Today we’d like to introduce you to Josie Farrior
Hi Josie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
From a very young age I was enamored by photographs. Ansel Adams black and white scenic photos of Yosemite were framed in my house growing up and I always was so fascinated by those photos. They were gorgeous, and Ansel still remains one of my core influencers and why I’ve pursued the kind of photography that I’m into. Black and white portrait and scenic photography does something special to my soul. Luckily, a camera was always available in my home. My mom had a Nikon film camera and I’d use it from time to time. As I got into elementary school and junior high, I used disposable film cameras frequently and was obsessed with making photo albums. Finally in high school I got my first digital camera and there was no turning back. I was always the friend that had the camera on them. Planned fun photoshoots with friends, and truly became obsessed with photography. My brain is completely wired to look at every scene, literally every, and picture how I would photograph it. When I was 17 I left the country for the first time, went to Paris, France. Still remains one of my favorite places in the world and I’ve been back many times since. I took a lot of pictures on that trip, like one would, and on that trip I realized my extreme love for seeing the world outside of San Luis Obispo, CA. I made it my goal in life to figure out how to travel the world and get paid for taking photos. I was determined. When I graduated from high school in 2008, I had the opportunity to photograph my first wedding with a local wedding photographer on the Central Coast. I loved it. That stress that some photographers feel at a wedding didn’t happen for me, I felt calm, and the location was absolutely gorgeous. I realized, I’m going to do this, I’m going to make this happen. So I reached out to another local wedding photographer and started photographing weddings with him, and then reached out to my favorite wedding photographer in the area and started photographing weddings with him. Meanwhile, I had been photographing weddings on my own, for friends, but nothing too crazy. It wasn’t until I was about 22 years old that I started booking the big weddings and really being able to charge good money for them. I always kept a part time job and did other forms of photography on the side, but I knew wedding photography was going to be my thing. I love photographing one of the happiest days in someones life, and the party is always a blast too. I treat my clients like friends and family with a laid back approach and by the end of the wedding day I truly feel like family to most of my clients. When I moved to Southern California in my mid 20’s, I also started photographing events for corporate companies and photographing fun parties around LA. Even had my own photo studio in Downtown LA last year that I was in love with. Black and white portraiture will always be my first love, but wedding photography is a close second. I’m very grateful that I can do this full time and travel the world as much as I would like. Wedding photography has even brought me to places like Mexico, Cambodia, Chile, and all over the United States. I truly am living my dream and I’m so damn proud of myself for the hard work that it took to get here.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest obstacle that I had was just recently, 2020, Covid times. Being a wedding and event photographer, I literally couldn’t work at all that year. It was stressful financially for sure! Luckily I had a bit of savings and luckily ever since then it’s been very busy.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a wedding, events and portrait photographer. Specifically specializing in Wedding Photography. Will travel anywhere and everywhere. I’m most proud of my black and white portrait work. I love to capture moods and emotions through eyes and body language and I love capturing that through a simple black and white portrait session. I try my best to capture real and raw emotion, I feel like that sets me apart from others. I don’t want anything fake. Be real, be present and be in the moment.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Aim big. Reach out to your idol. Reach out to the person that influences you the most, if they’re still on this planet. You never know, you may get a response back. I did. The sky is the limit, don’t put yourself in any boxes. Also, be you and be authentic when networking at events. Genuinely go into the conversation hoping to make a friend, don’t do things only for selfish gain. Really see people. You will stand out.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://josieelle.com
- Instagram: @josie_elle & @josie_elleweddings
Image Credits
Photo of me was photographed by Jessica Clough
