Luna Sweetheart: Charlie Williams
Photo By Shiloh Teny
AN UP-AND-COMING FILM PHOTOGRAPHER - Charlie Williams’ body of work features soft color palettes, candid portraiture and an overall dream-like quality. Williams enjoys the control that film allows him over the digital medium. Each of his photos construct a narrative and tell a story of the individual they highlight. Read on to learn how Williams honed his style, his advice for those interested in shooting film and the behind-the-scenes info of his favorite shot. Read below to hear about why he shoots film, advice for other photographers and more.
Model: Marisa Lebovitz
LUNA: What do you like about shooting film over digital?
WILLIAMS: What I love so much about film is that I can produce any type of image I want with a soft tone and color that you can’t get with digital. You can only do so much with digital but with film you can control everything and it’s amazing. I have a lot of enjoyment with shooting film in the span of the past year.
LUNA: How do you find a balance between pursuing projects for clients and projects for yourself?
WILLIAMS: It’s honestly hard to say with client work, personal work, as well as school projects it’s a task that definitely can be a lot but I try to organize everything and maintain a system of keeping everything in order and getting the client work done asap so I can continue the personal projects.
LUNA: What value have you found / what have you learned from collaborating with other creatives?
WILLIAMS: I think what is so beautiful with collaborating with all types of artists is you don’t really learn what they bring to the table until after the photoshoot. Most of my close friends today are people I collaborated with for projects. It’s always great to collaborate and network with people and you never know who knows who and what they can give to you.
Model: Lejon Mcrae
LUNA: The favorite story behind a photo?
WILLIAMS: Probably one of my favorite images of 2019 because it's one a candid shot and two the image is so powerful in the way Brandon is holding Lejon up from falling. This image is saying that we have to keep pushing even when the world doesn't work in our favor. There will always be someone who will lend a hand and help when you don't realize it.
LUNA: What advice do you have for those wanting to get into film photography, but may feel discouraged or intimidated?
WILLIAMS: A lot of people have messaged me through social media asking questions about how do I start? I always 100% tell them to literally shoot everything every day. It doesn’t need to be any specific but it could be places, people, food, cars, etc. Whatever you want to shoot and then based on those images you get more confident and continue to shoot more.
Model: Gabe Kilpatrick
Models: Christen Jewel Dickson & Ari Hall
LUNA: What feeling would you want people to feel when seeing your photos?
WILLIAMS: I want all my images to tell a story and I hope they do. I don’t want or like to be compared to other photographers just because I feel like my work is definitely different from most. I always love telling stories with my work whether it’s random images or not.
LUNA: How would you like to see both your work and yourself grow this year?
WILLIAMS: Message to myself is to just continue to be positive and prosper. Continue to shoot great projects and work hard. I’m really hard on myself and a lot of people tell me I’m not at my peak yet and I’m killing it. I try to be as humble as possible and enjoy what is lined up ahead. I appreciate the people who support my work and keep pushing me. That means a lot to me.
