Tyse Visuals: Artist To Watch

Thomas Seward, AKA Tyse Visuals, is a photographer and videographer based in Nairobi, Kenya who’s seen a lot of positive recognition over the last year. His work features mainly what he has described as ethereal portraiture. His editing and creative direction is often inspired by fashion editorials and tends to mimic an old film aesthetic, which gives his work a profound sense of nostalgia. 

Tyse as well as being a photographer has interest in writing and painting as artistic expressions showing himself to be a very well-rounded artist. His love of language and words often has him expressing himself in manners reminiscent of a novel which works quite contrary to his young nature but creates quite an interesting character behind the artist. Tyse is full of passion and creativity and uses every ounce of his being to bring his visions to life. 

While Kenya was sitting impatiently waiting to hear the results of our presidential election, I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Vogue approved photographer and artist Thomas Seward, AKA Tyse Visuals about his artistry and how he’s become the outstanding creative we know him as today. 

I know that you were homeschooled for a bit . What has it been like for you, now being in a position where your world is expanding and you have to interact with a variety of people from different backgrounds? 

It's a very interesting experience. It's given me an opportunity to embrace different ideologies and different ways of doing things, [and] of interpreting ideas and different perspectives from people I relate with and interact with on a situational basis in the industry or in the art scene.

Over the past couple months, I have really interacted with quite a number of people who are really changing things. And from that I've really grown confident. Cause you know, I felt like I was a bit isolated. My ideas were a little too strange and far-fetched to the general populace, but now I kind of feel understood and at home. 

Would you mind mentioning some of those artists that you feel like have really impacted your kind of way of working in the last couple of months?

Yeah, I could say there's Mr. Chia. He's a very elusive and very talented artist.

I've seen him grow over the years and one thing I can take from him is his consistency. In the way he creates his work. And his approach to not rushing his process, taking your time and figuring [out] your approach and your style out as the years go by. 

And then there's Iona Mccreath, the creative director for “Kiko Romeo”. She's a very inspirational figure in the way she gradually assumed a role of creative director of one of Kenya's most revolutionary fashion brands. How she's just been able to keep up and bring more meaning into the brand and into the aesthetic of the brand at large, it's very inspirational and I've borrowed a couple ethos or ideas or approaches in how I should structure my image and the processes I should take into consideration when I'm working. So those are two people, I really hold to a very high standard.

But what keeps you going? With this digital age, everything's always very fast. What do you feel keeps you going? Do you ever feel like you lose inspiration?

Yes. Oftentimes I burn out, I have some crazy blocks. It's not a good experience to have, cause you're kind of blinded by the fact that you've accomplished quite a bit and you kind of lose sense of who you are as an artist and your journey at large.

Yeah. So what I do to mitigate such an unfortunate occurrence or unfortunate situation is I listen to a lot of music, especially jazz and progressive RnB. I also take walks and I write essays, you 

Your real name is Thomas. How did you come up with Tyse? What does it mean?

Tyse, is a stylization of my two names Thomas Seaward. So T Y S E, I don't know where the Y came from, but effectively it's a stylization, it started around 2017. I remember before that I was Seward visuals and so on, but I thought that was a bit too mainstream. Cause you know, back then everyone was a photographer.

What influences your style when it comes to editing or, the shots you choose to take the set you choose to shoot?

Nature and our surroundings. That's where it comes from. As I was growing up my parents really indoctrinated me to really appreciate nature and used to take me for walks. Or vacations to Naivasha, to the national park or to the farm, whatever, and surrounded by plants, settlements, flowers and you know, the way such vegetation really has bright and vivid colors.

I carried that into my work. I like my work to be very colorful, but still being very balanced and to have that even saturation and so on, which can tell the story and immerses the viewer. Another thing that inspires me is that film look. It really creates an effect of nostalgia and immersion.

Examples of Tyse’s work

What does your creative process look like? 

What I usually do is first come up with an idea and that idea develops into a practical concept. I then develop a formula, and that's usually in terms of color, depth and technique. From there on I do tests and I create presets in whichever software I use be it, Photoshop, Lightstream, or Capture One.

Then I can begin the process of scouting for models and seeing if their look is compatible with the formula I'm creating and the concept, you know? So it's three variables. There's the idea, the concept. And then the formula how to do it and how to make sure it is in line and is very accurate to the original idea.

And then after I’ve shot the model and I've done all the research, I'll start to make it logical so people can understand. Then I create some sort of timeline and so on to give it more meaning. And now maybe do a bit of experimentation when I'm editing and so on.

But one of the main things I really strive to be is to be as realistic as possible. Like I don't do manipulations much. I don't. I really want things to be as vivid and realistic as possible while still, having that element of wonder. 

You’ve recently worked with the fashion brand “At Odds”. What was that like for you in terms of working a fashion campaign? Is this your first time and do you see yourself doing more of this kind of work?

I believe at this point in my career, it is the first time because the first one I did, I think it was for KikoRomeo. But it was more of a tryout, more a demonstration of my abilities. But with “At Odds, it was a more concrete and more established way of working on a set like that. 

And I really feel like this is now my place as a photographer. I think I have branded myself now as a fashion and editorial photographer. The guys were amazing. Shout out to Nathaniel and Patrick and all those guys, they were really amazing and they really helped me bring the idea to life.

And I'm very honored that they liked the results from the shoot. It's really an honor, when you do work and people are generally very satisfied, even at times inspired by the work you did for them.

You've been diving into the world of music video direction with MR. LU* and King Kerby on their most recent project, “Kazi Kwa Vijana”. What inspired this exploration and what was it like working with MR. LU* and Kerby to bring their vision forward now in video format?

Let me just say, first of all, they are insanely brilliant guys. I don't think they are really getting the attention they deserve because they are extraordinarily talented creatives, both Kerby and LU*.  It all started when LU* hit me up randomly and said, “Hey let's work on some stuff.”.

After a couple of meetings we finally settled on the tracks, we wanted to work on and the magic happened. They let me do what I needed to do. And I tried my best to also incorporate their ideas and their expectations in the work I was creating for them. And I feel it really made a good impact based on the fact that you've actually asked about it, I feel like it's also reached that point where people were particularly intrigued.

It really opened my horizons. I feel like I'm becoming more proficient in not just music videos, but generally filmmaking. I've worked with some friends of mine on a film that is coming out soon. And I have a couple other exciting things on the way.

As a younger artist working in the creative field, what's some advice you wish you’d received when you first started? 

I wish people told me to be patient cause you know, in the creative scene, you can’t expect instant gratification.

You need to be very dedicated and very passionate about what you do, it's not something that you're just gonna start just because you are interested in and just quit after a few months. It’s something you have to invest years of time and research effort and expect setbacks and disappointment. You have to be patient and you have to be very understanding.

Find Tyse’s Photo Vogue feature and portfolio here.