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Join Karis Reneé in this exciting episode of Fashion Files as she welcomes long-time friend and talented photographer Samantha Everette. Dive into Samantha's compelling journey from a footwear designer at Vince Camuto to a celebrated photographer with exhibits like 'Crowning Glory' at CAM. Learn about her pivot into photography, her creative process, and her invaluable advice for aspiring photographers. Highlights include anecdotes from a career-changing photoshoot with ESPN and Nike, as well as insightful discussions on the importance of community and dedication in the creative industry. Don't miss out!
00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
01:43 Diving into Photography
05:05 From Footwear Design to Photography
14:17 Games and Trends in Photography
16:34 Crowning Glory Exhibit
24:16 Navigating the Fast-Paced Industry
24:37 The Importance of Community
26:12 Challenges and Tips in Photography
27:08 Transitioning from Hobby to Business
28:35 The Cost of Pursuing Photography
30:28 Exciting Collaborations and Projects
38:46 Unexpected Moments on Shoots
41:53 Advice for Aspiring Photographers
43:48 Corporate Photography and Future Plans
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- Sarah
- Micaela Smith
Creators and Guests
What is Fashion Files?
Fashion Files is a captivating podcast hosted by Karis Reneé that delves into the glamorous world of fashion. Explore styling secrets, costume design insights, and red-carpet chronicles featuring both solo episodes and interviews with fashion industry experts. Each episode will inspire, entertain, and educate fashion enthusiasts.
014 FashionFiles - Samantha Everette
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[00:00:00] Welcome back to Fashion Files with Caris Renee. I'm your host, Caris Renee, and I'm so happy to have y'all here with us today. We have another guest, and this is my girl I have known her for, um, I don't know if I want to tell you old five years.
Karis: Our age five years. Let's just say a long time. About two decades now. But you know what I mean. You were supposed to say five years, it's okay because that black don't crack you. You just don't know. Anyways, her name is Samantha Everett. I get to call her Samantha. But y'all can, the
Samantha Everette: only person in the world, in the whole wide world that can call me, man, my aunt would be jealous 'cause she's been trying since birth and I could, mm mm.[00:01:00]
I don't know why I special are special.
Karis: I've been calling her that since we met and she allows it and so I keep But don't you call her that. So her name is Samantha, so y'all have already heard her a little bit. But go ahead and say hey to the people and tell 'em who you are.
Samantha Everette: See now I'm being that person 'cause I listen to a lot of podcasts and I know you supposed to be quiet until the person introduce you.
And I'm just talking , I'm just interrupting your whole introduction. Like it perfectly fine. No advocate, no of it.
Karis: You're fine. Well, now it's your time to shine, so tell the people, Hey. Right
Samantha Everette: now, , I already warned her that I'm gonna cut up this whole time. I'm sorry y'all. Hello, I'm Samantha
Karis: Everetts. Okay.
And so today we are going to be getting into all things photography, but I'm sure of course, as y'all know, we will tap some into some other things. But I wanted to talk to her specifically because that is what she is all about right now, is photography. She of course, is a creative, so she is a [00:02:00] multihyphenate as we all are.
So we're probably getting into some of those other things because I know some other things that she has had a chance to tap into and I definitely wanna talk about those as well. But right now the focus is photography. So Samantha, let's jump right in because I don't have to do an icebreaker with you 'cause I already know you.
So let's jump right in and tell us how did you even get into doing photography?
Samantha Everette: So, I was let go from my job in 2018, um, 1718. Ooh, that is spicy. Hold on y'all . It's delicious. She
Karis: just tried. So try y'all.
Samantha Everette: It's delicious, but it just, Ooh, it caught me a little bit. . Um, got let go. Uh, I worked for Vince Camino, uh, rest in peace, uncle Vinny.
He passed away and they sold the company. to a company I will not mention 'cause we, but so, um, was out here in the world not knowing what I was gonna do. I took my severance and I was like, I'm gonna travel the world. Mm-hmm . [00:03:00] And I had my camera that you did with me. Yep. I had just purchased my first like official camera.
I'd already started blogging 'cause right before I got let go, I was living in China for a year and a half. And so I was taking pictures there all over Asia. and I was like, I kind of like this. I'm gonna keep doing this. And then I was taking pictures while I was traveling, mostly of myself being fabulous wherever I went.
Yes. Um, and then also other people, and then landscapes and the architecture and all that. Mostly people. Um, and then I, I got sick. and I actually, my friend just, I was posting some throwbacks from Brazil, so I was in Rio when I decided to come home and he was like, when were you in Brazil? I was like, you don't remember, I called you from the airport and was like, Hey, um, get me home.
I need a flight. And you were like, I'm at the doctor office. I was like, lead a doctor. Go get on the, get on the computers, get in, go into delta.com in your employee portal and get me a flight home. . [00:04:00] Um, he's like, not a buddy pass. Listen, it wasn't a buddy pass, but it definitely was a deep, deep discount to get a ticket in 15 minutes from another country.
