HNOW talks with Kashief Williams, the Visionary, Entrepreneur & Inspiration
Kashief Williams is the founder of FWL Media Group. FWL is a Lifestyle/Entertainment media production brand that provides individuals with the latest updates on talent, creativity, art, documentaries, film, music, commercials, TV and much more. I met Kashief while working with Darrick Leak for his bow-tie line a few years ago and since then his work has always been a favorite. On a regular basis Kashief gives his followers (all 21,000 of us) a glimpse into the artistic lives of the beautiful creatives he's worked with. I wanted to know his story.
You are a visionary, creative director, photographer, videographer and founder of FWL Entertainment, how long have you worn so many hats? How has your brand expanded over the years?
I started FWL entertainment in 2010. The brand has expanded pretty well over the years and has more expanding to do. Networking and working with several different companies has brought a name for FWL. Although I started in 2010 it took me a few years to receive these titles. Over the years I have worked with several artistic individuals learning a lot about visual arts, putting different projects together and bringing them to life. It is pretty interesting how I came up with the name of my company. I was at my friend’s house and we were talking about photography. One of my friends asked me what am I going to call my photography brand and a few minutes later it came to me. I decided to call my company “FARWUDLANE” : in other words “forward lane”. The brand basically means moving forward in your own lane and not looking back.
How does it feel knowing you've found your passion and used it to create a life for yourself?
It is an amazing feeling knowing that you are doing something that you absolutely love. Being your own boss and making a living off of it. Being creative is a risk that many of us take because we have to work 10 times harder than the average man that has a 9 -5 job. This being said, it has its ups and downs at times but it is definitely worth it. Especially the freedom. The privilege of being an entrepreneur is knowing that you have the creative control on what you do. The freedom to control your hours of work and not having to have to answer to anyone is the best feeling. What I enjoy the least is that it is difficult to find a balance between family and being an entrepreneur. As a parent, I always encourage my son to do what makes him happy and always give him the best advice on becoming the person he wants to be.
“Being creative is a risk that many of us take because we have to work 10 times harder than the average man that has a 9 to 5 job.”
There is no doubt that Kashief has skills. The images are so sharp, the editing is so precise and the talent is so sick! While it would probably take me years of study to ever learn to do what he does, Kashief is a self-taught creative. When I asked about his strongest influences, he told me about his brother. "My older brother is actually a photographer and graphic designer. I would say that he had a major influence on me picking up the camera." He owes a lot of his skill to the like-minded individuals he shadowed, along with the time he invested in reading books and watching a few YouTube videos.
People choose you to shoot their art, document their style, and capture their celebrations. Photography and videography depends so much on "that right moment". What kind of pressure do you face knowing that there are no "do overs"?
When doing certain projects you know that there are no do overs and you are placed under different type of pressure. You have to make sure that every single special moment is captured. You have to find the best pictures from multiple shots. Depending on how big the project is you have to always look over your team, making sure they are doing their best when it comes to sound, lighting, takes, cinematography, and following the script. Having the best material to work with is always key during post-production.
If you could shoot any person, place, or thing, what/who would that be? Why?
I would to say Pharrell Williams because he is such a creative genius. Being able to bounce ideas with such talent would be epic. He is absolutely one of my biggest inspirations.
Kashief's work highlights many different people who's talents range from dancing to music to modeling. The way his work shows the aesthetic of different lifestyles has me thinking Kashief is the next Spike Lee, but he humbly disagrees. "I would tell an aspiring photographer to always follow their heart and find their true passion of stories that they would love to share with the world. I would not say that I am the future Spike Lee, all due respect to Spike. He is one of many people that inspire me and have paved the way for others that are interested in film. I can only be myself and that’s being Kashief Williams."