Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Evans III, founder of HigherLXNG.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Fifth Ward Houston, Texas. Living in a hood with so much rich history drove and inspired me. I always saw life through a different scope and lens. Often times that got me picked on, but never bullied haha. I was always the big kid. I’m thankful for the foundation that my birthplace afforded me. I learned at an early age from my mother and grandmother that if I was to make it out, I had to operate and function differently. I attended and graduated from the illustrious Prairie View A&M University.
Shortly after graduating the real world hit me, again. That is when I realized that you don’t get a gold medal for graduating college. There is no gold trophy or ticket for being black, growing up in poverty, and making something of yourself. I was the first male in my family to earn a college degree and education. The world did not care. That nearly crushed me. But I trudged on. That is when I began to start thinking outside of the box. Outside of what was traditional and defined as the norm. I always loved sneakers. I always loved photography. I always loved writing and the art of storytelling. So over the course of the last eight years, I have been trying to build upon that. I am an artist. I am a creative. God blessed me with so many gifts and talents and I plan to explore all of them. I started a podcast in the last two years as well. It is called Thoughts for the Sole by HigherLXNG. It explores the journey of many professionals and creatives, And of course sneakers and the sneaker community. My story is still being written and I hope that everyone that is tuned in takes something good away from it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a writer, poet, author, and photographer are ventures and occupations not seen as traditional sources of income or means of living. Especially in my community. The value is not really comprehended or appreciated. The toughest obstacle along this creative path has been acceptance. Acceptance of myself and who I am. I am a photographer through and through amongst other things. I had to give myself permission to go for it. To go all-in on what I desired and aspired to be in the creative spaces. Next was the acceptance of the lack of support. Those closest to you will not always see you or hear you. And that is ok. There is a tribe of people in this world that understands you and relate to you. Just keep going, keep working your bloom and you will attract those meant to be with you on your journey.
On the more technical side, teaching myself the art of photography was a bumpy ride. I did not know any photographers personally. I was out here by myself haha. YouTube University and Google saved the day. I remember being so discouraged that I sat my camera down for an entire year. It sat there collecting dust until one summer I picked up the manufacturer manual and just read through the entire thing. Boring as it was I learned so much.
Next on the list would be what to shoot. Do I want to shoot portraiture? Product? Landscape? Architect? I started out working with people. I enlisted many friends at the time to be muses. That is when I learned how intimate photography is. There is a connection that is built between the shooter and the subject. You have to be confident and accommodating. In the beginning, I lacked confidence. I pivoted to just shooting nature, but that did not fulfill me completely so I moved on to sneakers. I would say that shooting sneakers taught me how to photograph so much better. It opened the door for my understanding on details. It built my confidence tremendously and allowed me to revisit and excel in portraiture.
Through that trial and era, I discovered what I truly loved. So my advice to any aspiring and up and coming photographer would be to keep shooting. Shoot it all until you discover your true passion.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As I stated before I had to work through what I truly desired in the photography space. My niche. My niche became sneaker product photography. Each silhouette has a story derived from its’ shape, color, and materials used. You take those pieces and you are able to create your own story from them. The story can come from whatever resonates with you on any particular shoe. For instance, James Whitner of the WhitakerGrp had three shoes to release last year. The Jordan 3 “Raised By Women”, the “Free Lunch” Dunks, and the Air Jordan 1 “Airness.” They all told different pieces of the black person’s plight and triumph. I took those shoes and conceptualized them in a practical, yet artistic way. I view sneakers as art. Each one added to the collection is a work of art in some way. In my work, I try to display that in a different way from most sneaker blogs and publications. As my good sis Ashley would say about my work: “Details Immaculate.” I like to dig deeper than the surface of what is seen at first glance.
Although my specialty is sneakers, I have also began to revisit portraiture, fashion, lifestyle, and nature photography. I am also exploring editorial and street photography. I am proud of my growth and my drive to constantly learn. To constantly explore.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see it continuing to evolve, expand, grow, etc. It is so vast. It has no choice but to. And I will be right there in the calm of the eye of the hurricane or growing in the uncomfortable parts of the storm. Either way, it will be fun.
Contact Info:
- Email: Higherlxng@gmail.com
- Website: https://higherlxng.com/podcast
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/higherlxng/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-RQwU2orh60&t=333s
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thoughts-for-the-sole-by-higherlxng/id1513177570
Image Credits
A Ma Maniere
LeBron James
Mimi Plange
Nike Jordan
