VSCO became more than an editing app; it became a space for inspiration, discovery, and connecting with other photographers.
Piesie Agyemang-Nkansah is a legal professional based in Accra, Ghana who found in photography what law couldn't give him. A way to slow down, pay attention, and express how he experiences the world rather than just documenting it. Color became his language, and intentionality his practice. When he discovered VSCO Spaces, that personal discipline became something shared: curated galleries, color wheel challenges, and communities like Pop of Color and Ghanaian convos that have drawn photographers from across the world into the same creative conversation. Last year, that conversation moved off the screen entirely and into the streets of Accra, on a photowalk he organized with the Accra Active Club.
We sat down with Piesie to talk about how he uses VSCO Spaces, how shooting for a community changes what you make before you even pick up a camera, and what it looks like when inspiration stops being a solo act.
1) How long have you been on VSCO, and how did you first discover it?
I joined VSCO in 2017, at a time when I was experimenting with photography. I first discovered it after seeing someone share their VSCO on social media.
I downloaded the app and started editing with it, and since I was new, I found the platform perfect for sharing my work, there wasn’t any pressure from likes or followers.
This freedom allowed me to experiment, develop my style, and really focus on photography as a creative practice, rather than worrying about popularity or numbers.
Over time, VSCO became more than an editing app; it became a space for inspiration, discovery, and connecting with other photographers.
2. Tell me about your own photography (personal and professional) in a few sentences. Why is photography so important to you?
As a legal professional, photography is my escape.
My photography is rooted in storytelling, mood, and details. I’m especially drawn to everyday moments, composition, color, and the feeling an image can hold.
Photography helps me slow down and pay attention to things people might otherwise overlook, and it’s become a way to communicate perspective, emotion, and identity without always needing words.
It’s important to me because it lets me preserve moments while also reinterpreting them. It’s not just about documenting what I see, it’s about expressing how I experience the world.
3. How did you first learn about VSCO spaces? What was the first space you joined and why did you join it?
I first heard about VSCO Spaces in June 2022, when VSCO introduced it as a new way for creatives to connect through shared galleries and visual conversations.
What immediately stood out to me was the idea that photography could feel even more collaborative—not just posting images, but actually building around themes, inspiration, and shared taste.
The first space I joined, if I remember correctly, was Peek-a-Blue by paapaboaten, which was centered around blue-graded photography. I joined because I was really drawn to the visual identity of the space and the way a simple color theme could bring together so many different creative perspectives.
It felt like a very intentional and inspiring way to experience photography through community.
4. What was the first space you created and why did you create it?
The first space I created was Pop of Color.
I created it because I’ve always been drawn to how color can completely transform an image, it can shift the mood, make a photo feel more intentional, and instantly catch your attention.
I wanted to build a space where people could share photography that used color in bold, creative, and expressive ways, while also creating something interactive and inspiring for the community.
That’s also how our color wheel challenges started. They became a fun and creative way to get people involved, encourage interpretation, and show how different photographers could approach the same color theme in completely unique ways.
5. Your spaces are some of the most engaged on VSCO. What do you think makes them special?
Thank you, I think what makes my spaces special is the intentionality behind them. Whenever I create a themed space, I’m very thoughtful about the kind of work and creators I invite into it.
In the beginning especially, I would send the space to creators in the community whose work genuinely resonated with the theme, so the space would feel cohesive, inspiring, and creatively aligned from the start. That intentional approach helped shape each space into more than just a gallery—it made them feel curated and community-driven at the same time.
I also think interactive elements, like our color wheel challenges, give contributors a fun and meaningful way to participate, which helps the spaces feel alive and collaborative. At the core of it, people connect with spaces that feel genuine. When something is built with care and a real love for photography, that energy naturally draws people in.
At the core of it, people connect with spaces that feel genuine. When something is built with care and a real love for photography, that energy naturally draws people in.
6. How does VSCO Spaces help fuel your own creative inspiration?
VSCO Spaces fuels my creative inspiration by showing me how many different ways a single idea can be interpreted.
Whether it’s a color, a mood, or a theme, it’s always inspiring to see how different photographers bring their own perspective into it. They also make creativity feel more intentional and interactive.
Sometimes I even create specifically with a particular space in mind, which pushes me to think more deeply about how I want to shoot, edit, and tell a story visually. In that way, Spaces doesn’t just inspire me after I create, it often inspires the work before I even make it.
More than anything, VSCO Spaces reminds me that inspiration doesn’t always happen in isolation. Sometimes it comes from being part of a creative community and responding to a shared visual idea.
7. Are there any personal anecdotes you have about VSCO Spaces? Any special connections, moments, relationships, or instances where something about them changed your perspective on photography and the creative process?
One experience that really stayed with me was being part of some of VSCO’s Studio Sessions. I remember learning about composition, framing, the rule of thirds, color theory, and leading lines, and that was a huge turning point in my photography journey.
What made it especially impactful was being able to share our photos and receive feedback from VSCO.
That experience taught me to be more intentional with the way I shoot and edit, and it helped me understand photography as more than just making a beautiful image, it became about structure, storytelling, and visual language.
Beyond that, I’ve also received messages from creators and friends saying that joining spaces like Ghanaian convos, Pop of Color and Accra- Photowalks reminded them to create and share again, which has been really rewarding. It’s amazing to see how these shared spaces can motivate others, spark inspiration, and build a sense of creative momentum. It genuinely changed the way I approach the creative process.
Photography became less about doing it alone and more about learning, sharing, and growing through community.
8. Have you ever connected with anyone from your spaces in real life?
Yes, I have. Sometimes it’s through simply recognizing creators in person, or them recognizing me, which is always a fun and meaningful moment.
Recently, we even hosted a VSCO photo walk in Accra in collaboration with Accra Active Club, which was an incredible experience. It was amazing to meet contributors in real life, see how they approached photography, and share the creative energy in person.
Moments like that really show how an online community can grow into genuine connections and shared experiences beyond the platform.
Explore VSCO Spaces
Join Piesie Agyemang-Nkansah and a global network of photographers with VSCO Spaces. See where color, critique, and creative exchange come together to push your work past experimentation and into real growth.
VSCO Spaces reminds me that inspiration doesn’t always happen in isolation. Sometimes it comes from being part of a creative community and responding to a shared visual idea.
