Meet Josiah Randleman | Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Josiah Randleman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Josiah, what inspires you?
I am inspired by life. I am fascinated by life and the stories it tells. We can find life all around us when we look at our planet even down to the unseen lives of microorganisms. I believe that the best stories are about life that has taken place, is taking place, or will take place. People want to hear about the stories they can relate to and we can find interesting and new stories all around us if we look hard enough. Communicating the beauty found in each other will always inspire me to keep creating and telling stories.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a storyteller at heart. Whether my medium is photography, film, or theater I am always focused on the story within the work. We live in an age where we are saturated with entertainment. However, I am a firm believer that there is a difference between entertainment and art. Art brings us together and I am constantly training in the art of storytelling. It has been with humanity since the beginning and it will stay with us until the end.
My journey has had its share of highs and lows, which have taught me to be humble and grateful. The biggest lesson that I have learned is that our stories do not last forever. As creatives we are often forced to worry about our livelihoods while we climb the mountain that defines our success. Though we may not be able to focus solely on the creative, each part of our story is ours to own. The faster we learn to enjoy all parts of our journey, the faster we can grow as people and develop as artists.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Philly is a city that gets a lot of hate but it has some beautiful spots to make some great memories. The first part of our trip is spent taking in Center City. Center City is packed with food and fun the only catch is that we’re taking the subway. Once we’ve spent some time in the city’s heart we’ve got to hit some of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. A stop by South Philly for great Mexican food at spots like El Chingon. Fishtown has great food and plenty of nightlife. You can find shops and more great food in areas like Chestnut Hill and Manayunk. We would end our trip off with some nature and I would take them to the beautiful Wissahickon Valley Trail.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I could not have made it to where I am without my family. Family is my why. As the youngest, I have had the privilege of being able to observe from those who came before me and the influence of the past shapes my decisions for the future. Legacy is very important to me and drives me to have big dreams. I want to be able to give my descendants a head start when they come into the world and remembering that makes the hard days a little easier. A big shoutout to my ancestors, my current family, and the family that I will leave it all to.

Website: https://photogriotphotography.com/welcome

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photo.griot/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiah-randleman-3271371b8