Yeah. Um, and then I got stuck here. during the pandemic. Mm-hmm . And I was talking with one of my mentors that I love to life, and I was like, what am I supposed to do now? Like, I can't travel no more. I don't wanna, you know, work in the footwear industry anymore. Um, and he was like, why don't you just take pictures of other people?
Stupid. He literally threw the stupid in there, , um, that hit home. Yeah. And I was like, oh, okay. I could let me do that. And then my first . , um, photo shoot was $200. Shout out to OMG Lemonade. It's a local, but yes. Okay. They're my first paying client. I love them. Love Mota. Love Layla, love them. Um, and then it just like it kept going and I got my first show and I've had like, like 11 or 12 exhibitions in the last couple years, which is
Insane. That is. Yeah.
Karis: [00:05:00] Yeah. Okay. Well, so let's take it back a little bit because you already hit on where you knew I was gonna go. Mm-hmm . Anyways, so Samantha started in footwear design. Okay. So we've known each other since college. And so that's kind of, I did, was that your first job after college? Mm-hmm
I went straight in. I got super blessed. Yeah, that is a blessing. So as she said, she previously designed for Vince Kamodo. So kind of talk to us about that. 'cause I know you specifically said like of course you got laid off, but you were like, you didn't wanna go back into that. And I know we talked about that mm-hmm
Before when we reconnected and how, you know, that whole experience. So kind of give us a little bit about what was going on during that time. Well, first of all, start with even how you even got
Samantha Everette: introduced into that. You see these
You see how big these dogs are? I'm a size 12. Um, and these shoes actually make my feet look small, which is why I love them. But I'm a size 12 and growing up it was impossible to find shoes. Um, I would have [00:06:00] to go to pay less one for economical reasons. Uhhuh , you know, single mama doing the best she could.
Yes. Um, shout out to Payless because Payless got how held us down . It really did. It has all my church shoes, Payless for sure. But I wanted to, when I got older, I knew I wanted to be able to just go into a regular store mm-hmm. And buy cute shoes, which I knew wasn't a reality from trying to do it at the beginning of the school year or whatever it was.
And I was like, you know what? I'm just gonna make shoes since nobody wanna make 'em for me. I'm just gonna make 'em. Yeah. Um, the like delusions that you have as a child, you don't understand the whole mm-hmm . What goes into actually mm-hmm . Running a company and making product and getting the product on the shelves and all that.
Mm-hmm . Um, so I went to school for design because the degree that I had . Directly would get you into the footwear industry. Mm-hmm . Which is industrial design, if you any, yes. Footwear enthusiasts, wondering how to start your career. Industrial [00:07:00] design. Went to NC State Wolf Pack. Yes. . Um, yeah. And then moved up to New York and got a job like I was cold calling.
I moved to New York. Actually, I had a job of baby fat. And I said though, thank you. Throw
Karis: back to that. And they done resurfaced again. Just like apple bottoms is
Samantha Everette: resurfacing . Yep. I had the original apple bottoms before they changed 'em to fit everybody else. . That was so tight when they were like, oh, they don't fit.
They're not supposed to fit everybody. Right. They're supposed to fit the people. The curvy girls that got the, the apple bottom. The apple absolutely . I had the original apple on the button and everything, but um. Yeah, I just got, and during that time too, that was the recession, so I got super lucky to get
Karis: in.
I did. Yeah. So you what? I did. Okay. So you started at Baby Fatt and then That was very, I never went. Okay.
Samantha Everette: I interviewed, I got acce. Like I, I didn't even really have the interview. I just went and met them. I already had the job from my mentor. Shout out [00:08:00] to, Marshall, uh, he was my mentor in college.
Mm-hmm . And he worked for Fry boots, baby Fat Lucchese. Like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. He was that dude . And he was fine . Um, so, but he, he not crushing on your mentor? Listen, I sought that mentor out for more than one reason. I was young, but I was not dumb. No, he was, he was just my mentor who was not that type of, I don't wanna get that many in trouble.
He was just my mentor. Um, and I worked for him in his design. He moved his design office to North Carolina and I worked for him. Okay. But then he was just like, you . Cannot say how up, but I don't wanna leave my boyfriend. You know, he was, I don't wanna leave my boyfriend. That's crazy. I don't wanna leave North Carolina.
Yeah. And he was just like, get your ass to New York, but it's, I'm gonna give you a job. Even the fact
Karis: that you had the opportunity, because you said he moved his design business here. That was, because that does not happen.
Samantha Everette: Like, and I saw him on a magazine on the . [00:09:00] NC State Alumni Magazine, and it was just like, who is this fine man?
And I asked the dean of students and she was like, oh, you could probably get him to talk to the students. I happened to be the president of the African American Design Student Association, mouthful . Um, and he agreed. And then I was like, can you do a portfolio review? He agreed, and I was like. Can you hire me?
