Starting out in Photography (2011-2017)

2017 my first nude photoshoot with a DSLR

I've get a lot of questions mainly on IG and my humble youtube channel on how to start in photography, what camera to get, and how to find clients or models. Rewind 6 years ago and I was asking those same questions. If photography or videography is something you're interested in and you'd like to hear my backstory or advice in getting started let me know, I'd be happy to put together a written tutorial with some references, some of the gear I would recommend, and a video of a photoshoot start to finish. From cars, to your family, your significant other, your friend you use as a model, or even getting started in real estate photography to make some extra money... the possibilities are endless and for me it started by taking photos of Steph. Photos I never thought I would share...

What I will say first, is, if you have some sort of drive or feeling to create something but you are not sure what to create or where to start... congratulations, you've got the first thing needed to create the right way... some sort of drive, passion, inspiration. Then it's just a matter of staying inspired. Everyone is different so your inspiration will be different from mine. 

If you do not love your inspiration or passion its not true then. You have to love what you do.

Most of us understand the significance and importance of creating, and art. But not everyone will appreciate it or care to try to understand those who do. That is okay, if the world was all creatives we would be in trouble, likewise if it wasn't for artists the world would be dark, stagnate, and fail to achieve understanding for one another.

LISTENING TO YOURSELF

Are you wasting your time by painting, or photographing, or trying to learning Adobe Premier or playing the piano. I was told growing up if I became an artist I would starve.  My grandad urged me to get into law or medical school, or even business. 

I went to college (not for art); in-fact the one art class I had to take I did not take seriously, ended up failing it, losing a scholarship which prompted me to join the Army Reserves, which led me to Officer Training, and ultimately as an Active Army Officer after I graduated. 

I was stationed near Savannah Ga (a very artsy city with a very popular Art School -SCAD) Throughout my time in the Army, life was stressful and busy, but I had this desire to create. I started, in my free time, woodworking. I made myself and others small furniture items, a few of which I still use 10 years later. However, constantly moving, needing a large space to keep tools, and other factors led to me quitting that creative outlet.  After work, I would come home, drink, watch football, or play xbox. 

I always felt inspired when I would see a nice landscape, or a building or a cool car. I would always write down ideas for skits. 

MEETING STEPH

2011 in Philly

My form of inspiration came when I met Steph in 2011. I thought to myself how pretty she was (is). She had a kind smile, blonde hair, greenish eyes, porcelain skin. She was beautiful to me. As she got to know me, she knew I needed a creative outlet.  As I got to know her, I would realize she is not very creative unless prompted, to which she then adapts wonderfully. We seemed to be opposites in how we managed time, she would always stay busy, while I loved working hard to play hard. Maybe that aspect would go on to help us grow as creatives.

2011 Pre-datenight selfie sent to me

I started taking photos of her on my phone. I didn't make much an effort to edit, archive or showcase any of them. I just enjoyed photographing her any chance I could.

2016 "With the Jeep" Photoshoot

2021 "Shores of Norfolk" Photoshoot

Finally, in 2017 I finally made the decision to invest in some gear. I bought a Canon 70D after typing in google "what camera to buy" and a video of Youtuber Casey Neistat came up. Per his recommendation I got a a 50mm 1.8 lens, a kit lens (18-135mm 5.6) a computer and an Adobe CC subscription, oh and a drone... DJI P4P. I spent around $5,000 which hurt, but I figured that may push me to take the craft seriously. 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=canon%2080d

2017 the first photo I took on the DSLR (70D) 

I was really disappointed with the camera at first. The photos I was taking of random things around the house looked worse to me than an iPhone photo. But I would soon learn manual exposure settings (ISO,Shutter and Aperture) , and how to utilize RAW file formats for editing. 

I had hundreds of photos of flowers, sunsets, trees, my dog on random SD cards, I needed to develop an archiving system. So I got a 2TB hard drive and started labeling folders of each photo session I would have. 

