Today we’d like to introduce you to Meka Tome.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I can’t recall a time when cameras weren’t a significant part of my life! But, it wasn’t until I began to explore my feelings through art when I began to pursue photography seriously. I have had trouble with my mental health on and off throughout the years, but I have found that photography has always helped put what I’m going through into perspective. A large part of my philosophy is promoting empathy. I often try to bring tangibility to my emotions through images to help myself understand why I am feeling certain ways and to perhaps help those who are having difficulty understanding what others might be struggling with.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If it was a smooth road, I don’t think I would have continued to take photos to this day. A 20-image series I had created studying difficulties I was having with depression at the time singlehandedly pulled me out of it. The grueling process removed me from complacency and forced me to face how I felt. Throughout the process, I found myself reliving the emotions that I had been trying to capture. At a certain point, the journey through the images dragged me even further down with them. But, once the series was complete, I was able to step back and see the story from a new perspective. After spending so much time contemplating, creating, capturing, and printing all that had been consuming me, it all just clicked when I looked at the matted prints hanging on the wall.
Thinking I had healed entirely and “didn’t need to lean on creating any more”, I took a year-long break from art and solely took photos as an occupation. That year was incredibly trying. I realized that I need to create both for others and myself, and my art is a bridge between my mind and emotions—no matter what those emotions are. My heart is so enmeshed within my work and vice versa, that it is difficult to imagine one without the other.
Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about you and your career so far?
I am a freelance photographer who loves to photograph people. I mostly capture portraits and live events, but the world’s current predicament has created an interesting space for me to pick up product and architecture photography. I am learning so much each day, and it has been a very fulfilling process! I am proud to have such a personal connection to image-making. I don’t tend to think like a photographer all that much, which is what I believe sets me apart. I prioritize and emphasize feeling no matter what my subject is or who I photograph for.
As for my personal work, I have been preparing to sell prints. Be on the lookout for those! Recently I have been working on images connecting sculpture to photography, using the human body and flesh as a medium to do so, and regaining control of the female body that has been stolen and exploited.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Despite having several stories relating to cameras and photography, my favorite memories were when my father and I built giant wooden structures in our backyard for my younger sister’s birthdays. Naturally, as a very young child, my dad wouldn’t let me do much of the work besides bringing him the occasional block of wood that would fit in my small hands or running around and getting in the way. I was so helpful, in fact, I vividly recall getting caught on some wood mid-jump and cutting up my shin pretty bad! But, what made building that huge pirate ship that could fit seven kids or that giant dinosaur that you had to climb through the mouth to enter so memorable was that I was given an abundance of creative control. We would collaborate to create these structures which would have turned out much differently had we not exchanged ideas. I was trusted to contribute and because of this, felt like an important part of the process. It honed my creativity and cultivated confidence. I was able to see my crazy ideas come to fruition. I learned to trust in myself and trust the process of creating, even though it may be tough and not feel worth it at times.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mekatome.com
- Phone: 310-592-6161
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @mekantome
- Other: Client Instagram: @mekatomephotography
Image Credit:
Chris Noon
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