We recently connected with Hudson Michaels and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Hudson thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us 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.

In 2018 I went to Comic Con, where a cosplayer saw my camera and asked if I would take his photo. I advise him that I was not a photographer and he responded, well you sure look like a photographer. I laughed and took his photos. He gave me his email and I sent him the photos later that night. He loved them. He emailed me back a few days later asking if I would come to the children’s hospital with him and take photos while he visits some kids while in cosplay. Initially, I hesitated to do so, because in my mind I was not a photographer, just a guy with a camera. I eventually agreed. After the event children’s Hospital of Seattle loved the photos and asked for my contact info. They would routinely call me to photograph events involving cosplayers. Which was amazing It was great for me to give back a little. This lead to other photography opportunities based on my work with Seattle’s Children’s Hospital as they would recommend me as a photographer to events and jobs through the PNW, included events for the last three mayors of Seattle, various non profits organizations, and local sports teams.

Hudson, 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?

The funny thing is photography really started for me back in High school. I was the editor and photographer for my high school newspaper, I also took most of the candid photos for yearbooks during that time. Everywhere I went from my sophomore year through my senior year I had a camera. After high school, I went to the Navy, and then college after not picking up a camera again for almost 20 years. Who would have thought that a fluke meeting at Emerald city comic con would put me right back where I should have been all along. Ever since that chance meeting, I would continually go to the local comic cons taking photos of the cosplayers while still accepting work at events recommended by staff members of Children’s Hospital. Eventually meeting another photographer who recommend I attend a local creative meet-up called Streetmeet. Streetmeet and their community opened so many more doors. Through the contacts I made there I began to shoot at fashion shows and connected with music artists in the area looking for photographers for promotion portraits, headshots, and other content. This was when I accepted that I was a photographer. I began to expand my knowledge of photography through youtube tutorials. I now offer a variety of options. I offer event, portraits, editorial, runway, and even sport photography services

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I built my social media presence in two ways. First I took a selfie with every person I ever shoot with. Initially, I would meet so many people at events and comic cons that I would take a screenshot of their Instagram and then take a selfie with them right after. This allowed me to remember who was who when editing photos later. At one point I have over 300 selfies on my phone. So I decided to create an Instagram just for those selfies. I would post them and tag the person I met. Because the page was all selfies it was kind of popular and the photo would get reshared by anyone in the photo, leading their follower back to my page as well. Secondly, I created a QRC code and made stickers. I would leave everywhere banking on human curiosity to scan the code. This code would lead to my Linktree site allowing access to all my social media. This generates traffic to my website and socials. I hope my work catches so eyes through this method

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Haha, Instagram. lol, being a gen xer I didn’t really use social media prior to the latter part of 2018. I can imagine that if I had had this in high school my life may have gone down a very different path. Social Media may have kickstarted my career earlier

Contact Info:

• Website: hudsonmichaelsphotos.com
• Instagram: @hudsonmichaelsphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HudsonMichaelsPhotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hudsonmichaels/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/HudsonCMichaels

Image Credits
(Photo 1 & 5) Everett Royals Football , (Photo 3) Camp, (Photo 4) Christina Cozine,(Photo 6) DeSean Willis & Family, (Photo 6) Rendi Richardson,(Photo 8) Kiara Boggs