I know that's right. And he agreed. I was just like, yes. Yeah,
Karis: no, that is amazing because it's so much I shot. Yeah, for for sure. Especially in this industry, but not even just that. It's so much harder for us because we're not the New Yorks, we're not the la we're not Atlanta. You know what I mean? So not to be that main city like that, it.
The opportunities are far and few in between. Mm-hmm . And so you really have to grab 'em when you get 'em. But the fact that you were able to have that opportunity before you then picked up to move to New York is amazing.
Samantha Everette: Yeah, and I, when I went to new, I was actually, um, before I moved to New York, I was [00:10:00] in New, I was at Coach for Internship, but I had already interned for Guy.
And when I got to coach, I was like, I've been doing tech packs. Mm-hmm . I've been talk, I wasn't talking directly to the factories, but I was. Doing everything except talking to the factory. Mm-hmm . And Coach had me doing some, they had me photocopying basically for a whole summer. Mm-hmm . And I was just like, I was the worst intern.
I had the worst attitude, . I was just like, this is stupid. I used to be the head of the interns. I signed people's time sheets and I was doing tech packs, and I was like, that's the worst, that's the worst thing you can do as an intern, by the way. Just shut up and do what they say and act like it's the best job ever.
Even if you know . They're on some bs like I was the annoying intern that nobody wanted to be around, but it's 'cause I guy had spoiled me with too much responsibility and knowledge. Um, but that in turn did help me when I finally got into the industry. Mm-hmm. Because when they were telling me about.
Different technical things and how to do things. [00:11:00] I was like, oh yeah, I actually already know that. Now I just get to learn how you do it. Mm-hmm . But I'm not sitting there like, yeah,
Karis: what are you talking about? Yeah.
Samantha Everette: Yeah. He
Karis: definitely prepared you. Okay. So then talk a little bit about your time at Vince and what you were doing there.
Um,
Samantha Everette: Vince was amazing, uh, as a person in a company, which is, you asked me, I don't know if you asked me, or we just touched on it, like . Why I wouldn't go back to footwear. Yes. But it's because Uncle Vinny spoiled all of us. Mm-hmm. We were so spoiled. Mm-hmm. He treated us like family. Um, it was such a good working environment.
Yeah. Like there was still some shoe dog issues going on. Um, if you've ever worked with a shoe dog, especially in New York, you're gonna get cursed out. , somebody gonna get called a C word, something is gonna just, it is just not pretty. But, um, . That is all dictated by whoever's in charge. Yeah. And Vince was such a standup guy and well [00:12:00] respected guy that, like folks in the building could only get away with so much.
Mm, that's good. And so we were really taken care of and my boss was like amazing. He doubled my salary in the first year, period. It listen, I love that. Yes. Yeah. And he took care of me, like I made that man millions of dollars. So he was like, absolutely, take care of me. I'm gonna take care of you. And so I, and I just knew I wasn't gonna have that relationship anywhere else.
Yeah. When I started the department, we had about eight people and it grew to about 30, 40, 50 in the eight years that I was there. Mm-hmm . So it was, I was the assistant designer when I got there. Moved up to designer within a year, answered to one guy, and there were two other designers in the department.
and when I left, oh my God, I was a director. There were like three of the directors that I had trained and then, um, I had like . Another person that [00:13:00] worked alongside me, that was my right hand. And then she ended up being VP after I was let go. And my, so I was let go 'cause my boss left. Mm-hmm . And then they like started cutting from the top.
Karis: Mm-hmm .
Samantha Everette: Um, but yeah, she became, she took his position. So it was her, she was there from the beginning and then like. Just all these other designers and design assistants. It was just, it was great. Loved it.
Karis: Yeah. Well, I also, I did get a chance to meet, uh, Vince as well when I worked at Belk. And so I can definitely, he was amazing for sure.
Yeah. Um, so yeah, definitely RFP to him. [00:14:00] okay. Let's play a little quick little game, okay? Okay. Because we're gonna go ahead and jump back into, to photography 'cause uh, you know, we'll into the design, into my, into the design. But I'll stay there. But that's not what we got you here for.
Samantha Everette: So, you know, that's my first love.
So I just, I know, and I, I love that.
Karis: I love that you still love it, because I didn't know that you still loved it. I, so I love that. I do. Yeah. I love that. The reason is not because you don't love it for that, it's because you just feel like you won't find that again. Mm-hmm . Which is, it's, it's very accurate.
Like I tell people all the time, people, the industry changed it. It is. Has absolutely changed. Yeah. And people leave or stay because of environment. Yeah. Yeah. And people, not necessarily what they're doing. Okay. [00:15:00] So let's see. We are going to do, this one is gonna be about trends and techniques. Okay? Okay. A little game I'm gonna give you, it's basically a this or that photography edition.
Okay? Okay. So natural light or studio lighting. Ooh. We need context. Karis? Mm-hmm. You just gotta pick one.
I need to give you rapid fire. I know. I'm sorry. That's a pass. Oh, okay. Film or digital. Have
Samantha Everette: you worked with film in a perfect world film? In a practical world? Digital, yeah. Yeah. Okay.
