Trying new things in public is a scary notion for me... at least in some cases. In the photography industry you are only supposed to showcase your absolute best work. You can try new things all you want but you must stick to a specific niche or it will be difficult to get work because brands (or whoever your clients may be) won't be able to trust you to deliver quality work. I have literally trained myself to never be seen trying... only be seen "doing" things well.
This month's issue of New Werk will be a little different. Instead of sharing about my creative process, I am using a few of my macro cosmetic shots as a metaphor for allowing you to get up close and personal with me as a photographer.
I would be lying if I said everything has been great this year, it hasn't. This has probably been my slowest year YET! I have been extremely stressed and concerned about my future as a photographer. I have contemplated changing careers (this is not completely off the table) to something more stable, but something keeps saying "don't give up yet". I'm not sure what that "something" is. I'm not sure if it is 1. The countless hours I've spent shooting and honing my skills. 2. The countless hours I've spent culling, editing, and retouching pictures, or 3. The THOUSANDS of dollars I've spent on equipment. Perhaps it's God saying "you're a creative, you always have been".
I'm not certain what it is, but until God pushes me through another door I will keep on shooting.
The funny thing about moving on from photography is that I have a tendency to monetize my hobbies. I started out as a video editor and photography was just a hobby for me. I used to just photograph horses on the weekend for fun (I live in Kentucky).
One thing led to another and I ended up finding a real love for Product Photography. There is something really special about bringing non living things to life! As you can see (in my other work) I like capturing dripping, dropping, floating, etc because I feel like it gives the product a soul in a way.
Back to what I was saying. Photography has always been a hobby of mine, so when I thought of quitting I realized, I would still be shooting! There's no such thing as quitting for me. I truly enjoy the world of commercial photography but it can be so fickle! As an artist the first thing we do is judge our work.
If I had a dollar for every time I questioned whether or not my work is good enough, compared myself to other photographers, and even questioned my race being an issue (yes, this a thing), I wouldn't even have to be a photographer, I'd be filthy rich and retired living on the beach!
I am not sure what the future holds, but in the meantime you can find me practicing my skills, being grateful for the opportunities commercial product photography has given me so far, and hopeful for more!
Sincerely,
Back when I was a video producer