Acclaimed fashion photographer Keith Major is the subject of this 12-minute short film written and directed by Michael Artiles, and for those particularly interested in the subject matter it's an intelligent and revealing film.

The title is a reference to the fact that Major built his life from nothing into "something" by following his passions and working hard. Nothing to Something is a fairly straightforward short doc that may not necessarily resonate with those who prefer their documentaries to be all warm and fuzzy, because Major has quite literally devoted himself to his craft at the experience of most other areas of his life.

For those, however, intrigued by the creative spirit and how it goes from hobby to full-time profession, this 12-minute short film does a nice job of painting a portrait of Major that gives insight into his professional journey, his professionalism, and the sacrifices that he's made to make it all happen.

Major, who may seem a tad familiar from his stint as a guest judge on America's Next Top Model, has an engaging and very matter-of-fact personality, though one does wish that Artiles had occasionally been just a tad less matter-of-fact with the actual filmmaking. There were also a couple of occasions when Major himself felt like he was manufacturing lines rather than revealing himself, for example a segment in which he talks about helping models realize they're beautiful while he's sitting there photographing the kind of model you see on the runway. I found myself mumbling "How hard could that be?"

Minor quibbles aside, Nothing to Something is an engaging and informative documentary that should resonate with those particularly interested in fashion, photography, or simply those who overcome their pasts to build a better future.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic