We’re looking forward to introducing you to Isaiah Owens (IRO). Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Isaiah , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me would be waking up at 6am , get ready for work and eat breakfast. After I get off work I would be headed to do a major shoot such as Clothing brand photoshoot, working with an Artist that has an Album coming up so I would be taking photos for there album cover. One thing that is added in my schedule that I will not let mess up my day is going to the gym. If you follow me on social media you will see all my gym results , you will see how super active I am in the gym and how important it is to me. Going to the gym had helped clear my head from a long day at work or even stressful photoshoot . You will need to find some form of therapy that will help you wind down from a long day and for me it’s going to the gym instead of drinking or picking up cig. I Show a normal day in the life of IRO as much as I can because I don’t want people to think that all my success was just handed to me or that my name is so big around the city because I just take a photo and post it on social media, it does take a lot of work to get to where I am at.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is IRO I am a local photographer from Belleville Michigan, and I shoot a lot of my content in the metro Detroit area. I also do a lot of marketing for clients such as Artdogg ” Sorry I Went Ghost” is out on all platforms and I took the album cover photo. I help a lot of clients understand how to network on there social media platforms. You have to understand your page and all your followers of what they want to see on your page. You have to understand what time and days are best to post on your page and I help with all of that and I take amazing photos. One thing that I would say is very unique about me is that I really see potential in my clients, I really believe that they can go far and accomplish there goals to the full potential. I do believe it is my job anyone that books me or comes across me in person that wants to work with me. My platform has grown and has gotten a lot of attention lately that I believe is really good. I literally started photography after COVID-19 and I have not stopped since .
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
I would say my father has taught me the most about work. I watch my dad stay up late nights working , grinding really hard and accomplishing all his goals that he has set for himself , his family and his kids. My dad motivates me a lot to go harder because he showed me how you can work a 9-5 job and still be successful and have time to be entrepreneur and also be very successful at it. He makes no excuses of getting up early and just getting to work because he know what he wants out of life. I am blessed to have my father’s name which is my middle name. A lot of people don’t know my name which is Isaiah Ryan Owens and that’s where IRO comes from. I know at the end of the day I always want to have my dad name living forever. No matter if he is Alive or has gone on with the lord , my dad has taught me the game of working hard and now I am becoming a household name and becoming a very successful photographer in Michigan. All I needed was someone to believe in me and invest in me which was my father.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I could say yes about a year or two ago I had gave up photography. I was not being consistent with it anymore and had fell out of love with it. I also had writers block and if you don’t know what that is, it’s when a creative is just stuck on what they want to create and what lane of work that they want to do. I could say also changing jobs and just major live changes made want to take a step back from the number one thing that I love which is taking photos. I didn’t know if was ever going to get to taking photos again or even love it, but when I got back to taking pictures again and was getting over booked it made me remember why I love what I do. I love to create art , I love when people give me and idea of the a photoshoot that they want to do and I just turn it into real life.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
The public version is the real me. What I will say is that what you see on social media is really me in real life. I show that I work a 9-5 job and that I am up at 6am in the morning getting ready for work. Then I will that I just got home at 11pm that same day from doing a photoshoot. I want people to really see that I am grinding , I also want people to really see that you can really make it work while managing a 9-5 job. I am booked almost every week for a photoshoot while I am also employee of the month at my job training 4 poeple all at once while having to have photoshoots after work. Everything that I do is very possible and also anyone can accomplish it to. Anything that you put to your mind you can do it, You just have to believe it , write out your goals and things that you want to accomplish for the week I promise you will accomplish everything that you had written down.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing?
I don’t regret anything. I believe that everything happens for a reason. There was a reason that I stopped taking photos, and when I returned back to take photos I fell in love with it more than I thought I ever had. I am way more confident in all my project that I do. I am more vocal about my pricing and standing on my word because I know my worth in this business , I know that I am valuable person in what I do. I do not regret anything that I have done in life and because I know that has always knew the plan for me . I know that God knew I would be writing this article praying and hoping that it will touch someone soul event the youth right now.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @iro_entx2
- Youtube: UCT2W9WmhJPfT2GC8T8fgbvQ
Image Credits
@richual.us @kadar__n @dellydel__ @yvngAjay @rickyjermere @artdoggsofficial
