Do What You Love and They Will Love What You Do
I picked up a camera for the first time at the age of 45. I learned how to work my camera photographing my sons’ high school theater productions. I loved capturing them on stage and quickly learned I loved capturing all the kids on the stage. Any pictures I took, I gave to the directors to use. My first pictures were not good, but I loved taking them so I kept at it. Through this I met many of the students involved in the productions and once my kids graduated I had improved my work and started to receive compensation for photographing the shows. This evolved into taking many of these students senior pictures. I continue to photograph the shows (just finished my 8th year), now take pictures of all the choirs, bands and orchestras at our local high school and take several senior picture sessions each year.
This has been successful, I believe, because going into this I already had a deep love for theater, band and choir and loved photographing the enthusiasm of the students on stage, behind the scenes and in the pit orchestra. It has always been work I enjoy and that comes out in the images I take year after year.
Through photographing the musicals and subsequently taking many senior pictures of the participants I have learned how much I love to capture a senior doing what they love. I started with musicians and performers, but I equally love capturing athletes, seniors with their favorite pets and seniors with their different talents and passions. The love they have for their “thing” comes out in their faces and body language, and we create amazing images collaborating and working together.
These students are unsung heroes.
They are talented, diligent and work hard to perfect their craft. I have been the lucky one to be able to capture images for them that show their abilities and their personalities.
Volunteering at my local high school created my business. Building rapport with the students, leaders and teachers led to senior pictures booked with next to no marketing. Students came to me and asked for pictures. Once friends saw those images, others asked.