We recently connected with Michael Gargano and have shared our conversation below.

Michael, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Almost every entrepreneur we know has considered donating a portion of their sales to an organization or cause – how did you make the decision of whether to donate? We’d love to hear the backstory if you’re open to sharing the details.

I donate 20% of my profit to Cupid’s Undie Run which supports Neurofibromatosis (NF) research through the Children’s Tumor Foundation (CTF.org).

I have always been involved in fundraising for caused that impact my family and friends. Shortly after my daughter was born in 2011 she was tested and later diagnosed with NF. At that point I became very involved in not only raising funds but awareness for this genetic condition. Even if someone is not interested in donating I feel just having the conversation and raising awareness to this condition is a positive. When I started the photography business I decided to donate a portion of my profits because it allows me to donate more than I could ever raise through traditional fundraising and by hires me they can feel good because they are also supporting a great cause!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Photography has always been something I’ve enjoyed since my teenage years, when my uncle gave me a Canon AE-1. That gift, along with his teaching me the basics, instilled a passion for not only capturing my own photos but appreciating other’s work as well.

Fast forward many years, I picked up a camera to capture my children’s milestones and events in their lives. In addition to that I would go and photograph things I enjoy, such as nature, cityscapes, and sports. As I started to improve my skills, and with the advent of social media, family and friends would often want to hire me to take pictures for them.

It’s at that point I turned my passion/hobby into a business. I really feel I but my heart into every project, photographing events as if they were for my own family and that feeling definitely comes through with my art. As I’ve grown the business one of the things I’m most proud of is how complete strangers, become not only clients but friends. Through their loyal business I get to be a part of their special moments throughout their lives.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think how I don’t treat people as just clients has been very beneficial to my reputation and growing my business. With photography you are capturing once in a lifetime moments in time and I am not afraid to go above and beyond to meet and exceed expectations. The majority of my business comes from word of mouth and the only way that is possible is by not only delivering beautiful photography but going that extra mile that other might not be willing to do. At the end of the day I want you not only to love your photography but have a great memory of working with me as well.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, with photography, it is delivering photos that people are proud of and want to share. This can come in many forms – it could be one of my photos framed and hanging in someone’s house or office, their headshot being used for their professional profiles or simply shared on social media. The photos I take are not for me, they are for everyone so seeing other appreciate my work is very rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.magphotophilly.com
• Instagram: @mag.photo.philly
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MAGPhotoPhilly/
• Twitter: @MAGPhotoPhilly

Image Credits
MAG Photography | Michael Gargano