AGAPE - Please introduce yourself, where you’re from and what you do.
RYAN - Hi my name is Ryan Belk, I was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. I make photographs and produce short films for Northwood Church. When I am not doing that I am either taking on personal photography work, ranging from weddings to documentary style photography. I live to tell stories and I am so blessed to do that through the medium of photography and filmmaking.
AGAPE - How long have you been a customer of ours?
RYAN - I have been a customer of Agape Attire since around early 2009. So around 6 years.
AGAPE - What attracted you to the brand?
RYAN - One thing that attracted me to the brand was that I loved that they were using shirts to spread a short message of hope, love, and joy to anyone that may see the design in passing. I love that they were a Christ centered brand and through their products I have been able to talk to complete strangers about Jesus and about what my shirts means.
AGAPE - If you had to pick a favorite item over the years, what would it be?
RYAN - This is one of the hardest questions because they make such amazing products but probably one shirt I would wear still to this day and I would say it’s been my favorite product to date is the black with gold foil “God is Love & Love is Real” shirt. That print is amazing and I always got so many complements on it. I just love that message as well, it truly says what Christ is all about in one statement; Love.
AGAPE - What music are you currently listening to?
RYAN - This is another incredibly hard question to answer at any given time.. well, as I am typing this response Swedish House Mafia is playing right now, so every now and again I get on a big House/Electronic music kick. But one album that I really can’t get enough of this month is the new Twenty One Pilots album “Blurryface” I love every record they have ever made and those guys are such incredible writers. But one underrated album that I think everyone should listen to is the band “COIN” self titled record that came out recently. I have this gut feeling that those guys are going to be huge really soon. I think they are going to blow up kind of like Colony House did this past spring. It’s a very similar style of music as them.
AGAPE - What are your goals for the future?
RYAN - My goals right now would be to still stay at my church doing exactly what I’m doing, I honestly have the best job in the world at the moment, I get to do what I love while working with my best friends. It doesn’t even feel like work. But maybe a goal in that area of my life would be to grow a creative department in my church. Because right now I am basically handling everything visual/creative. So when it comes to filmmaking and design, I don’t have anyone to rely on or help me with projects, so I am doing everything on my own, which can be frustrating at times but it is allowing me to learn and grow through trial an error which is equally important. But as for my personal work I would love it if my documentary photographs could become published in a major news source. I think that would be incredible. And one last goal that I have had on my horizon is to create a photo book with a major body of work. I love printed material and to create/publish a book that I design and make all on my own is a huge personal goal of mine right now. But I have no idea when that idea will come to life right now.
AGAPE - Ryan, thanks so much for your time and sharing your life with us. Please check out Ryan's website at www.RyanMichaelBelk.com and check out his amazing work below.
