We were lucky to catch up with Brandi Martin recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Brandi, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project Ive worked on during my career as a photographer was when I first started getting into photography. I was a teenage girl living in Atlanta, Ga with my father and I was just introduced to public transportation. I would ride the train daily to get to and from work and I noticed that there were a lot of homeless people on the streets of downtown Atlanta and it saddened me. Everyone has a story of how they ended up where they are now and I wanted to give them a voice and ask them about theirs. I would introduce myself and ask them if it was okay to get a photo of them before asking questions about their past and allow them to express themselves freely. The photo itself was enough to express what they were feeling. Giving them a voice meant so much to me.
Brandi, 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?
Ever since I was a young girl, I had a passion for art. I would have a really hard time expressing the way that I felt through words so I would find different outlets to express myself through my artwork. My drawings and paintings would tell a clear story with no words at all. At the age of 6, I picked up my very first camera and I haven’t put it down since! I found myself creating still images in my head everywhere I went so as a I got older, I was able to capture those images and bring them to life with my camera. Over the yearsI grew a strong passion for photography.
Im a ATL based photographer and I’ve been perfecting my craft for over 10 years. The older I got, the more I begin to branch out into different areas of photography. I begin to photograph events such as fashion shows, birthday parties, baby showers and weddings. I found that doing events helps a lot with building clientele and loyal clients. When clients book with me, not only are they getting amazing images but they’re also getting reliability and a lifelong friend.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Ive learned that good work and great customer service sales itself. I built my reputation by not only providing beautiful quality photographs but also leaving an everlasting impression on my clients by being compassionate and polite. Once that impressions is left, they will tell friends and family all about you and this is how you will build a a good reputation and loyal clients.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is that you get to what you love to do while also making a living. I absolutely love that my clients allow me to be apart of such beautiful and intimate moments of their lives. I get to witness the most precious moments and that’s what is most rewarding to me.
Image Credits
Dariel Martin