(Editor’s note: This article is part of an Advance/SILive.com Black History Month special series, “Impact & Excellence,” that profiles Staten Islanders and organizations making important, lasting impact in the arts community. Do you have someone you would like to nominate for a profile? E-mail their name and a brief nomination to [email protected].)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Marquis Pickering, 26, is the mastermind behind majestic visuals of NFL star Saquon Barkley from the New York Giants, chart-topping hip-hop sensations Drake and Lil Baby, Women’s NBA standout Emily Engstler and more.
“I was working for Apple, but I knew that’s not what I wanted to do long-term, so I was like ‘alright let me at least take this photography stuff a little more seriously,’” said Pickering, who grew up in St. George, across the street from Curtis High School.
The photographer recalled that in October 2017 his mother asked him what he wanted for Christmas. He responded by saying he wanted a camera, and asked her if she could invest in his future. After taking up two jobs, his mother handed him a Canon EOS Rebel T6 that Christmas — sparking visions of his destiny.
With a new camera in hand, Pickering said he would start his mornings early with a photoshoot at 6 a.m. for sunrise — running around the city capturing candid moments and coming home as night fell.
He said that, soon enough, his camera gave him access to many things he previously hadn’t seen.
“Three, four years ago, I was just a kid who was taking pictures at Schmul Park in Travis, shooting college kids, or kids who were in high school playing basketball,” Pickering recalled. “Now I’m shooting people who are on TV in front of a bunch of other people they look up to. I’m thankful for it.”
Noting that it’s still very early in his career and there’s a lot more work he wants to get done, Pickering attributed his accomplishments so far to the people who have helped him along the way, and he said he…
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