Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Burling.
Hi Eric, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been interested in photography from a young age, and after one of my very good friends from high school Eliot let me borrow his Canon camera, I fell in love with it. I started off doing a few portrait sessions with friends for fun and eventually ended up enrolling in a photo class at my high school. From there, my wonderful teacher Pat Gilbertson gave me all the resources I needed to continue to learn more and more about shooting photos. I cannot thank him enough for his kindness and guidance as a teacher.
From there I began to shoot photos more and branched into many different disciplines of photography including landscape, urban architecture, cars/motorsport, and several others. Eventually, I began working as an intern for a social media marketing company and began to work with local brands. After about a year of interning and learning more about creating content, I started to get more independent contract gigs and fell in love with shooting photos as a job. After a short period of shooting car content for work, I ended up starting to go to more electronic music shows.
I’ve always been a huge fan of EDM and have been listening to artists like Skrillex, Liquid Stranger, and Excision since I was 12 but going to shows for the first time opened up a new world for me that I previously didn’t know existed. I was able to shoot some smaller local shows for a few production companies and it blossomed from there. I’ve now shot for well over 100+ different artists at shows and festivals all over the Midwest. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love it. It combines the two passions in my life I care most for music and Photography.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. Still to this day doing photography as a main job is not easy at all.
Granted I’ve had people that I’ve worked with that have imparted knowledge that has elevated my craft a ton and made being a photographer easier, it in general is not an easy endeavor.
You are required to be a website builder, accountant, social media manager, editor, collaborator, and so many other things. It is NOT just pushing buttons.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
At the moment, I specialize mostly in live event/EDM show photo and video work. I would say that in general most of my photos are usually very close to real-life scenes you would see at shows color-wise because I am not a fan of over-editing or incorporating things that aren’t there, but with a large majority of them I try to take photos that just make you feel like you are there in that moment and I feel like people usually really enjoy that.
I am probably most proud of just how far I’ve come since I started. I’ve thought of quitting countless times but through perseverance, and endless support from my friends and family (whom I can’t thank enough) I’ve kept going and now I’m slowly but surely building up my business, and shooting for clients I never thought possible.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
Pat Gilbertson- My high school art teacher that went above and beyond to help me become a better artist and see that my art had value.
Patrick Reagan- Gave me a big opportunity to shoot photos for his brand with little to no experience.
Mylan Sleets- Gave me the opportunity to shoot awesome content of amazing cars and taught me a lot about cars.
Jake Whaley and Hunter Brooeault- Gave me my first taste of working in the music scene with a production company and introduced me to so many incredible people.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syndicatevisuals/
Image Credits
Chuck Snyder
