Me.
There are many here who have an idea of the direction they want to go in as far as photography. Have you ever had give up your style of photography just to get ahead?
Yes, just yesterday.
To be accepted as this type of photographer just to get your foot in the door.
Who has played the game and won?
I'd like to believe it was me.
The story:
There are a good amount of you here that know that I am quite passionate about my photography and that I am working off my butt to develop my own style to become not the equal but superior of many good established wedding photographers. Not so I can open shop, but becuase I so enjoy it. I have a passion for it.
I've been mentoring with an incredible wedding photographer the past several months and yesterday at a wedding, as we were just sitting down to eat he asks me if I would be ready to go do a wedding out on my own. I said that I could not do as well as him, but that I could, and in fact have started to work on developing my own style.
He said.. ."but could you imitate, copy *my* style?"... I was honest... I said that I could, but that I never did out of respect for him and the desire to be me and unique to myself and my own style.
Well, long story short, he wants me to have my style, but wants me to be able to master imitating his style (which is incredible), becuase he wants to offer me a full-time 2nd shooter position.
I've accepted, but, on the condition that we sit down and form more of a partnership than a boss employee relationship and that we talk it all out and determine the direction we want to go. We use his recepie, which I feel screams success, but add a touch of "Jerry" that will increase business and value to his clients.
Time will tell if it comes to fruition, but it looks as if I may be turning pro... something that I did not have on my mind, well certainly not at this point... lol
It was my passion and understanding of photography that got my foot into the door, it was my skills that invited my mentor to elevate me from "voice operated light" stand to 2nd shooter, and we'll see how it goes from there.
One thing is sure, no matter what happens, this man and I will remain friends for many, many years no matter what the outcome.
