First Creative Project as a Professional
Well, it’s official. I’m going to start a creative photo project. I’ve always been creative and have done photography projects in the past, however I haven’t been inspired to start a new project since I began my career as a professional portrait photographer just under a year ago. That is, I haven’t been inspired to work on anything aside from the growth of my business since it’s conception.
Well, this new project fulfills both my need for a personal creative outlet and my need to promote my business. For those that follow along with the journey, I hope you enjoy it.
Some background: I left the world of STEM about two years ago and struggled to find my way for a while. I had enjoyed photography in the past, however I hadn’t touched a camera in nearly a decade. It didn’t take long for my boredom to send my mind wandering and I discovered that I really enjoy taking photos of people - specifically photos that present who they are and the many emotions that make that so special. Of course, I had to experiment with various genres of photography before coming to this conclusion. I photographed products and landscapes for a short time, the former motivating me to rent space in a studio. Once I had the freedom to create and light my own sets, I soon discovered that I wanted to create interesting photos of people.
Fast forward a few months, and after having fun working on a few actors’ portfolios with them, it became clear that I should focus on that industry. Unfortunately, unknown to me at the time, the tax incentives to film movies in my area were cut or removed entirely, and the acting community is all but gone. Since then, I have been doing my best to branch out, but it hasn’t been successful yet because I didn’t know how to get my work in front of the right people.
Enter Calgary Pride and the pride parade scheduled for the end of August this year. I reached out to Calgary Pride to potentially market my services through their social media by running a short campaign for their audience. It did not take long for me to dive into a creative spiral culminating in the idea of creating a photo book that showcases diversity in Alberta - the very conservative Canadian province in which I live.
There have been changes made to the laws in my area that concern members of the GSRD (Gender Sexuality and Relationship Diversity) community. Since people are insistent on bringing controversy to these topics, I think it could be at least a little positive if I draw attention to the fact that within that diversity exists everyone. The very term Gender Sexuality and Relationship Diversity is completely inclusive. This is in contrast to the more common, yet exclusive terms LGBT (more specifically LGBTQIA2S+) and Queer. It is important that those communities exist, not only for the social benefits, but to retain safety among those that still need advocacy in our society. However, GSRD includes us all: cis, straight, queer, and everyone in between.
Okay, back to the main topic: the project.
I will be officially announcing the project a few weeks before the pride parade here in Calgary to run a kick-off campaign that offers some value to those that participate. Between now and then, there is much to do, including seeking sponsorship, setting up test shoots, and solidifying my proposal for funding. I’m excited to see where this project goes and what I learn from it. I’m sure it will be an interesting experience.
I’ll try to keep you posted regularly, but if you’d like to get involved or find out more, feel free to reach out through my site.
