Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach DeLoach.
Zach, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in the state of Georgia and only recently moved out of the state for the first time in my life. Before I did anything with photography, I was a musician, a drummer specifically. I started playing drums about 10 years ago and was in a band for years with two of my best friends. We started recording a project at a recording/production studio in Atlanta (Bravo Ocean Studios). From there I became an intern with the studio and eventually moved into various roles in their creative departments. The owner bought a bunch of really nice lighting and camera gear and basically told me to figure out how to use it. That experience started my journey into what I’m pursuing now full-time. That was almost 11 years ago. Having a place to have an on-hand trial and error experience was integral in developing the skills I have and I’ll always be thankful for that.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I won’t hesitate to say that working entirely freelance, without any other stable income is not for the faint of heart, especially in today’s market. Be prepared for not only the logistical and financial hurdles you’ll face, but the mental and emotional ones as well. The high’s feel like you’re on top of the world and the lows feel like it’s crumbling beneath you. You’ll spend a lot of time honing skills that don’t have many “creative” qualities about them, but they’re necessary for success. I’m not ashamed to say that I’m still figuring a lot of those things out. The biggest hurdle I’ve faced and am still working through is the death of my father, I lost him to suicide almost two years ago. Between that, having to start again from scratch because of covid, and now being a few months in to a complete relocation to NYC, the road has been anything but smooth. The second most difficult thing I would say is trying to be creative and putting a dollar amount on your creativity. It will make you question a lot. I’ve found myself taking jobs I didn’t necessarily believe in or really care about, but everyone’s got bills to pay right? Being a business owner has also been a challenge, I procrastinate a lot and I’m not the best personal boss, but I’m still trying. My mother taught me that most valuable asset I’ll ever have in my life is my time, so even on the hardest days, I’m blessed to have the flexibility my career choice provides. Just be prepared to have some serious “what am I doing with my life?” moments along the way. I will say with confidence though, if you’re reading this, your dreams and goals are worth it and you can do this.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in film/analog photography. I’d say up to this point I’m most proud of the personal body of work “Desiderium” I created with my partner. We ended up getting our own billboard out in LA because of it and it was a moment I’ll never forget. I’d say the thing that sets me apart from others has nothing to do with my work, it’s my character and how I treat people with respect, I also pride myself on my communication skills. I’m a firm believer that your talent may put you in the room, but your character is what keeps you there. There is enough to go around for everyone to be successful without having to tear each other down. The world needs more artists helping artists.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
I would say if you’re an artist/creative out there who looking to take the jump into full-time freelancing, don’t be ashamed if you have to step away from it and go back to a “normal” job. There have been many times I’ve had to start over and there is zero shame in wanting stability for your life. I think these days we could all use more of it. It makes me sad to think about how much we’ve started to believe being a “successful” artist means making money with it. Creating art is being successful in and of itself. Create because you want to, because we need things that feed our soul and give us hope to keep pushing through each day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zachdeloach.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_zachdeloach/
- Twitter: https://x.com/zachshootsfilm
Image Credits
all images provided we’re created by me