Sheer Creativity
Step into the chill vibes of Sheer Creativity, your go-to laid-back podcast about creatives for creatives! Immerse yourself in dynamic conversations, insightful interviews, and performances, all centered around the creative experience. With me, Laraya, as your guide, we'll blend special guests, personal development nuggets, and engaging creative content to inspire and motivate you on your artistic journey.
Sheer Creativity
Lina Simpsonn: The Multi-Talented Photographer
Lina Simpsonn is a woman of many talents, including photography, creative direction, graphic design, and more! Learn more about her journey into freelancing, her hidden skills, and her advice for individuals seeking a creative career. Follow Lina and book her through her Instagram page @linasimpsonn.
SHEER CREATIVITY LINKS
Read Laraya's creative writing on Of Wisdom and Wander
Check out Laraya's website
Order Laraya's poetry collection
Welcome to Sheer Creativity, the podcast about creatives for creatives. Today, our Sheer Creator is Lina Simpsonn, an artist specializing in photography, graphic design and art direction. Welcome to the show, Lina.
Lina:Hi. I was gonna say, this is so exciting. A little awkward. I feel awkward now.
Raya:Oh girl. We are just two friends chatting.
Lina:Okay.
Raya:Tell us more about you, your age, where you're from, anything you'd like to tell us.
Lina:Okay. Hi everybody. My name is Franklina, but I go by Lina Simpsonn. I am 22. Um, I grew up in Maryland, but I am Ghanaian. Ooh, there's a little bit of me.
Raya:So first of all, amazing photographer Lina took my pictures one time. They were fantastic. I'm gonna hire you again, girl.
Lina:Yay!
Raya:So, how did your photography journey begin? How did you start falling in love with taking pictures?
Lina:So I kind of just like, I don't know, I feel like I kind of just stumbled upon it. So, um, I'm actually gonna give you like the full rundown cause I haven't really told people like the full rundown.
Raya:Yeah. Gimme it!
Lina:but really it all started like, um, Seventh grade and I actually had lived in like, Pennsylvania and I had like no friends. I had moved there, I had no friends. So, um, obviously I was on the internet a lot and that's when like Tumblr was up and popping so
Raya:Oh yeah.
Lina:I didn't have a camera, I didn't have anything. I had an iPod, but like, I loved Tumblr so much and I just liked the pictures and stuff. And so my, I was using my iPod like, and you know, iPod did not have good quality back then, but I switch taking pictures on my iPod in seventh grade just taking nonsocial pictures, like they were like bad. But then, um, um, then the next year my parents were like, okay, let's get her a camera. And they got me, like this tiny camera. Um, I still have it. I can't throw it away cuz it's like it's, I, you know, mean exactly. And then, um, that's when I move. To Maryland, and I swear to you, I took that camera to school every day.
Raya:Aww.
Lina:And I took pictures of everything. Like I would take it cuz I would lived like a walking distance. I lived in like a country town, so it was like, you know, when it was fall, I would take pictures of the flowers. I had a lot of animals. Like I just took landscape photos and I just didn't stop. Like I never stopped. And it like, it wasn't supposed to be anything. It was just something that I did like it's so weird to think about it, but it was just like something that I did for fun, just taking my camera literally everywhere I went. Like it did not leave me. And that, um, I think I only started to make money into it cuz it's like people were like, you know, you can make money from this, right? And I was like, really? I was like,
Raya:mm-hmm
Lina:I don't know how to start cause it is just been taking pictures. I wasn't taking too many pictures of people. It was very like artistic. And um, so I just kept that in mind. And then when I went to, um, when I was in my senior year of high school, I started applying to art colleges. I went to the school and they were like, Your pictures are amazing, like this is great. And they started giving me refers that I should look at and stuff, and they were like, you know, like you can make money from this. They said it too. Like I was like, oh my gosh, like maybe I should make money from this. So when I got into college, I started like trying to like promote myself, but I was shy. But it wasn't until sophomore year that I had my first job. And from since then, it has like exploded. So that is my full rundown of my photography journey. Yeah.
Raya:Oh wow. That's so, that's the cutest story ever Lina.
Lina:Um,
Raya:but yeah, it, I feel like a running theme is like, it usually begins as something that you just kind of do. You're not really thinking too deeply into it.
Lina:Mm-hmm.
Raya:it's just something that you enjoy.
