I am no Dr. Phil, however, I do have some advice on how to go about your dream. I just graduated from Arizona State University with a Design degree. I have always had a passion for Photography, and towards the end of the year, I realized Concert Photography is my dream job. Being that you spend an arm and a leg for your degree, I am trying to tie in Design with this dream job that I have envisioned in my head. As for now, I am doing anything and everything to build my portfolio.
Once I realized this was what I wanted, I then said to myself, "It's time to upgrade from iPhone photography." Then and there, I purchased my very own Canon Rebel T6. I was so excited about it, that I got a packaged deal that came with the body, two lenses, a camera bag, and more. Now that I have a nice camera, I keep wanting to spoil it. I bought filters, a tripod, a second battery for long days, and more, a few weeks after getting the camera. The next day I was out shooting. Then, Coachella came around. I knew cameras weren't technically allowed but I was going to try and get it in anyways because I could only imagine the shots I'd get. I went through security and he asked if I had a lens within my shirt and I told him the truth and said, "Yeah." He then replied, "Okay, go ahead." At that moment, I was ecstatic. Was this real life?
I took it out once I was inside and you could tell people were so confused on how I got in with it by the stares I was getting. It was quite funny actually. Life is all about risks and if you want something, you have to go get it. I took a risk by trying to sneak in my camera and it was definitely worth it. I got some get shots and memories I will never forget. Not only that, but I was also building my portfolio which will later help increase my chances of getting a photo pass for future festivals.
If you're like me, you will have pictures from shows, but don't know how to get your photos seen and out there for future employers. Networking is one of the most important things when you have a goal. You have to be persistant and show people that you will do whatever it takes to have your photos out there for the world to see. For me, I have friends who are concert photographers so I messaged them asking how they went about doing that to help me. One of my friends said she was a writer for The Odyssey and that helped her better her chances to shoot at shows. After that, I applied and now I am here. As a writer, I can now treat myself as a photojournalist to post my pictures and now apply to more festivals. By posting my pictures and articles, I can help readers on The Odyssey, promote shows, and share my photos. It is a win, win, win situation if you ask me. If you don't go that route, you can e-mail managers and artists themselves and pass along your portfolio.
My new EF 85 mm camera lens just came in a few days ago and I am so excited to take pictures with it. Once I do, you will be seeing more photos from me! If you're interested to see some of my work, follow my Instagram account: carinallewelynphotography
Thanks for the love and support,
Carina Llewelyn
