Meet Rashida Zagon

Image Credit:
Mark Clennon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashida Zagon.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Rashida. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey as a photographer was unintentionally intentional. I don’t like the saying “it just fell into my lap” because this didn’t but sometimes it feels like it did- almost like I took the right steps and now here we are- I’m doing one of the things I love.

Photography for me started when I was in high-school. I got a camera for my birthday and I instantly decided that I needed to make money with it. I started charging friends and friends of friends to take senior photos. I believe I did 3 or 4 jobs until my camera got stolen which was completely devastating to me so I stopped because I just didn’t have a camera. Fast forward 3-4 years, living in New York and having the desire to capture life around me and to also take a hold of my own life which at the time felt held hostage by the government.

I moved to NYC less than a year after graduating Waynflete high school waiting to get accepted as a DACA recipient. I worked as a babysitter, I probably walked a dog at some point. I worked as a hostess, server, floor manager at a couple restaurants and at a couple department stores. At one point, I was considered all of these titles at the same time and this all was only possible because I was finally granted access to being considered a DACA recipient. I worked because I needed to make money to survive but after a while and especially now, I began feeling like I’ve also been granted access to having a small taste of prison.

Getting back into photography took a lot of convincing for me. I knew I loved photography, that I was naturally good at it but I didn’t think it made sense to try to make it a whole business even though it was a great idea back when I was a 16 year old. Starting out- it took a little while for me to be convinced that this could actually be a business. Being a businesswoman wasn’t daunting to me because I grew up seeing so many women in my life owning their own business but knowing that I was fresh out of high school and finally able to work made me feel like I didn’t have the time or space to invest in myself because I kind of didn’t.

With all of this being said, I’m now about four years into working as a photographer. January 1st of 2020 was the first day of being a full-time freelance photographer. I’ve been blessed to have worked with amazing photographers as an assistant on shoots that have been on billboards and in magazines simply because I put myself out there. I decided that my life would always be held in my own hands and that in order to make waves in anything, I had to get up and move.

I’m still learning how to do to all of it especially being a self-taught businesswoman but starting and doing is the first step and a continuous step to getting to where I want to be in life.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No road is ever smooth. The biggest struggle I’ve encountered is my own mind. I always have to remind myself that I’m enough that I’m good enough. I grew up in a home where we made the best out of what we had so when it comes to working with what I have in front of me, I have no problem with it but staying motivated and confident gets hard at times.

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a photographer that captures real authentic moments between, within, around humans. I primarily focus on portraits because I’m just so obsessed with faces and the emotions behind them. I’m most proud that I’ve created some opportunities for others to make money with me. I’m not yet employing people but I’ve gotten to hire people to be apart of projects that I couldn’t do on my own. What sets me apart from others is that I operate with people in mind (I hope other photographers do and I know many who do) but people are first for me. The money is important too but I’m really just interested in real human connections.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. Everything I’ve experienced up until now has either taught me what not to do or what I should keep doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.rashidaz.com
• Email: rashidazagon@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rashidazagon/

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