Today we’d like to introduce you to Abigail Barlow.
Abigail, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started my photography career in college while pursuing my film & video degree. I transferred to Georgia State in my Junior year and didn’t know many filmmakers to produce a project at GSU. I decided photography is the best way to train my eye on composition. As I continued to practice, my photography caught my friends and family’s attention. People begin to ask me to do paid shoots for them. In my beginning stages, I was very nervous about the quality of my work so I would explore around my college campus and home. Nothing can compare to the way photography soothes my soul.
As time went on and I began to feel more confident in my work, I continued to reach out to other creatives such as make-up artists, stylists, models, etc. on social media to build content and submit to magazines. In the beginning of 2021, my photography was on the cover of two magazines. I was surprised and so proud of how far I came from the beginning of my photography journey. Being able to be published in two magazines propelled my career to exceed higher goals.
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?
My journey in film & photography has not been a smooth road. There have been many times I wanted to quit, and I attempted to glide in the corporate field. However, the way God works, He does not allow me to sit on a gift He blessed me to possess. The road to build my photography business and expand my film career has led me to so many opportunities for my personal growth. There have been times where I spent my personal funds to produce a photography project and models canceled on me. There was a time when a client cursed my business because I would not allow them to lowball me on the price I charge for a session. Many people in the creative business believe if you are a novice in your field, you should do hard labor for exposure only. The only exposure without pay I truly enjoy is the settings in my DSLR. My life doesn’t allow me to focus on my craft without a livable income. In order to have an extraordinary life, you have to perform outside of your ordinary. Developing discipline to be consistent in the way you handle your business as an entrepreneur is very difficult to the untrained mind. I have struggled with allowing my emotions to rob me of my time, which caused me to micro focus on my agony instead of expressing my passion through my photography and film. Depression would kick in and I would not produce content for months. However, the more I become aware of the way anxiety impairs my powerful creativity, the more I gain focus on my goals and repel stagnancy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
It took some time for me to find my style of photography. In 2019, I applied for my LLC and discovered that I am an intimate, full of color and creative type of photographer. I enjoy stimulating the eye with vibrant colors and contrast. My style of photography I capture are beauty, fashion, lifestyle, and portraits. I am very known to capture phenomenal portraits. Between my lighting and angle, I obtain extraordinary timeless images. It took me some time to finally realize my talents and the way my skills have enhanced over the years. People know me to produce clean colorful editorial images. My clients and models enjoy the way I retouch skin. Being able to retouch skin to look flawless but natural is an acquired skill that develops over time. You have to train your eyes to determine what area on the skin requires to be retouched. I believe I am still learning new things about editorial retouching. The way you can see my heart through my images sets me apart from others. My passion for editorial photography has truly saved my life. When I have the camera in my hand after developing a creative concise concept, time stops, whatever obstacles I am facing in that current moment disappear, and I immerse myself into my art. Everyone around me can see that I am very happy in my element. Some say it is a beautiful sight to see.
I am very proud that I continued this journey in photography. I did not know buying a canon rebel T4i for practicing composition would transform years later into a career I truly enjoy.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
In 2020, while discovering myself through my love for photography, I noticed a thorn in my life that restricted my creativity. My insurance job turned remote during the pandemic. Being at home and dealing with a toxic work environment helped me realize I desired more out of my life. I took a leap of faith and quit my job I had been employed at for three years. Even with business financial help, I was still scared. However, I knew with hard work and faith I would get through the unknown times ahead. As I watched loved ones lose their lives to Covid, it gave me the ability to appreciate my life more. I begin to streamline my objectives, build a timeline, and put my potential to work. The pandemic is a hard truth reminder. No matter what you are feeling at the moment, time continues to move, and you will never know when the ability to pursue your dreams will be taken away from you. Therefore, live everyday at 100 percent, and enjoy what and who is in front of you.
Contact Info:
- Email: albimagess@gmail.co
- Website: www.albimagess.co
- Instagram: project_ax5
- Twitter: @albimagess
