We were lucky to catch up with Selena Freeman recently and have shared our conversation below.

Selena, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Who is your hero and why? What lessons have you learned from them and how have they influenced your journey?

My hero is my great grandmother Helena. She came from nothing and always provided for herself and others. She grew up alongside 14 other siblings and was truly a backbone, to many. She has influenced my life and journey in every way possible. Astrology and numerology were some of her everyday tools. Those same tools have heavily influenced who I am today. I laugh sometimes because I am exactly like her..very calculated. I probably pay attention to patterns and symbols more than the average person. I can say that is something I learned from her. Photography has allowed me to express my thought process through my calculated visuals. She is my hero because she is the matriarch of 4 generations of powerful and spiritual women.

Selena, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a black, freelance photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia. I have been actively taking photographs since 2015. I got into my field after being gifted my first Nikon camera fresh out of high school. Once I knew someone believed in me that much, I decided to take it seriously. Since then I have had the opportunity to work with Mrs.Venita McCollum, get featured on Nikon’s instagram and receive a Nikon z5 camera from them. I currently shoot with a Nikon D750 which I received from GOFUNDME during covid.

What sets me apart from others is my mind. I feel like my thoughts and ideas are very original. I’ve always been able to see things from a completely different perspective. I also like collaborating with likeminded individuals. I would love to build a dream team one day.

I currently provide portraits, collaborative works, events and special occasions photography such as: prom graduation and maternities. In my down time I like to take picture of vintage cars and city/urban landscapes

I’m interested in traveling, expanding my portfolio, and working with different people /cultures

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What sets me apart is my shooting style and roll out!! I’ve never known anyone who cared as much as I do about the order of how photographs are posted.
I like for them to flow like a story. My shooting style is very different from my peers. I’ve always believed that the overall composition matters just as much as the subject.
I also remained anonymous for my first two years to allow my work to solely speak for itself.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

My biggest lesson learned was short changing myself.

At some point all creatives have done this to themselves. I had to unlearn the idea that I was not capable enough for a job. I remember turning down a few projects and underpaying myself from client work. Self doubt is something that takes time to over come. Once I started doing more personal projects I gained confidence from the feedback I would get. I really had to stop thinking that my visions couldn’t be enjoyable.

Contact Info:

• Website: Selenafreeman.myportfolio.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/girlwithnikon

Image Credits
Children in the water, Chris James (b&ws), Caffeine and Octane (car), Josh Newton (studio shot) and Marcell’s chicken wing. All photographed by me. My personal for this article was photographed by Shane (@1kmoments / @_shane1k on instagram)