My Challenges and Goals to Overcome them

I could easily sit here and write about covid as a challenge for preventing me from getting where I want to be.  I mean it is a slight setback, but I’m really the only one holding myself back.

When I was young, I thought I had all the time in the world.  I went far in photography school, I didn’t finish, but I was confident in my skill.  My plan was to go to Paris and become a fashion photographer before I turned 30.  Along the way, I got lost in traveling.  That became the priority.  Doing whatever job I could to live abroad.  I never really thought I could do both.

My family and I moved to Sri Lanka in 2018.  I had hoped we could stay.  My husband wanted to return to Canada a year later, so we did.  Once we returned, I decided to do everything I could to become a fashion photographer once and for all.  Anything related to photography I was going to do.  I realized how many missed or almost opportunities I’ve had over the years and that wasn’t going to happen anymore.  That summer, facebook sent me an ad to a photography workshop, so I said yes and bought a ticket.  We got to shoot different scenes and compete against other photography teams.  We got to test out new gear and meet lots of photographers.  I told myself I needed to find out how I could start out as an assistant.  So, I got brave and asked a photographer.  He said sometimes he can have people on set if he knows the client well.  So, I contacted him and I got to go on a couple of shoots.  It had been a long time since I used strobes and lights and got a little down.  I didn’t want to move backwards, but thought it would be best to go back to school, finish and brush up on my lighting skills.  Covid hit part way through my first term.  It’s now been a year since I’ve used lights, been in a studio and had models to shoot.  I’m still doing classes online, just patiently and impatiently waiting on the day I can be back in studio using lights.

Wow, I didn’t mean to do such a back story on my challenges.  So here it is, if you haven’t already figured it out, my greatest challenge is that I never feel like I’m ready or good enough for someone to hire me.  I am really trying to overcome this.  I’m full of excuses too.  I’ve never made a website because I didn’t think my photos were good enough.  I’ve never tried assisting, because I feel like I need to perfect my lighting.  I don’t have enough money to hire models for my portfolio.  I don’t have money for equipment rentals.  So many excuses, I could go on.

Step one- just build a website, get it out there.  DONE!

I am still holding back on SEO because I want to take advanced lighting again or Assistant Photography class before I market myself as an assistant.  I know, start now!

Step two – video blog about how to become a fashion photographer with no connections just straight out of school – NEED TO START

Step three – call photographers in my area that I admire and see if they need an assistant

Step four – save up to hire models.  I have notebooks full of ideas for fashion shoots.  I am currently setting aside money to save up for this, I’m hoping to have enough by the time covid is over.

Step five – Learn to do all without money.  You know the old saying, a camera is just a box with a hole in it.  That is all you need.