The girls pictured here were part of a private photography lesson that a mom purchased for her daughter for Christmas. How humbling it is to get paid to share something you're so passionate about. This girl was the real deal too. She has the potential to do something great with photography. Only a freshman in high school, she already has 10 times the confidence that I have now. Watching her pick up on the information so quickly made me miss the days when I was sponge for the camera.
Teaching photography has always been something I've wanted to do. In my 15th year of professional portraiture, I finally realize that I haven't given back to my industry in any way, shape or form. With a wife and 5 kids, I've always felt I had nothing left to give the rest of the world.
After attending WPPI this year in Vegas, I'm left with a deep sense of responsibility to share my love for the camera with my sphere of influence. One thing that has held me back is not being able to put into technical, scientific lingo what it is I actually do. Sorry, I'm still not sure how to tell you. But I can show you.
For years I found that looking all around at what every other photographer had to offer only left me feeling small and inadequate. I don't want to feel that way anymore. Testimonials like this one below bring me back to the actual reality that there is power in the skills I've been blessed with. I may not be changing the world over night, but I can promise you this; my personal world has been changed by the art of photography.
Testimonial: "I believe that Brady Campbell’s photography changed my daughter’s life. My daughter is a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. Very athletic and casual, and doesn’t see herself as the type of girl who is “pretty”. I brought my daughter to Brady for her senior pictures. Brady was able to capture her essence so beautifully that she couldn’t stop looking at her photos. She could not believe that was her. Her self-image has been changed dramatically. She now knows that, though she is still a jeans and t-shirt girl, it’s only by her choice, and that she actually is a “pretty” girl. Brady Campbell was able to work so comfortably with her, and yet he is so meticulous in what he is capturing in each of his shots. He made my daughter look stunning. His work is true art and nothing less. Thank you Brady, for showing my daughter how beautiful she actually is." Lisa Norris
In short, I'd like you to pick up a camera and come on a journey with me. Let's let others be the judge of whether our photography is art, or whether it's meaningful. I'm going to start letting people be inspired if they need inspiration, taught if they want to be taught, and just loved if they need to be loved. Will you join me? I may be living on an emotional roller coaster. I may even sound like a girl (no sweat...I've heard it before). However one thing is for sure; as long as my images evoke something great and unexpected out of you, I'm going to keep on clicking, growing and spreading my love for the arts.
Humbly,
Brady
Photography by Weston Cederblom