We were lucky to catch up with recently and have shared our conversation below.
Darcy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
After nearly seven years as a full-time Videographer & Photographer, I am earning a living through my creative work. Years 1-3 were the building phase. Building a business while navigating the industry and by year 4 I was fully committed to the craft, earning a six-figure salary. In the beginning I did not have a portfolio so I was eager to shoot my first project and build a professional reputation. I jumped at the opportunity to film my friend’s wedding in Uruguay and then again to follow another photographer friend to Mexico to shoot a wedding in Cabo San Lucas at a budget price. I knew I would get to where I wanted to be both creatively and financially, but in the beginning I said yes to any gigs that came my way. Now that I booking a calendar year in advance, I feel I have reached a place that is fulfilling and I am able to serve my ideal clients. It took perseverance and hard work to get to where I am today.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am Darcy Bly, a professional photographer and video creator. I have worked on projects ranging from television shows like Top Chef to weddings both big & small to historical documentaries and the like. To fill my portfolio with a wide variety of projects & to keep things interesting has always been the goal. Some of the more memorable projects that come to mind are the time I was invited to Fiji to film the Sigatoka Sand Dunes with a group of locals who were committed to saving the dunes from developers or being asked to shoot an elopement in Ireland at an ancient castle with a couple who were happy to take a road trip across the country stopping at beautiful landmarks along the way. This work has always surprised me and kept me on my toes about where I will go and what I will capture with my camera. I pride myself on the level of enthusiasm I give to each job and the follow through with providing high quality and captivating visuals.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
When I first decided to pivot from my previous career as a product developer & designer at a clothing brand, to an independent business owner in the creative sector I had to make some tough choices such as leveraging the only big ticket item I had in my possession at the time. I drove my fairly new Toyota pick-up truck down to the car sales lot and traded it in for a tiny little 2-door car. With the difference in value of the two vehicles, I walked away with enough money in hand to purchase my first set of tools which included the newest, top-of-the-line camera, audio gear, a tripod, and of course, a drone. Had to have the drone! It has since paid for itself tenfold with the work it has put in. Looking back, it was a good choice and oddly I felt very confident about it early on.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
For me, as a traveling creative I have found one of the most challenging parts of the job isn’t the job itself. It’s the less glamorous side that I think seldom gets talked about. It’s the dingy hotel room in a one horse town, waiting from the sun to rise so you can go out and get to work. It’s the loneliness of the open road that can be freeing at times, but more often than not, I find myself missing my family. It’s the endless hours in front of the computer, downloading and uploading, converting and digitizing. It can be everything with everyone all at once. And then total silence. I have found it to be a balancing act of the soul.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.darcybly.com
- Instagram: @darcyblyphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darcyblyphotography
Image Credits
Darcy Bly