Lina:Mm-hmm.
Raya:and then people be like, hold on, that that's actually kinda fire what you did right there. So it's like that added
Lina:Yeah.
Raya:Like validation on it that really makes you feel like, oh, okay, this, this is me. I'm, I'm dope. Hold on.
Lina:No, no, really. I think that it's so harder, it's to get into like, like doing something for money. It's so much more harder to do it with the intention of just doing it for money. You actually have to like what you're doing and I feel like that. People these days are like, like, because people are making so much money from it, and we have social media and we can see people do businesses. A lot of people start things to make money off it, and then they just fall off and it's just like, it doesn't work that way. You have to like what you're doing. So
Raya:Girl, that is a word. I know, like for me, there's so many things that I've started and then I'm like, I'm not, I'm not even like emotionally invested in this. So if you start something that you're not even, even feeling from the jump, it's not gonna work out for you. So it has to start off organically. Mm. And it has to be something that you're passionate about or else it's just, it's just gonna fall off.
Lina:Hundred hundred percent. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Raya:So in order to like, be an interviewer, I kind of have to stalk your page a little bit and and what I found is that you're like a drawer, like you're an artist that way as well. And I didn't know that. Oh yeah.
Lina:How'd you start that? Oh. Oh, no, Oh, I've been drawing girl. I hide that from people. I actually hide it. I'm so shy about it. I actually am because it's just like, I don't know, it's like a different side of me and I don't think I'm, I'm like, okay. Like I don't think I'm bad, but I'm just like, okay at it. But yeah, like, no, I'm really into drawing. Um, in the future. Hopefully I wanna come up with a comic book. So that is something that I've been secretly working on. Yeah. But that's like, this is all like, like this is for your ears only.
Raya:Right. Ok.
Lina:I'll never it to anybody. Oh no. You can keep it in, but like, I won't ever speak on it ever again. Like I won't ever speak on it ever again. But like, I'm, I'm been working on the, on a comic book and an an animation and it's like kind of like black, think like all the shows we like, like. Growing up, but like with like 16 and stuff, like cartoon network of like black people love. Yeah. From love it perspective, like, yeah. But yeah, I do have, I know I have some of my, I have my favorites on my page hidden that I don't wanna remove some of my, um, chalk drawings that's probably
Raya:highlights was like, oh, ok. She be drawing.
Lina:Yeah.
Raya:I think it's super cool. You're so talented.
Lina:Oh, no. Thank you.
Raya:What sparks your inspiration for shoots?
Lina:Ooh, that's, that's tough. What does spark it? Um, sometimes it can be something as simple as just living life so corny, but just like, I don't know, like I'll experience a moment and I'm like, I wanna recreate this moment.
Raya:Ooh, yeah.
Lina:Yeah, I really just like, I don't know, sometimes I'm trying to like create an emotion or sometimes I just see like a old magazine article and I'm like, I like this. Like I just get ideas. I get inspired by the most random things, sometimes even like an album or a song, and I'm... yeah, let me make the
Raya:Oh, I love it. So is there a specific kinda shoot that you like doing?
Lina:Specific kind of shoot I like doing? Mm. I like, I think, I mean, I like my creative shoots the most. I like them more than just like, you know, family grad shoots and whatever. But I will say I just love shooting black women just in general. Like I don't know what it is, and I do, I just love shooting black women. I just don't know what it is. I just love shooting my people. I love shooting my girls like, I'm sorry men, but I love shooting my girls. Mm-hmm. and I love it. when I just, I bring something out of them. Like people are so comfortable shooting with me. Especially you. You were shy. You were so shy when you came out. Yeah. And I like it when I seem push themselves artistically and like they look at the pictures and they're like, oh my gosh, like I didn't know I could look like that. So yeah, that I like.
Raya:Yeah. You do have a way of like making people feel so comfortable because I am an awkward picture taker. I mean, I. Lina, we could be honest girl.
Lina:I disagree.
Raya:I was, I was awkward.
Lina:I disagree. No. Who I, no, I disagree. I disagree. Cause when I looked at it, I'm like, you look pretty. Like none of it was like, oh, she looked uncomfortable. No, you looked fine. Look.
Raya:Oh, thank you.
Lina:Oh, you were fine. You were fine.
