Luna Sweetheart: Amarie Baker
Photo By Meng Cao
BRINGING AN INTENTIONAL AND POWERFUL ENERGY INTO HER WORK - Amarie Baker has created a strong yet charming foundation as an artist. The visual artist taps into a range of her creative interests, from photography to videography, while always bringing her special touch to every project. Baker values the importance of always bringing some sort of intent into one's work while remaining open, and her portfolio speaks volumes to that. Read on to learn more about Baker's style, how we can creative a more inclusive creative community and more.
LUNA: How did you find your artistic style?
I like to think I’m still finding it haha. With film sometimes you can do some truly intricate things that you could never achieve digitally so I believe in experimenting a lot. I love playing around with colors, crystals and shooting through different objects or materials. I try to do what feels right even if I’m not 100% sure what the outcome will be. I think the trick is to continue to play when you create work.
One of my favorite images (below) never would have been captured if I didn’t stay calm when my shutter jammed. I shot this on a Pentax Spotmatic which is over 50 years old, so it’s not unusual for something like this to happen. The trick is to stay calm and troubleshoot what you can. Staying calm and thinking on my feet allowed me to get the shutter to release and I was able to capture this incredible image.
LUNA: How has living in New York City shaped your work and how you work?
I moved to New York back in 2016. It’s wild to think about how long I’ve been here! The city has a really vivid energy and each borough has its own vibration. Being here has allowed me to meet some really special people that inspire me everyday. All of my friends are insanely talented and I really love that we have so many opportunities to create together.
New York has really kicked my ass but I’ve learned how to advocate for myself as a creative and speak up. This self-discipline has helped me to better define my creative process and now I never work with anyone without a contract (even with acquaintances or friends). Everything I’ve experienced taught me a lesson and I can say that now I know how to go about handling various things from a business perspective. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or require a deposit for your work. It’s unfortunate but some people will try and take advantage of you as a creative and at the end of the day you have to protect yourself.
LUNA: Advice for those wanting to get into film photography?
I think if you’re nervous about shooting film the easiest thing you can do is get a disposable and try that out. If you want something a little more long term I would suggest getting a point and shoot off of ebay. They’re usually under $30 and honestly I wouldn’t worry about the type of camera you pick.
When you eat a delicious meal you never think to yourself “omg what kind of stove did the chef use?” It's the same with photography. It has more to do with your skills/eye than the type of skillset you’re using.
I have a friend that captures dreamy portraits with a generic/slightly broken point and shoot (which kind of freaks her clients out) but she’s super talented and creates fantastic work. The cool thing with film is that it’s real and imperfect. I love it because it forces me to be intentional with what I shoot since it’s not infinite in the way digital is. Film delays instant gratification because you have to wait to get it developed. I also think with digital files it’s super easy to get bogged down because you overshot, but with film (especially super 8) making my selects is so much easier.
can't erase summer from Amarie Baker on Vimeo.
LUNA: What’s been your favorite shoot so far?
Pansy Co hands down. Laura (the founder) is an amazing woman who has a fantastic vision. She really trusts her photographers and as a result the branding for her page is stunning. The day we shot everyone got up at the crack of dawn so we could shoot at the beach. It was the most fun I’d had in a while and I loved hearing the sound of the ocean. Being there so early allowed us to watch the sunrise which was so incredible. It felt like we had our own private beach.
LUNA: Could you tell us a bit more about the biinar bb collective?
Sure, this is a collective I started back in college for my friends and I. Many times you need to make work in order to be considered for work. That’s why specs are so great. They allow you to showcase your ability and allow brands or potential clients to see that you can execute your vision and create quality work. With this collective I’ve collaborated with a variety of individuals on projects.
In school, people really appreciated being on set with one another because we were all women + queer + non binary folx of color working together to create something special. The atmosphere felt very welcoming and we were able to maintain that uplifting and positive vibe throughout the shoot. I continue to produce smaller projects with this collective and am always open to people wanting to join. The majority of the time it’s students or folx looking to work in the film or photo industry for the first time. I make sure that people know that they’re welcome in this space and that everyone can share their ideas or give input. As a Director its important that my set is a space for everyone to learn and grow.
I also strive to be really transparent when it comes to rates. If the project is a spec I make sure that people are benign compensated for their time and labor in a trade, (for example I'll help out for their project) or in goods (if I have equipment or props people want to use for their next creative endeavor).
LUNA: What can the creative community do to better to be more inclusive/open?
I wanted to share a lot for this question so I’m going to answer in a few parts.
I think depending on who you are it’s important to know your resources. I’m a Queer Black photographer who lives in New York so I feel have more access due to my proxity to the city, whereas someone who might live in the Midwest might not know where to start. But the internet has done an amazing job of bringing so many of us together and allowing people to connect/learn. There are so many groups you can look into for resources/help and there are also sites that feature creatives of color. A few of my favorites are Authority Collective, Portland In Color, and Color Positive although there are plenty more out there. If this question is from a brand perspective I would say to use inclusive stock photos from companies like TONL and Broadly. (Refinery 29 used to have one but unfortunately it’s not available to access anymore).
I would also recommend to get a mentor if you can or try to collaborate or work under a photographer you admire so you can learn more. I’ve worked a ton with my friends Mary and Meng which has been amazing. Mary has taught me so much in the digital world and Meng has done the same with film. If you don’t have the chance to work with people that are already in the industry I would try and get a mentor. Don’t be afraid to send a cold-email to someone you admire but make sure you are explicit about what you want/what your needs are. Many people don’t know if they can be a mentor, so by you sharing what you’re hoping to get out of a mentorship this can help them see how much time they would need to commit. If you can’t find a mentor I would say to go to a photo meetup in your city so you can meet other creatives.
Lastly, I would say to navigate this industry with intentionality. When I’m shooting a story or project I always ask myself if I should be the one to tell this story? If I have an opportunity to showcase a community that I am not a part of I will pass that opportunity on to someone else. I won’t pursue the assignment because I believe these stories are best captured by someone from that community to provide accurate representation. So pass the torch and put someone else on. There’s more than enough work to go around for everyone so be sure to give someone else that chance. Try to look at situations like this from a perspective of abundance vs one of scarcity.
LUNA: How have you been able to combine your other creative interests into your photography?
I feel lucky that I’m able to do multiple things. I shoot video, direct, edit and use the entire Adobe Suite so I really feel like the options are limitless. I think one of my favorite things to do has been making collages both digitally and irl. Placing everything on paper and even collaging my own work really changes my perspective and makes me think of different ways that I could shoot something. I also think that as a photographer it just makes all of your other work that much stronger as it translates into other projects.
LUNA: What do you want people to know about you as an artist?
I’d want them to know that I don’t take myself too seriously. I think of Instagram as more of a creative diary where I can share my thoughts and creative projects but I prefer to meet people irl. I really love new ideas. As the Director sometimes people mistakenly believe I’m not open to feedback or willing to try something but I appreciate when people give me their input. In my mind, we're all working on this project together and the end result is a collaboration of all of our labor so I’m always open to what people have to say!