Karis: Okay. Black and white
Samantha Everette: or color? Color. Okay. Melanin, we need color.
Karis: Yes. [00:16:00] Candid shots or post
Samantha Everette: I. Candid, .
Karis: You know what it made me think about, it made me think about your, your Valentine day shoot and your video. It was so candid. Super cute. Wasn't my booty. No, you sitting in the chair. .
Samantha Everette: I mean, there was booty too though. It was, there was a lot of booty. My dad let me know, I saw your picture, so Facebook.
Karis: Oh, . I took it. Oh my God. Okay, so let's get into some of the things that you have done with photography, because I know you said that you have done like 11 or 12 exhibits, and I was able to see one of those last. Year at Cam called Crowning Glory and it was so beautiful. And so I don't know what your proudest moment is yet, but that's my proudest moment for you.
And it was just super beautiful y'all. It was celebrating, [00:17:00] uh, the crown of black women in our hair and it was just amazing. One, I was just . So proud of you and just excited to see, like, to see your stuff on a full wall, like floor ceiling, 11 feet
Samantha Everette: tall. Yeah. That is amazing. Yeah. So let's, I think one of 'em were, was like 30 feet wide.
Yeah. The one on the back wall was think 30 feet. So
Karis: yeah. So let's talk about that. Let's talk about like some of the things or how'd you even, how did that even happen? Now I've . Senior behind the scenes or whatever, but let the people know like where that even came from. Like, I know this, some of the concept, you didn't even know exactly what you were gonna do, and so let's talk a a little bit about that.
Samantha Everette: Okay. So you wanna know how I came up with the shoot or how it got in a museum?
Karis: Uh, both actually. Um, let's start with how it got in the museum first, and then you can give us the details of behind the scenes with the shoot. So I'm happy 'cause that's the
Samantha Everette: way I want. That's the order I wanted to period, isn't it? [00:18:00] So it's all about community. Mm-hmm . Like the same way with getting into the footwear industry was because I met a person who knew a person, knew a person. Um, same thing with the museum. Um. I had a mentor and he got me my first show. Uh, well, he didn't get me my first show, but he like, made me aware of where I should apply and like what the process was.
And he probably, you know, did a little behind the scenes mm-hmm . To the, to the board or whatever. Um, but um, yeah, I got my first show at Derm Art Guild. And then that like got eyes on me and then other, like I went to art space and they had seen my work there. And so then I got that residency and then my community just like ballooned from there.
And I. I put my work into the VAE, uh, auction for, I don't know if their [00:19:00] holiday party, but this is like their annual party. Um, the VAE museum in, on Fayetteville Street, downtown Raleigh. Mm-hmm . Um, and Dr. Paul Baker, the director of Cam, saw my work and was just like, I love it. Raj, miss you, dude. He saw my work, both of them.
and then they come in and
Karis: then it happened. Wow. Yeah. Okay, so now talk about, you know, kind of how it all came into fruition.
Samantha Everette: So the art space, um, exhibit that was a residency and that residency happened. It was actually funny. Um, Anna Lee love her. I was like, I met her pre pandemic. and like tried to get some information in and then pandemic happened and like everything changed.
Mm-hmm . Met her again after pandemic and I was just like, I'm interested in residency. Like, I like to talk to you. [00:20:00] I like my, I'm a photographer. And she was like, okay, cool. And I was just like, just trying to like get some kind of like . Hold to get, you know, her to pay attention to me. And she was just like, basically, have your people call my people.
Like whatever, . I was just like, okay, this not red tape. This lady is not feeling me. She's not checking for me. She'll know like she's, and then, um, Clarence, I always say Clarence, last name wrong. He is the painter. Amazing painter. Hey. Worth? No, it's not Hayworth. Lord. I'm gonna memorize your name one day.
Clarence . I have your painting on my wall. And um, but he's amazing painting. And he actually had a residency upstairs. Mm-hmm . At, um, at Art Space. And he came downstairs at the moment that I was talking to Anna Lee. Mm-hmm . Community. He came downstairs. Mm-hmm . And he was like, this is the most amazing photographer you're ever gonna meet.
And um, and she [00:21:00] still was like, yeah, whatever, right? And he's like, nah, like you should have seen her work at Derham, art Gu blah blah blah. And then like light bulb went ding. And she was like, black respite at Derham Art Gu. And I was like, yeah,
And then she was like, oh, your work is amazing. And I was just like.
I tried to told you lady, I love that. Um, but it was just funny to see the flip flop from like totally blowing me off. And I know she's gonna kill me if you ever listen to this, but you did blow me off Emily to, um, to being excited to work me with me with That's that
Karis: persistence, you know? Mm-hmm. And
Samantha Everette: like you said, building that community that has I nothing to lose other people either lose either.