Raya:Well, yeah. I actually have this question just because I feel like I'm an awkward picture taker. Do you have any like methods on how to loosen up people who are like potentially awkward in front of the camera or how to make them feel more comfortable for getting that perfect shot?
Lina:Hmm. Um, I mean, obviously being friendly. First off, but, um, I also, I, I, I think I'm funny, so I try to make people laugh. Sometimes. I try my best everybody's different. Um, so I, yeah, but just also like, I feel like getting to know the person you're shooting. I've seen some people, they just take the pictures, you know what I mean? They walk in, do their job and get out. Even I, I took some pictures with some people and that's what they did to me. I'm. Huh. Like, you know what I mean? Like, if you don't know the person, like why would you feel comfortable shooting with them? Like, you know what I mean? Like, it don't gotta be like a transaction. Mm-hmm. So just, I feel like just having a good relation with people makes them naturally loosen up. Because I want people to be themselves. I'm, I pose people, but I usually want people to bring what, you know, bring their own poses, bring them personality in the photos. But, um, but. Those are, I guess those are my methods.
Raya:You make it seem like It's, it's more than just like a transaction. Like you said, it's bringing out their true selves through a photograph and you can't do that unless you spend some time with the person so that makes a lot of sense. So on your Instagram you also have a post that like brings awareness to other black, um, photographers within the DMV area. How did you network to find other creatives like yourself to work with like models or other photographers?
Lina:Oh wow. Yeah, I did that post for um, Black Lives Matter. No, that this was when it was like 2020 and it was craziness and I was like, I'm, I know this is not part of the question, but I'm just gonna bring out why.
Raya:Talk about what you wanna talk about.
Lina:Ok. But like, it was like 2020 and there was so much happening and everybody was making like a Black Lives Matter post design infographic. And I was like, I wanna do that, but I don't wanna. like I felt like people were just doing it just to do it like it was a lot of performativeness. So I was like, no, let me, you know, I'm a artist. Let me bring, let me make a post for the black photographer since you know, we're celebrating black people. Let me celebrate black artists. And I did that and it blew up. I was so shocked I didn't, cuz I had like no followers. So I was, You know, I was genuinely just doing it from the bottom of my heart and it like got everywhere and I was like, wow, what the, and I think I did it again. I think I brought it back up and then I haven't done it again, but I will do it maybe in February. But I wanna do like your artists, like singers or something like that, like other, not just photographers, but yeah, that's where that post came from. And honestly, from that post I met, I've ended up meeting almost all those peoples from the post.
Raya:Oh, so you didn't know them beforehand. You just kind of like saw their social media.
Lina:I literally researched. I just went on Instagram everywhere. Just researching those people. I know them now which is so funny to think. Like, I look back, I'm like, oh my gosh, I've met all these people with by the time, like yeah, I didn't not know them, I just put them on there. Um, but how our network is like, I guess social media is the best. Um, but also like going outside cause I'm being annoying, but going outside and going to those creative events and just like introducing yourself to people I went to like some meet ups. When I, I think they still do it, but those like picture meetups where you just show up and it's like models and photographers, met people that way and also just like met people in like class and like around town. But like, I would say social media is the biggest. Like I DM people, like I have, I feel like people know I'd be in DMs, but I'm, I'd be in people's DMs. I'd be like, yo, I love this work. Like, this was great. Like I will, I will ask them questions. I don't care if I don't know you. I will be there saying, hello, what's up? You hear from me. But yeah, that's what I do.
Raya:That's so great like just shoot your shot people and you'll meet all the people that you're supposed to be.
Lina:Hundred percent. Um, yeah,
Raya:Photography wise, what elements do you kind of look for when you're trying to achieve that kind of perfect shot? Like are you looking for lighting, like the perfect pose? What are you looking for?
Lina:Ooh, this has changed a lot. When I first started photography, I just stumbled upon the perfect shot. I didn't really have a clue, but now I guess, I've gone to a point where I can like visualize things.
Raya:Mm-hmm.
Lina:and how I want them. So like now that I have the skills and tools and know, understand that stuff, I literally can, like, I literally envision things in my head and then I take it and like I edit it in the way that I see it, which is so like crazy now. Like saying that loud, I didn't even, like I'm saying this, I'm processing it. I'm like, oh, that's what I do now. But, but yeah, like I straight up just visualize it.
Raya:It's that trained eye now because you've been doing it.
