Apple’s hometown visits

Located across 17 cities, 33 Black photographers took over Apple's Instagram to highlight their creativity and perspective. 

Now, at the end of Black History Month in the United States, director Phillip Youmans has captured the moving lives of four of these photographers. A docu-style film, Hometown allows a deeper look at the artists at the heart of the image, turning the camera to focus on them. The photographers featured in the YouTube film include Lawrence Agyei (Chicago), Gabriella Angotti-Jones (Los Angeles), Lauren Woods (Charlotte), and Julien James (Washington, D.C.), all of whom showcase their neighborhoods, sharing stories of where they come from and why they live where they do. 

Introspective and celebratory, Hometown explores the experiences of Black artists in America, how they see and represent Black culture, and adds a sense of history to their work. The piece was commissioned by YouTube, conceptualized by Apple and TBWA\Media Arts Lab, and produced by Smuggler.