We were lucky to catch up with Sarah Fleming recently and have shared our conversation below.
Sarah , appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?
When I think of success, I don’t think of the end results, the shine, the glamour, or the reward. When I think of success, I think of the risk, the grit, and the journey it takes to get there. Mastering your craft is a long process. You can’t just take one class, do one project, or sit with one mentor to become successful — you have to put in your time to make it to where you want to be. In that time that you’re working towards success, you are bound to see many small wins and loses, this is where your lessons lie. I believe that it takes a person who is ready to truly fall in love with the process and see the journey all the way through to be successful.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a freelance photographer born and raised in Detroit, MI. My primary medium is digital and 35 mm format photography and Black people are my preferred subjects. I’ve been working as a photographer for almost 2 years now but I bought my first camera in 2019. Prior to getting my first camera, I was always a fan of the arts but I never saw myself as an artist.
It wasn’t until I began to step outside of the usual parameters of photo-taking that I began to experiment with angles and editing styles to find what I truly enjoyed. I found that I like for my images to bend reality to create something new. This may mean shooting from an unconventional angle or manipulating the photo in photoshop to have a moodier effect to tell a story. From there, I began to explore the realm of editorial photography and found that this was the lane that would allow me the creative freedom that I had been longing.
At this current stage in my career, I have developed a following and a reliable clientele but there is so much room to grow and expand. I am always looking for new looks to capture, new stories to tell, and new platforms for my work to be found. It’s all a journey and my story is just beginning.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Never be afraid of being different. My photos that receive the most traction, interaction, and exposure have been my photos that step out of the box. Whether I am trying a new editing style, creating a graphic, or shooting a look that has not been seen in my portfolio, my most unique images are the ones that have helped me stand out.
Outside of my work and creativity, word of mouth and networking allowed me to quickly build my brand and presence in the industry. I’m shy and mostly introverted but as a freelance creative, I quickly learned that if no one is going to rep your brand, you have to be the one to do it.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I am still fairly early in my career so it’s weird to say this, but I will say I wish that I discovered the resources that exist right in my community earlier in my creative journey. There have been so many people helping me along the way, whether that’s through motivation, referring me to a gig, answering questions, etc. little did I know, there are resources that provide all of that and help build a community as well. Some more prominent resources include Black Women Photographers, but there are local dark rooms in my area and other small minority creative groups that I’m happy to have found, but wish I knew about way earlier,
These resources are a wealth of knowledge and if you’re know sure where to start looking for the ones in your area, Black Women Photographers is a great starting point.
Contact Info:
- Website: sflemi.com
- Instagram: flemi,jpg
- Other: Tik Tok: Flemi.jpg