Dev aka blackguise: IG
How old were you when you first picked up a camera?
I’ve actually been shooting photos since high school. There was a period of time when I took it seriously, then fell off after my camera got stolen, and I was too broke to replace it. It was a long long time before I’d get back into it. Fast forward to maybe like 2014-2015, I started to pick it back up again and also got into videography. It was mid to late 2020 when I started experimenting with film photography, and I’d say that’s been my main medium since 2021.
Shit really can come from nothing, and maybe it doesn’t always work out, but it’s got to start somewhere. What better place than here? What better time than now?
Dev
What drew you into the world of live music photography?
I’ll be honest, I’m not really into shooting shows. I’ve given it a shot and it just wasn’t for me, but I do have much respect and love for folks who are out there killing it though, namely Kat Nijmeddin and Joe Calixto. For me, I just can’t really chill like that at shows; I gotta be active, so I’m a leave it to the pros. That being said, I love capturing all of the moments surrounding a show or tour; behind the scenes, the hangouts before/afterward, grabbing food, etc; that’s the pulse for me.
Describe your photography as a weapon of mass change or a superpower—what impact do you want to see it have on culture or our society?
I maybe have a handful of images that I would describe as like “powerful,” but ultimately for me, I just want to work with like-minded people to help document what we’ve got going on with Dark Side of Da Moon and Tribes. To show that Black folks and people of color don’t have to be afraid to make space where there either would be very little of or none at all. I want people to see these images and go, “Damn, they did that! And I can too!” Shit really can come from nothing, and maybe it doesn’t always work out, but it’s got to start somewhere. What better place than here? What better time than now?
How important is it to you as a POC to document TTODM and why?
It’s quite important for not only myself, but other Black and POC folks to be at the forefront of this, as we need this community, we need this network; no one is an island. A web of fellow creatives making their voices heard and having their images processed, maybe for the first time. Again, continuing to take up space, as representation has a real and observable impact. Also, if you’ve seen Moonlight, we need more of that. We need people who can properly expose dark skin tones for real for real!
Could you share FIVE photos from past DSODM shows or Tours that mean the world to you and the story behind them?
1. This shot of Corey is from the first night of the first DSODM tour. It’s also the first photo I shot that night, which makes it the first piece of documentation I’ve got for the whole movement. Truly a special night. If you were at that show; if you saw how it popped off, then you know it was the beginning of something major.
2. My first photo from the second DSODM tour. Managed to get all of the members of Playytime in the shot, which is nice because they were the new kids on the block for that run.
3. We were driving through an active forest fire in Willamette Valley, Oregon. Ended up stopping for some grub, and I was able to snap a nice flick. The views and the smell were nuts.
4. A portrait of Bryanna from Buggin. This is definitely my favorite picture I’ve ever taken of another person. It’s cold as hell.
5. I would say the most important photo I’ve ever taken. We were driving to a hotel in Brooklyn and came upon this truck. There were several heads around, but not everyone. We peeped it, snapped a couple of pictures, then went to gather the rest of the crew. Once everyone was assembled, I got the flick, and the rest is history. When I transition from this earth; I would like this to be my legacy.
The Tribes of Da Moon tickets HERE
