I had a very traditional start in photography. I picked up an SLR camera one day, more out of curiosity than anything else, and immediately fell in love. I quickly went from shooting a few rolls around the city every weekend to taking a few night courses. From there I decided to take the plunge into a full time college course in photography.
That was a lot of fun but I don’t think a totally necessary step for someone to become a pro. What I would highly recomend to anyone starting out is make sure you assist. I assisted pro shooters for 2 years. You’ll learn more on set in a day than a year of school.
When I was ready to break out on my own, it coincided with my move from Toronto to Ireland. I was at a bit of a loss on how I was going to make a living in commercial photography in the sparsely populated west coast of Ireland. That’s when fate intervened and I discovered Stockbyte.
At the time Stockbyte had grown into the third biggest stock producer in world and it was based less than 10 minutes from my new home. I was hired and began my foray into stock photography. Six years later I’m still producing stock. It’s a very competitive and rewarding field.
One of the lessons I learned from working with commercial photographers in Toronto was the need to never stop shooting personal projects for yourself. Not only is it great for the creative soul and hugely rewarding on it’s own, it is also a great way to get more work. People love working with photographers who have a passion for shooting. That goes for everyone from commercial clients to brides getting married.
My newest personal project is called One One Ireland. I’m traveling around Ireland setting up a little white paper background in a public space. I ask people passing by to write down anything they want on a piece of paper. I photograph them and scan what they have written.
The idea is to add an extra dimension to the street portrait by allowing the viewer to get a small glimpse to the inside of the subject as well as seeing the outside.
I’ve had a website for a few years but I’m just starting to learn and use other social networking tools. This project is the a perfect vehicle for adding content and giving people a reason to keep checking in. Everyday I’m putting up 2 or 3 new shots from the project via twitter and tumblr.
In addition to brushing up my social networking skills online, it is also a great benefit to my real world social skills. Ever try standing on the street and asking people to take their picture?
Check it out, and if you’re on twitter or tumblr, why not follow the project and help spread the word.
Links
@oneoneireland
http://www.oneoneireland.tumblr.com
http://www.ciarangriffin.com
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