Today we’d like to introduce you to Garey Gomez.
Garey, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Although I make my living photographing architecture, my career really has its roots in my passion for cycling. I grew up racing bikes, and I competed on a regional level up until having kids. Having two kids at home took priority over long training rides, but, you know… the passion is still there. Since I wasn’t maintaining a competitive level of fitness, I started going to the local races with my camera instead of my bike to take pictures of all my friends in action. That really got me thinking about photography in a way I never did before, and the challenge was really fun, too.
My first real opportunity to work as a photographer came through my cycling friends as a result of being at the races and sharing photos. One close friend is a long-time real estate agent in the area, and he needed a house photographed quickly. His regular photographer was on vacation and he couldn’t wait, so he called me to see if I would give it a go.
I fell in love pretty quickly and worked really hard at improving. I don’t shoot much residential real estate these days, but it’s where I got my start and that led me to architecture as a kind of natural progression. It’s been eight years in business and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. There are a lot of ups and downs, and I think anyone in business for themselves can relate! With photography in particular, business practices are hard to learn about and it can be really confusing at times, too. For me, the hardest part was the time I lost going after the wrong kinds of clients and some ineffective marketing attempts. But you don’t know what you don’t know, so it ended up being good for me in hindsight.
Now I have a really incredible group of regular clients that I love working with, and I get to work on projects with new clients all the time. I get to photograph really interesting spaces, and I have a lot of creative freedom to follow my instincts on shoots. I don’t think my business would be what it is today without the experience I gained in those challenging times. I still have challenges, but it’s a lot more comfortable now and I still get to learn and grow. That’s the best part!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an architectural photographer based in Atlanta. I specialize in photographing the built environment. As architecture is my niche, most of my clients are architects, interior designers, developers, real estate agents, architectural materials manufacturers and vendors, furniture manufacturers and vendors, and general contractors. I shoot all kinds of spaces, from high-rise buildings to corporate interiors to residential architecture. To be trusted to capture their vision is such a privilege.
It’s hard to say what I’m most proud of, because there are two sides to what I do – creative and business – and I think my brain lives in both spaces equally.
Creatively, what I think I’m most proud of is that I approach everything I photograph with a fresh set of eyes. I’m definitely not on autopilot, and sometimes I’m surprised at how differently I photographed one project compared to another. It keeps things fresh for me, but it’s not something I do on purpose. My client briefs me on their needs, and then I see the project and get to know it a little during scouting. The next part of the process for me is pretty much a response to those objectives, and it’s a lot of fun to work through. I don’t know how common it is for other creatives, but for me, it works great to be working within some parameters. My mind may wander a little, but I can’t move a wall, so that keeps my head in the process in a really satisfying way.
On the business side, it’s definitely the structure that I’m proud of. It sets me up for success with my clients and lets them know exactly what to expect. I can’t remember the last time I had a disagreement with a client, and I owe that all to being set up with some good business practices, from my contract down to the licensing terms and copyright. Knowing how to talk about that stuff is a little intimidating at first, but it is WAY more comfortable than the alternative. Not having that structure is where small business owners get into trouble.
Plus, it’s a lot easier to focus on the creative process when you have the business and client side of things running smoothly!
These are the things that I think set me apart. From my proposal all the way through the delivery of the final images, I try to make it a great experience for my client and for me. The creative process and my business practices play equal parts in that experience.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
The best way to contact me is through my website, www.gareygomez.com. Also, give me a follow on instagram, @gareygomezphoto
I’m always interested to hear about new projects, and I love connecting with other photographers to talk shop.
I have a couple of courses for real estate photographers as well, available at www.masteringrealestatephotography.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gareygomez.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gareygomezphoto/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT_GITgiwAd6cYk24fMmZDg
- Other: https://masteringrealestatephotography.com/
Image Credits:
All images: © Garey Gomez
