This is whats been keeping me busy...

**maximusboomus** · 08-07-13, 01:41 PM

So a few people have asked why I don't chat as much on steam, play as often (or as long) and overall lack of presence on the forums... I've been re-gearing my business, working towards a completely new outlook on it actually. I'm a professional photographer, have been for 10 years. I love my work but found over the last few years my interest wasn't as piqued as it used to be. For 10 years I had been chasing the ideal of photographing for money, and about 6 months ago realised that if I'm going to work in a passion industry I best do what I love and figure out money later.

So I started a new company. Originally I'll admit the companies vision was... confused. Having given myself a 6 month sabbatical to pull it together or get a boring well paid job I was experimenting with what actually makes me happy (turns out people won't pay me to play video games and drink wine all day). It was straight after the new superman movie that I had an epiphany. My buddies were bashing the film and I just couldn't. I enjoyed it. I got home and Trish asked:

"How was the film"
"Great" I responded
"So what was it about?" She queried

"It was about -" I paused and scratched my head.

I had just seen it and couldn't even remember who was the bad guy... Then I realised why I LOVE some movies despite my friends hating them... The Lighting. The film was beautifully shot, and that's when it hit me. I wanted to be a Commercial Portraiture Photographer.

The reason this hit home instantly was it had been there the entire time. I love cinematic light, dramatic, bold and surreal lighting molded into "real" looking light. 100% of my new folio has artificial light. Suddenly a pure zen feeling happened when I started shooting like this. Before I'd panic, the whole situation would put me into a tailspin. Would the light be right? Would the subjects like the area yadda yadda. Where allot of photographers would revel I'd clam up and become "my-light". I wouldn't "own" the situation how I do now, I wasn't confident in 99% of my old shoots, now I feel at ease.

This is probably one of the most scary points in my life realizing I have a direction, and I must let go of all other things. As a photographers we feel compelled to shoot everything. My old business did Weddings, portraits, kids, families, babies, models, business and food photography. Now I have freed up area, and focus. I work with clients to make kick-ass portraits to use in advertising campaigns, and editorial work. I can travel to where the shoot works best. There. That's 10 years of mistakes boiled into 2 sentences.

So where am I right now? I'm portfolio building, as all my old work is redundant and doesn't show what I can actually do. So there you have it, my absence has been a good thing, I've become the photographer I wish to be and now know what I must do to move forward. The reason for me writing this is simple: I want to just poke those few of you who are unhappy in their lives and can't figure out what to do. You don't have to work for someone, I've maintained a business for 10 years and I work in a very economically depressed area. The key to anything is simple.

Push the objective, Move up and Teamwork.

I mean these in a very heavy way, I honestly believe bringing your A game to anything you do, always focusing on making your mark and having others to help you along too.

So hopefully you took something away from this, I hope this inspires just 1 of you to start the road towards your true self and your dreams.

**blackgold** · 08-07-13, 02:11 PM

Looks good bro, good luck!
Brian

**dex71** · 08-07-13, 03:06 PM

It's about freaking time you shared some of your work with us.

Love...LOVE the pic of the guy with the shotty.....The smoke coming out of the muzzle is a FANTASTIC touch. Very cool.
Also like the one of Steggy on his bike. It has action, and portrays that, but the lighting gives it a mellow vibe. You can tell Steggy is very comfortable on his bike.