It all started because of my father and grandfather. Both loved to take photos and videos. When I was allowed, I would take their camera and do my own documenting. I am the reason for the obscene amount of photos of my baby brother who was born when I was nine years old.
In middle school, I received my first camera. My parents would comment that I went through rolls of film too fast. When I turned twelve, they bought me my first digital camera. It was all downhill from there. ;)
My childhood friend, little brother, and pets were my favorite subjects.
I enjoyed experimenting with poses and taking them in unique places.
I often tested them on myself, thanks to the camera timer.
(My little brother and friend in 2000)
Going into my senior year of high school, I was uncertain about what to focus on.
God showed me that I truly loved to document people and special moments.
The idea of having my own photography business was birthed out of that.
In order to do this successfully, I had to start somewhere. I started at JCPenney’s Portrait Studio at seventeen years old and worked there for two years. There I learned how to work with people of all ages and come up with poses under time pressure.
Though I did well in school, I was not the "spend four years in college" type, but I thought it was my only option so I enrolled in a local college in Buffalo. It was during my orientation that I learned that it would take approximately two years before I could really dive into the photography side. Instead I would be bogged down with completely unrelated classes. I wasn't thrilled about this new reality.
Still, I moved forward with attending my first day of college. I went to my psychology class and then had a couple hours break in between that and the next one.
"This isn't for me," I kept hearing God say to me. But what other option did I have? I walked to my next class, late, because I was completely unmotivated to be there. My hand was on the door knob about to walk in...
"This isn't for me," I heard again.
I took my hand off the knob, walked to the library and searched the internet to see if an all photography school existed. I was relieved to find a few. I went home and told my surprised parents. Eighteen year olds aren't always the wisest, but in this specific case, I knew what I had to do. The next day, I went back to the college and filled out whatever paperwork needed to unenroll. So I guess you can say that I am technically a college drop out. :-P
After much research, phone meetings, and visiting of multiple art schools in places like Tampa, Florida, I landed on a school in Massachusetts called Hallmark Institute of Photography. It was a 1400 clock hour, Mon-Fri school compacted into ten months.
At nineteen years old, I chose to live alone in an old house next to train tracks, having no desire to live with a bunch of other artsy young adults (if you know what I mean ;). I was determined not to have any distractions from pursuing photography as a career.
I went into Hallmark knowing NOTHING about cameras, exposures, and lighting. It was thanks to this school that I learned the technical, artistic and business aspects of photography.
At the end of the year it was required to create a portfolio that was to be judged by three successful, professional photographers who didn't know the students.
An older classmate that lived above me saw my portfolio and said, "Oh yeah. This will get one of the top portfolio awards." I had no idea what he was talking about. I didn't even know that existed until the last week of school.
When it came time for my portfolio to be reviewed, one of the outside, professional photographers commented," it is evident that you make your clients feel comfortable in front of the camera." I had no idea what an advantage that was yet.
(Some photos from the portfolio)
As predicted by my classmate, these photographers scored my portfolio in the top 10% of my class. At graduation, myself and four others out of about 100 in our class, received this award of excellence for that accomplishment.
All my focus, hard work, and determination had paid off.
Upon graduation in 2006, I worked for Lifetouch for a year. There I received an award for being a National Finalist in the “Expressions on Underclassmen” category (meaning, I could get people to smile easily). Though I enjoyed it, I quickly moved on because I knew how God wired me. I wanted to put more focus on building my own photography business.
Eighteen years later and doing photography still hasn't gotten old. It is not just a job for me. It is a part of me.
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