Now I am 10.....
Ten years ago, I was packing up my desk and launching into unknown and taking baby steps into creating my business. I did everything you shouldn't do, quit my job before establishing a client base and a business however (with some careful savings behind me), I made it through to creating a working successful business.
I have settled into being an experienced, confident photographer. I'm comfortable with my brand, what I sell and my imagery. I recall the early days where I couldn't quite believe I would get paid to do such an exciting, fun, creative thing!
I've worked in labs, family homes, shopping centres, across the city of Cambridge and attended weddings, conferences, climbed ladders on construction sites and recently even photographed a medical procedure! Every shoot is interesting, different and an adventure. I'm privileged to be able to capture and share in some people's most special happy times with their new family members, new wife/husband as well as working with businesses to capture images to help them build their own business. I've been published in all sorts of places - books, magazines, newspapers and more.
No doubt ,I've had challenges along the way, Covid perhaps being the biggest of them all, dropping a lens on a shoot and it breaking being another! With most challenges I have found positives - Covid gave me the wonderful community of the West Chesterton Mutual Aid group.
I still go to every shoot with that same mixture of excitement and nervousness (will I do a good job for the client, will my kit work - even though I carry every back up possible and am confident in my skills) and come back with the excitement of seeing what me, the client and the camera have created together!
I've been established long enough now, that I'll often see people I've photographed in the city centre. It's a bit like celebrity spotting as I'm looking at them and thinking they feel familiar and after I've walked past my brain fills in the gaps "ah that's a guest from the Kings College Mr and Mrs Smith wedding etc." I've not been established enough, yet, that I've visited all the Cambridge colleges but I think I'm only 2 or 3 off.
Being a photographer often feels like I've won the lottery - I have a way of life rather than a job. Sometimes it's very full on and othertimes I get the pleasure of mid week quietness on day trips, life admin etc. I might not get conventional weekends or working hours, but I do get a really fun way of life!
What will the next 10 years bring? Who knows? Perhaps working in the few Cambridge Colleges I've not shot in, definitely meeting lots more families and weddings, labs, businesses etc. I know I'll have lots of laughter, unexpected moments and the odd tear at sentimental wedding speeches!
I suspect AI will impact more and more on the business and become more of a working tool than it already is. I'm currently enjoying the amusing edits AI makes although this image below wasn't too bad!
I recently did a group shot for a team and they wanted me to remove a staff member - AI took this command and removed the staff member in question but created an entirely new person! So for now I think we are safe from AI taking over our photography businesses, but I can already see in my own editing process how much cleverer the editing software is getting.
Overall, I love what I do and I'm really lucky to be able to work in an area I am so passionate about. 10 years ago I would have said oh maybe I am a photographer. Now I am able to proudly say I am a Photographer and a very happy one at that!
4 July 2024
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