The Story Behind My First Paying Client
Do you ever start on one path, wander somewhere else entirely, and then slowly find your way back to where you started? It's called a full-circle moment, and I'm living one right now.
When I first picked up a camera for portraits, the fantasy side called to me. Ethereal. Magical. Mystical. And, funny enough, I've been drawn to that world throughout my whole life. I didn’t even realize it!
As an '80s kid, The NeverEnding Story, The Labyrinth, The Dark Crystal, and The Last Unicorn were always my go-to movies. Oh, and Thumbelina, because tiny people in a big world always fascinated me.
My childhood bedroom was decorated with unicorns, something I'd completely forgotten until a recently. I was talking with friends and remembered this after a sound bath healing session. The universe has a funny way of pointing me back to that magical version of myself.
Below is one of my first portrait photos, I set this up without even realizing it was a nod to Alice in Wonderland. My favorite childhood (and adulthood) story.
So when I began learning portrait photography, of course I was drawn to fantasy. I admired photographers in the UK who created worlds by building sets and incorporating capes, swords, and the forest.
If magic isn't your thing, and you have a hard time understanding what I do, think about children’s books, adult books, even Harry Potter. Fantasy photography doesn’t necessarily need to be witchy or dancing under the moon. It celebrates any kind of magic. If you love plants, books, and creativity of any kind.
It can be as simple as lying in a pile of leaves or walking barefoot in the grass. We talk to the animals and fall in love with nature all over again. I'm a hippie at heart, through and through.
I lost touch with that part of myself for a while. Why? I was busy raising four kids and driving them to school and soccer practice six days a week, feeding them, and doing all the mom things- oh, and running my handmade Etsy shop.
That version of "busy" leaves no room for anything else.
But now that my kids are growing up and need me a little less, I've done a U-turn straight back to the magic. Back to the wonder.
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I've begun some soul-searching through journaling, and every single entry kept leading me back to the same place: the magic I love. The art I leaned into alone, as a child.
There's something special about believing in what you can't see. I even took a little walk down astrology lane and did a deep dive into my natal chart. Every planet, house, and sign pointed to creativity. Creating printed artwork comes up over and over. Do I see a book in my future? Maybe.
Creating old worlds comes up a lot too, tying me back to my Welsh heritage. It really did a number on my mind and spirit, and I didn't expect it.
“When I needed people and didn’t have them, I found art. Now that my people don’t need me, I’ve refound art.” - Me
Which brings me to my very first paying client, the one who made me want to keep chasing fantasy photography for good.
My hairstylist pointed a friend, a girl dad, in my direction. His daughter was a senior, and they just found out she could graduate a few weeks before graduation. I understood that feeling more than she knew. Back in the '90s, I had to pass three exams to graduate, and the math one nearly broke me. I didn't pass it until two weeks before I walked across the stage.
Years later, I learned why: I have dyscalculia, a learning difficulty that makes numbers, dates, and dollar amounts genuinely difficult for me, even with a calculator in hand. Think dyslexia but with numbers.
Meet Lucy: She brought a Zelda sword, a lightsaber, a full closet of outfits to change into, and a pair of elf ears. Oh, and a cap and gown because… senior photos.
Her energy was full of light. She'd never had professional photos taken before, but she went all in. She gave me silly faces and dramatic poses. Two and a half hours flew by, even in the long, hot summer sun.
After we finished and exhausted every outfit and prop she brought, we wrapped it up. She gave me the hugest hug, and her dad, who waited in the car the entire time, handed me a hundred-dollar bill. I told him no, I was doing this for free because I needed practice in portraits. But he wouldn’t take no for an answer. I politely accepted the money and thanked them with a full heart.
I didn't realize it in the moment, but looking back, that $100 session was the start of my confidence. It was the first fantasy-style portrait I’d done that wasn’t pre-planned. I thought I was only taking senior photos.
But that was the kind of photography I wanted to make.
For my clients and for myself. Those images still hang on my market booth displays today. They are still doing their job of telling people exactly who I am behind the camera.
Fantasy photography is for the dreamers, the creatives, the weirdos who don’t quite fit in, the people who are real, in my eyes. And the ones who love having fun in life!
When I drifted into more traditional family photography for a moment, it never quite fed my soul the way that first session did. A piece of me died, a little. I stopped showing up. I stopped feeling alive.
If I'd been paying closer attention, I would have known my very first paying client already showed me the way. Fantasy was the answer. It was the way. It was what I was looking for, all along.
It’s art for me, and the medium is my camera. I can create magical scenes and themes and moods, oh my!
If you’re curious or ready to step into your own fantasy portrait session, click here.
Whether you want to bring a sword to swing, wear elf ears, or just see yourself transform into a world in your imagination, I'd love to create something with you.
Let's build a world that doesn't exist anywhere except in your eyes, your heart, and your soul.
Click here to see how it all works. The whole experience.
Cheers,
Annette
P.S. I’ve been asked a few times why I always sign off with “cheers”. Well, it’s because I’m cheering you on! So cheers to you, being you.
