Cam Kirk has been working out of Cam Kirk Studios on Forsyth Street for six years, using it as his personal photography studio for shooting celebrities like Lil Baby, Gucci Mane, and Latto, to name a few. But from day one, it’s always been more than just “his” space. The goal of his studio was always to be collaborative. “Anyone can come here and work and use these resources,” he says.
He is now proud to say that he’s given away 10,000 hours of free studio time to the community, which only requires signing up on the website. He’s also focused on educational programs. “We don’t want you in here struggling, not knowing what you’re doing,” he says. “We teach you how to get the most out of your experience so you can come back and advance your career and continue to be creative.”
Always thinking about ways to encourage learning and working together, Kirk recently opened the Creator’s Lab at Cam Kirk Studios in partnership with Billionaire Boys Club, the 20-year-old clothing brand backed by Pharrell Williams and Nigo. The lab is available for creators with followings of all sizes to get support, education, and access to cutting-edge tech, including state-of-the-art video editing equipment, computers, podcast equipment, and more. It’s completely free to anyone who signs up, with a goal of amplifying underrepresented creators in particular.
Photograph courtesy of Cam Kirk Studios
Kirk says he’s thrilled that Billionaire Boys Club wanted to tangibly and directly impact the community and saw the potential in helping lift up creators. For him, it’s the perfect match. “There’s a lot of resources I have, but it’s just me. I’ve had a relationship with [Billionaire Boys Club] for a while, but that personal relationship doesn’t help our people,” he says. “This was a way for me to take that relationship and bring it to the community.”
The icing on the cake of the launch of the Creator’s Lab was a Pinterest x Cam Kirk Studios Creator Residency, a partnership showcasing and celebrating Black talent and creativity in Atlanta. Fifty Black creators attended in October, learning how to use Pinterest to further their creator careers.
It’s all a dream come true, working with big-name brands and serving his community in this way. “There are creators here who have never done a photo shoot before, don’t even own a camera, and are borrowing our equipment, next to a photo shoot with Samuel L. Jackson,” he says. “Everyone is using the same resources. There are no barriers here, that’s the exciting part about it.”