Yeah. Like all she could do is tell me no. But then having Clarence there and then also having . And that's another thing. It's not just community, it's also the strength of your work. Mm-hmm . If I had great community who was like, she is amazing. And they're like, and your work
Karis: [00:22:00] is trash, but is she though, right.
is she,
Samantha Everette: then it wouldn't have gone anywhere Rocky. But I had, I did the work, um. And also had the community support. Yeah. So
I love that. Okay, so talk about the actual exhibit. Because listen, I don't know, like, hmm. I'm trying to think like I had a favorite then, but every time I see it I'm like, I don't know.[00:23:00]
Karis: And so I. Think it, I think it is still, uh, the young lady that had the braids and, and seeing the braids flowing through the photo. But the, it was just so great and all of the images were so beautiful. Are you asked to be my favorite? No. Well, if you wanna give your favorite, but I wanted you to just talk about the concept as a whole.
Samantha Everette: Um, so I . Just needed to produce a body of work. Mm-hmm . Really fast. For the residency that I was just talking about with Anna Lee and Art Space, and I was just like a month before it was like all over and I had to get something up on the walls. I was just, I had a dream Wait, a wait, a what? A month.
Karis: A
Samantha Everette: month.
Yeah. Uh, I, crowning Glory came together in like, I think like three weeks from like me having the idea to, like Samantha, booking the model, to buying the clothes, to getting the lighting guy, getting the assistance. That is wild. Yeah. I order everything on myself online. [00:24:00] Um, went to Michael's like the day before and got the beads to make the
I think that's what they're called. The ne the production necklaces. Mm-hmm . Um, yeah, and shot it, it was 11 hour shoot. From 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM pm You know, that's
Karis: typical. So I'm used to that. So listen, but the one month, I mean, that's also typical. I wish we had more time in the industry, but we don't. Yeah.
Everything is always, and I think that's why I was able to just so used to it because it
Samantha Everette: didn't seem strange to me because I'm like, yeah, but when
Karis: you really hear it and think about it, like because I know what it looked like and to know that you were able to put that together that quickly, but it's
Samantha Everette: also community.
Yeah. Like I happen to have the hair braiders already and . They're amazing. I love them. They love me. So they're like, yes. That's amazing. Yeah, and the model, I scouted her at a food truck on Juneteenth like the year before she actually was driving in. I didn't know if she was gonna make it because her sister got deathly ill and was [00:25:00] in the hospital in Tennessee.
And so the day before, she's like, I'm in the hospital with my sister.
Karis: Oh my God.
Samantha Everette: And my six month old. And I don't think I can make it. And it was
Karis: it her baby in the shoe?
Samantha Everette: That's her baby. That's both of their babies. Oh,
Karis: oh
Samantha Everette: my gosh. Yeah. Um, so that's why he's so ful. He looked like his mama. So cute. He was the cutest baby ever.
Um, yeah. And so I was just talking with her and I was like, you know, you have to do what's best for you, best for your sister, but we got eight people lined up or it was more than that. Um, and you didn't have a backup. No. Have you seen you? No. You have seen her? Ain't no, ain't no backup for zaya. Like there's no backup for Zaya.
Like you cannot replace her like she is. Oh my God. Like little Naomi. Like, you can't, she's so amazing. Yeah. Um, and then also I needed the baby. Yeah.
Karis: I, that was, that was, yeah.
Samantha Everette: I needed the little chocolate drop baby in six months. My God. It's the perfect age for shooting children. If you are [00:26:00] ever photographing children, if you're ever wondering, um.
Because they are old enough to pay attention. Yeah, but not old enough to wanna do what they wanna do. Ooh, okay. That's good. Yeah.
Karis: So what other, what other tricks and tips you got for the people that are looking to get into photography? Don't
What? Why did you tell them that? Why do you say don't unless you got thousands of dollars? It's all thousands expensive. But it really is. That's, that's when you have to really want to invest in yourself. And it's like, and, and just know that this is your purpose. It is one of the
Samantha Everette: most expensive. Oh,
Karis: like you gotta like curse.
See, I thought you was gonna say rewarding .
Samantha Everette: No, that's childbirth.
No, I wish, I wish you could just like, turn the cameras around and see all the gear. I, I could tell you how much Yeah. All of this. Stuff cost. Yeah. It is very [00:27:00] expensive and you need it, and you need it all yourself. Mm-hmm . Like you can't, I can borrow things here and there from people, especially when it's like something really expensive.
Um, but when you have, and there's a difference between hobbyist and having your business, right? Yeah. Because it's like, because you,
Karis: and you transition from that. So, because you were doing it as a hobby mm-hmm . And then you turned it into the business. So like, what are some of those call outs and you think that there are the main things, main
Samantha Everette: thing is it's a business.
Yeah. So learn about business. Mm-hmm . Like, that's one thing that I didn't play with when I started. I was like, um, I got my EIN yeah. I registered my company with the state. I got a business account. Yeah. Um, I pay my taxes. Mm-hmm . Like all those things that . It won't hurt you if you stay small, but how you start is how you end.
Mm-hmm. So if you start messy, you gonna end messy. It's gonna all implode and blow up in your face. Yeah. And you're not gonna be able to handle when, [00:28:00] and that's always the hardest part
Karis: as creatives, is to figuring that part out. Yeah. Which is why like, even, you know, for me, I've been doing it for quite some time, but like sometimes it is.
