We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Trevor Paul. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Trevor below.

Alright, Trevor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

Hey there, I’m Trevor Paul, and my journey as a photographer has taken me deep into the world of music and entertainment. When I first moved to LA, I had a clear vision to merge my passion for photography with my love for music. One of my biggest obstacles I faced was not knowing a single person personally or professionally. Before pursuing photography, I spent several years working as an in-house creative for a corporate bank, a creative agency and a hair & beauty brand. My roles included everything from designing marketing materials, to creating social content, to managing internal communications. While it was a great experience and taught me a lot about the creative process, I felt a strong pull towards something more personal and expressive. Photography was always my true passion, and I decided it was time to make it my full-time focus.

Trevor, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My interest with cameras has been longstanding. Although I earned a diploma in TV broadcasting, I’ve had no formal education specific to photography. Everything I’ve learned has been self taught. I bought my first DSLR at age 13. Most of what I captured were pictures of my friends and the parties we would go to. We were fascinated with LA and New York nightlife (or what was available to us online). We were kids reading online blogs like The Cobra Snake and Last Nights Party, inspired by early 2000’s club culture. Everything I’ve learned since then has been through experimentation, consistency and trial and error. I am still on a learning journey, but If I had the opportunity start from the beginning I would dedicate less time adhering to external expectations and instead focus on what genuinely interests me.

I grew up in small town Canada an hour outside Toronto. My first job after college was working as an in-house creative for a major bank. I was working directly with cameras, creating photo and video material but the subject matter allowed little to no creativity. As a care-free (and sometimes reckless) teen, I never in a million years imagined I would work a corporate office job but the truth is I learned to love it. It didn’t offer much technical or photography experience but I did learn how to build a brand, how to work with partners, manage expectations and the importance of networking. I attest a lot my success to the skills that I learned and the experience I gained in corporate life.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn was the idea that there is a format we must follow in order to reach success. There’s no rules in the creative space! Everything is negotiable and with the right attitude you can convince anyone you’re right for anything. I think there’s value in creating honest connection with one another. The most important aspect of this industry is the energy that we bring and the impression it leaves on people.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I think beyond the photos I take, I’ve built a reputation as someone who is easy to work with. Shoots are meant to be fun! I try to be flexible, encouraging, responsive, professional and fair. When I’m not shooting, I attend events, connect with other artists, and involve myself in creative projects in any way that I can. No matter the setting, I try to make meaningful connections and continue to build my network of creative professionals. Today, I’m fortunate to work with incredible artists, capturing their stories and the energy of their art. Whether I’m shooting a live performance or working on album visuals, my work holds deep meaning for me. Each photo I take is a reflection of the amazing people I’ve met and the incredible experiences I’ve had.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: trevorpaul.photos

Image Credits

Trevor Paul
Jillian Lee Garner
Ash Davis