Meet Sherief Sutton | Photographer & Graphic Designer

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

Hi Sherief, what do you attribute your success to?
I would the say the most important factor behind my success is my drive and consistency. If you do not keep going, and going often, the only thing left, is to fail at the goal at hand. When you make sure that failure is not an option, the possibilities become endless and you realize that success is inevitable. No matter what, keep going!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I got to where I am today through being self taught on Adobe Suite as a young teenager. I fell in love with the way advertisements, videos, and pictures make people react. This then lead me into my first internship where I was a graphic designer, but also a photographer using company equipment far beyond what I could afford. It was not easy, till this day I have plenty of projects sitting in drafts because of the extensiveness of what it takes to get to the final product, let alone being a perfectionist, I won’t release or post anything until I feel 100% about it. My consistency is what resulted in me overcoming the hard parts. Nothing is easy all the time, but you have to find joy in the grind, because once your product is done, you can look back on it and understand what it took to get there. One of the biggest lessons I learned along the way was that no one cares for your work as much as you do, so put your all into it, be open to criticism, and understand that you are damned if you do and damned if you don’t, so you mind as well DO! My story and my brand are like so many others… but there is no ME. When I remind myself that, I no longer feel small or like anyone else – the uniqueness of my vision can only come from these eyes and mind, so I must keep creating, I must show the world that I too, have something to offer.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Bok Bar for a brunch, fantastic views and great food. Then I would eventually take them to a couple of my favorite spots, which include Liberty Point, Morgan’s Pier, and LMNO. When it comes to the night life, I would bar hop and start at Terra for some house music and vibes, then switch it up with the Fishtown Garage. Of course, everyone who visits can site see the Rocky steps and statue, as well as walk around Chinatown or the Fashion District. If you’re looking for high energy fun and bopping around, the Ave is a great house music club and if you’re looking for hip hop and club vibes, Vesper or Rec & Royal.
Philadelphia has so many things to do it’s insane – you let me know what vibe you’re looking for during what time of the day and there’s a scene for it!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My friends and family deserve the credit, they are the team behind the team. I am constantly reminded and reassured that what I am doing and putting out into the world is right and that the world needs my creations. Whether it is a text of affirmations in the morning or a comment on a post, the support is overwhelming and beyond appreciated!

Website: suttondesign.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reefsimaginarium/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherief-sutton/