Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Onipede.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Michael. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Modeling started out as nothing serious, in fact, I was more into photography/videography work before deciding that this was something I truly enjoyed. During my senior year of high school, two very close friends of mine had created a streetwear brand called, FREAKS’N’DREAMS, a brand that celebrates the individuality of a person. The pieces are created for those who dare to defy the norm and reach above societal standards to dream. I was invited onto the team as their creative director for the promotional aspects of the brand. As time passed, we geared our focus towards creative promotional pictures while still having the intentions of dropping short clips in the mix of things. Being a new brand our abilities to reach out to others was very weak, so finding models who were willing to help promote our brand was difficult. Instead, we decided to utilize each other and hope we’d gain some support along the way. I never envisioned that I would be the first model for our brand but my friends had pushed me to do it, and really it just took off from there! Naturally, not being a very expressive person, I saw modeling as a means to share my creative thoughts as well as define who I am as an individual. I was fortunate enough to have my extremely supportive friend who was also interested in photography and didn’t mind taking the time out of his day to help fuel my interests. Looking back on the start of FND and the day of my first shoot is what I use to really motivate myself with this as I go. On the surface of things, they were just photos to share on our social media platforms, but now I look at that as the opportunity I took to show the rest of the world that I am willing to put myself out there to prove my appreciation for the art behind photography and modeling.
As time passed, I used my social media accounts to connect with other skilled photographers who were willing to collaborate and help share my creativity with the rest of the world. I will be forever grateful for the tremendous amount of support I’ve gotten along the way, but I believe this is just the beginning.
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?
Of course nothing is easily earned. I’m constantly thinking of unique ways to share my messages while still dealing with everyday personal issues as I go. I often find myself criticizing and doubting myself a little too much because of outside forces who don’t believe I can do it. Sometimes, things of that sort get to me. But other times, I look towards the positive side and reflect on the amazing support system of friends and family who actually want to see me succeed. With that, I feel whole, and I’m able to create freely knowing that there are those who will support me no matter what I put my mind to. Personally, I feel social media makes others think twice about themselves, I see some paying too much attention to what the next person is doing and it eats them up inside when they’re not making the same moves as those who are succeeding. What they need to understand is that self-reflection is one of the most important tools in building yourself into a better you. When you understand who you are as a person, only then could you make real the progress that you want to see in yourself.
Please tell us more about what you do, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I promote different brands by incorporating them into my shoots throughout the concepts that I put out. In addition, I also promote the different styles of photographers that I work with by showcasing their unique talents. I am a pretty adaptable person when it comes to who I work with. Even if there isn’t a concept set out, I find myself easily making something out of nothing based on the photographer.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I would say that being featured by you guys has been my proudest moment so far. I’m fairly new to this line of work, so to be interviewed by you guys means I’m at least doing something right. This has been my first interview ever and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mike.htx
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mikenhtx
Image Credit:
Special thanks to: Kennedy Washington, Ben Appiah, Cameron Reed & Nassif Aralepo
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