There is a conversation that, even after 4 years, keeps popping up in my head from time to time. Back in 2020, I was talking to a photographer. His story moved me. And it still does.
His name is Adel, and he told me about how hard it was for him, as an independent photographer, to get gigs. To earn his place in the sector. To be respected by clients. To be respected as a professional and as a creator. No matter how hard he worked or how awesome his work was.
Adel Setta
picture by: Stefan Diels
I hear you thinking: yes, that IS a hard thing to do. But isn’t it hard for everybody?
Yes it is. But even compared with his peers, the difference in how people approached Adel, stood out in rudeness, disrespect and lack of professionalism. He was trying to earn a place in the Belgian landscape of photography, but it clearly didn’t work the way it worked for others. Others, who are white and carry Belgian surnames. Versus Adel, who is brown and has an Egyptian name.
So for Adel it was clear: instead of fighting for a spot in the existing space, he decided to shape a space himself, to create his own ‘club’. He surrounded himself with like-minded, supportive creatives and clients. Watching him thrive on social media, posting about gigs and own work, makes me feel energized: he did it!
Before sending this newsletter, I reached out to him. To ask how he experienced the past 4 years. This is what he told me last week: “The decision to start working with people whose company feels safe and comfortable, people who respect your work, was absolutely the biggest breakthrough for me. It allows me to evolve, to focus on self-development and on the topics that are important to me. It brings me so much more than when I would’ve kept struggling to fit in where I was clearly not allowed to fully be myself.”
And while this reality is incredibly sad, as it exposes once again a continuous systemic problem of discrimination and prejudice, it also teaches us an important lesson: if a space doesn’t feel comfortable, leave it and create your own.
Don’t waste energy trying to fit in. Create your own club.