Today we’d like to introduce you to Chloe Storm.
Hi Chloe, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
At the end of my junior year of high school, I started my own photography business. At first, I felt completely lost. I didn’t know what my website should look like or what the best ways to get in contact with clients. The first thing I did was reach out to other photographers online through Instagram or Facebook, and I asked them how they started and if they had any advice for new photographers. Most people responded and told me the best way to get good at photography is to constantly be practicing shooting. I also talked to one of my cousins, who is a photographer, and talked with her about how she runs her business and how the business side of photography works. Once I felt educated, I began making my website. Since I am also an artist, I used Squarespace so I would have unlimited storage for both my art and photography galleries. While I was making my website, I looked at other photographers’ websites for inspiration and to see how they included their galleries, rates, and sign-up information. Making a website was probably the most difficult and time-consuming part of starting my business but once it was complete, I was able to start advertising to the people in my area through Facebook marketplace. By the end of my senior year, I had taken several people’s senior portraits and a couple family photos. I felt like I had a foundation forming in my business, but it would take me forever to edit photos, and I wasn’t fully confident in choosing camera settings during the shoot, so I decided to improve my photography skills by taking a photography course. This helped so much and helped me realize all the little mistakes I made in the past and how I would prevent making those mistakes in the future. My photography improved immensely, and I started getting more clients. Eventually, I bought a new camera that was more fit for portrait photography, and now I can show up to photography sessions with so much more confidence than I did in the beginning. Now, I do photography on the side while I am getting an education at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I am studying graphic design with a minor in photography. I plan on always doing photography on the side while my main career will be in graphic design.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of my hardest experiences while creating my business happened when I did a family portrait session for a close family friend. This was the first client that paid me, so I was a little nervous. They chose a location in downtown Austin so they could get the beautiful tall buildings behind their family. We showed up about an hour before sunset to get the golden-hour lighting, but it was so windy. Everyone’s hair was blowing everywhere, and their kids were very grumpy and did not want to be taking photos. Along with that, the sun was pointing at the buildings instead of being behind them, which meant that the sun was in their eyes, and they were all squinting in most of the photos. To top it all off there were so many people at the park we were taking photos at. I knew the photos were not going to be in the quality that I had planned. We left the session, and I uploaded the photos to my computer to start editing. The photos were so bad I was so embarrassed. I tried my best to repair the photos by editing out hair or removing people from the background. There were a couple good photos, but definitely not anywhere near the amount of good photos I wanted to share with them. I ended up sending the digital gallery with about half the number of photos I was intending to send. I was so worried about what she would say. Luckily, she is a family friend, so she responded positively, but I was so embarrassed by the photos that I never even posted them on my social media. After that horrifying experience, I took a photography course so I could learn how to prevent that unnecessary stress in the future.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Alongside photography, I am also an artist. I love to draw hyperrealistic portraits that are influenced by my imagination. I have won several awards including a 2022 National Silver Key Portfolio in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition as well as 3 Gold Seals in the Visual Arts Scholastic Event. I was also 1 out of 9 people worldwide to receive 2 perfect scores on my AP Drawing and Design Exams. I ended up getting a full ride to the Savannah College of Art and Design where I am currently pursuing Graphic Design with a minor in photography. My love for creating and motivated nature has driven me to also start teaching art lessons to kids in elementary school through high school. When I am on break from school, I am teaching or taking photos. I started teaching kids last summer, and I absolutely love it! I have researched art competitions that my students can participate in, and it has been cool to see them get excited about art in a new way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stormcreations.squarespace.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chlo_the_artist/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChloeStorm333
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/chlo_the_photographer/
Image Credits
Chloe Storm
