Los Angeles photographer Erik Carter shows the truth with his photographs, exhibiting black, and queer life.
The story of Erik Carter begins in Rowlett, a city outside of Dallas, Texas, where he grew up. In 2010 he moved to the city where dreams come true, New York, to continue his university studies. At that time, a 22-year-old Carter discovered the world of the great Queer community, and after a delightfully exciting 9-year experience, Erik decided to go west, all the way to Los Angeles, where he continues to reside and has finally found his creative voice.
The artist specializes in portrait photography, making use of a very characteristic documentary medium format. His undeniable talent for bringing his personality into his shots, while capturing the raw honesty of his subjects, enraptures anyone who lays eyes on the photographer's work.
“It's not often that we can see the happy or mellow moments that black people experience, and it's not often that we can see the full nature of queer life. It is important to show these things. It's important to tell these stories."
Erik Carter for It's Nice That Magazine
One of his latest projects titled "Honey & Milk", shows the perceptual chemistry of black queer relationships. Encouraging the peaceful, and smooth flow of the models. The postures are nostalgic and soft, depicting a certain melancholy between the couples. The beauty found in physical contact is precisely what the artist seeks to highlight with his work.
Carter says that the title of the project comes from the lyrics of a song that expresses the joy caused by love, and equality between two beings who are united by an emotional bond.
Another one of the photographer's projects takes us to a trans-inclusive strip club at a Los Angeles venues called Cheetahs. Erik recounts that he shot a quick portrait of his protagonist Avery Jane (pictured below), standing next to an old vending machine besides the locker room. In the image, we can see a playful, sensual, and comfortable character. The photographer asked the subject for a photo and was pleasantly surprised to see the joy and tranquility she embodied, taking into account her bustling, almost chaotic, surroundings.
The thing that's unique to this photographer, is his dedication to his craft, and ability to familiarize himself with the subjects he chooses to capture, something that comes across beautifully in his work. The authenticity, emotion, and comfort, of his images, always stands out.
The artist places great importance on the honesty of his projects, Erik wants to portray the subject in whichever way they choose to be seen, rather than his own perception of it. Thus, it is fair to say that Erik Carter places his subjects right at the forefront of his work, not only during the process of taking their photo but also when presenting them to his audience.
His lens and talent, being a platform raising the voices of others.
