*This story is brought to you by Most Incredible Studio founder Syreeta Gates as a part of our Because Of You: Legacy in Focus campaign honoring contemporary Black photographers*
He’s preserving our joy in perpetuity!
Photography holds power—it captures history, preserves truth, and ensures our stories live beyond us. And for Anthony Artis, that means capturing Black joy in all its forms. He’s been in the game for over 15 years, documenting life in real-time—from Brooklyn streets to Afropunk stages, from intimate family moments to cultural movements that deserve to be remembered.
“I feel that rejoicing is a way of resistance,” Artis says. “We are bombarded so much with Black trauma. I really want to put at the forefront our smiles.”
And that’s precisely what he does. His work is a testament to Black life—radiating energy, love, connection, and the unstoppable force of resilience. He’s not here to tell stories that we already know. He’s here to shift the focus, ensuring that when people look back, they see us living, thriving, and building.
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Artis safeguards history, amplifies stories, and ensures our narratives stand the test of time. His work spans film, television, and education, from producing the indie feature Shelter to working on the hip-hop documentary Paper Chasers to teaching at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His book, The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide, is a go-to for indie filmmakers looking to bring their visions to life.
“If I had unlimited resources, I’d focus on helping Black visual storytellers archive their work and get it into museums,” he says. “There are so many Black women photographers and documentarians whose work deserves to be preserved. We have to tell our stories from our perspectives.”
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This is why Because of You: Legacy in Focus hits different. It’s not just a project—it’s a physical manifestation of what Anthony stands for—a tangible way to ensure our narratives aren’t just seen but protected.
When I asked Artis about the Legacy in Focus LEGO set collab from Because Of Them We Can and Most Incredible Studio, he lit up. For him, this isn’t just a cool idea—it’s a bridge between generations, photography and play, history and the future.
“I think it’s fun. It brings us back to the child within us,” he says. “And even with photography, it’s about surrendering to that curiosity—affirming the way we see the world.”
That curiosity? That instinct to document, preserve, and create? That’s the real legacy. And if there’s one thing Artis wants young creatives to take away from his journey, it’s this:
“We need more of your voices. The way you see the world matters,” he says. “Pick up the camera, the pen, the paintbrush—whatever it is. Spend time with it. Affirm yourself within it.”
Because when it’s all said and done when the work is revisited decades from now, Anthony Artis wants people to feel one thing: love. Love for his people. Love for the culture. Love for storytelling that stands the test of time.
Cover photo: Meet Anthony Artis, the Photographer on a Mission to Capture Black Joy Through the Lens/Photo credit: Anthony Artis/@ArtPhotoFilms/Instagram