Today we’d like to introduce you to Kameron McDonald.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kameron. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’m from the “Good Life City”, Albany, GA, which is about three hours south of Atlanta. Growing up, I was around a lot of cars. I was always hanging with my dad at his shop as he worked on different restorations. That’s what really got me into the world of creativity. While I wasn’t helping him, I would always draw the cars my dad would build so I’ve always been artistic. I love all types of art, whether it’s visual, music, or even literature. I had been drawing since I was a kid. I eventually lost interest in it though, I just felt like I was getting bored with it. Photography wise, it all started in the summer of 2014. I was only 14 at the time so I wasn’t old enough for a real job yet. I had been hanging out with my friend Carter (@delacarter), who is also a photographer. He’s really the one who got me started. After seeing what he was creating with his camera, I was intrigued. A few weeks later, I had got my first camera, a Canon t5. I think the t5 had just come out at the time so I was hyped about it. I started out doing sneaker photographer with Carter but I eventually transitioned into doing portraits. I started making flyers for these Photowalk type ordeals and posting them on social media. It was a hit.
Every weekend, my friends and I would link up for my Photowalk and we would just shoot all day. It all started out as something I was doing just for fun but I started to take it seriously when people kept telling me how good my work was. That’s when I figured out that I had a new craft and it was something that I wanted to perfect. As time progressed, I also progressed. The rest was history.
Has it been a smooth road?
t hasn’t been easy at all. It takes a lot of time, dedication, and perseverance. It took me a long time to get to where I am now; countless days of editing, promotion, and studying my craft. It was worth every single second. Each summer, I would literally beg my parents to let me stay in Atlanta so I could work, until I was old enough to drive myself there. Last summer, I was driving to Atlanta EVERY WEEKEND, doing shoots and attending the different workshops at Cam Kirk Studios. As far as challenges, I’ve gone through a few funks. I’ve had points where I felt like I had lost all inspiration and creativity so I had to take some time off. It took some time for me to get through it, but I’m glad it happened because I wouldn’t be where I am today. Also, a HUGE shout out to the homie Dexter! (@scrilldavis). He’s a huge inspiration for me and is my daily motivation for greatness! If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with TrendyKamShotYa – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I’m a freelance photographer and I go by the name TrendyKam. My business is called TrendyKamShotYa. I started it in 2017 when I realized that I could make money from it. In all honesty, I was doing photography because it was something I genuinely loved to do, not because of the money. I later came to the conclusion that I wanted that to be my career, so I wanted to start it early. People recognize my work because of my style. Peers have described my style as “Bringing vintage/retro into the future”. What they mean by that is that all of my subjects have a vintage aesthetic, with a modern type vibe.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
As far as MY city, I love it. Albany isn’t really a big, popular city but it’s home to me. I love Albany because it just feels like a place where I can really just be myself. The only thing I hate about it is how high the crime rate is. It’s really a sad sight because a lot of people there have potential but never make it out of the city because they get caught up in the wrong crowd. Now, to Atlanta, it feels like I’m in a dream whenever I’m there. The vibe is just different, in a good way. I feel like I’m in my niche when I’m in Atlanta; it’s a lot more area for me to create. There aren’t any photography studios in Albany, so that’s a big perk for me when I go to Atlanta. To be honest, there isn’t anything I hate about it. I’ve done my best work there. I’ve already made the decision that I’m going to move there after graduating from college.
Contact Info:
- Website: TrendyKamShotYa.smugmug.com
- Phone: 2296692087
- Email: shotbykameron@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetrendykam/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/itstrendykam
Image Credit:
@thetrendykam
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