Meet Porsha Antalan

Thanks for sharing your story with us Porsha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I feel like I have been a photographer all of my life. I can remember getting my first camera at the age of six. It was a Kodak film camera, one of the long rectangular ones that you had to wind up. Throughout the years, I would always have a camera with me, but I didn’t decide to take up photography as a profession until my freshman year in college. I came across a few classmates that I followed on Facebook that were producing amazing work. They shot with what I considered “real” cameras, so I begged my parents to buy me an entry-level DSLR. After practicing with my new camera for a few months, I changed my major from Nursing to Fine Arts with a concentration in Photography, and the rest is history.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It definitely has not been a smooth ride the entire time. Once I graduated from college, I decided to move to a bigger city, so that I would have access to the type of clients I wanted to attract. I decided on Atlanta because I had family here and I had been offered an amazing internship with a photographer that I still look up to. It was difficult at first. The first few years were a struggle, trying to make it as a freelance photographer and work side jobs to make enough money to support myself. It took a few years, but I’m extremely fortunate to not only have a successful freelance photography business, but also a full-time job as a Learning Experience Designer that relies heavily on my artistic background.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Femqua Productions story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a commercial/editorial portrait photographer. I also shoot lifestyle stock images, specifically of people of color for my company/website Brwn Stock Imaging. I think the thing that I am most proud of when it comes to my company is that it is still here. Starting your own business is not easy, especially when that business is based on your creativity. I’m proud that Femqua, soon to be Porsha Antalan Photography, will be celebrating its 10th year this year. Something that sets me apart would have to be my minimalist aesthetic to photography. I love clean, clear images. I’m not a big fan of creating images that are extremely busy or abstract. I want the image and the person in it to shine through clearly.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Oh definitely. Shortly after moving to Atlanta, I was lucky to meet and become friends with an amazing group of people who were just as creative and hungry as I was. We pushed ourselves to think outside of the box and create amazing work together. I don’t think my work would be what it is today without them.