The Challenges of Starting Out in Professional Photography
Alexis Hymore has a passion for photography and a drive to match.
She’s a 21 year old from Toledo, Ohio studying photography at the
prestigious Arts Institute of Raleigh. Alexis has been into photography
for about 7 years but recently created her own freelancing business
within the last year. She plans on attending school for her degrees in
photography and business. Her future plans also include running her own
Hymore Photography studio someday upon graduating from her classes.
Alexis is eager to blog with other photographers and get tips and ideas
on how she can make all of these ideas a reality!
When Alexis contacted Photography Blogger we naturally wanted to help.
We saw that Alexis was sharing what all new aspiring photographers want
and need, some sound advice from seasoned photographers. We want to
share her story and see if we can help her get her story out, see if our
photography community can share any tips and suggestions, perhaps even
some words of wisdom.
My passion for photography all began about seven years ago. For years
I wanted to be a singer, until one day someone pointed out to me that
in order to be successful at singing you have to be good at it. “Well
that makes sense”. Someone else pointed out to me that I should consider
being a photographer. It was then that I discovered my dying passion to
be the best photographer that I could possibly be.
I started off practicing with a simple canon 6.0-22.5mm camera with
3.8x15x’s optical zoom, and have recently upgraded to a Sony 3, 1-5,
9/4-104mm camera with 26x’s optical zoom.
My issues with photography aren’t so much learning the camera or
learning the art of the photos. Because as much as I have picked up on
it, I also plan on going to school for my Associates, Bachelors and
Master’s Degree.
When it comes to my struggles with photography; The biggest issue so far
has been the business side of things, the advertising and the marketing
in particular. I have a website, A Hymore Photography Facebook page,
business cards, my photographer’s license and my own mini home office.
I’ve basically taken all of the baby steps but the clientele isn’t
there. What are the secrets to building clientele? That is the question
that runs through my mind on a daily basis.
“A picture speaks over 1,000 words but it takes a real photographer to capture the beauty”
I want to be the photographer who captures the beauty of the photos, to
speak those thousands of words. I want to have a nationwide Hymore
Photography business, I want to be able to provide photos for people all
over the world, whatever kind of photos they need.
Most photographers specialize in one type of photography but I would
like to be more than that. I want to do landscape, portraits, babies,
head shots, movies, anything that anyone needs. I want to do it all and
do it very well. I want my name all over the world and I want to be the
first person someone calls when they need pictures taken. Of course I’m
sure that’s what all photographers want as well. But how many of them
are actually willing to travel the farthest mile for their clients? How
many photographers want to take pictures of anything and everything?
Most photographers only major in one or two areas of photography…But not
me. Unlike most who usually stick with portraits or landscape, senior
pictures, or weddings…I want to do that and more! I want my pictures to
be seen on billboards, magazines, websites and just about anywhere!
Having said that, I don’t want to do it for just myself, I want to do it
for my family as well. My immediate family, so they never have to be
without work, and the family I hope to have of my own someday, when I’m
married maybe five or ten years from now. I would like to establish a
successful photography business in my hometown Toledo, OH and another
where I live. Hopefully the business does well and I can expand from
there.
“Winners never quit, And Quitters never win”. I’m pretty bound and
determined to succeed whether I can only enjoy it for a year or for the
rest of my life. I would be satisfied and die happy knowing I pursued
all of my life’s dreams, possibly made it into reality.
source :P / B
