We recently connected with Troy Freyee and have shared our conversation below.
Troy, appreciate you joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
great question I believe every step along the way has been a learning experience, and it’s all happened at the perfect pace. But, if I had to pick one thing, it would be to trust my gut more and not be afraid to say no.
I’m more of a “go with the flow” kind of person, and because of that, I’ve stumbled upon things I ended up loving, things I never thought I would. I live by those quotes like “it is what it is,” “go with the flow,” and “everything happens for a reason.” So, honestly, I probably wouldn’t change much if I were starting over. I’ve embraced the idea that every experience, even the not-so-great ones, has contributed to my ongoing lessons.
Troy, 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?
For those who don’t know me, my name is Troy Freyee who is a fashion photographer based in Palm beach qld Australia. I have been working in the creative industry for over 10 years. I started off as a self taught photographer working at a modeling/talent agency doing their headshots and portfolios; but i felt i wasnt able to get my photos to exactly to where i wanted them to be, which led me to doing a diploma in photo imaging… this is where i learnt more about the technical side of photography. Ever since learning more it gave me confidence to push my work to the limits i imagined. The day I graduated I had the honor to meet Ainsley from Sticks and stones agency (an epic online magazine) where she then hired me as her intern… this was a pivotal moment in my career for me, as I helped her load photo stories onto her platform, and doing this day after day really helped me learn what i like and dont like and constantly fed my creative brain. Ainsley gave me so much confidence to be who i wanted to be; and to not follow the ‘norm’. Ains became my old time best friend, even to this day we talk daily… I honestly give her so much credit to my growth. we are such an incredible team together. From here i met so many epic Brands and other creatives and its all been such an epic flow on effect. I feel so lucky I have managed to work with some of the most incredible brands and my favourite part is that they are coming to me for my style. Overall Im am stoked to say, I get to travel the world doing what i love, people are buying my art for their walls, the clients i currently have are some of my faves ever and they all respect me and my work. basically Im living the dream I never actually knew I wanted.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
This is a great question. I believe that many people outside of our industry often think we have the most laid-back job in the world. However, in all seriousness, it’s not quite like that. For instance, in my case (and probably for most of us), we wear multiple hats. We handle client interactions, set up shoots, manage our accounting (which I personally struggle with), conduct the actual photo sessions, edit the photos, follow up with clients, travel long distances, start early in the morning, work late into the night, and constantly wonder when our next booking will come or if we’ll even get booked again. We also worry about whether our clients are satisfied with our work, send invoices, and write emails, among other things. I could go on… I’m not complaining – I actually love every aspect of it. However, I feel people don’t understand there’s a lot more to our job than just taking photos.
Additionally, as creatives, our work comes from the heart, which means there are times when we don’t love what we do. We question everything about our craft, and I know this feeling is common among all of us in the industry. Its a journey… I love it all, and we need it all to find out our truth.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Being able to create art, meeting like minded people, inspiring other creatives.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.freyeephotography.com
- Instagram: @freyeephoto
- Other: Shop to buy my prints: www.freyeephotography.shop