Detroit Photographer Vuhlandes Shoots What He Sees
For as long as Detroit photographer Vuhlandes can remember, he’s always liked pictures. In the seventh grade, he started a Tumblr for all his favorite images. Now 24, Vuh has been garnering national and international attention, propelling him to art world celebrity. Not too bad for a kid from Detroit’s west side.
Vuhlandes’ History
This Detroit story gets its start in Chicago. Vuh’s mom was a born-and-raised Chicagoan who fell for a guy from Detroit. After Vuhlandes was born in Chicago, the family returned to Detroit. They settled on 7-mile in Detroit’s west side.
Describing his childhood, Vuhlandes says, “We grew up poor. The neighborhood was rough. Most of the people I grew up with are dead or in jail or just gone.” But his upbringing and neighborhood also gave him a sense of purpose and perspective about what he wanted out of life: “not going to jail or be dead.”
Call it fate. Call it luck. Photography seems to have always been waiting for Vuhlandes. Fast forward to 2014 and Vuhlandes was still in love with pictures and dabbling with photography. He kept up shooting photos, in part, to keep the memory of his fiancee’s father, a photographer, alive. Both his fiancee and future mother-in-law became two of his biggest supporters, helping and encouraging him as he continued to hone his skills.
This same year, 2014, Vuhlandes would meet a kindred spirit in a fellow Detroit photographer that would change his whole outlook on photography. Through mutual acquaintances, Vuhlandes and Sam Sklar connected. It was meeting Sam that Vuhlandes realized that there was a community of photographers beyond Instagram.
Sam has helped Vuhlandes refine his technique and equipment. From Sam, Vuhlandes rethought his approach to shooting and switched to Canon after trying Sam’s camera. Reflecting on their friendship, he says “Sam and I are completely different, but we just click. He’s the only Detroit photographer I talk with”.
In the Culture
Vuhlandes is steeped in contemporary popular culture. He’s into hip-hop; he’s a sneakerhead; he’s street. It’s this cultural sensibility and feel that makes his photography so evocative and authentic. His social media presence–97k followers on IG and 11K followers on Twitter–attests to his relevance in the cultural zeitgeist.
His biggest break to date has been his work with FUCKTHEPOPULATION (FTP), shooting their S/S 2015 lookbook. This opportunity came about organically because of a friend named Cliff. Vuh and Cliff were hanging out and Vuh mentioned that he really wanted to match his artistic sensibility and aesthetic with a streetwear brand. Cliff immediately texted FTP founder Zac Clark, who emailed Vuh and sent him some FTP clothes. Vuh incorporated FTP into his photographs and the partnership was born. Shouts to Cliff.
Being an Artist
One of the most important things that Vuhlandes wants to make clear is that he’s a capital ‘A’ artist; not just a photographer, but a creator. The distinction is important for him and his career. He has a two-part litmus test that he uses to define success. Success will be measured by his inclusion in the canon of art; being included in the history books; supporting his family as a full-time artist.
His artistic process reflects his fame and family ambitions. Vuhlandes creates stunning photographs from the everyday scenes around him. He says, “I just shoot whatever I’m around. If it’s around me I shoot.”
This very personal focus is steeped in his ethos of authenticity. He shoots what he shoots because he’s interested in capturing “real life,” and he wants people to “see what I see, [I want] people to see something authentic.” His focus on authenticity came about because he feels that a lot of photography is inauthentic. As he says, “[I want to] show people there is rainbows and sunshine, but also thunder and lightning.”
Check out Vuhlandes here, and on IG, and Twitter.
