Drama & Flava by Jamel Shabazz: A Very Biased Review.
I do not remember exactly when I came across Jamel Shabazz’s work, but I was an immediate fan.
Not only his extreme talent and seemingly bottomless and inspiring body of work, but his calm and kind demeanor as well. Because let us get something straight.
I am a dude with a gear problem that loves taking pictures and writing about both.
Jamel is a photography legend.
But even given this on a few occasions he has shown me kindness.
He has reviewed some of my work that I hold dear and encouraged me to put it out there for others to see.
He has thanked me for what comes naturally. Doing what I can to mention, like, and share his work. Even sent me a signed copy of his work.
No interaction would be understandable or perfectly acceptable.
Some interaction would be appreciated.
But he has gone above that. And many others would say the same regarding his kindness. Reminds of another photographer, Lonnie Graham. When KEH reached out to me a few years ago to write a monthly article for them, I wanted to start with a bang for my first post. This bang was interviewing Lonnie Graham. I asked, and to my surprise he agreed.
In that post I wrote:
Two attributes I treasure in others are intellect and humility. I can work with one who possesses either; would much rather deal with those who have both, but have no use for those with neither.
Like Lonnie Graham, Jamel Shabazz possesses both.
I had intended to buy Jamel Shamazz’s latest book, Drama & Flava, from the moment I heard it would be released. Then life’s distractions intervened. The prompt to buy it was a 35mmc post where Scott Ferguson spent time talking with Jamel Shabazz and was left the better for it.
Of course.
And it arrived yesterday.
It is not my first book of his. I have a few already…
And one that is special to me, as it was gifted and signed.
…and I plan on collecting them all.
So… Drama & Flava.
Wow.
Not only the photos. The text is amazing as well. From the very appropriate opening quote…
…they perfectly frame and support the images. From the foreword by Kenneth J. Montgomery, Esq. to the essays by Diana McClure and Professor Carlton Usher, to the afterword by Elena Romero. And then there are the images.
They are amazing.
Of course they were.
There are so many things I love about Jamel Shabazz’s body of work. Here, I will attempt to put this broad appreciation for his work into a semi-coherent grouping of words. Will also try to keep it tight and succinct. Let’s see how it goes. Because I could go on forever.
Craft.
Much is spoken about Jamel Shabazz successfully putting the subjects at ease. And it is justified. It is amazing to behold. A master of his craft.
I often find myself studying his images, trying to imagine how the image came together. Inspiring.
But his framing and use of the environment as a backdrop are also amazing to me. From the use of vanishing lines, to turning a doorway and front steps into a studio setting, to even using others in the background as a backdrop, to grouping subjects in a way that looks like it just happened but is far too symmetrical for that to be the case. Amazing.
Fashion.
From those captured living their lives with a special flair to the commissioned commercial campaigns, fashion runs throughout. All are given equal importance.
Not only the pants, shirts, dresses, hats, shoes, coats, etc., but also the way they are worn. A tilt to the hat. Tucked or untucked. Loose fir. Skin tight. Long to short. Each finds their way to express themselves only the way they can, and I love it.
And this adds up to…
The Flava.
Emotion.
From stoic to smiling and everywhere in between, each face tells a story.
Respect.
It is clear from the first image you see that there is respect for the subjects.
This is huge.
Black and brown communities are often not treated with love and respect. And Jamel does. The expressions and body language. It is obvious. And I have so much respect for him as a result.
In a world that constantly attempts to label us as threats on sight… to be seen? Really seen? And respected? Priceless.
Legacy.
The legacy involves how these images captured over decades become family and community albums. So many times I have read testimonials about how those captured have passed away, and these images mean so much to those left behind. In these images, these loved ones will live forever.
And this adds up to…
The Drama.
I will stop myself here. As I said above, I could go on and on. And the less time you spend reading my ramblings and the more time spent studying his work, the better.
Do I recommend this book?
Of course I do.
If you have not already, I also recommend you…
- Get a hold of his other books.
- Follow him.
- Join any talk or online seminar he is a part of.
- I did so, and I was truly inspiring.
- Watch any videos about him and read any of the many articles written about him.
This is just a small part of the why listed above. I will leave it to the book the tell the whole story for itself.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 