Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zachary Birdsong. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Zachary thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Funny story, I never dreamed about being a photographer until I started working at a newspaper. I had just been hired as a sports writer at The Tullahoma News in 2013, and at the time, there was not a staff photographer; each individual reporter captured their own images. So on my first day, I was handed a camera and essentially told, “Good luck!”

After that, I started doing research and reaching out to several local photographers to try to improve my photo skills. It was through that improvement that I really started to enjoy taking photographs and capturing memories for people to see. Now 10 years later, I am still behind a camera, doing what I love.

Zachary, 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?

Currently, I am a communications specialist for a school district in Tennessee. My background is in journalism, where I served as a multiple award-winning newspaper editor, photographer, and designer. In eight years in the newspaper industry, I received 18 awards from the Tennessee Press Association, most of which stem from my photography. I’ve also been fortunate enough to have had photos used by publications around the world including Rolling Stone, People Magazine, The Today Show, Vanity Fair, Vogue Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and more.

I continue to take photos and offer portrait sessions to clients. Additionally, I continue to freelance for newspapers and am a freelance event photographer for a venue in Huntsville, Alabama.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part about being a creative is getting to work with some amazing clients and help share their stories. That’s my goal as a photographer is to showcase what I can do but also highlight the subject.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I don’t think people realize just how much goes into being a creative, particularly with photography. People sometimes view it as somebody just pointing a camera and getting “the shot.” It’s a lot more than that. The first step is research, which includes locations, camera settings and more. The second step is editing, which consists of software and knowing the correct edits to make, which can be timely.

All of that to say, it isn’t just a quick point-and-shoot when it comes to portraits.

Contact Info:

• Website: zbirdsongphoto.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/zbirdsongphoto
• Twitter: twitter.com/zachbirdsong

Image Credits
Photos by Zach Birdsong