If you aren't good at that, and if you wanna focus, find somebody else that is mm-hmm . But don't just skip over it. Can't skip over it. You still gotta do it, even if you're not the one actually doing it. But you should still always have your hands on. Don't be not knowing what's going on in your business now.
Mm-hmm . , that's where you'll get a little messed up.
Samantha Everette: So that's, that's one thing I learned from Uncle Vinny too, is like, he was there every single day, every step of the way. Mm-hmm . He knew everything ins and outs. And that's another reason, like people ask me like, why don't you do photography? I'm like, I mean, why don't you do footwear of my own?
Mm-hmm . I'm like, you have to live, eat, breathe, drink, sleep. Yeah. This whatever you love. Yeah. Um, especially photography. I mean especially footwear. Also photography, but photography. It, it, you can go as hard as you want or as not like mm-hmm . It's levels to it. Mm-hmm . Um, if [00:29:00] you don't go super hard with footwear, you're just not going, you're not gonna make it.
Mm-hmm . Like, it's just, it is a full 24 7 obsessive type of industry in order to be success. The people that are good at footwear are . Insane . Insane. Yeah. Um, okay.
Karis: And we had a, we actually had a footwear designer on a previous episode. Hi Jessica. And so she's actually launching her line this spring, but she's been working, it is been 12 years in the making, see?
Mm-hmm . 12 to be dedicated at something Yeah. 12 years
Samantha Everette: just to launch. Yeah. Like that's crazy.
Karis: Yeah. It's crazy. Yep. Yep. She had a soft launch and then now she's having her actual, uh, launch, so Yeah. I know right now I got somebody you wanna go talk to. 'cause I, she knows the ins and outs a little bit. As long as she making a size 12
Samantha Everette: You heard that?
Karis: Jessica . Okay. So, but I,
Samantha Everette: but I don't hold it against her if she doesn't because I know the difficulties and the limitations [00:30:00] and going doing extended sizes Yeah. Is not easy. And it, it. Is not cost effective, which is why it doesn't exist that much.
Karis: Yeah. But I hate that though because like even with me, like they've even stopped making my size.
Like they've stopped at half sizes at eight and a half. Mm-hmm . And I'm like, how you just stop at including me in the sizing in the size. I was an 11 and a half
Samantha Everette: narrow for the longest, so. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Karis: , okay, so I wanna jump to something else really fast because I saw something recently where you assisted somebody on something.
So let's talk about that. 'cause that was kind of exciting. That
Samantha Everette: was me and me and Cornell. Shout out to Cornell. Watson we're exhausted for the rest of the week. , we gave everything for the seven minutes that we had her on set. I did
Karis: see that. Definitely like that. So. Seven minutes. Yes. And, and the fact that you have to prepare [00:31:00] so much longer for this short amount of time.
Mm-hmm . Is even crazy. You could be preparing for dates. I had to
Samantha Everette: take my shoe off and like I was
Karis: Okay, so tell me what we're talking about.
Samantha Everette: I was Asia Wilson before Asia Wilson came to be Wilson in front of Cornell's camera and I was assisting on that shoot, um, for her launch of her new sneaker, um. Which is in my favorite color, by the way.
Know? It's so cute. I actually really want it. Yeah. Yeah. And it was my size too, and I Oh, you was like, like, can I take the sample? Listen. They were like, um, she's getting ready to get on her private jet. She needs to take the shoe with her. And I was just like.
Karis: but the campaign looked so amazing. So tell me about that. And I know you had seven minutes, but just like, even how you even got on that, like what it was like, uh, on the shoot, just like what, how you feeling? 'cause like I said, I know that you, uh, were assistant, but still it's a big deal. [00:32:00] Yeah. So .
Samantha Everette: I feel like I've said this word like 18 times, but community, community, if they
Karis: don't get
Samantha Everette: nothing else, community.
We're naming the episode. Community , especially black community. Absolutely. Like my community has now extended to include DW Whites again. Mm-hmm . That's a whole other conversation because I was just all about, just blackity. Black, black, black for a long, especially even corporate America. Yeah. Um. But, uh, yeah, Cornell, I met Cornell.
Um, he is an amazing, amazing documentary photographer. Mm-hmm . Like, if you've seen any pictures of Kamala, Kamala, or Biden, or. God. I mean, those are the two big, like, you know, bigger, like Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, especially when they come to North Carolina, like it's probably one of his pictures. Okay. Like he's just, he is a beast.
He started in the pandemic and that man . It's not right [00:33:00] in the head. There's no way he should be that good. So fast , like, I know I'm good, but that man is great. Yeah. Um, and I have no qualm saying it. 'cause like, he's like, give credit what credit's due. He's amazing. Yeah. Um, and he is big into the like, commercial photography world.
