We were lucky to catch up with Cory Hayford recently and have shared our conversation below.
Cory, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I learned about photography by taking a chance and investing in my craft. I did not know anything about a camera, but I knew I had a passion for photography and thought, why not? It never hurts to try. Knowing what I know now about photography, what I would have done to speed up the process is get into the community with more photographers and learn from them. I’ve always been curious to find out what other photographers think whenever they take and edit their pictures. I want to learn from their style of work. Some essential skills are having connections, having your own style when editing your pictures and how you want your photos to be perceived, and never comparing yourself to other photographers. We all have unique ways of showcasing our photography.
Cory, 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?
Hi everyone, my name is Cory, and I am from Ghana! I was born in Ghana and later moved to Italy for a while before coming to California. I got into photography because I’ve always been fascinated with how people can tell a story through a picture. My service is a bundle package, which is ten photos for $75, which includes edits, choice of location, props, and creative directions from me, then my 25 bundle deal for $100 and 35 bundle deal for $150, which includes edits, choice of location, and props and creative directions from me, and photoshop. What sets me apart from other photographers is I cater to my customers’ needs and always like to ask them what kind of vibe they are going for in their pictures, how I can support them in choosing a location or what to wear, how to do their hair, and, makeup for a particular shoot. I am intentional with my clients and make them feel comfortable. I am proud of how far I have come to finding my style and how I like to edit my photos. What I want others to know about my work is that I have a unique style and love to tell a story with my pictures, so if you’re looking for a photographer who has a little edge to her work, I’m here for you!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative is having the space to create anything that comes to my mind. I like having the freedom to create without feeling any form of fear. It’s nice and freeing to bring a vision you have in mind to life and see the results of what you envisioned.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Yes! A few resources I wish I had known about earlier was being in a space with other creatives and photographers. It’s nice hearing other photographers’ dos and don’ts and mistakes they have made. I also wish I had taken advantage of master classes that teach more in-depth about photography and how to do certain edits and modifications on pictures.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chayford2.editorx.io/photos
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_shotsby_cory/