Experimenting with self portraits

My journey in Fiji....

Bringing My Skills To The Next Level!

As most know, I am a young photographer and since I'm at a stage of being a beginner at it, I been branching out to do more things and experimenting with my skills. I am seeking to learn more and to advance with photography. I got back just a few months ago from New Zealand and Fiji for photography. It was quite an exciting adventure for being there for a whole month! I have captured a lot of my experience with my camera and it's been amazing! I have shot a lot of landscape and a lot of still life but I'm seeking to be more experience with portraits and weddings.

I have looked into working under someone or assisting at any weddings. But since it's been a month of trying to find someone, I have found that my opinions for that has closed. I then found I should start by working at a studio and work my way from there. At the same time I figured I can offer the same service with my own business and get by with practice. I heard of one photographer who posted on craiglist that she would shoot a whole wedding for free! She does this for practice and as she advances so does she work her way up! I been thinking about it too and I thought it was a cool idea! Since I'm seeking to do more and wanting to get more practice.....I think that is also a good way to start. So I am offering to shoot portraits or really anything for no cost but for practice. This will help me for future business. Experience is the key and in that order it takes getting relations from people. Thats my main start: relationships with people. As I work with people and meet new poeple as I go....soon I the word will spread that I am willing to offer the service of photography!

I may or may not succeed at this....but then again, I would learn something and learning is the simple steps to experience. It might take more effort then I want to put in it but I'm not willing to give up! I am praying that God would lead me with my photography whether this is or not the direction I should go! I am seeking to do more in God's will and by that I am trusting in Him! =)

Thanks for Reading!

ahhhhh...New Zealand!

Photos Taken by Lauren Smith

Photos of my experience in New Zealand

My Job Journey!

Ok as a photographer, I have faced a few challenges. One, I have been branching out to find my real joy in photography. I love landscape, still life and anything with natural lighting but I also want to learn more in studio and portraits. I want to gain experience and the way I know is to go out and actually do it! I don't know whether or not if I will succeed but at least I know I will learn a few pointers and even know for the furture. I might figure that the hard way but thats what experience is about right? Since I'm kinda at an entry level I figured working under someone who is way more experienced would help gain a bit of experience. That would help me to learn how he/she works with people and the relations at the same time of staying focused on the actual photo shoot.

So that leads to my second challenge.......finding the right person I can work with. It's not as easy as I thought. It's more then just giving a phone call to someone saying I am interested to work for them. First, maybe he/she isn't even looking for someone. It's ok to ask them if they are interested but I like to show that I'm open to it. Second, he/she doesn't even know me or where I come from in my background. This is difficult for me because it takes building a relationship, building a ground instead of giving a cold call about a photography job. Thats why I moved to making myself a resume and even use email as a easier way to make that relation. Third, maybe I'm not what he/she is looking for in that position. I have found alot of photographers who are searching for assisting are looking for someone with more experience and with good training. I know its important to have a good assistant so its important to find someone with experience. Also it is very important to find someone they can trust.

SO, my third challenge is trying to gain experience working with people and opening my oppertunities for any offers and have a relationship built with those I work around. Not only that but keeping myself focused on God as I seek out. I'm trying to focus on my own photography and let God lead me to what fullfills His purpose. I realized its not just about finding what I want, its the journey of it all! And on the job journey.........I will see what I have learned in the end!