Hi Eli, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story begins a few years ago managing a pizza shop in North Dallas called Tomato Pie. I learned how to run a business and everything involved here. During this time, I began an interest in photography. I would help my friends by connecting models with photographers and finding them locations to shoot. The real journey began when I have gifted my first camera, given to me by my uncle. I quickly applied everything I learned and started to fall in love with the hobby of doing photoshoots for friends and family. When I left the restaurant game and got a corporate job at Microsoft in Dallas (Las Colinas), I decreased my bills and spending. I started to save to collect everything I felt would improve my photography and made a goal to start up a business doing what I loved so I use it to fund my traveling goals. After many hours/weeks/months spent getting everything I needed up and running and saving up the funds to get purchase space I now how a studio, the latest and greatest of gear, a wonderful assistant and quite a lot of clients.
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?
I would say the hardest part of starting up a business is finding what you want to do and be able to minimize the risk of doing it. The hardest struggle I have had is being okay with putting myself at risk of losing everything I have built while continuing to build it. As time goes on, that struggle resolves itself. I guess that is what we refer to as successful as far as small business ownership goes.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a portrait and commercial headshot photographer that has the capacity and experience to do Portraiture (Family, Graduation, Headshots for Actors/Models), Commercial (Real Estate, Aerial/Drone work, Products), and creative work as well. I have worked with Colleges like TWU to photograph their graduates all the way to working with modeling agencies to help train and photograph their models. In my time as a photographer, I run into the big and the small. Instagram users with hundreds of thousands of followers and the local cosplayer looking to show off the hard work they put into their cosplay. I feel what sets me apart is my quality of work, my quick turn around times, and the amount of fun and comfort I bring to the session. Most of my clients have never worked with a photographer before so it’s nice to be walked through the process.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Facebook is the place to be if you don’t have the funds to get formal training. YouTube has changed the way the world learns. If you do have the funding, then I suggest finding a type of photography you want to be good at and paying to learn from top pros around the US. Find the best photographer willing to teach you and make them an offer. Do that for each type of work you want to master and I would imagine most if not all will develop the kind of skill they are after.
Contact Info:
- Address: Eli Mabli Photography 3809 Parry Ave. Suite 309
- Email: Eli@EliMPhotos.com
- Website: www.EliMabli.com
- Instagram: elimabli.photos
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliMabliPhotography/
Image Credits
All images shot by me except for my headshot which is the amazing work of Walt Melvin who is a very wonderful Headshot and Wedding photographer in North Dallas.