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1039044-REG/lacie_9000298_rugged_mini_disk_2tb.html

From the photo session "Cape Fear" 2017 taken on the 70D

It was fun taking these photos however they were really boring to look at later. Additionally, I was not making money in photography despite launching a very weak website. I needed a better body of work than landscapes, pets, and sunsets. I was having trouble defining my style, and I was being too heavily influenced by all the creators of the DSLR and youtube boom at its height in 2015-2018.

Steph and I had been married 4 year by this point. I had no social media, having just moved to North Carolina I didn't have friends especially ones that would model... So, I looked to Steph. As I've said before, people had told me "Steph should model" or asked me "If Steph modeled". She is really pretty and always getting looks when we go out. So I asked her... Would you mind if we did a photoshoot? She initially wasn't about it, but finally agreed. 

I looked up some references, attempted to build a mood board, but we ended up just having fun with it... and I played around with manual settings using the Canon 70D and the 50mm.

Us having no idea what we are doing 2017

We kept making efforts to photoshoot:

I had no interest in fashion until it corresponded with the photoshoot. We started playing around with different wardrobe options.

I loved photographing her in the moment. After each shoot, I would name the session and archive all the photos and video. Never deleting anything.

"Trying to Nap" 

I knew I wanted to capture her form. Steph never wore much around the house anyway, not to be rude or sexual, she did not appreciate the constriction of clothes. I felt capturing her nude form was a true representation of her beauty.

Soon after I started doing photoshoots with Steph, she made me an Instagram. I started posting a ton of photos of the stills I had taken, but the photos that were generating some feedback and engagement where photos of Steph. I didn't dare post any of the nude work those days, just casual portraits. 

2017 "White Nails" Shoot

Soon I met a couple models, and with Steph's blessing I scheduled shoots: Valerie and Meg, friends of mine now, became the first models I would start a portfolio with.

The cleverly named "Motorcycle" Shoot with Val in 2017

Meg 2017 "Nature and Forest" Shoot

The next part of the journey has me connecting with another photographer. He was more experienced, and had a much better portfolio than me. Im not sure why he even connected with me via IG but we did several shoots together and he introduced me to strobe photography. That changed everything for me. I became fascinated with the idea of making a home studio. After doing some reseach I bough my first strobe, an Orelit, around 600$ with a diffuser and a cheap stand.

https://www.adorama.com/orlfrl610rtb.html

My first studio shoot was a disappointing eye opener. I felt like I had to re-learn everything. 

Kristi 2017 "Who loves Kitty" Shoot

I made a friend who had a small business and in exchange for product photos I could set up a studio in his garage (Steph and I lived in a small apartment at the time) The above photos was the first attempt at studio work... 

But I would refine the techniques and I would progress...

2017 "Embrace" Shoot

My friends garage studio soon became unavailable because he needed the space, but it the got the wheels spinning and the idea planted for one day my own studio garage. In the meantime I made a space in our apartment with a black sheet for a back drop and my new strobe. Space was very tight, I couldn't maneuver the light very well, but I made do with what I had.

2017 "Purple Dress" 

This was an impromptu photoshoot in our apartment. Needless to say this photo needs alot of work. The lighting was terrible due to the low ceilings and not being able to move the light stand and bulky diffuser as needed. The shoot also lacked life, and direction. I was trying to have my work either have a narrative or showcase a point in time. Steph was training for a marathon at the time, which she would complete a couple weeks after this shoot. I asked her if we could give the photoshoot more power by showcasing her training and body:

"No Dress, Marathon Body"

2016-2017 was two full years of learning, growth, trial and error, and finding inspiration in photographing people especially Steph. Aside from the technical aspect of photography and lighting, I would make it official in 2017 when I got an LLC for Jawfox Photography and got my first paying job for a real estate agent headshot. I made 40$ off that shoot, not a lot but was enough to give me inspiration to try and book another shoot.

In early 2018 we packed up and moved to our favorite place yet... Richmond, Virginia; where a whole new chapter in photography, videography, home studio construction and some of my favorite shoots with Steph and many other models would take place...