Lina:Yeah.
Raya:How many years? Since seventh grade. That's, that's a good little while.
Lina:Yeah. I don't even count the years for real.
Raya:Yeah. What steps did you take in order to form that freelance career out into photography, but also in web design and all the other different things that you do.
Lina:Oh my gosh, man, this stuff, it was hard like nobody teaches you these things and I feel like we have so much more resources now, but when I started sophomore year, like I had nothing like I made so many mistakes. Like I remember I didn't used to take deposits or like, I took like$5 deposits. I don't know what I was doing. And this one guy took my money.
Raya:Oh no.
Lina:Like he got his pictures and he never, he never, he never, well he didn't take my, yeah, he took my money. He didn't pay me and he got his pictures and I was like child. But um, I guess now I would say the first step is write everything down, like write what your intention is like be specific, because I feel like if you're too broad, like no. You know what I mean? You can go, there's too many things to think about when you're too broad, but like, be specific. I knew I just wanted to shoot like college students, so I started from there and then I didn't have a website, but I would make like posts, like marketing, you know what I mean? Like promoting my pictures, making a post, um, contracts. Yeah, invoices. Like I would start out with yeah. Your vision, your marketing then get into contracts and then your finances, because it's so much when it comes to finances. Like you have to pay taxes, um Oh yeah. And you have to take it out yourself. You have to take it out yourself. You can't, the government don't, they don't just do it for you. You gotta, you gotta put money aside. And I put it in separate bank account to give it to the government because that will bite you in the butt. No, but they will. They will come for their money.
Raya:Oh yeah. Uncle Sam don't care about you.
Lina:Oh, at all. At all, at all. Well, no, those are definitely the basic steps of, okay. Yeah. Freelancing career. Yeah, but also like start small. Like I feel like people just think like it's good to have big dreams. Cause I'll never knock anybody's dreams, but like, Like if you're gonna start like something like design, like start small, try designing for your friends, like, you know, so you can have work to like show people with so you can get your slowly enter into getting your big customers. Don't just like don't just start emailing, you know, whoever, whomever gets the pro, because I. I definitely was there. I was definitely like thinking too big, but like over time as you start building the portfolio, you know, reach out to those companies and just shoot your shot. But yeah. Yeah.
Raya:That's some good advice right there. Congratulations on graduating this year. Thank you.
Lina:Oh, it was tough. Girl, thank you.
Raya:It's not for the faint of heart.
Lina:No it's not. Mm.
Raya:But you have your bachelor's now in design studies and a minor in electronic media and film. So is film a goal that you aspire to achieve one day?
Lina:Yeah, so when I was younger I really wanted to be a film producer, a movie director. So I minored in that cause I want to explore it and it is something that I still wanna explore. But I think I'm more into like the writing.
Raya:Mm-hmm.
Lina:So we'll see. I do, I have a couple scripts hidden away.
Raya:Okay. Come on scripts.
Lina:Well, we'll, we'll see. We'll see. I. Get into it slowly. Like, I might do like a couple videos here and there, but I think I would work better with a team as, um, as like a writer. But yeah.
Raya:You wanna be in the writer's room, just kind of like, yeah knocking off ideas on each other. I love that.
Lina:Yeah. Yeah. That's what I, I don't, I don't know about all the, like, I don't mind recording and stuff, but it's a lot to think about. And then editing is also, So I think about it put together and I just like, just know.
Raya:I just wanna give all the content and y'all do with it what you do.
Lina:Exactly, exactly. I love it.
Raya:So we're coming on our final question, and lemme tell you Lina, I'm having a good time. So what advice do you have for creatives? You kind of touched on this a little bit but advice for creatives who are stepping into a creative career.
Lina:Creative career. Woo. Well, um, I got a few of them. I'm gonna see the basic thing and make sure you have a backup plan. Let me just say that make sure you have a backup plan. Make sure you have something to fall into. Because as I dive more into this, I mean, I have my degree and what, and I've been freelancing for a couple years, but I realized that like, this works for me because I'm 22 years old. You know? Yeah. Living in my parents' house. If I'm older and I had kids and I was freely listening, I'm sorry, this would be hell. I'm.
Raya:9 to 5 here I come!
