FEATURING: Kareem Black

WHAT'S YOUR PERSONAL MISSION?

I live for unique experiences. I love life. I want to see as much of this world as I can before I die. Photography helps me do this and is a means of recording, documenting and instigating these adventures.

HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? 

I'm a professional photographer, shooting for 14 years now. I've been artistically inclined all my life. First, it was sketching then painting, shooting and the latest, directing. I got into college with a painting scholarship and changed to photography. For me, it was all a really natural progression from one genre of art to the next.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT IN 2014?

This year was a very blessed one for me. I had a lot of great clients and great shoots; Esquire Network, Danika Patrick for Go Daddy, Kylie and Kendall for Steve Madden, shooting and directing a bunch of fun stuff for Oxygen Network but my most proud moment is when I went to Bosnia to document the mine clearing and flood recovery with More Than Nothing. After that trip, I had a show of the work that I made there at Kinfolk 94. We raised $6,000 from artwork sales, which went directly to the charities in Bosnia.

ANY PERSON YOU WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO IN THE INDUSTRY?

I have a really great circle of friends. We support each other and inspire each other. Most of my friends are creatives. I want to shout out Chad Griffith, Brooke Nipar, Matt Salacuse, and Kwaku Alston to name a few. They inspire me daily and I'm lucky to know them.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT ADHESIVE?

Maybe it was Celeste Holt-Walters or Shab that introduced me to the event. I think I've been going to Adhesive from the beginning. I've always thought it was an amazing idea and I've had SO much fun at them over the years!

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Member Name: Kareem Sidney Black
Profession: Photographer/Director
Industry: Photography

Website: www.kareemblack.com
Facebook: Are people still on that?
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kareemblack
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kareemblack
Tumblr: www.kareemblack.tumblr.com

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Please contact member directly for information about production, permission and usage. 
All images are copyrighted by the source.

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FEATURING: Kristen Arnett

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL MISSION? 

Transform how people relate to beauty through wellbeing. I use natural products in my makeup kit -- something almost unheard of in the industry -- and I'm passionate about helping the everyday woman embrace and enhance her unique beauty.

HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

The first time I saw a TV makeover I was transfixed and knew I wanted to be a makeup artist. I poured over every instructional material I could find. Later, I worked selling makeup and then designing products for a cosmetics brand. Finally, I threw caution to the wind and decided to be a freelance artist full-time.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT TO DATE?

Hands down it was spending the day doing makeup for supermodel Karlie Kloss in September. She was named the new beauty spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris and chose to work with me given our past run-ins at fashion weeks around the world, and because she and I both share a very health-conscious lifestyle.

ANY PERSON YOU WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO IN THE INDUSTRY? 

There have been so many supporters over the years, it's just too hard to name one person. Each of them in their own ways -- whether it felt good at the time or not -- helped me to become stronger and more confident in my art.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT ADHESIVE? 

I found Adhesive in the summer of 2009 after just having moved to NYC from Milan. I can't remember who introduced me to the group, but I do recall the faces of the ever-present founders and members who I'm still connected to like Tony Gale, Toto Cullen, Braden Summers, Charlie Maria, David Paul Larson and more! Honestly, Adhesive was the glue (pun intended) that held me together as a new freelancer on the scene. I am forever grateful for the connections I have made at those events.

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Member Name: Kristen Arnett
Profession: Makeup Artist
Industry: Fashion

Website: www.kristenarnett.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kristenarnettbeauty
Instagram: www.instagram.com/kristenarnett1
Twitter: www.twitter.com/kristenarnett1

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Please contact member directly for information about production, permission and usage. 
All images are copyrighted by the source.

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FEATURING: Braden Summers

WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL MISSION?

My mission is to create that liminal moment when my audience is taken out of the mundane and (re)awakened to their desires to seek out beauty.

HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY? 

I am a professional photographer, an artist, inspiring romance through narrative portraiture.  The need to create was in my blood, it took years to discover that photography is the medium best suited to bring my visions to fruition.

WHAT IS YOUR PROUDEST MOMENT TO DATE?

My proudest professional achievement this year is two fold: Watching my personal series ALL LOVE IS EQUAL, which illustrates same-sex romance on a global scale, go viral and then continuing that vision on a commercial level for the Marriott International hotel brand by photographing their #LoveTravels campaign.

ANY PERSON YOU WANT TO GIVE A SHOUTOUT TO IN THE INDUSTRY?

I would have to say my producer friend Greg Jaroszewski. He traveled with me to produce ALL LOVE IS EQUAL. Without his help I don't think that this series would exist.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT ADHESIVE?

I was introduced to Adhesive through a wardrobe stylist friend Erin (Charest) Hall who I went to high school with.  I went solo to my first event at the bar Honey at the end of April 2009.

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Member Name:  Braden Summers
Profession:  Photographer
Industry:  Commercial Advertising & Fine Art Photography

Website:  www.bradensummers.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/BradenSummersPhotography
Instagram:  www.instagram.com/bradsum
Twitter:  www.twitter.com/bradensummers
Tumblr:  www.bradensummers.tumblr.com 

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Please contact member directly for information about production, permission and usage. 
All images are copyrighted by the source.

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