Photographer - Luke Sampson
Coffee Shop - Craig’s Coffee
City - Detroit, MI
Date - February 12, 2023
Q - What camera did you use for Cameras and Coffee?
A. - Minolta XG-1
Q. How long have you been taking photos?
A. I've been taking photos on and off for most of my life, but I started getting really serious about it around 2018.
Q. Why did you start photography?
A . I have a really difficult time with words, and with finding ways to help people who care about me understand how I experience the world around me. I found from a really young age that visual language can communicate things that words just can't. I got hooked on that sensation, and that's when the obsession really started.
Q. What motivates you when it comes to photography?
A. Being human is a terrifying thing sometimes and I know I for one can get really bogged down in that headspace where that feels like all there is. Photography for me is an invitation to recenters. To look for the beauty, the joy, and the mischief in the world around me and share that wonder with other people who might need it too.
Q. Describe your photography style.
A. I'm all over the place because I don't like to get too comfortable. My photography style as of right now is light-hitting things at weird angles, mostly. Edward Hopper but make it Midwest emo.
Q. Explain your Instagram name.
A. It refers to a conversation I had with a friend where I said that I felt I'd become too jaded and cynical to be very useful to anyone. They countered by giving me examples of ways they had seen me find joy and beauty in some really gnarly situations, and in the people around me. They said, "Yeah, you're cynical, but you've still got stars in your eyes." That really stuck with me, so naturally, I've made it my whole brand.
Q. What are your photo goals for the next year?
A. I want to get a website up and running for prints and portfolio stuff. I'd really like to get out of my comfort zone a bit more and start submitting my work for contests and exhibitions. Most of all though, I want to keep finding new ways to use photography to connect with and give back to all the different communities I'm a part of.