Mm-hmm . And the editorial world. So he works with scape, um, who's under ESP, like a mm-hmm . Offshoot of ESPN, all. All the amazing black stuff at ESPN is under scape. And so they called him on a Friday and was just like, can you drive to South Carolina on Monday and shoot Aja Wilson? And so he called me and he was just like, are you free on Monday?
And I was like. No, I'm modeling for a painting class that morning. Oh, okay. Yeah. And he was like, oh, I'm not gonna tell you who it is. And I was like, all right. I was like, because he was texting that, um, right. Negro, what's going on? Uh, , [00:34:00] who is it? I don't wanna tell you. If he can't come, I can come depending on who it is.
Right. It was like, and he said who it was and it was actually supposed to be, um, . . Oh God. Who's the, the coach that just won. I'm so bad with names. I can see her face in my, in my brain
Karis: I don't know the names, so can't even help. I think it's Don Don. Yep. Yes. I don't know her last name, but I know exactly who you're talking about.
Samantha Everette: Yeah. So, so he said her and I was just like, okay, I know who that lady is. And then he said, AJ Wilson.
I'm sorry, AJ Wilson. I didn't know who you was. 'cause I'm not a huge sports fan. Yeah.
Karis: Either. But
Samantha Everette: I was just like, off the strength of you telling me like mm-hmm . What it is. And, and I was just like, I called um, my friend whose painting class I was . Gonna sit for, and I was just like, Hey, so, um, I have a chance to go shoot with ESPN and Nike.
Mm-hmm . With Asia Wilson and Dawn Stanley. So can I get a rain check? And she was just like, [00:35:00] she was super gracious. She's like, yeah, you know, if it's a one in a lifetime. And I was like, this is one in the lifetime. Like, I don't know if I'm ever gonna get the opportunity to photograph either. And Donda ended up coming, but
Asia, of course. Yeah. And then, um, Issa was there. Oh yeah, I
Karis: feel like
Samantha Everette: I saw, did you post like a behind the page? I did, because I had permission from ESPN to take BTS on my phone. Yes. But Issa Rae did not get that memo, so she was staring me down. The lens of my phone, like, , what
Karis: is your
Samantha Everette: phone out? And I was just like,
Karis: because you're doing my job.
Samantha Everette: I literally had video, like pictures and video of her just like staring directly into my phone. Oh my God. And I was just like, I almost die. I went to crawl under a rock, but I was like, I already checked with ESPN directly. Right. Like the rep's right over there. He said, it's cool. Like I'm trying to get BTS for Cornell.
Yeah. And then there was this, um, . , [00:36:00] there were so many black folks in that sound stage. Yeah. It was so amazing. And in particular there was, um, a camera lady, man. And she had this huge Afro mm-hmm . And it was her hair. Mm-hmm . And she was like, dead center. And so I was just like mesmerized, like taking like just this big old afro because you don't see that.
Yeah. It's like, so yeah. And then I ended up sending it to her. 'cause I was like, I'm pretty sure when we're behind the camera, we never, ever,
Karis: and like, yeah. The fact that you even can get it, like you really have to have somebody there to do it. Mm-hmm . Because it's so hard. I don't have, I like, I'm thankful now.
I, I got Erica, but, but. My styling shoes and all the things that I've done, I don't, it's a, it's a
Samantha Everette: whole other job to get that. And if you don't it, when you try and do it yourself, it distracts you from what you're actually supposed to be doing. Mm-hmm . It takes you out of that. And then if you don't have somebody, you just.
Karis: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Well that was super inspiring. I love that. [00:37:00] And of course, 'cause like I said, it was pink. So when I saw it, and I have a friend, she be keeping me up to date with all the, um, rivals and well unrivaled and the, the w all of that WNBA, 'cause I, I'm not a sports girl either. Y'all know that.
And so I'd be like, okay. And so when I saw it, I knew, because she had already been telling me about the people. Okay. Look at
Samantha Everette: my girl. What's funny though? This is so random, but you know how like guys be saying they six feet and they six four in audience. baby lying because she's six four and I was like, right, okay.
This is what six four really looks like. Looks
Karis: like . That is hilarious. all right y'all. Now it's time for our sip and tea segment with Soul Chi. So go ahead and grab you a glass of tea so we can sip and tea both literally and metaphorically.
[00:38:00]
All right, Samantha, you ready? I'm ready. So Samantha's gonna bring the tea today. So what was your wildest or most unexpected thing that has happened on a shoot? .
Samantha Everette: Um, so shout out to Lock and Key Boudoir. Oh, you have done some bir? [00:39:00] Mm-hmm . I've done some boudoir. Mm-hmm . And I had a two models. Um, and this is out, we are out in Holly Springs, like in the Fields,
Um, and these two had never met each other. They got on like a house on fire. I was just like, so y'all ain't never, 'cause it seems like Q. Those pictures to this day are like the steamiest. Yeah. They had so much chemistry. Chemistry. They had so much chemistry. They did end up dating for like a couple months after that shoot.
