We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Abigail Rucker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Abigail below.
Alright, Abigail thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I remember this one day in particular as a young and upcoming photographer where I sat on a bench in the park, watching the people go by, trying to capture the perfect moment, the one that would tell a story without words. I had been taking pictures for years, but still felt like I was just starting. I watched this group of children playing on the swings. They were laughing and carefree, and I knew that I wanted to capture that moment, after taking a few pictures, but still wasn’t finding myself happy with them. They didn’t seem to capture the joy of the moment, so I decided to move on and try to find another scene. As I walked over to a pond and watched the ducks swimming I remember they were so graceful and peaceful, wanting to capture that too I immediately took a few pictures, but again, wasn’t happy with them. They still didn’t seem to capture the beauty of the moment. I started to feel discouraged because I had been taking pictures all day and hadn’t taken a single picture that I was happy with. Right as I was about to give up it was then when I saw a young couple walking hand-in-hand with their kids at their sides. They were smiling and laughing, and I knew that I had to capture that moment for them. After asking to take pictures and getting the green light I took a few pictures, and this time, they were perfect. They captured the joy and love of the moment perfectly. I knew that I had finally found what I was waiting for. So I continued to take pictures, and as I got increasingly better and better. I learned how to capture the perfect moment, the one that would tell a story without words. After that day I started to become a successful photographer, and my pictures were seen all over the country and even in some parts of the world. I never forgot the day I sat on a bench in the park and watched the people go by, the day I chose to believe in myself, my skill, and my technique. That was the day I learned what it took to be a successful photographer. It takes patience, perseverance, and an eye for the perfect moment, and it takes loving and believing in yourself and your art.
Abigail, 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 name is Abigail, I am from Texas born and raised, and I am a freelance travel & family photographer based in Houston, TX. I started my career as a photographer at the mere age of 18. While I had always enjoyed capturing life’s beautiful moments, it wasn’t until my 18th birthday, that my mom gifted me my first and favorite camera, that I took a full dive into all things photography. What started with capturing my personal friends and family got me to where I am today. Years of practice and shooting everything you can think of from A to Z, and practicing social skills to interact with people in public to build my clientele.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Absolutely! There are so many excellent resources for starting photographers to mention just a few that have astronomically helped me include the Digital Photography School which is a forum where people can share their experiences and learn from experts. It also has articles that can help improve photography skills which are amazing to read. Fstoppers also is great they are a photography site with videos, how-to guides, gear reviews, and opinion pieces to help guide you in your photography journey. While I could drone on for hours about the endless resources offered to starter photographers I will leave you with these to start as well as highly recommend you check your local communities’ TFP Facebook pages and Instagram accounts they have meetups with other photographers which can be great for networking, it connects you with TFP models and artists helping to get your name and photos promoted for free.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I’ve been a photographer for over 20 years now, and I’ve seen a lot of things in that time. I’ve seen people at their happiest and their saddest, and I’ve captured some of the most important moments in their lives. I’ve also faced many challenges along the way, but I’ve always managed to bounce back. One of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to do as a photographer was to take pictures of a family who had lost their home in a fire. They were devastated, and I could feel their pain. But I knew that my pictures could help them to remember the good times they had in their home and that they could give them hope for the future. I took my time with the pictures, and I made sure to capture the emotion of the moment. The parents were holding each other tightly, and their children were looking at the ruins of their home with tears in their eyes. I also took pictures of the firefighters who were working to put out the fire. They were exhausted, but they were determined to do their job. When I was finished, I showed the pictures to the family. They were grateful for my help, and they told me that the pictures would help them to get through this difficult time. I was glad that I could be there for them, and I knew that I had made a difference in their lives. This experience taught me a lot about resilience. I learned that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. I also learned that the power of photography can be used to heal and inspire. I’m proud of the work that I do as a photographer, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives. I know that I’ll face more challenges in the future, but I’m confident that I’ll be able to overcome them.
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