We recently connected with James Chery and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, James thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I originally started learning photography I’n college. I attended a Digital Photography class and they had us buy a camera in order to attend the class. So I went on Amazon and bought the most affordable camera I could find. I got a Canon Rebel T1i and learning how to use it was extremely difficult. Eventually I got the hang of it but after I passed my class, I put the camera down for a long time. I only started picking it back up once I made the decision to make photography my side business. I wish I never put the camera down and just kept learning because I might be even better at my craft. There’s many things that I have learned during my journey that can be deemed “essential”. One of those important lessons is one that I discovered on my own, which is learning how to incorporate lighting into my photography. It’s easy to just point and shoot without keeping the position of light in mind but in order to get an outstanding image, your lighting needs to be on point. I’m still learning and attempting to get better at my understanding of it but I found that the more research I do, the better my images become when used in practice. One of the main obstacles that stood in my way was self doubt. Especially when going out to conventions or cosplay events, I had to step out of my shell and approach people with an energy that feels comforting and supportive. I’m very introverted so this was an immense challenge but I think I have grown with putting myself in situations where I’m forced to step outside my comfort zone.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is James and I mainly work as a cosplay & convention photographer. I work with cosplayers during and outside of conventions to capture their attire in an eye catching way. I also work with some local conventions in Jacksonville to provide media coverage for the event. While this is my main niche, I also do work involving families, events, modeling, and boudoir photography. I started my photography journey in college but really made it my primary focus once I started attending local cosplay events put together by this Facebook group that I’m a part of called Babes, Games, and Geeks Jax. This group has provided me with many opportunities to connect with people in the industry as well as meet many amazing people with the same interests as me. I think the main difference between me and other local cosplay photographers in the Jacksonville area is that I make it an effort to capture cosplay outside of the popular conventions in town. I try to attend community events and smaller conventions in order to never miss an opportunity to work with local cosplayers. I do want to make sure that people that I work with know that they can trust me to provide excellent quality work no matter what the conditions. There are many people that have negative experiences with photographers so I try my best to provide a welcoming positive space for each of my clients.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Consistency is key! I started my Instagram page with 5 followers. Now it has slowly grown to almost 1K followers. This growth can be attributed to me constantly posting my best work for potential future clients to view and engage with. Another way that I’ve grown my audience is joining Facebook group and interacting with likeminded individuals to network and reach people that I would have otherwise never meet.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I want to take my craft and expand it further beyond Jacksonville and even Florida. I want to collaborate with cosplayers all over the country in order to create striking images and videos to promote themselves and the brands that they represent. The challenge of becoming more than just another local photographer is one that drives me everyday!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/jamescheryphotography?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=89dc86ed-e786-49b3-8ee7-57796c8f721d
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/just_jamesphotography?igsh=OXBsMWYzdmViYjRq&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1jh7k3HJTK/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: Family and Event Photography Instagram: @just_jamesphotos
Boudoir/Modeling Instagram: @rawstillsbyjay