Lina:Like, when is my baby gonna eat? Like, I dunno, when I'm getting booked next, like, I'm sorry, like this only works cause I'm by myself, bro. Yeah. So make sure like you have like another, like get, I don't know if it's in like, you know, engineering, computer science, just something that you can fall back into just in case like, because it's, in the beginning, it can be tricky. It's gonna take a while before it becomes stable. Like it, if you work hard and don't give up and keep trying, like it will, it will be stable. Like for me, it's still stabilizing. Like I won't be, I'm gonna be honest, like it's not like every month I have, I'm fully booked out. There's some months where it's a little slow, but like, No, like just having something to fall back on will help you a lot. So that's my basic, I feel like everyone says that though. Like
Raya:that's, that's just how true it is because inflation is real.
Lina:Like we're going through a recession. Yeah. It's scary right now.
Raya:Cost of living is high.
Lina:very high.
Raya:That's high. If it's something that you love and you're passionate about, then it'll work out. However, we gotta be realistic at the same time.
Lina:And, and that's, and that's the hardest thing, I think, following your dreams. You have to be delusional, you know? Yes. it's that balance between delusion and being realistic that even me, I struggle, like I'm not even gonna lie there. So, I'll use my last dollar on a studio like I really did, but I, I mean, but it ended up getting me jobs like that. Shoot, some of the shoots I did for fun with my friends got me booked. So it's like, you know, being delusional is good. Like I don't want people to be too safe, but I don't want them to forget that you need to be safe.
Raya:Best advice ever. I usually end, um, every podcast with Laraya's top five, which is like five lightning round questions. It's just kinda the first thing that pop into your head. You ready?
Lina:I'm ready.
Raya:All right. Are you a morning or evening creator?
Lina:Both. I will sleep at two am and then wake up at six am.
Raya:Your favorite work that you've thus far.
Lina:Ooh. I knew you was gonna ask me this, and I was like, I don't have a, like, I knew I felt like it was coming, but I was like, bro, like I don't have one. I'm gonna just say, I'm gonna just say the one that I did with my friend Michelle for her birthday. She's like in a pink suit. I really like that one. I really like that one.
Raya:Yeah. Are you introverted or extroverted?
Lina:I'm both.
Raya:Okay.
Lina:I'm both. I feel like, I mean, that makes sense. Like I feel like I have extroverted personality, but like girl, I be quiet. I will mind my business and sometimes I'm in the house like for weeks on end, like no one will see me and then you'll see me at the club going crazy. Literally there was a shoot. No, there was a shoot. I just did. It was the first time me seeing the girl, of course. And I was like very shy, but I was like, you know, being myself. And she said she seen me on the stage at the Rico Nasty concert just the other day. I was like, I was so exposed. Cause I was acting like very quiet, but I was like, child, like they don't see my personality.
Raya:She said, don't be acting like that. I've seen you.
Lina:No, literally, literally.
Raya:All right. Next one, all time favorite album.
Lina:Can I, can I give you like my top three? Can I give you top three? Okay. Channel Orange, Frank Ocean. Mm-hmm. Okay. no skips. Ctrl by SZA, no skips. Kendrick Lamar's. We're gonna gonna say Kendrick Lamar's. Damn.
Raya:Oh, I love that album.
Lina:Those, those three.
Raya:That's a cool list. I'm not mad at it.
Lina:Cause I, yeah, I can't, cause I, it would be full wrong to say Ctrl knowing that Frank Ocean exists. No, I could not. Yeah. Those top three. Mm-hmm.
Raya:All right. Final question. Your happiest moment.
Lina:From the top of my head, my happiest moment. Being in my bed. Okay. Snacks. Watching a good movie, girl, that moment you're killing me. No, that that's my happiest moment. For real. Nobody bothering me. Watching just into something. Just into a movie. And I got like corn. Chocolate. Exactly. You get me. Get me wrapped up.
Raya:Thank you so much for coming on the show, Lina. And y'all can support Lina by going on her Instagram and following her@linasimpsonn. That's Simpson with two N's. Don't forget the other N and you can also book her for her her design and photography stuff at Lina Simpson with two ns.com
Lina:Yo, you're killing me. Cause the two N's, people do be forgetting the N.
Raya:Ok. I wanted to make sure. They gon support you now.
Lina:No, they need to know. They need to know.
Raya:Thank you so much Lina. This has been so much fun.
Lina:No, it has. Thank you for having me. I can't wait for this to come out. Yes. Thank you.
