FAQs
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I have had a camera of some sort since I was a youngster, and my favorite subject was always people. I lived and worked overseas for over 20 years as a social anthropologist so I had lots of opportunities to photograph a wide range of people in very different surroundings, though more as a hobby than a vocation. Back in the US, I was able to devote more time to photography, and when I got my first digital SLR camera, I knew that I wanted to become a professional photographer. My training and experience naturally led me to concentrate on photographing people: weddings, portraits, head shots, and special events. It is what I was destined to do.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Ask for references and examples of their previous work. Everyone has a camera these days, and many people think they are a photographer. Don't entrust your wedding, birthday, or reunion photography to someone who hasn't the skills and experience to capture the event competently and professionally. These are once-in-a-lifetime events. You don't want a botched job.
- What questions should customers think through before talking to professionals about their project?
I work hard to master my craft. I try to photograph people as much as I can. I volunteer my services at several organizations in order to have the opportunity to photograph people in different settings and under different conditions. I will also go to public events like fairs, rodeos, parades, and farmers markets to photograph people. At other times I will just walk around the city streets photographing people. This constant photographing of people is something I love to do, but it also allows me to practice and improve my photographic skills and ultimately become a better photographer.