Paid work became a natural progression forwards in photography. I started taking on shoots at request and charged for my time. As my confidence grew my work continued to improve enquires for shoots started to trickle in at a steady pace. My first handful of paid gigs where family sets and a couple of weddings that have since gone on to be a large portion of my income. Q: You often hear from people that they need to “hustle” to work on the marketing, to network, get clients - how hard is that for you? I dont feel it a necessity to chase work. I expect seasonal peaks and troughs to effect my bookings as I shoot available light out on location. All my work comes to me via word of mouth recommendation. I have spent immeasurable hours net working in my local community, with other photographers and creatives. Q: Where do you feel you’re at today with your photography both in artistic growth and as a business? Photography is my language of love. Meeting people, listening to their stories and connecting with them on their level has become a skill that I both cherish and it is paramount to my business.
ONLINE:
My camera freezes moments in time, taking a fragment of emotion or memory and digitalises it in pixels for my clients. I can recall every session I have ever photographed, how the person I was working with was feeling, the conversations I have had with them and nearly every reason for taking a shot. My camera has been instrumental in my life, to making friends with people from different walks of life, building confidence in myself and helping me grow both individually and creatively. Q: What’s your plans for 2018? 2018 will be another year of steady progression. Following my business
plan and adjusting it to fit well with my growth as small business. I want to continue pushing myself to try new ideas, challenge myself technically and continue to learn and improve. The life of a photographer can be one of the most rewarding, fun and adventurous careers available if handled properly. But, it can also be one of the most frustrating as well. Good luck to anyone wanting to start they’re own business, There is never and good time and tomorrow never comes. My biggest piece of advice is to just do it! Don’t let fear crush your dreams and don’t forget to remove your lens cap! 51
