- Dinner Land Network
A Look Into Porsche Little
Social media has always been a place that I believe has its pros and cons. Though there may be many negative aspects to it, I have to say, the one thing that I am grateful is the different creatives I have come across and the growing respect and admiration for their art. One in particular that I’ve been admiring for awhile is NY-based photographer Porsche Little. Porsche is a woman that has been doing everything in her power to not only give the viewer a look into her eyes through her photography, but also be able to leave her mark in the world in some way, shape, or form. In this interview, I discussed with Porsche about how she got into photography, what inspires her and so much more. Check out the interview below.
Lexiii - Who is Porsche Little? Tell me a bit about where you’re from and your upbringing.
Porsche - I was born in Newark, NJ and lived in Orange until I was about 6 years old. I’m a jersey girl, but not on no jersey shore shit. I ended up moving to a small black town in Union County, called Roselle. And I pretty much lived there all my life, until I moved to Brooklyn. Growing up there was cool, I had a lot of friends, I lived with my two older sisters, my dad whose an artist, and my mama!
Lexiii - When did you realize creating was your purpose? What was it that gave you that push to create full-time?
Porsche - I knew creating was my life purpose when I realized, it was the ONLY thing that made me not think about anything bad. In a way it sort of healed me from so much. you know how people use drugs, and alcohol to escape? Me making things keeps me grounded. I go through things and not around it. I can heal myself from anything just by constantly creating. It’s healthy for me.
Lexiii - Tell me about how you started I’m photography.
Porsche - It’s so funny because how I started in photography actually goes back to what I was saying before. I was depressed. I was heartbroken and I had just got out of the worse relationship ever. I was driving myself crazy just living in my own thoughts, that I said, “fuck it, ima go to school”, I needed some type of distraction. I took so long to enroll that majority of classes were taken; but photography wasn’t. I figured I’d just go there to distract myself and i ended up being beast at this shit. I started creative directing my own shoots, literally asking my friends, and my sister to model for me all the time. I broke my pool because I dumped glitter all over my friend and made her get in it, and it fucked up the filter - lol. I wasn’t that great at first, but I felt great. I wasn’t sad anymore. Any negative thought I had was easily replaced with a photograph.
Lexiii - I first discovered your work from browsing on Instagram and your photography style is gorgeous. Tell me how long it took you to perfect your photography style.
Porsche - As far as my photography style, I’m not too sure how to describe it. People actually can describe it way better than me. When planning a shoot, I like for the clothes and the energy of the photo to be more loud than the model. my favorite photographs that i have taken is when the model is very mannequin like, and not doing much. There’s a certain silence that I seek from a model when I'm shooting, and when I say silence, I don't mean audio wise. I like movement from the clothes, I like reds, and dim lighting, I like eeriness. I’m heavily inspired by Diane Arbus, I always felt something when looking at her work. There was always something in her photos that made you want to stare at it. That’s what I aim for. I want you to stare, and feel something. I honestly think i’m still “perfecting” my photography style, I probably always will be ya know? there’s so much to learn, there’s inspiration everywhere. Nothing is perfect, and that's why it’s great!
Lexiii - I read a tweet of yours that I felt many other creatives can relate to and needed to hear. In this field, people equate being validated as a form of being successful. What are your thoughts on allowing other people’s thoughts to control/ affect the way a person does something or act?
Porsche - Seeking validation from others shouldn’t be anyone’s version of success. That gives power to too many people over how you feel about yourself. You are still the same artist you knew and thought you were before someone didn’t support you, or your work. It’s important to have a healthy definition of what success means to you, it’s too easy to lose sight of who you are when you’re judging yourself based off others reactions towards you. Your self worth doesn’t diminish because someone didn’t like your photo or RT your artwork on the internet. All of it is fake. The next time you put something out and it doesn’t get the feedback you expected, I want people to retreat back to that feeling that you had when you were creating. Ask yourself how did it feel? Weren’t you proud of yourself? All of that shouldn’t be dismissed because people didn't jump. When you start becoming depressed and constantly thinking about the support you’re not getting, question your version of success. Are you seeking out the right things? We all have different paths and routes, some people fall, some people fall, than float. But if you build yourself up spiritually and remain strong and firm in who you’re, you will get to where you want to be. Question your version of success!
Lexiii - What do you love most about yourself?
Porsche - I love that I try. Don’t nobody know more about me and what I’ve been through mentally, than me. And MAN, I came a long way. I’ve learned so much, in such a short amount of time, and I try my hardest to apply all these lessons to my current life. I constantly try to be better, whether its to be a better artist, a better sister, a better friend, a better daughter. I try. I taught myself patience and temperance, and that is a whole 'nother form of Art in itself.
Lexiii - How do you feel your success will look like?
Porsche - My success will look like, gallery openings, exhibits, traveling, photo book signings, taking my family on trips, teaching my child how to use photoshop, inspiring black people, capturing black people, and a yacht with some sparkling Lambrusco, and all 7 of my bitches!
Lexiii - Who are some of your inspirations when it comes to your art or even life?
Porsche - My biggest inspiration without doubt, will always be my family. I can’t create without feeling, and I cant feel without thinking of them. I’m inspired by my friends too! Bria is an amazing designer, that’s my rock she always keeps me going. Jamie can literally bring an entire set to life with her flowers, Kara fucking does everything, she’s an insane painter. Zoe literally breathes magic into peoples scalps. Akua shows the essence of black people through her clothing. Moh helps with creative directing my shoots, and her input is always needed! And Marisa is such a beautiful writer and painter. I’m surrounded by the most talented women on this planet, if you wanna know how I stay inspired, its because of them.
Lexiii - What do you hope to achieve as the new year is approaching? What are you planning next?
Porsche - For the new year, I'm practicing way more sobriety! I can no longer be distracted by the fun of NYC, and in 2020, I’ll have my first art show. see ya’ll there!
Lexiii Dee, Dinner Land
