Today we’d like to introduce you to Garrett Crosgrove.
Hi Garrett, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Hi! My name is Garrett, and I love photography! I started taking pictures with my brother’s point-and-shoot camera he got for his birthday when I was maybe 10. I fell in love and asked my parents for one for my following birthday. Knowing nothing about photography I started to experiment with my small camera and the little settings it had. I was blown away by the pictures I took. “They looked so professional,” my parents would say, encouraging my want for more. High school came and I took PHOTO 1. I hated it. My teacher was quite strict, I had no friends in the class and I felt very out of place. Photo 1 was “Intro to black and white film.” I didn’t understand anything. I felt as if my love for photography was slowly dwindling. At the time I thought I was dumb for not understanding how cameras, film, and the darkroom worked. Looking back I actually learned so much. PHOTO 2 was the next year, this time it was digital, which was what I really wanted to take. Same teacher, though this year I made two new friends. I was still learning stuff, but I would continue with my experimenting at home. I purchased my first DSLR camera. A camera that has the ability to have different lenses. It was a Canon T2i. A quite old, entry-level camera. And I used and abused that camera. I bought a 50mm 1.8 lens and that is where my love grew exponentially. This lens would make backgrounds so blurry but keep the subject in focus making them very visually appealing. This was the key to pretty pictures, and I finally had one. I joined the yearbook team my senior year of high school. Me and one of my best friends were both photographers. That class was so fun. That was the year I broke out of my shell and started making friends and talking to people. Taking pictures helped with that. It made me go to random events like golf practice, basketball games, and wrestling matches. Walking in with no direction of what to do. It forced me to talk to strangers and ask scary questions like; where is the best spot to take pictures? Can I take your picture for the yearbook? and Maybe we can turn those lights on for better lighting? Then came college. I took two classes, one being darkroom and alternative processes. Did you know that you can take a picture without a lens, using just a pinhole to focus the light? My experience in my first PHOTO 1 class came in handy as my fellow peers were asking me for advice on taking black and white photos. My professor was always inclusive of my crazy ideas and encouraged me to experiment. The next year I took the digital version of that class, with the same amazing professor. We learned things like studio lighting, posing models, and using light to sculpt our subjects in a creative way. That was when I found out that people are willing to pay money, real money, to get their picture taken. I made some overly complex flyers, forged the “campus approved” stamp, and hung them all over waiting for someone to call. Within a week I had 2 people interested! They wanted pictures of them in trade for real dollars! I couldn’t believe someone would pay for such a thing, especially for a photographer who had no experience. That was when I learned the importance of “fake it till you make it.” From then until now I’ve had wedding couples, families, and even many of my friends all ask for photos.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My mind is very mechanical, numbers, and logically oriented. So being creative is hard for me. Telling people how to pose is something that is hard to learn for me. I know how my image in my mind should look, but getting there is the hard part.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Weddings are where the money is. However, that is not what I like to do. I like to experiment, doing self-portraits, using creative studio lighting. That is the most fun for me. Finding someone who resonates with my style is hard, that’s why I take pictures of myself. Also, most people don’t have the patience for an hour or two for one single photo. I’m still hunting for models who will be willing to do crazy lighting setups, or pose in odd locations without others judging them.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Instagram! @garrettcrosgrovephotography
Contact Info:
- Email: gcrosgrovephoto@gmail.com
- Website: gcrosgrovephoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/garrettcrosgrovephotography
