User:PDloftin/sandbox

Myles Loftin (photographer)
Myles Addison Loftin (born January 27, 1998) is an African American photographer, that received world wide recognition for his multimedia project titled "HOODED" HOODED is a multimedia project that humanizes and decriminalizes the societal image of black boys and black men dressed in hoodies.

Early life
Loftin grew up in Accokeek, Maryland and became enamored with photography between eighth and ninth grade, when his family brought his uncle's Nikon DSLR camera with them on vacation in Italy. From there, the Maryland native began developing his soulful eye and artistic principles. Loftin went on to attend Parsons School of Design and London College of Communication where he studied photography. Loftin graduated in 2020 with a BFA in photography and currently based in BROOKLYN, New York.

Career
Part of the new vanguard of image makers, Myles Loftin is an artist, storyteller, and creative collaborator based in Brooklyn but very much on the world’s radar. Brands like Calvin Klein, Converse, GCDS, Nike, and UnderArmour commission him for ad campaigns, and publications like Paper, The Cut, Garage, i-D, and The Fader turn to him for editorials that resonate with discerning audiences.

Myles’ work, known for an often playful sensibility and an intimacy that unite viewer and subject, is driven by his desire to show up for underrepresented and misrepresented groups—because as a queer Black man, he knows the power of visibility. “We look to the media for ideas of what our future can be,” says Myles, “and if you don’t see yourself represented, it’s very hard for you to imagine a future for yourself.”

A budding tastemaker, Myles was featured in the campaign “Polaroid Originals and Ryan McGinley Present the New Originals ,” and he co-curated a panel for Parsons School of Design’s “Nth Degree Series” celebrating “thinkers, visionaries, and creators who define the cutting edge.” In 2019, at the age of 21, he was invited to speak at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The following year, Forbes named him one of 2020’s “30 Under 30” in the category of “Art and Style.”