When I started taking my photography more seriously, one of the big benchmarks for me was printing and showing those prints off to a group of random people.
Posting to Instagram, especially when you’re new to all this, is your friends and some random people who like what you do. But going to an art event means people you don’t know, who have different tastes, and may not like what you do and may tell you so.
That fear kept me away from these things for a very long time.
Eventually, my close friend (and fellow photographer) Yuliana sent me the posting for Raw Artists and said I had to apply. With her encouragement I did and on May 5th 2024 I put myself out there for the first time.
Raw Artists is a really interesting event. There’s no one style, no one medium, it’s a bunch of creative people showing (and selling in some cases) their passions.
You get a small space to yourself. You set it up however you like. And you try your best to make as good an impression as you can. (Even when you’re freaking out on the inside)
I was extremely grateful for all my friends who came out that night. It was great to put up some of my photos and have people come by to look, talk, share a few laughs, and let tell me stories about the where they were taken and the people that were there.
I also got some tips about places to see and photograph from a few people which was very exciting and made me want to leave straight for the airport.
And, incredibly, my biggest want out of the show came true. I sold a couple of prints to people I had never met before. So, Patrick and Marissa, thank you. That was a huge milestone for me.
I don’t think I slept much that night. Doing that was an incredible leap for me. I’m glad Yuliana pushed me, I’m thrilled for the support and love I got from my friends and family. And I’m excited to do this again.