Nazir Wayman is a Philadelphia-born street and documentary photographer whose black-and-white images explore memory, faith, community, and the distinct character of his hometown. Working largely with film and traditional darkroom printing, he photographs ordinary gestures and fleeting encounters with an intimate understanding of Philadelphia’s streets and subcultures—particularly its internationally influential skateboarding community.

His relationship with photography began after losing his father in 2016. When he discovered that his father’s photographs had been destroyed in a flood, he came to understand how precious visual memories are. Photography became his way of preserving the lives around him and leaving a record for future generations. He has since created an extensive archive documenting Philadelphia and the transformation of its celebrated skateboarding spaces. The Halide Project featured his story and photographic practice in 2023.

Wayman’s photographs have appeared in exhibitions throughout Philadelphia. In September 2023, he presented a collection of handmade prints in the gallery space of the atmos Philadelphia store. His work was also included in the 2023 20/20 Photo Festival alongside photographers Karim Brown and Oluwagbenga Okiemute. He is a featured artist at FrameWorks Studio & Gallery, where his archival silver-gelatin photographs—including Stroll, Performance, Confetti, Black Glove, Chestnut St, and Center City—have been exhibited and offered to collectors.

His photographic process and approach were also featured in photographer Paulie B’s widely viewed Walkie Talkie series, introducing a larger audience to the way he navigates Philadelphia with his Canon P and Nikon F5. Alongside his personal practice, Wayman has completed editorial and commercial photography for brands including PUMA and adidas, while continuing to photograph weddings, artists, musicians, and the communities around him.

A Muslim revert, husband, and multidisciplinary entrepreneur, Wayman increasingly views photography as a form of witnessing. His long-term project, Sajda; the Shape of Dust, examines submission to Allah through images of prayer, knowledge, nature, humanity, and the unity of the Ummah. Influenced by photographers such as Leon Levinstein, Garry Winogrand, Ernest Cole, Gerald Cyrus, Eugene Richards, and Mary Ellen Mark, he is developing a visual language that remains firmly rooted in his own faith and lived experience.

At his core, Nazir Wayman is an artist committed to transforming faith, hardship, love, loss, and perseverance into an enduring visual record—one that honors the people who shaped him and preserves the world he has been blessed to witness.