Letter From The Editor – November

It was ten months in the works. I had been shooting owners of varying businesses and getting to learn of some truly inspiring stories that motivated me to push forth my desire to be a freelance photographer during the entire process, and the timing was perfect. These businesswomen were making their dreams possible, and I was determined to join the ranks of successful business owners who turned their passions into a profession.

During the entire time I was shooting for CRAVE DC, it was hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel because the book I was shooting for was going through such a long process in order to be produced. Even though I’d attend events and networking functions to get my name out there, I still didn’t feel validated. I had a portfolio and a website, but without a tangible product, it was hard to justify my decision to pursue photography as a full time racket.

And then, finally, nearly a year after it all started, I saw it. The finish line, in the for. Of the CRAVE DC guide book. I finally had a tangible object that solidified my validity. Flipping through the pages of the book, I could see the the different businesswomen I photographed and recounted the stories behind each shoot. Better yet, I saw my images in print for the first time ever and actually felt like I could legitimately call myself “a photographer.”

When we’re just starting out, or have been at it for quite some time, it’s hard to see that what we’re doing has a purpose or that we’re on the right track by pursuing our dreams. For some, it’s a matter of being at the right place at the right time, but for the rest of us, it can be a long, winding road to success. Furthermore, “success” means something different for each of us. To one photographer, it’s shooting the cover of their favorite magazine in the field they shoot for; to another, it’s as simple as having the ability to regularly pay your bills on time. To all of us, it’s obtaining a sense of validity for what we do.

No matter what path we all take to get there, we all know that in order to be successful – no matter how we measure it – it requires a lot of hard work and constant efforts to be better in our chosen craft, whether that’s done by learning new techniques or better business practices. Every day is a battle to earn the credit we desperately fight to receive.

One of the things I wanted to do when I first took over as Editor-in-Chief was to make sure that photographers who were active in pursuing their dreams and doing great things in the field got their just desserts. One of the ways that’s done is by our weekly Indie Spotlight section, and through the efforts of Jeremy and Bryan, this has been a great way to highlight the accomplishments of photographers who have worked hard to be leaders in their field. Thanks to the hard work of Bryan and the FYP team, we are able to bring to our readers the best and most talented photographers to you, which we hope inspires you to bring out the best in your photographic abilities.

Furthermore, we try to push your creative buttons with out monthly contests, and last month’s contest did not disappoint. The theme for October’s contest was “vintage”, which is a fairly broad category and focuses more on a style of imagery and things of yore. While we had a ton of great images, only one could be heralded as the winner, and that honor went to Bill Gerrard for his amazing photo of old airplanes done is a very faded style of vintage textures. Thank you all for your submissions, as they were all very well done!

That brings me to my next subject, which is the November’s contest! Because fall and the weather changes are all around us, it’s only natural (no pun intended) that we chose a subject that fits the time of year: nature. Again, it’s a very broad subject, but this one pays attention more to the subject matter, done in a creative and stylistic manner. I know our FYP readers are a creative lot, so I’m expecting even more great images to come our way! You can check out details for the contest here.

All in all, we’ve got a great November planned for you folks in Internetland (which is a million times better than Zombieland – sorry, belated Halloween humor). We have a lot of upcoming articles, ranging from helping you find your photographic style to restoring your damaged photos, and mastering a variety of techniques like night photography and architecture photography. We like to mix it up here at FYP, and judging by what our team of writers has in store, you won’t be disappointed!

After all, it’s all about bettering yourself to be the best you can be so you, too, can be featured as an Indie Spotlight, right?

Until next time,

- Patrick
Your Fearless Leader