Moses Kinnah's passion for visual storytelling has been fueled by three things: family, culture, and memories. Three core areas that have been a part of Moses' journey for as long as he can remember, and ones that were heightened during a trip back to Ghana. Growing up in the Bay Area, Moses remembers being immersed in Ghanaian culture from a young age; and always holding family and core principles at the center of his experiences in school, when meeting people, and throughout his life. It was in 2013 though, when he decided to take a trip back to Ghana, that he discovered his love for photography and videography. It was only up from there. What started as a trip for understanding, connecting with family, and building memories, soon became an eye-opening experience to the beauty of photography. One that commenced his journey in visual media and established his mission in the space: to highlight people and culture, convey powerful messages, and capture special moments. He hasn't stopped since. Throughout his time in the industry, Moses has tapped into sports, music, and lifestyle photography—continuing to use his camera as a tool and photography as a vessel to connect and inspire others. Truly incredible!
Once you decided to embark on your journey in the space, how was that transition from college into the world of photography like for you?
It was pretty seamless because, while I was at school, I was still shooting. I would drive an hour out to Oakland or an hour out to Frisco, shoot a concert or shoot the company, come back home, edit, and then the next morning go to class and then to work. It was always kind of like: work six to seven days a week. So when I finished school, the transition was pretty seamless because I was used to the routine.
You mentioned that you started in the lifestyle realm of photography—focusing on culture and capturing those moments. How did you find your way into the sports world?
I’ve played basketball most of my life—high school, and a little bit of college basketball in San Jose, California. I've revolved around basketball my whole life. As far as how I got into shooting games…my friend Audrey was a writer. I had actually gone to school with her, and she had an opportunity to work with an international company in Mexico that was covering sports. She actually just threw the lob to me where she told the owner of the company: “Hey, I'm writing these articles. I may need some content to complement the writing.” That’s really how it started and it was truly a blessing because, just from what I hear and in talking to people, it's so hard to get past that gate of shooting professional sports. So to have that opportunity, I’m super thankful for her and super thankful for everything that fell in place.
That’s awesome! When did you discover that you wanted to pursue a career in photography?
So while I was in school, I was actually going to school for Management Information Systems—system analytics, data analysis. I've never taken a photography class, ever. It was YouTube University, studying the greats, and just practicing. Luckily though, while I was at school, there was a photography job that I had applied for. My boss at the time gave me so much game on how to archive your work and how to work with different clients—from students to CEOs. That was also fundamental in me honing the business side of photography and also working with various types of people. You know, how to make a boring shoot creative and things like that. At that time I wasn't really shooting sports, I was shooting a lot of music between 2014, 2015, and 2017. So it was just studying on my own, studying the greats, practicing, fine-tuning, and a lot of trial and error.
In 2015, you founded your own company. Take us through that journey of tapping into the business side and creating your own photography company! What was that like for you?
That was tough. I think (besides) just thinking of: “How can I make this image look nice? How can I be present in the moment of capture?”, the business side—I think for a lot of creatives—is the tough side. Luckily, I was going to school for management information systems. I think getting that major, getting that degree, it helped me wear two different hats or use both sides of my brain. It's still one of those pain points where, ideally, it would be nice to have a manager or be with an agency and they handle that side. But, I think it's necessary—for myself and for anybody that wants to work in this industry for a long period of time—to have your numbers right, the business right, your contracts right. Also, just knowing when you don't know something and seeking out help. You know, I was lucky to have a lot of mentors, friends, and even random people that I met on Instagram provide insight. It is definitely still a process too.
What were some challenges that you faced early on and how did you work to navigate through those?
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