Wow. Yeah. They was like, well, let's just build up of this, this, listen, there was, there was some like jump up on it scenes and she was like, right now. Like five minutes ago. Like, can I do it now? Can I Now, that is hilarious. They were so ready. They were so, and they were, they were young and fun and you know, we kept it professional.
It was, it was, you know, everything was pg but [00:40:00] their chemistry and it's also like beautiful. And I also love that. Um, um. . She like, not plus size, she was regular size, like just Yeah. But she, you know, had a little bit of a belly and like a normal woman body. Mm-hmm . But she was servant. Mm-hmm . And he was loving every, it's because it's the confidence.
The confidence, yeah. Yeah. And it was just beautiful to see like, like real looking people. Yeah. Real bodies like. . You know, really embracing one another. Yeah. And it was, and it was. It was gorgeous. This was still one of my favorite shoots. Yeah. Awesome.
Karis: Okay, so, all right y'all. So it's time for my favorite part of the episode, the style spotlight.
Today of course, I'm going to feature another fellow photo, well, not fellow for me, but fellow for Samantha photographer. And his name is D Blanks. If you have seen him on Instagram, he goes by Mr. D Blanks. That's [00:41:00] M-R-D-B-L-A-N-K-S. And when I tell you the photography that he does, he also does videography, but the shoots that he comes up with, he's so creative and he does all of these creative shoots like he's done shoots with like Mimi
Karis: Foss, uh, I think like Eva, like some of the, uh, he's in Atlanta, so you know, he got all the Atlanta baddies, you know, you know how they do down there. And so, but the creativity that he does in his shoots, I just love, I love his eye and the things that he's been able to come up with. He also does a lot of self shoots, which I love to see photographers actually shoot themselves.
So definitely check him out and if you do, be sure to use the hashtag fashion files and let him know. We sent y'all. All right, so we're gonna wrap this episode up with Samantha again. We always just scratch the surface. I have to bring these guests back because there's so many other things that we can get into, into this Could be two hours.
Yeah, we could. There's for sure. But what I wanna leave the people with is what is some advice that you can give other photographers, especially because I know one of [00:42:00] the main things you said is don't because of how expensive it it is. So what's some advice you can give somebody who is an aspiring photographer and wanting to get like
Their kit started. Like what,
Samantha Everette: what should they do? Two things. Um, buy used. Mm-hmm . There's some great companies. K, e, H, um, B and h. Those are KE like kangaroo, elephant, horse, k, e, h, and then B and H. So boy and hockey, whatever. Um, I don't know. Love. Dunno that the, the Bravo Charlie, I don't know all that. Me either.
I'll say whatever
Karis: comes to my mind. Right.
Samantha Everette: Um. . Yeah. So buy your gear secondhand. Starting out, you do not need anything new. Mm-hmm . Um, you don't have to buy the best camera cameras get updated so fast. Yeah. That the, the latest one is not really that much better than the generation . Before it. Before. Yeah. Um, so save your coins, um, invest in your glass, which are your lenses.
Mm-hmm . Which is that [00:43:00] thing that says it's on the front of your camera. Mm-hmm . That is way more important than the actual body of your camera. Mm. That's good. Yeah. Um, so if you're gonna spend your money anywhere, spend it there because you can also take that lens for when you upgrade your camera. Lenses don't change that often.
Yeah. They don't get upgraded as fast as camera bodies. Right. Then also slow your role with buying things. Mm-hmm . You don't need it. Mm. Like you probably don't need it. Like you really think you need it. I need it. I don't need the seven peacock chairs that I own. , because she is always building the set.
They are fabulous. Okay.
Karis: I, I don't need the 20 plants that I own. Yeah. But I just, I needed it. Yeah. I
Samantha Everette: didn't need it. Yeah.
Karis: Okay. Well, so also, what are you working on and tell the people how they can find you. What's next for you?
Samantha Everette: Right now, I'm really trying to get into my corporate bag, my event photography.
Okay. Yeah, because that's another thing as a photographer, it's fun to do the cute pretty model shoots. Yeah. [00:44:00] But you don't want to hire people, or you don't wanna be hired by people that are spending money outta their own bank account.
Karis: Mm. It is
Samantha Everette: hard to get somebody to part with the money that they have to work to make, but corporate money, that's good that they didn't have to work.
They're like, that's good. Oh, the budget says you're right. Here's the money. I don't care. I, I didn't do anything for it. It's not coming outta my bank account. I don't care. I just gotta get my job done the same way. You gotta get your job done. Um, so that's really where my focus is right now.
Karis: Okay. And how can people find you?
Samantha Everette: I am the shooting beauty on all platforms. Actually not all platforms. I ain't got time for social Instagram, Instagram, . I don't tick or talk, I don't tweet. I just be up on the ground and that's
Karis: fine.
Samantha Everette: Yeah.
Karis: All right. Well thanks so much for coming on. We'll probably have to have you back. I love you so much.
And so yeah, y'all, I hope y'all got something. I know y'all [00:45:00] got something outta this episode, so until next time, stay stylish and keep that flame burning bright. Bye.