Before We Begin–Life and Photography

I went to PUG the other day (it’s a photographer’s convention-type-of-deal), and let me tell you, it was extremely intimidating. There I was, 17 year old me, ameature (if that) photographer, in a room of about 40 adults, most of which were professionals. I’m not going to lie, I didn’t really know what to do with myself, since I’m a bit shy. But all in all, it was a really great experiance for me. I learned a lot from Mike Larson (a professional and famous fashion and wedding photographer) that night, and even got to meet a photojournalist name Nadia Scott.

Here’s just a few things I learned, regarding business, photography, and life:

-          Be a Leader. He defined a leader as a server. The basic gist of this is that you have to be polite, open, and up for anything that comes your way. But to do this, you have to know who you are, so you know how to be yourself, and be comfortable enough to be yourself and be social in front of everyone. Not only that, but you have to know where you’re going, otherwise every road you take will lead to nowhere. He mentioned that a photographer has to make everyone happy. In a way, you have to sell yourself, not just your pictures. “He who thinks he leads but has no followers is just taking a walk.” The followers in this case would be the clients.

-          Stand Out. By being yourself, you are being unique, and it allows you to be creative. And if you’re not unique, how are you going to differ from any other photographer? If you stand out, and take creative pictures of your own, then more people will want your new perspective.

-          You have to have a desire for a creative way of capturing life. This connects back to standing out and being unique.

-          Dream Big. You have to have dreams and goals in order to improve your work. Everyone has them, and everyone has room for improvement.

-          Build Trust. If your clients don’t trust you, they’re not going to feel comfortable with you taking pictures of them, and in turn, the pictures won’t come out as good.

-          Don’t compare yourself to other photographers in a way that gets you self conscious about your own work. Instead, use it as a way to challenge yourself to get better.

-          People don’t just buy the pictures, they buy the experience. You have to make it fun for them, and enjoy the experience yourself. If you’re happy, or excited, they’ll feel that way in front of the camera, and be comfortable enough to try new things, and have fun.

Looks like I’m really going to have to try to get out of my shell. I’m sure it will be a challenge, but I know I can get there. Especially now that I have this new motivation.

My mentors introduced me to Nadia Borowslei Scott, since I am interested in photojournalism. When I first met this woman, she just had so much information and advice to give right off the bat. Her passion for her work was so admirable to me, and she seemed to be the most passionate person I saw that night. It got me even more interested in the world of photojournalism. Especially since she had just gotten a job with National Geographic to go to Kenya. There were just so many opportunities she mentioned that I hadn’t even thought about. She gave me a list of websites and businesses she strongly suggested I look into, and I even got her email in case I had any more questions, since we both ended up being in a hurry. I am so grateful I got to go to PUG that night, and I am a million times as grateful that Jeff and Betsy invited me to come! It was such an excellent experience, and it gave me a little head start. This night even showed me that I’ve got a long way to go in life. This was both an intimidating, and refreshing thought. It’s nice to know that there’s a lot more life has in store for me, and I’m simply a person who’s motivated to take it on.

Thinking back on it, I realize me being the youngest, and least experianced on there wasn’t such a bad thing. In fact, it’s really good. Most of the photographers I spoke with simply got interested in photography while they were in high school, and only did it as a hobby—just like me. I’m on the right track, and I’m getting actual training from skilled photographers! Excitement is all I can feel right now. I feel extremely lucky, if not blessed for having this opportunity, and can’t wait to see how much I progress during my internship with Jeff and Betsy. I’m so glad that I got an internship in something I’m interested but not exactly skilled in. I can’t wait to learn all I can this month!