Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Fowler.
Thomas, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started doing weddings and did that full time 7 years and got super burnt out. I tried to incorporate more lighting in my light but it rarely worked out and the clients didn’t care. I decided I would go the portrait route so I started experimenting and building my portfolio along the way.
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not a smooth road. Any freelancer will tell you is that it is not easy. People make promises that they forget about, people’s checks run late, it’s harder to get jobs if you don’t have a following or an agent. These are just things that just come with being a freelancer. I just love taking pictures so I can deal with all the bumps in the road because at the end of the day I really just want to take pictures.
When you look back, can you point to a period when you wanted to quit or a period that was really frustrating?
Photography to make a living in general is not an easy thing to make a living at because if I am being honest I would say the majority of people just don’t value it as much as people once did. I have definitely had times where I have felt like quitting and it mostly has to do with how people were treating me. Whether that be editing my images, not paying me on time, just being difficult to work with or just making promises and never following through. I am not well known by any means so people tend to try and take advantage probably more so than more well known photographers. With all of that being said all of that is just part of being a photographer today and I try not to complain because how awesome is it to get paid to take pictures. I mean it is the greatest thing in the world so you just have to take the good with the bad.
What would you tell someone who is just starting out?
I don’t have anything that hasn’t already been said before. I think the most important thing you can do as a photographer is always be shooting and shooting in a space that makes you uncomfortable. If you don’t feel uncomfortable than you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. The second thing is try to have your own perspective in your pictures and that isn’t anything anyone can teach its just something that has to come from you and shooting.
Is there something you are particularly excited about or working towards?
This may sound a little weird but I am most excited about the images I have yet to take. I have no idea what those images will be or what kind of experiences I will have but hopefully I will continue to grow as a photographer and push myself creatively. I am excited to make a book of all the photos I have of my kids they are still pretty young but it will be interesting to see what I have once they go off to college.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.tomfowlerphotography.com/
- Phone: 8053058541
- Email: Tom@TomFowlerPhotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thomasfowlerphoto/
