Photographer Samer Ghani’s client list is a who’s who of cool Milwaukeeans. He’s focused his lenses on Bobby Portis,
SistaStrings, Buffalo Nichols, Klassik, DJ Shawna and even Giannis Antetokounmpo. “Samer is so excellent at getting the shot,” SistaStrings’ Monique Ross says. Her sister, Chauntee Ross, jumps in to add, “I fully trust Samer’s vision, and having that trust in someone is key.”
But Ghani didn’t start out as the go-to guy for rockstars and athletes. Just five years ago, he was working at an Apple Store by day, and buying tickets to shoot concerts pro-bono by night. It was Cactus Club owner Kelsey Kaufmann who gave Ghani his unofficial start. “She pulled me aside one day to say, ‘You don’t have to pay to shoot here; I recognize the work that you’re doing,’” Ghani says. “She kind of gave me my first unintentional residency.”
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His tenacity and artistic signature caught the attention of local musicians. He wasn’t just the man behind the camera – he became the man building the brand for some of Milwaukee’s hottest artists. In 2019, he took the plunge, quitting his job and pursuing life as a full-time artist. He had to diversify his work, shooting everything from corporate campaigns to weddings to make ends meet.
“Adapting to brands is fun. It’s hard; it’s like a Rubik’s Cube every time,” Ghani says. “I think growing up as a first-generation American living in a very traditional household, but going to public school through my childhood has given me the ability to … adapt really quickly, especially artistically.”
Acknowledging his Palestinian heritage is a big part of Ghani’s personal mission, as is telling Milwaukee’s story. “For artists of color in Milwaukee, we have a lot of responsibilities, and no one does the work for us in these arenas,” Ghani says. “I think it’s important for us to tell our own stories and to be present when these stories are unfolding.”
While Ghani no longer shoots concerts at Cactus Club – he’s leaving that opportunity open for another self-starter – he now serves as a member of the music venue’s board. Plus, he has an artist-in-residence gig with the Milwaukee Athletic Club where he is leading an effort to create a gallery. And this year, he checked off a major bucket list goal: getting his work displayed in a museum. His photography was part of “The Street” exhibition at MOWA this fall.
“I’m really obsessed with one-upping myself. So I shot Giannis and I was like, OK what’s the next thing? I did Sista-Strings in Nashville, so hey what’s next? And I taught a course, and I was like that’s almost good enough, but what’s the next thing? And that was Bobby Portis,” Ghani says. “I think with how unexpected so many of the best things in my career have been, I stopped dreaming in a way, and I just stay diligently ready for the next thing. I feel like the world is dreaming for me.”
