An Atlanta-based photographer and videographer, Erik Mearidy looks to cultivate meaningful relationships and long-lasting moments with each and every shot, shoot, and video he’s apart of.

“I would say the influences for me to create come from the elements around me. I aim to draw influence from the things that I encounter or interact with in my life. There are a few photographers that I follow on Instagram that also really inspire me to work and improve my concepts — many of which I use regularly in my own workings. I love to see others’ work to keep myself challenged and inspired. I do videography as well, so, this helps me keep a strong, interesting composition in my photography.”

Erik continues, “after basketball, photography was my first love. I have always been fascinated with showing the world my viewpoints, further creating something that would be satisfying to me and very representative of that moment. I’m appreciative of photography as a medium, as it’s a true reflection of the stoppage of time, coupled with creating images that are both visually appealing as well as true representations of myself and the models with whom I work.”

“My Kanvas is definitely my wondrous mind. I always wonder, "What else is out there?" "How can I get my point across through an image?" I like to feel challenged when I work because it brings the best out of me to create the best image possible. The use and importance of lighting is a key factor for me when doing my work. As long as I have my mind, I have a large canvas to draw from to create art.”