Interview: Logan Lynette
By Lia J. Latty
Published November 12th, 2021
Did you always know you wanted to be a creative and a photographer?
LOGAN: I’ve never thought of being anything else outside of an artist. Specifically photography found me I think around when I was 13, then I began to focus on documentary photography in the middle of my high school years and it stuck with me. I started considering the idea of filmmaking in 2017 but didn’t really dive into it until 2019. Even though I haven’t made any intentional still images for the past couple of years, I still think the photographs work within the film process. I do plan on picking back up the medium format though. I miss it.
What inspirations influence your work?
LOGAN: Conceptually, I’m influenced by the community around me and our general history as Black people. We’re the reason I make this work, to continue the documentation of our existence in its many forms. I also think about family photo albums and often the honesty and intimacy displayed in them. If I had to name artists I admire, I’d say folks like Roy Decarava, Dawoud Bey, Charles Burnett, amongst others.
As a Black creative, how have you navigated the photo world/industry?
LOGAN: Right now, I’m just focused on documenting. I’m still learning more about how to maneuver within that world and I’m really thinking of the fine art world in general, like galleries and exhibition spaces. I should probably look into editorial as well, but like I said, I’ve mostly just focused on making work at the moment.
Tattoo
How do you define your relationship with photography?
LOGAN: I’m still growing but honestly it feels like my life’s work. I’m not only thinking about now when making pieces but how it will impact generations after me. I want it to be informative like looking in your grandparents archive or a history book. Like I stated earlier, we’re pretty multilayered so I don’t expect to speak for Black people all over the globe, but I like to be in assistance of preserving what I can of some of our stories. Image making is a powerful tool.
Through your series “Adornment”, you beautifully capture Black life and the cultural aspects within it. How did you decide what was necessary to photograph in order to portray Blackness?
LOGAN: “Adornment” stemmed from a photo project I did in 2017 called “Brothas n’ Slugz,” focusing on the documentation of Black men with gold teeth in thought of the history behind it. Adornment looks into multiple things that Black folks have a history of placing on our bodies past generations and including pre colonialism, even if seen negatively by others including some in our own community.
Anna
“We’re the reason I make this work, to continue the documentation of our existence in its many forms.”
What is your process like when you’re working with the people you photograph?
LOGAN: It depends on how it’s initiated. Either I might spend time with a single person or group for a certain amount of hours, to get a feel of them and for them to be comfortable with me as well. If I’m shooting random folks on the street or something I always ask because I’m pretty much getting in their space while they’re living their lives. If it’s like an event though I usually tend to just shoot because I assume folks are more prepared to get their picture taken.
I see that you also make video work as well, and some of it feels reminiscent of a photograph. Is your approach to video influenced by photography at all?
LOGAN: I’ve studied and worked with photography longer than filmmaking, so a lot of my cinematography style is influenced with a photograph in mind. I essentially always refer to it as “moving photographs.”
What do you hope people take away from your imagery?
LOGAN: Black folks are some beautiful, multilayered, powerful ass people, man. We’re still here, walking and breathing, regardless of all the constant mess thrown or way. We live on in a way that is protected and can’t be tampered with. Forever evolving, forever existing.