We were lucky to catch up with Gemini Barry recently and have shared our conversation below.
Gemini, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.
I met a lady named Joann. We weren’t friends yet but we are friends now. She has 5 girls, 4 of which have modeled with me and in 2013 she asked me to take family pictures of her 5 girls and her baby boy, a dog. We met at Lindquist Beach early in the morning and started taking pictures. If I remember correctly the job was $100.00
Gemini, 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?
Hello everyone. My name is Gemini and I am a photographer and model coach. I also have a creative event space for small intimate gatherings in a 40ft school bus.
I have an Associates Degree in photography and I have been trained by other model agencies in the US mainland.
I provide photography for many genres including models working on their portfolios, maternity, new born, toddlers, events (baby showers, parties, christenings, family reunions, etc), weddings, engagements, funerals, and villas. I provide canvas prints, albums and other unique printed gifts for pictures. I help individuals pose on photoshoots and I provide creative direction and planning. I provide small businesses access to various models for boutique inventory images and commercials.
What sets me apart is my ability to capture images of children and families that bring them joy each time they see the images. I have a lot of families that come on a continuous, yearly basis, from pregnancy until present day.
A major problem I solve for my models is age appropriate poses and guidance in the modeling industry. A variety of opportunities and shows for models to participate in. For my photography clients, the ability to capture their children, families and events has been a major accomplishment.
I’m most proud of the impact I continue to have models and past students. They still show me love, contact me from time to time and stop and talk to me anywhere they see me.
I want potential clients to know I will always do my best to make sure they have a great time and get the full value of any business they do with me.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Building my reputation wasn’t necessarily hard, I think building a reputation for people to respect was the hard part. Being a home grown Virgin Islander and living here my whole life, it was hard for people to take me seriously and see me as a mature adult. Standing by my morals and values definitely helped. My unwavering level of discipline and the way I stand up for my clients and models has garnered me lots of respect and at time the title of “bitch.” I grew to embrace it because the disrespect and second guessing of my talents and what I bring to the table, slowed until it stopped all together.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Personally, the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is showing the client or model the final product of the photoshoot. When they look at the images and are taken a back by the image looking back at them. It is super special from the back of the camera before any editing is done to the image. If they gasp of their mouth drops open on the screen, then after the images are edited it blows them away. I love bringing clients to tears or seeing my models have a hard time not smiling or being proud of themselves after I photograph them.
Contact Info:
- Website: In the making still
- Instagram: @capturedbygemini or @facesofgeminimodelingvi or @bookdabus
- Facebook: Chalaine Gemini VI or Faces of Gemini Modeling Institute or Gemini Productionz VI or Book Da Bus
- Linkedin: Chalaine Barry
- Youtube: Faces of Gemini Modeling Institute
Image Credits
Gemini Productionz VI All pictures were taken by me or of me and I have all rights to them