Final Entry
My journey as a photographer started in January at my job at Middle Georgia State University. I am the marketing communications intern in charge of running multiple social media accounts for the school. I initially picked up a camera while organizing the Instagram page. My office owns a Canon t3i which is capable of taking amazing photos and decent video. I figured that a professional camera would produce high quality photos that will drive traffic and engage the student body.
The camera had many different functions and honestly I found it overwhelming at first. I wondered how I would be able to learn the camera and take photos worthy of posting but after setting it to an automatic setting I was able to produce quality content. Soon afterwards I went to best buy and purchased my first camera.
With the help of my photographer friend Rainey, he showed me which camera would be the best option for me. Best Buy had an “open Box” deal in the back where the cameras were at a discounted price because it was either missing parts or damaged. One particular camera that caught my eye was the Sony Cybershot RX100. I liked it because of its size and its ability to shoot photos and video. It was a little less than $200 because it was missing the battery and all of the cords. Little did I know that the camera was worth $500 and capable of producing pictures and video that would eventually bring me another source of income.
My very first shoot on my own was of a friend of mine. I knew in high school that she was interested in modeling and when I got my camera I was eager to shoot pretty much anything. My main goal was just to really test out the camera and see what kind of photos it was able to take. I got a few shots here and there but i wasn’t 100% happy with them. I even debated taking the camera back a few times but where the camera truly excelled at was video. During the shoot I had my model just move around and interact with the environment and her friends that she brought along. I was amazed with the quality and I knew I would use the footage as behind the scenes content for my newly built website xavieajbrownphotograpy.com
I used my marketing background to create a professional feed on Instagram. I posted my behind the scenes footage and to my surprise it was well received from the photography community. At that point I knew I was on to something and could potentially take this serious. One of the main things I learned from the coursework was to engage in the community. When I saw that other photographers were “liking” and commenting on my video, I wanted to continue to provide content and stay involved. I searched the hashtag #videographer on Instagram and basically studied the craft as well as “followed” those who’s work I favored the most. Doing so also allowed me to build a social media presence and I could link most of my accounts through my website.
Soon afterwards I was getting booked for jobs. MOT Magazine brought me on board to shoot their behind the scenes footage of the guests they interviewed. My work was being valued and seen by others but I hadn’t reached a level of confidence that would have me comfortable charging for my services. My first paid shoot was a sweet 16 birthday party. I took photos and filmed and though I was paid, I feel like I wasn’t compensated fully for everything I provided.
I learned that my communication skills as well as self confidence need improvement. Initially I thought that being a photographer was just about taking photos and getting paid but through this learning experience I now know that there is much more to it. Without proper communication I could be taken advantage of and end up doing more work than what was required. The family of the sweet 16 party asked for photos but I did a video as well just because its what I enjoy doing and is received well from my peers. Had I known that the client actually wanted the footage and changes, I would have charged more than what I did. Lack of confidence had me second guessing my work and even deleting posts from social media. I now feel like I’ve grown and can compete with others in my field. I learned to view myself as a professional.
If I had to describe my style it would be more of the “naturalistic”. For starters I’m not a fan of studio lighting mainly because I don’t have the funds and it requires more space and equipment to setup. When I shoot I like utilizing the available light. It sets the mood and gives my work the soft look I like. I’m also not too big on editing. The most I’ll do to an image is remove zits and adjust the exposure but other than that I try to leave the photo as natural as possible. Filming I am the exact same way. I’m more like a journalist/documentary film maker so I like to capture the raw authentic moments to show their “true” self in that actual moment. Through editing, I help tell the story and really showcases my style.
One of the highlights of my journey was getting to film Detroit recording artist Kashdoll. I did behind the scenes footage for MOT Magazine and after the shoot I began to edit. After doing some research on her and listening to her songs, I put together a montage video of the events that day and added her music in the background. The video was posted on MOT Magazine’s feed and Kashdoll reposted it. The video got well over 60,000 views and it was the confidence boost I needed. My only regret was that I didn’t include my watermark so that everyone would know that I was the one who created the footage. I could of possibly booked more jobs and become more known in the photography world. Another highlight of my journey was getting to meet and film Love and Hip Hop’s reality star/recording artist Jhonni Blaze. Her personality was nothing likeI expected. She was so down to earth and welcoming. She asked me for my Instagram account to follow me. I texted her my bts video, and she instantly posted it. The video went viral.
My biggest accomplishment thus far was being invited to the Keanu private movie screening. I got to network and meet professional bloggers, media correspondents, celebrities, and photographers. I sat next to Kandi Koated Night’s radio personalities and had a full blown conversation. I didn’t recognize who they were until I went home and did a little research. I was taken back, but also very thrilled that i got a chance to meet them. It was a great experience. I’m a huge fan of T.I, and Method Man so I am beyond thankful to have listened to them speak in person. The movie is hilarious. I didn’t have high hopes for it. I thought it was going to be a cheesy movie about a little cat, but the storyline was great. I would recommend anyone to go see it.
During my experimental learning process, I realized that being a woman in the entertainment industry is more difficult than I expected. Photography is male dominated and many of the top photographers in Atlanta are all men who are in their mid to late 30’s. I’m 22 and just now really establishing myself with a camera so when I go out I’m already an anomaly. From my experience it seemed as though I wasn’t being taken serious. The camera I shoot with is not the “normal” professional photographer camera. Though cameras are getting smaller and produce the same quality as full frame DSLR’s like the new mirrorless Sony Alpha a6000, its still not looked at as “professional” when I arrive to shoots with such a small camera. My personality can be described a soft-spoken and reserved. I encountered a very uncomfortable situation at the studio, where a guy tried to talk to me and almost got on top of me in front his girlfriend. I was embarrassed because it was my first day working with MOT magazine, and I didn’t want the crew thinking I attracted attention like that often. I assumed that they would look at me differently and not want to work with me again. I was wrong, because the crew was very understanding and I felt protected.
Before this experiment, I thought I had clear goals and plans after graduation but now I’m reconsidering. I definitely don’t want to do photography full time anymore but I have found a passion in film. Eventually I would like to direct my own feature film. I’ve learned a lot about myself through the course work.
