Today we’d like to introduce you to Fitz Carlile.
Hi Fitz, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I began shooting professionally in 2009, hustling for any kind of job I could get – and that included dog portraits for friends, live music, charity fundraiser events, sports events, headshots for start-up actors, and even the occasional red-carpet event. I spent several years studying studio portrait and commercial advertising photography, had mentors such as Art Strieber, who would help me understand important concepts about why and where light and shadow should be, the importance of a simple, balanced, clean composition, and what impact do I want to show in an image, and how to create that impact. My commercial work was starting to build momentum, but in the meantime I was also picking up occasional wedding photo assignments. I quickly discovered that the format of wedding photography was well suited to my style – spontaneous, independent, and with full creative control to imagine whatever I wished and make it come to life. Fast forward nine years, I’m often mentioned as one of the leading wedding photographers in Southern California by various wedding blogs and photo communities. I didn’t see any of this coming, but I’m full of gratitude that others think highly of my work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The early years were not easy – I had to take jobs that were uninteresting and paid little if anything at all! The classic line ‘we have no budget but this is a good opportunity for exposure’ was something I heard all of the time in my early years. Exposure never pays the rent. I encourage all of you who are getting started in the industry to always find a way to get paid, even if it’s a little amount because art has value, your ideas have worth, and exposure is usually never a road that leads to the next paid client. Changing the construct of the client relationship from ‘free/exposure’ to ‘paid/client’ will quickly change the way you think about your business and how your future clients think about you.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m primarily a portrait and wedding photographer. The kind of work I do within the wedding photography genre is very distinct – every image stands on its own as a thoughtful composition as if from a cinematic art house film or high-end commercial/editorial shoot.
I am often described not as a ‘wedding photographer’ – but instead as an editorial/commercial photographer who shoots weddings. My compositions are often quirky, surprising, and different. I always attempt to compose an unexpected point of view.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love the diversity of this city. The diversity of culture, of food, industry, language, it’s a remarkable city to live in for so many reasons. Los Angeles is one of the great melting pots of culture. There are somewhere around 224 languages spoken in LA County each and every day! That is incredible, and it helps each and every one of us to understand the great strength and power that comes from such a diverse community.
If I were to grumble about what I least like about our city, it would certainly be the cost of living and the homeless population challenges, which are intertwined with one another to some degree. I want to see our city thrive into the 21st century, but without solving these two big issues, I worry for what our city could become.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fitzcarlileweddings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fitzcarlileweddings/
