Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zachary Swinnen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Zachary, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?
I got a camera when I first moved to St. Louis 5 years ago as something to use to get out of the house when I wasn’t working since I didn’t know anyone in St. Louis yet. I’ve always had an artistic side, but I had no idea how much I would love photography or how much people would like my photos. I started to post some of the photos I took of friends on Instagram, and it wasn’t too long after my initial posts that I was asked to be a second shooter for a wedding. That’s when I fell in love with the art of photography. I didn’t even notice, but it became a part of almost everything I thought about. I was a part of another wedding for one of my friends, and that’s when I decided I wanted to make photography more than just a hobby.
I tried to promote myself on Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat even, but marketing myself was a lot harder than I thought. I didn’t get any new gigs, and I started to think that maybe photography would only be a hobby. I got to a point where I didn’t have any new photos to promote myself with, and two big events were coming up in St. Louis that I knew I could get some great candid photos at. those two events were 12 Bars of Charity and Mardi Gras!
I was a bit skeptical at first about taking my camera to crowded places of people, especially intoxicated people, but I took the risk, and it paid off. From there on out, I was starting to get recognized more and taken more seriously as a photographer rather than just a guy with a nice camera.
I then made my logo, and website, and came up with a name for the business I wanted to make. Covid hit, and it gave me the time I needed to dedicate to making the hobby into a business, so in a way, I’m thankful for covid.
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 don’t just do one style of photography, and I am always open to trying something new! So far, I’ve done weddings, events, maternity photos, boudoirs, portraits, and family photos, and I’ve done some creative photos as well. If I had to choose a preferred style, portrait photography would be at the top of the list.
I think that my eagerness to grow not only myself but my brand and the experience that my models have while shooting is something that sets me apart from others. I never want someone to feel uncomfortable or nervous when shooting with me. I always try to do something that hasn’t been done before so that each shoot I do is unique in its own way. I don’t want to be a photographer that uses the same poses, locations, and editing for every shoot. To me, that takes away the emotion that lies within each picture.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect for me is the gratitude I receive from my clients after receiving their final copies of the photos. It can sometimes be an emotional experience, but it warms me at my core to know that I have captured an unforgettable moment for someone.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal is to capture the beauty that everyone has inside of them and then give them that hard copy proof even if they don’t believe it themselves, that they are beautiful. We have so much natural beauty inside of every one of us, and most people never acknowledge those parts of themselves.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.legendaryshutter.com
- Instagram: @thezswin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legendaryshutter
Image Credits
Allie Swinnen Alex Tyler Schmidt Tyree Trimble Taylor Brumley