Today we’d like to introduce you to Esther Huynh.
Esther, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a freelance product photographer in Dallas and have been working in the industry for several years now. I began as a wedding and portrait photographer but fell into the product category of photography shortly after my early years interning and assisting after I got out of college. I’ve always had a passion for certain products like beauty, skincare, and paper and eventually my clientele were several of the brands I personally use.
I’ve had the chance to work with many great companies like Amazon, Wisteria and Neiman Marcus. But I do enjoy the creative process with smaller and local businesses.
My work roles tend to gravitate outside of photography as well. I work with businesses in the marketing realm discussing social media strategies, additional creative photo/video services and providing consultation to several corporate businesses looking to create their own in-house studios.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s definitely been a difficult road. It’s never been smooth. One of the biggest struggles that I came across was finding my style and “look” in the industry. Photography is a very competitive industry that has many people who have developed long-standing relationships with clients. It’s hard to come and show them your work and convince them that you’re going to be able to take their product and elevate it to new heights.
After a long time of testing and trying my abilities in different photography fields like weddings, portraits, food, and fashion. I never seemed to really click with any of these categories. But I came to love and appreciate the secrets and techniques of the product world. Shooting jewelry, skincare, and reflective materials takes a great deal of skill. I really respected and evolved my skill set by way of apprenticeship/interning. Those weren’t easy days. It doesn’t pay well if any at all and sometimes the responsibilities were physically taxing. But it was worth it for the valuable amount of knowledge I acquired from observing and watching.
The newest and most current struggle is finding my Drlg appealing in the social media world. With photography more accessible and user-friendly to the masses by way of technological advances, it’s become harder to distinguish my work unless you have a great deal of followers on your Instagram or Twitter. It appears that the work is the second rate to the number of people who follow you which is disappointing. You find many Instagrammers who think that photography is merely snapping and shooting and although they have a good eye for aesthetics, they are taking our work and charging little to nothing.
The photography world has been diminished to “quick” and “instant” when the field really is a great deal of work and time. I think as a professional photographer, I struggle to find myself appealing to the current and new generation of trends but also maintain a level of exclusivity and high quality.
Esther H. Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My photo business strictly caters to Photography for corporate, commercial and editorial needs. I’m known for photographing many skincare and beauty products. I love working with my clients and taking them to another level of branding and marketing that encompasses the photos I’ve shot for them but also satisfying their needs as a business. I really take pride in the clients I’m privileged to work with. I respect their time, their craft, their products, and as a result want to market them as a consumer as well. I set myself apart to really take the time to listen to their objectives and goals and do my best to be an integral service to them.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success for me is being able to have a handful of great returning clients who I have built long-lasting relationships with. I want to be able to do what I do with full creativity and have clients who really appreciate and respect that aspect of my business. Trust is really important in business and if I’m able to establish a strong connection with them then I believe success is already obtained. I’m lucky to have that now. But it took a long time to realize that. I hope to have this for a long time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.estherhphoto.com
- Email: estherhphotographie@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherhuynh/
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