Today we’d like to introduce you to Riley Barkowsky.
Riley, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
When I was eight, my dad got me one of those really cheap point-and-shoot cameras (you know the ones that when you zoom in enough, you can’t even make out the pixels on your screen?) and I used it constantly. I loved the action behind taking a picture and it was almost addictive. I began shooting on a DSLR when I was 13. When I started high school, I took every photography class I possibly could. Soon enough, I had friends asking if they could pay me to take their senior pictures and family friends asking if they could hire me for their family portraits. I witnessed firsthand how impactful capturing a memory is and the emotion behind small moments, and from then on, I knew I wanted to do this full-time.
Great, 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?
Oh absolutely not! My parents were very concerned when I declared I wanted to be a photographer. It’s a risky path and it’ll never be a financially stable career. That really worried me. I always wondered about the way I would live off of photography, but I was never too worried about it until that was ALL my parents were worried about. That, and the fact that photography is an incredibly oversaturated market right now. I’m here because this is what I love doing and I have a lot of passion behind my work, but there are many, many photographers out there that are only doing this because they know it’ll be an easy way to get some cash, and that is always really frustrating for the people who throw so much passion into their work on a consistent basis. It’s been hard to not bend to the “trendy” styles that are on all of our timelines right now and stay true to my style, and it’s all because of this oversaturation. Now, my parents are supportive of my decision and I have a great circle of friends who continue to encourage me to keep creating work that reflects who I am, and they help me to avoid the constant cycle of trends.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Riley Grace Photography – what should we know?
I’m a lifestyle and portrait photographer based in the DFW area and Lubbock, Texas. I love working with seniors, especially if they’re open to working with some weirder/non-traditional poses. I have an attraction toward editorial and fashion photography and that influences everything I do, from posing to editing. I also offer couples shoots and family/group sessions. Riley Grace Photography was born when I started to get pretty consistent bookings. It just became easier to have a website with all of my work and a centralized way to get in contact with me.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Passion and dedication. Without passion, photography can be incredibly lackluster and lacking personality. Without dedication, you’ll find yourself stuck in a rut and the only person who can dig you out is yourself. Your art suffers if you don’t dedicate part of each day to it. I may not be booked for a senior session each day, but I edit, research, work on personal projects, etc. and it has helped me and the quality of my work significantly.
Pricing:
- Mini-sessions: $75
- Senior/Couples session: $150
- 2-5 Family Member/Group session: $150
- 6+ Family Member/Group session: $200
Contact Info:
- Website: rileyygrace.com
- Email: rileybark3@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/rileyygracephotography
- Twitter: twiiter.com/rileybark
Image Credit:
Personal Photo done by Kailee Ann Photography (@kaileeannphotography on Instagram)
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