Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cameron Chambers. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Cameron, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?
In everything I do I try to maintain inclusivity but especially in the workplace. When I am taking portraits I am bringing forward a piece of that person whom I’m capturing. I try my best to have my model feel comfortable to tell their story and allow their personality to shine forward in my art. If I exclude people because of who they are or whatever invaluable reason then I am inherently missing out on the opportunity to meet and understand someone new. Exclusion also hinders my own portfolio making it fall short of what could have been. There are so many minds and bodies of people out there that it would be a shame to exclude anyone for who they are, where they’ve been and what they’ve been through. I would choose to see what we could build together anyday.
Cameron, 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?
I am Cameron Chambers, currently an editorial portrait photographer but ultimately aspiring to be an art director. I graduated from Georgia Southern University in 2020 with a BFA in Graphic Design. Georgia Southern is also where I started my photography journey, originally as a hobby and a way to potentially improve on my design work in class. After graduation I found more fascination in taking portraits of friends and collaborating on creative projects together. During Covid, however, I slowed down on both photography and design and worked various part time jobs for a while. Once it was safe to get back out there I have continued to collaborate with models and stylists to put together photoshoots I can be proud of. Today I mostly provide portrait sessions for whoever is interested. At the moment it is typically those who are looking for something less traditional, more vibrant and fun. As mentioned before I work alot with upcoming models, stylists, and make-up artists to help them build their portfolios as I build my own. This collaborative effort of networking with peers horizontally helps us build one another up the ladder to better opportunities vertically. Even when clients are slow and income is not coming in I love working with friends to bring our visions to life. It keeps our imagination and creativity flowing so that when the time comes to show out we do not find ourselves hitting a roadblock.
Anyone who has the opportunity to work with me and vice versa should know that I like to be very patient and understanding with my client and/or my team. When working with a new client I like to understand their motive and the purpose of the photos so that we have a clear vision to an excellent execution of the product in the end. I also like to ensure that above all everyone is comfortable and having a good time because it ultimately allows for a better image.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me the most rewarding aspects of being a creative are first, being able to make my own path and second, having a happy customer. Having the ability to work at my own pace, my own leisure, and by my own will to create is very valuable to me. That freedom doesn’t come easy but I wouldn’t trade it for your classic 9 to 5. Nothing wrong with it, it’s just not my style. I also value that when I’m working with someone else they are getting as much out of the interaction as I am. I’m simply not in it for the money otherwise i would choose a profession that was more stable in income. I love the art and ability to create and I love the connections I get to make along the way.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I mentioned that I had graduated from Georgia Southern in spring of 2020 which is also the same time the covid-19 virus went into full effect around the globe. Being confined indoors wasn’t so hard but right after college when I was supposed to make that transition into the workforce was pretty tough. I had no idea what I was doing and the inability to work with others didn’t make it any easier. Another hurdle I came to face during this time soon after was when my car was robbed while I was at work at one of the part time jobs I picked up. I had just come back from a trip and had some of my gear with me doing design work and lost things like my laptop, my harddrives and almost my will to keep going. I was very unmotivated for a while because I felt like I had nothing. I had been set back so far because a lot of my portfolio projects I had completed in school were stripped away from me and I had to backtrack on progress I was making, working with others. In the long run I didn’t let it stop me and I got back up onto my feet. That’s what’s most important in situations like these, that even if you don’t make it over the hurdle you finish out the race. Push yourself until the end.
Contact Info:
- Website: designchambers.media
- Instagram: @cameron_just
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/cameron-dchambers/
- Youtube: @designchambersmedia
Image Credits
Cameron Chambers