Life & Work with Parker Snider

Today we’d like to introduce you to Parker Snider.

Hi Parker, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, I have been pursuing photography for over ten years. Growing up, my mother would always purchase disposable film cameras for me to shoot with. As time went on, I found a strong love for landscape and astronomy photography when I received my first DSLR in 2007. It wasn’t until my second year in college that I decided to pursue photography as a career. After dropping out of school and moving back home, I was honored with the opportunity to take photos of a very well-known hip-hop artist. I immediately fell in love with shooting for artists and celebrities. I began to explode with business from local artists to A-list celebrities around the country just by posting my work on my Instagram page.

Knowing this could be a viable career path for me, I took every cent that I was making and invested it into my craft. With an extremely versatile set of digital and film cameras, I have further sharpened my artistic sword shooting every opportunity coming my way. in the last five years, I have shocked the creative community with images that bring my friends and clients to life. I am currently residing in Los Angeles, where I shoot for some of the biggest names in the music industry.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Even though I have accomplished a bunch of my goals in the last five years. My path has been nothing close to a smooth road. When I started my company, I was completely unprepared for what I was getting myself into. I understood my craft but I did not understand how to run a business. From being swindled into thinking that I am getting my dream opportunity to completing multi-month-long projects and not getting a single dime in return, I have seen and been through enough problems to say that my line of work, is not for the faint-hearted. fortunately, I stuck with the process and adapted my business accordingly to make sure none of that would ever happen again. In order to do so, I do not let my past struggles break me down.

Instead, I use my struggles as place markers to learn from my mistakes so they will not happen in the future. Surely I had to go through personal life struggles as well which included going broke multiple times, not being able to eat some days, having to move out of LA and back to Arizona on multiple occasions, trying to maintain and establish business during COVID, and dealing with friends/family passing. It has been tough however, I am still working every day to better myself and crush my goals. I have been working for myself as a full-time visual artist for the past three and a half years.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Currently, I am a freelance photographer/cinematographer in the hip-hop/rap industry. I work closely with artists such as Kid Ink, Xavier Wulf, members of YSL, and many many more. My job not only includes photography but videography as well. From shooting tour recaps, lifestyle and brand photos/videos, album covers, and music videos, I have turned into a trusted one-stop shop for major brands, labels, and up-and-coming artists all around to utilize my work. I am most proud of the fact that I get to actually do what I love on a daily basis. One high point of my career was when I got the opportunity to shoot for Juice Wrld right before he passed.

I believe what sets me and my work apart from the over-saturated visual arts market is who I am as a person and also my ability to supply world-class work in an extremely fast time frame. Major artists and brands are looking for the best of the best work within the quickest time possible and thankfully, I have worked countless hours at my craft in order to make sure that even the toughest clients will be happy with the work they receive. I also believe in being a good person and I tend to make people feel at ease when they know I am working by always leading with a smile and having fun while maintaining proper professionalism.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important lessons that I have learned during my journey is to find what actually makes you happy and go after it with full force. One of the biggest things that people regret is not being able to do something that they love. The world sees all these perfect artists, athletes, celebrities, models, etc.. but one thing that most people do not see and can not comprehend is the level of work it took to get there.

If you have a love for something and want to know if it is truly your passion, take the leap. Go for broke. See if you are willing to do what it takes to succeed! start working now and KEEP GOING. There is no time limit on when someone is going to get good at something. I am constantly learning new techniques in every aspect of my craft. I also love taking advice from other visual artists as well. Even a novice can teach you something you did not know!

Contact Info:

• Website: ParkerSnider.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/ParkerSnider
• Twitter: twitter.com/ParkerSnider9