People get into photography for a number of different reasons – as a hobby, a job, or a passion. There are also very different forms of photography that could be found such as street, landscapes, fashion and people. Personally, I use photography as another source of income, but also as something that I’m very passionate about. Not just any photography, however– I specialize in shooting portraits of people, couples, etc. I started doing this as a paid gig about a year and a half ago and I’ve pretty much seen it all, but of course there’s always the same emotions/ reactions that I get each shoot.
1. Most people from my high school and college follow me on social media and see the work that I post and automatically want their picture taken, to which they DM me and are then so distraught to find out that I have rates depending on the shoot. Just imagine? Paying someone for their work? That’s ABSURD apparently. Now this isn’t everyone, but a lot of people don’t take my work as seriously as they should.
2. Once they understand that it’s something that you have to pay for, we get to picking out the time and the place that works the best for both of us. For places, I like to look for unique and moodier scenes that I’ve never shot before, and the models that I work with usually are looking for something around the same. I try not to ever shoot in the same place twice so that none of my photos look the same, so some of these places are a mystery when we get there. Now with these places, (sometimes) trespassing is required, so there’s always the worry of if we can even get into the place. *cue nervous laughter*
3. While shooting, it takes about an hour, and during that hour I take HUNDREDS of photos. So, of course, I find myself drowning in photos wondering how long it’s going to take to go through and find only about 20 perfect photos…
4. …and then get upset because the raw photos don’t look that great. During this time, I usually doubt my work and want to either retake the photos (which I know isn’t really an option) or just put it away for a few days.
5. BUT at the end of the day, when everything is all edited and I’m happy with it, I really do look back and love what I do. Also, I just love sending the photos to the client and seeing their reaction to them. Although a shoot may be a roller coaster of emotions, it always does come down to making the client happy. Photography started out as a passion and will always stay as one.