This is “In the Limelight,” our blog series that takes a closer look at some stunning canvas prints and the photographers behind them. Our “Limelight Questionnaire” gets to the who, what, when and why, while the photographers tell us in their own words what they want us to know about the shot. You’ll get information and inspiration In the Limelight!
“Don’t Blink,” from the series “Eyes of Zana,” 24 x 20 Thin Gallery Wrap, © Cam Be
“In 2010, I shot in the Ugandan village of Zana. This piece is part of a show I am doing in Chicago in late April. A portion of the proceeds will go to His Embrace orphanage in Uganda. The thing I remember most about Africa is all the children – there were so many children everywhere. The people there are beautiful and genuine. I use a Canon 5D Mark III and a Canon 7D with several lenses. This photo was taken on a Canon 7D with 50mm 1.8 lens.”
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Why photography?
Well initially I am a film director, a videographer, who’s always been interested in photography. Once I got a DSLR camera I was able to seriously explore that passion in-depth. Photos are the heartbeat of film so I think it made for a smooth transition. I truly love both.
What are your favorite things to shoot?
I like shooting people, I love to capture expressions, moments in time. I've shot photo and video at several concerts so I have a wide collection of stills from some of my favorite artist from The Roots, Common, Lauryn Hill, Mos Def, Chaka Khan, you know I could go on. Faces are the thing for me, I think the eyes say so much. I also like shooting my bulldog Sir Duke. I think he has a pretty cool Instagram, certainly way more followers than I do.
Who inspires or influences you?
That's a loaded question, let me try to be brief. Music inspires me, from Marvin Gaye to Miles to Outkast. I think what Spike Lee's films did to my young impressionable mind opened my eyes to wanting to be a filmmaker. Gordon Parks was certainly an influence. Hitchcock another. I think my mother always having a camera when I was young was a big reason I gravitated toward it.
What has displaying your work in printed form meant to you?
This past year was my first time printing my photos to anything. It's been a learning experience just seeing what works. I am having my first showing in Chicago in late April. I'm doing a series titled “Eyes of Zana” which I shot in Uganda, Africa in 2010. I originally printed some photos to matte paper, but I was looking for something a little different, tried canvas and it stuck.
How did you discover APC?
Honestly, Google. I tried a few different canvas places and APC gave me the best results. So I continued to work with them. I like the quality of the prints, the colors, and they are relatively quick with getting the prints done.
Discover more about Cam Be on his website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.
