Meet Joseph Mapp

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph Mapp.

Joseph, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Taking photos has always been a passion of mine. I was the guy in high school that would walk around with a disposable camera taking pictures of everyone. Capturing them in the moment. Capturing life as I saw it. The passion of photography followed me to college, where my friends would depend on me to take the best shots of them before we went out and partied the night away. Although I loved taking pictures, I never looked at it as something that I could turn into a business.

Fast forward to the summer of 2017; the year that my wife and I were preparing for our wedding. My cousin, Travis Daniels, whose photography skills are amazing and serve as a great inspiration to me, agreed to shoot our wedding. I asked him how he got started and once he told me his story, I began to think that maybe I could do the same. A few months later, I purchased my first professional camera just to try it out.

My original plan was to only take photos of scenery and real estate; not individuals. I didn’t think it would be my strong suit. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a researcher and that I love to learn and will obsess over things until I get them right. So I read a book on photography and watched hours of YouTube videos. Most people have no idea how technical photography is or the many parts that work together to get the right shot. All of these technical aspects were right up my alley! As someone who played music my whole life, I realized how much both music and photography go hand in hand. Photography would now be another passion to scratch my creative itch.

Within a few months, people were asking me if I could photograph them. After practicing on my wife, a co-worker asked me to do a photo shoot of her daughter. This was big. It was my first photo shoot, so I stayed up all night studying techniques and lighting. After taking the first photo on the day of the shoot, I could not believe what I saw on my camera screen. The pictures were coming out better than I could imagine.

After my first photo shoot, things started to move really fast and I started getting requests from everywhere. The question went from “can you do a photo shoot for me?” to “how much do you charge for a shoot?” Photography is simply a fun passion for me and I am looking forward to the many opportunities that have yet to present themselves.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It definitely has not always been a smooth road. As with learning anything new, there was a lot of trial and error, but it has always been fun. When I first started photography, I thought that it would be as easy as taking pictures with a smartphone. Little did I know, a smartphone does most of the hard work for you. However, I continue to grow and get better every time I pull out my camera.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about ILL Shots by Joe Mapp – what should we know?
ILL Shots By Joe Mapp is a photography company based out of Atlanta, GA. I specialize in birthdays, graduations, family portraits, product photography, special events, professional headshots, and beauty photography. My attention to detail and work ethic are what I’m most proud of. Photo shoots can be stressful at times, so I try to make sure that my clients are having a good time while shooting. A quick turn around is also very important to me and is also what sets me apart from other photographers.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My cousin, Travis Daniels, played a huge role in my success. He has talked to me for hours about techniques, equipment, and the business. Chris “Drone Jones” Jones has always been there to help out and pushed me to turn this into a business. Rawlinds Bell has been one of my mentors since I was a child. He has always been there to answer any questions that I have about the business.

My wife has been there for me from the start. She is my biggest supporter and cheerleader. She is also my biggest critic. It takes a lot to impress her, and living up to those standards has helped me take my photography to higher levels. She is the reason I do what I do, and I love and thank her for everything.

Pricing:

• Rates start at $100 per hour for a photo shoot on location, 10 edits, 1 retouch unlimited looks (In studio has an additional fee)

Contact Info:

• Website: Joemapp.com
• Phone: 678.704.6277
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: IllShotsJoeMapp
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/illshotsjoemapp/

Image Credit:
Main Photo Shot by Christopher Jones for Drone Jones Media LLC. All other photos were shot by Joseph Mapp for ILL Shots Joe Mapp LLC.

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