Georedt Michael Huggins and Foto-Therapy Photography stay in Muncie to be a creative space for students and locals.
Starting in fashion, Georedt Michael Huggins did not see himself as one day being a photographer and a creative support for youth in Muncie. Now that he has, he is remodeling a studio for students and other local creatives to foster a new generation of makers. With the help of his mentor and fellow photographer James Parks, as well as artist Johnny Wood, the three have embarked on the renovation journey to create that ideal space.
“People in the city want to connect more with Ball State students, and here in the last few years, it’s been more of a push for that gap to be bridged,” Georedt said.
Georedt’s connection to Ball State started with his father, who was a photography student at Ball State, and who brought Georedt’s creative side to life.
“Growing up, just seeing pictures of my dad with the camera on Ball State’s campus, he was involved. I don’t know if it was a club he was in or the class that he was taking, but he always had a camera,” Georedt says.
Georedt did not start in photography, but it would soon be the bridge between his loves. He was always a musician, starting on drums at age 4. He then found a new passion in fashion in middle school, drawing his own clothes and designs.
“I remember drawing when I’m supposed to be taking notes. [I] always was drawing different pictures and different types of aesthetics,” Georedt says.
But, music prevailed at the time, and he graduated from Vincennes University with a certificate in music production and audio recording. Coming home to Muncie after graduation, Georedt started working for a screen printing and embroidery shop, which is where he saw the potential for his own clothing line.
“People in the city want to connect more with Ball State students, and here in the last few years, it’s been more of a push for that gap to be bridged.”
– Georedt Michael Huggins
Banner Clothing Company, which drew inspiration from his family, his faith, and church, became Georedt’s new venture. He knew he needed an avenue to promote it. This was the beginning of the photography that has always laid somewhere in his subconscious, starting so long ago with his father.
“Of course, I had to get a photographer, try to figure out how I’m going to promote this, and it was costing a lot to try to keep on scheduling photographers,” Georedt says. “So, I bought some lights, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna force myself to learn.’”
He jumped around to different spaces, met some other Muncie creatives along the way, and finally found a spot that he can open up to more than just himself. Georedt says he feels that, “God really opened up the door.”
Opening up his space so that multiple shoots can be going on at the same time allows photographers who need extra room and encouragement to find it in Georedt.
“There’s other photographers I know of who don’t have space. And that’s one thing that held me up for the longest time,” he says.
Georedt has more visions, though, than just a photo studio. A design lab is a long-term goal that he feels would be a connector for him, photographers, and other creatives in Muncie that need resources in order to work and reach their potential in their fields.
“All those things just like to connect, to really kind of grow, and really give back to Muncie and also connect with Ball State,” Georedt says.
Georedt says he often hears Muncie is nothing without Ball State, and he says he believes this statement to be wrong. Muncie has fostered success for him and the fellow creative locals that are in no rush to leave the area. He hopes to disprove this for the generation of “makers and creators” that are here to tell a different story.
“I would really love to be a part of that movement and that push to give our students a reason to come off campus to connect, to grow, to learn, to network, to get real world experience, and eventually maybe stay here after graduation,” he says.
Georedt can be found on Instagram @fototherapyphotography.
