Arguably, this should have been my first blog post... but better late than never right? I was feeling nostalgic, and thought this would be a great chance to both reflect on some old memories, introduce myself a little bit, and talk about how I got to where I am now. It's been a journey of trial and error, restlessness, and personal growth- but despite the setbacks, seeing all the hard work pay off has been truly rewarding, and only an affirmation to keep going. I hope my story resonates with some of you.
Ever since I was little I have loved photography. For every elementary school field trip, my parents would buy me a $5 disposable point-and-shoot camera from London Drugs, and I would finish the roll of film before even getting into the museum or the park or wherever we were going. I loved the idea of capturing special moments and having them to look back on and reminisce. For years, it was a little side hobby of mine... and when high school rolled around, I took Photography as an elective course for three out of my four years there; however, it wasn't until the summer of 2017 that I took up portraiture and really decided to pursue it. During this summer, I participated in a 6-week exchange trip to Montreal , Quebec to work and learn French. After lots of begging, my dad let me take his Canon Rebel T1i with me on the trip so that I could capture hundreds of pictures to bring back with me.
On the trip, my weekends consisted of day trips to hallmark spots around Montreal with many other youth that were also participating in the exchange. It started out as me taking pictures of friends in front of the touristy spots we were visiting, getting them to smile or "candidly" walk through the gorgeous streets of the city, pretending they didn't know I was photographing them. My friends loved modelling for me and I loved seeing them smile when I caught a good capture of them. I gave them the pictures to post on their social media pages, and some of the responses from their friends and family about my photography were really encouraging. It was from that summer forward that I decided I wanted to dedicate my time to portraiture, learn the ropes of taking professional portraits, and how to start a business from this hobby. It was also during this time that I started the photography account that I currently own on Instagram, @marianajphotos.
a few captures from the summer of '17
After coming home from Montreal, I used some of the money I'd earned from working there to purchase a 50mm 1.8 lens, and downloaded Photoshop and Lightroom on my laptop. Afterwards, I began taking my little sister out on shoots near our house, as well as some of my friends. I had some knowledge of Photoshop from my high school class, but minor experience in editing faces, sharpening eyes and facial features, etc; so, I set out to Youtube and other online platforms to learn, and began practicing these techniques on the portraits I'd taken. Being that I don't have any kind of degree as a photographer from a recognized institution, it was a learning process... I look back on my old pictures now and cringe at my use of auto-focus, shooting on JPEG and my extreme use of colour saturation; but, I continued trying, experimenting with different people, places, angles, and props, and grinded on those online tutorials. I don't regret any of it. It was through the initial stages that I found my style, my preferred way of editing, and learned to tune into my creativity to create genuine content that represented me and my work. Even now, I'm still growing as a photographer. Uniqueness isn't a skill that you can just acquire- it's a continuous process of trial and error, self-discovery, and innovation.
Since that summer, I will admit photography has been up and down for me. Senior year of high school was a blur, I began university as a full-time student the following fall, and I just finished my second year of undergraduate studies. During these last two and a half years, I struggled to find time for photography. Although I did get in sessions with friends, got to participate in some cool events with other photographers from Vancouver, and even scored some paid shoots, I didn't avidly prioritize it into my life; and I will admit that there were even some points where I considered completely ditching it, because I was convinced that I didn't have time or that I would never grow enough to become a successful, employed photographer. But, whenever I had free time, I found I was always drawn back to it. And even during school when I'm piled high with studying and exams, there's always an inner part of me that is eager to get out and create. Photography is a huge outlet for me- for creativity, for expression, for experimentation.
a few of my first portraits, 2017-2018
I'm still not a big name in the industry, nor have I grown my brand enough to be able to make all my income from my photos; but, this is one of the greatest challenges I've ever designed for myself. It has been a huge step out of my comfort zone, from pushing myself to shoot pictures for people I've never met before, to being actively engaged on social media to grow my name in the business. For me, the most challenging part of this journey has been the self-promotion aspect- avidly posting on social media, sending my name to friends and family to forward to others, and expressing myself and my voice on my photography account has always made me nervous. I'm always worried about inconveniencing others or showing up so much on my friends' pages that they'll begin to get annoyed; but, I think it's important to remember that the people who truly support you will truly stick by you throughout your journey. The real ones will forward your name, they will give you feedback, and they will cheer you on through every picture and every ad you post, whether it's one or one hundred.
Since 2017, my photography has come a long way. I have strengthened my camera skills, my editing skills, and I've gotten far better at letting my imagination take control during my shoots. I've also tried a lot of things that I never thought I would with my photography, such as self-portraits and FaceTime photoshoots, which have really tested my creativity and allowed me to formulate new ideas to apply to my client shoots.
The biggest pieces of advice that I would personally give to any photographer is to not be afraid to get out and create, meet people in the field, and most importantly to make mistakes. The online photography community is one of the most supportive groups of people that I've ever had the chance to be a part of. In addition to getting to collaborate and make art with some of the photographers I've come to know through social media, these individuals have also faced the hardships of being self-employed, of growing a business from the ground up, of creating a name for themselves that stands out above others. They understand the obstacles and the growth process, and I have never been rejected when asking for advice or support on a photograph, editing tips, or business questions in general. They want you to get the encouragement, the help and support you need throughout your journey; so don't be afraid to network, to ask, or to put yourself out there! The only harm done will come from what you don't do.
Thank you for reading my story. If you're a new photographer, I hope some of my personal anecdotes on my growth process will help you on your own journey- it's an exciting time. I still get a flood of joy and excitement whenever a client emails me, as if they were the first. I don't think it will ever stop being that way... but I think that's a good sign that I'm doing what I love.