True to BSTN’s proprietary ‘Feed Fam, Fuck Fame!’ philosophy, we’re introducing you to some members of the immediate as well as the extended BSTN family. In their own words, they talk about themselves, their career, and selected topics close to their heart. This is Feed Fam – Episode XVIII featuring David Kossi, photographer and founder of Oearth Studio.
On carving his own path with Oearth Studio:
I did my training at a modeling agency, and that’s also how I got into photography – taking Polaroids of the models. I realized I really enjoyed it and started working on private photo projects too. During my training, I worked as a booker, casting models for various brands. I found it fascinating to figure out which faces best represented which brands.
I quickly realized I definitely wanted to work independently, because I’ve always had a lot of ideas and tend to do things differently which isn’t really possible when you’re employed by someone else. And with the network I’ve built, I also saw that I can collaborate well with brands and bring people from the community into those spaces.
That’s when I founded Oearth Studio, where I handle all photo and video productions and in addition, I do the casting, connecting faces to projects.
On the first clicks of his Polaroid journey:
Oearth Studio turns three this year. And when I founded it, that’s also when my Polaroid project started, which is something I’ve carried with me for the past three years. At the Oearth Studio launch event in Munich, my whole community showed up. I started taking Polaroid portraits of everyone there. Just to capture that moment and the people who are each doing their own thing. Like, everyone has a story to tell. A lot of them are giving something back to the community and to society, and that really inspired me.
I took inspiration from PLACES+FACES in London: they did something similar, photographing well-known faces and hosting an event where they framed the Polaroids. And I just loved the community thought behind that. So with my own upcoming event, I think it’s exciting to go to an art exhibition where you’re not seeing the work of the artists, but just the faces of the artists themselves. So ever since that Oearth Studio launch, the Polaroid camera has been with me on jobs, on trips, at events.
On shooting stories that span decades:
I’d say the youngest person I photographed for the Polaroid project was probably around seventeen. And the oldest is about eighty. That’s Andreas Makaris, a ceramic artist. He was featured in an Aimé Leon Dore campaign: full white hair, white beard, long white hair. A really fascinating character, and he creates incredibly beautiful ceramic pieces. He’s based in Santorini, and I happened to catch him while I was on vacation there and had the chance to take a Polaroid of him.
On the beauty of Polaroids:
I think Polaroids are just so honest! Sure, the camera can be frustrating sometimes because you can’t adjust much. I had to accept that the technical photography side takes a back seat with this format. So what matters more is who the person is in front of the lens. But I really like the simplicity of that, and that you have a physical image in your hand immediately. And maybe that’s part of what draws me to it: the rawness and the minimal setup.
On building bridges, not just looks:
At the end of the day, how someone looks isn’t what my Polaroid project is about. It’s about showing that there are so many people out there doing interesting things. That’s what makes it exciting. And it’s also about the short description behind each face.
I find it beautiful, stepping away from social media and events, and instead seeing someone and wondering: “Okay, they clearly do something, but what exactly?”
In the exhibition, each picture will include a short description: the person’s name, where they’re based, since I didn’t just shoot in Munich, and what they do – whether it’s photography, videography, music, etc. That’s another goal of the project: to create more touchpoints between people, help them learn a little more about each other, and maybe even spark new connections.
On catching big names on film:
One funny story: I walked out of my apartment and saw a group from the community… people I already planned to photograph. So I started taking pictures, and then I noticed one more guy standing with them. He was dressed pretty cool, and I thought he’d be a great fit for the project too. I asked if I could take his photo and he just said, “Yeah, sure! But not without the mask.” So I paused for a second, thinking about who these guys usually hang with, and then it hit me: it was Cro standing there.
He was wearing a sneaker he had designed himself. He took it off, held it in front of his face so the logo was showing so you’d still know it was him. That’s exactly why I love this project. These are the kinds of moments that just happen. The most high-profile face I’ve captured so far was Kaytranada. He had an aftershow party at a club here in Munich. We covered it with Oearth Studio on the video side. After his set, I briefly met him and asked if I could shoot a Polaroid for a personal project. He said “sure,” stood still, I clicked the shot – and that was it.
On the impact of Virgil Abloh:
He’s someone who’s deeply inspired me and who gave so much to the culture. I would have absolutely loved to photograph him for this project. He had the ability to bring people together through creativity. But he also built a bridge between high-end brands and people from the community who might not be doing ‘big things’ yet – and created win-win situations for both.
He launched projects that no one would have believed could actually work – like kids from the hood walking in shows for Louis Vuitton or starring in major campaign videos. That was a massive leap forward, especially for the Black community. It showed people: we can do this too. That’s incredibly motivating. That’s probably what inspires me the most. Plus the way he reflected powerful ideas in such simple ways. And I think that’s also something I recognize in myself: I try to realize projects in the simplest, most honest form possible.
On getting back what you give:
What means a lot to me with the Polaroid project is how much appreciation I got from people when I asked, “Hey, I’d love to include you in the project. Do you have time?”
Some of them were strangers I didn’t even know. I just found their aesthetic interesting. I walked up to them randomly and asked to shoot their photo, and their reaction was often something like, “You just made my day. That you approached me and wanted to photograph me, and bring me into your project.”
And that’s something I definitely want to mention: How a lot of people don’t even realize what kind of presence they have – or how much they’re inspiring others or contribute to good things with what they do.
