Gratis

Honestly, the grind is real, and the last few months have been challenging.

Feeling lost and underqualified on certain days, more than others, truly made me doubt whether I would ever actually land a client in this competitive industry. I tirelessly tried to seize every and any opportunity to shoot and work on my creative vision. Actively networking amongst friends and strangers, I dedicated time to advertising my services on every possible platform, diligently chasing potential clients in hopes of expanding my reach and showcasing my skills. Even sending the occasional carefully selected photo to my mother, just to feel for a fleeting moment like a winner, brought me a sense of affirmation during those uncertain times.

However, I continued to push through the challenges, and slowly but surely, the clients began to roll in, bringing with them exciting new opportunities and a newly forged belief in my abilities to press forward and continue pursuing my passion for photography. So now, without a single shred of doubt in my mind or hesitation, I still find myself completely submerged in the art and deeply committed to my work.

Consistency is key! and the photos I present below mark the first milestone on my journey I will never forget.

I have since upgraded to the Sony FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS lens, which I felt gave me significantly better range and a notably sharper picture throughout each shot. Whether I was shooting indoors or outside in natural light, I found this lens to be incredibly versatile for achieving the artistic results I am aiming for at this stage of my photography journey. At some point, I will undoubtedly need to upgrade again to a high-quality prime lens, but for now, I need to stay in my lane and fully trust the creative process as it unfolds.

I also found that taking the time to research the location beforehand, carefully noting down creative ideas and mapping out the best potential shoot locations, was incredibly helpful instead of simply winging it on the day of the shoot. Doing this not only drastically improved my overall confidence in myself and instilled trust in my clients, but it also resulted in some quality shots. These images reassure me that I’m heading in the right direction with my craft and enable me to maintain a consistent standard of work that I can be proud of.

Although my imposter syndrome seemed to never evade me, I kept putting myself out there, offering my photography services for free any chance I could get. I was extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity through a friend to photograph the beautiful wedding you see showcased below. Even though the newlyweds had a paid photographer on site, I could not let such a valuable opportunity to learn from a professional simply pass me by. I shadowed the pro, listened and soaked in the skills and techniques that would only enhance my own craft.

As the event began to wind down and the effects of the alcohol started to take hold of all the guests, I managed to find a moment to share some words with the wedding photographer. I enthusiastically showed him some of my favorite shots of the day. As I scrolled through my collection of work, he gave me his stamp of approval.

Feeling a sense of relief and satisfaction with the work, with the newlyweds blessing I grabbed a cold beer and joined in on the festivities.