I bought my first camera when I started traveling for work. At first, I was assigned in glamorous locations like Akron, Ohio. There's probably no better place than Akron during the winter time. But then, after a while, I was assigned in places like Calgary (most beautiful place is Lake Louise and Moraine Lake). And that's when I bought my camera. During this time, my friend, Jill wanted me to take her pictures for fun. I had never done any kind of shooting, but I told her I would. So we walked around Queen Anne and Seattle Pike Place Market to do a "photoshoot." Jill is a stylist at Tart Hair Studios in Ballard so she did all the styling. It was funny because I thought it would take an hour or so, but Jill actually brought 3 outfits with her. =) So after that day, I had my first "photoshoot" and in fact one of Jill's photos from that shooting is still my best selling photograph.
After this photoshoot, I was assigned in Stockholm, Sweden. It was my first trip to Europe with my camera and so it was like a candy shop. Walking around Stockholm was an inspiration. I met a few people, including Cynthia, and she was nice enough to take me around town. During one of those nights, we were out at a bar (can't remember) and I happened to have my camera with me. I'm taking pictures of her and her friends and just having a normal good time. Later that night, this girl walks up to me and asked if I was a professional photographer. I told her, "no" but I like taking pictures. She was actually glad that I wasn't this professional photographer so she asked me if I could help her with her portfolio. She's a makeup artist and needs some new photographs. Of course I said yes! I gave her my website, which actually had Jill's pictures, and she was happy about them.
The MUA had some friends to help model her makeup. So we all scheduled a photoshooting at my hotel and as she would do one person's makeup, I would take the model around Stockholm. We shot all day and most of the night and after that night, I posted those photos on my website. People couldn't believe what I was doing. All my friends and family thought I was in Stockholm for work and not shooting "fashion and makeup" with Swedish models. =)
A few nights later, a friend asked if I could take her pictures and for me to name my price. I didn't really know what to think and I was shocked that someone would want me to take her pictures, let alone want to pay me for it. So I did some research online to see what the market rates were (I don't know) and I gave her a price of $300. And she said yes! I thought, wow, really? OK. Later that night, I was browsing through the internet looking at other photos when I ran into this site that was donating money through photographs. This guy, I can't remember his name, was making a photography book and money coming from the book would be donated. I thought, wow, that's awesome. That's a great idea...
So I pondered and pondered and then I thought "why can't I do the same thing?" So I wrote it on a sheet of paper, my motive or my mantra, and in writing that, this sentence was born: "let's shoot for change and inspire the world one click at a time." I googled "shoot for change" and looked it up in the domain registration and there was nothing. I contacted my friend, Marissa, and asked her for legal advice regarding trademark and copyright and she suggested I could trademark it. The "idea" can't be trademarked, but "shoot for change" could certainly be. So I did it.
I posted this idea on Myspace at the time and a few people were skeptical of course. Joby Dorr from Artcore Studios, however, offered some supportive advice and thought it could be done. A few other people thought it was doable as well. On the night of November 16, 2006, Shoot for Change was born.
And since that day, I've been living by this mantra:
wg
After this photoshoot, I was assigned in Stockholm, Sweden. It was my first trip to Europe with my camera and so it was like a candy shop. Walking around Stockholm was an inspiration. I met a few people, including Cynthia, and she was nice enough to take me around town. During one of those nights, we were out at a bar (can't remember) and I happened to have my camera with me. I'm taking pictures of her and her friends and just having a normal good time. Later that night, this girl walks up to me and asked if I was a professional photographer. I told her, "no" but I like taking pictures. She was actually glad that I wasn't this professional photographer so she asked me if I could help her with her portfolio. She's a makeup artist and needs some new photographs. Of course I said yes! I gave her my website, which actually had Jill's pictures, and she was happy about them.
The MUA had some friends to help model her makeup. So we all scheduled a photoshooting at my hotel and as she would do one person's makeup, I would take the model around Stockholm. We shot all day and most of the night and after that night, I posted those photos on my website. People couldn't believe what I was doing. All my friends and family thought I was in Stockholm for work and not shooting "fashion and makeup" with Swedish models. =)
A few nights later, a friend asked if I could take her pictures and for me to name my price. I didn't really know what to think and I was shocked that someone would want me to take her pictures, let alone want to pay me for it. So I did some research online to see what the market rates were (I don't know) and I gave her a price of $300. And she said yes! I thought, wow, really? OK. Later that night, I was browsing through the internet looking at other photos when I ran into this site that was donating money through photographs. This guy, I can't remember his name, was making a photography book and money coming from the book would be donated. I thought, wow, that's awesome. That's a great idea...
So I pondered and pondered and then I thought "why can't I do the same thing?" So I wrote it on a sheet of paper, my motive or my mantra, and in writing that, this sentence was born: "let's shoot for change and inspire the world one click at a time." I googled "shoot for change" and looked it up in the domain registration and there was nothing. I contacted my friend, Marissa, and asked her for legal advice regarding trademark and copyright and she suggested I could trademark it. The "idea" can't be trademarked, but "shoot for change" could certainly be. So I did it.
I posted this idea on Myspace at the time and a few people were skeptical of course. Joby Dorr from Artcore Studios, however, offered some supportive advice and thought it could be done. A few other people thought it was doable as well. On the night of November 16, 2006, Shoot for Change was born.
And since that day, I've been living by this mantra:
Each one of us can make an impact that could change the way people see things. Each one of us carries a possibility to make an indelible impression that can transcend ignorance and apathy. Each one of us carries a possibility to make a difference. And that possibility lives in us every single day.
wg
