Two years ago, I bought my first camera. If you’ve read my How I Got Started With Photography blog post, you know exactly how it all started. Soon after taking my first couple of photos, I was hooked. Achieving that professional look was a lot harder than I thought and I have to admit... the art itself is interesting and gratifying. As a result, I became determined to go on this journey to master the art of photography. Since I haven’t posted on here in a while, I thought I’d take the time to give a quick two-year update on what I have been up to.
If you asked me, things have been a bit chaotic up until recently. It all started off with me buying a Sony Alpha a6300. The sole purpose was to take a stab at that "photography thing people were charging a ton for”. But it did not stop there...
Soon after acquiring the camera, my top priority became to learn the jargon, my camera settings and technical concepts such as ISO, shutter speed, aperture, composition and lighting. Hundreds of YouTube videos and articles later, I realized I was in it for the long run, I was committed. I then proceeded to get myself a better camera, the Sony a7III along with some other gear. Slowly, my camera equipment looked something like this:
Godox V860II-S Camera Flash
Godox Xpro-S Trigger
Flashpoint 10ft C Light Stand
Neewer Hexadecagon Softbox
Godox AD200 Flash Strobe
Altura DSLR Backpack
Godox AD400 pro
Manfrotto Nano Stand
Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Prime Lens
Sony 85mm f/1.8 Prime Lens
Sony 50mm f/1.8 Prime Lens
From there my goal became to shoot as much as possible. To do that, I decided to broaden my network. I attended local photography meetups, reached out to models and other photographers on Instagram. I participated in photography events, put shoot together and increased my footing in the industry. My portfolio went from landscape, to fashion/lifestyle to beauty photography. Below are some of the photos I took as a result:
Somewhere along my journey, I realized that it was possible to monetize this hobby of mine and hopefully one day, have it pay for itself. With that in mind, I tackled the overwhelming task of setting up a business and I created my website. The latter was an outlet to document my progress and to give people an opportunity to look at my portfolio. Ever since its creation, this website has constantly been updated and as it stands, you're able to book a shoot through it.
Finally, after narrowing my focus down to beauty photography with the occasional fashion/lifestyle, I decided to formally pick up videography. It has always seemed daunting to me so I stayed away from it as long as I could up until recently. My focus when it comes to it however, will be behind-the-scene, short promo and interview videos. In case you were wondering these are the additional items I acquired to facilitate the video content creating process.
Aputure Light Storm 120d
Zoom H5
Lavalier Lapel Mics
DJI Ronin-S
I know most people would slowly get these but what can I say, I am pretty committed and when I am committed to something, I go all in. I even went to the extent of offering services as a videographer. I will be posting my work on this new IG page (solely dedicated to my business) and maybe on YouTube as well. Keep up with my work and you will learn more about that in the future. On that note, I hope you're ready for the plug because here it comes!
If you’re looking to create some content for your brand, check out @alentures_media. We focus on short promo, interview and behind-the-scene videos. Contact us for more info on how we can help you reach your goals.
Okay plug over.
As I reflect on my accomplishments, I must admit that the first two years \of this journey have been a blast. I picked up new skills, overcame frustration, met and worked with so many talented people and created lots of content. Among many others, a special shout out goes to John (@johnmclenaghan), Maicol (@maicol_photography), Duren (@iamdwillz82), Chase (@c.d.r.visuals), Lori (@pikturelle), Yadnesh (@yadu_sam), Meredith (@m.crawleyphoto), Brandi (@4_the_love_of_photography), Jeff (@dezhomme_studios), Andres (@afcasallas35), Luis (@luisbonetti_photo) and Juan (@orlandophotographerjuan). Every single one of these creators contributed to where I am on journey today. Do check out their work!
If I am being 100% honest, I have this feeling that I should be further in my journey but again, I know that it is the little voice that most of us creators have inside of us. This voice has its purpose and unless it’s fulfilling it, I just treat it for what it is... just the little voice inside. That said, as I continue on the road to mastery of the art of photography and now videography, I will be focusing more on developing my business. I am more dedicated than ever and I look forward to what lies ahead.