emit a certain kind of energy and most the time I can tell if it’s going work or not. It’s a vibe thing.

What projects are you working on next, and what are your goals for the future?

I am currently working on growing my portfolio more towards beauty & wellness (cosmetic world) as well as more conceptual still work for the cosmetic industry. My goals for the future are to shoot campaigns for the top brands such as Chanel, Dior, Fenty et al. This is the direction I want to head out to. At the same time, I enjoy showing the diversity of the world in my images, which I will continue doing.

Where can we see more of your works and get connected with you?

You can see more of my work on my website franklinaduda.com or follow me on Instagram @franklin_aduda