Today we’d like to introduce you to John Huang.
Thanks for sharing your story with us John. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
From an early age, I had a strong talent for art and music. My parents were very encouraging and enrolled me in private lessons as soon as they saw the talent. The first instrument I learned was the piano, then the violin and lastly, the guitar. They also sent me to private art lessons where I learned art theory and was taught many different mediums.
After high school I was accepted into the Architecture program at the University of Houston. After the second year, I felt that I needed more freedom in artistic expression and dropped out to pursue a career in music. I soon realized that the world was saturated by great musicians giving away their talent for free. So I found myself getting more into the lifestyle as I lost hope in making it as a musician.
I ran with the wrong crowd for a while, became addicted to drugs, got in trouble with the law and ended up hitting rock bottom…twice. I had no money, no car, no job, no relationship with my family and no true friends. I wandered through life surviving day-to-day only worrying about what I would eat that day.
It was the unwavering love of my father that finally brought me back. I had cut off my relationship from him because I blamed him for everything wrong in my life, but somehow he tracked me down and welcomed me back home. After I came home, he gave me the opportunity and the tools to get back on track. I wish it was smooth sailing from there but it really wasn’t.
I ended up mostly working in restaurants and not really knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I primarily worked as a waiter which taught me invaluable skills in customer service, team work and problem solving. After working for nearly a decade in the restaurant industry, my health began to suffer due to bad air quality and long hours on my feet. I began to truly understand the importance of education and started making moves towards getting back into school. While browsing the UH website one afternoon, I came across the Digital Media program offered through the College of Technology. It really appealed to my artistic nature as well as my interest in technology. I quickly made the necessary steps and enrolled into the program.
I never would’ve imagined finding a career path that I could enjoy so much and be so passionate about. I have no doubt in my mind that this was the best choice for me. It was through my required photography class that I would finally find a way out of the restaurant industry. The skills I learned gave me the knowledge and opportunity to begin freelancing.
I took all the savings I had made from waiting tables and invested in photography equipment. I worked with established photographers and forced myself to work all opportunities that came my way. Before I knew it, I had constant business and a career that I thoroughly enjoyed. Definitely the best job I’ve ever had.
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?
No, it has not been a smooth road. When I started, I was not familiar with the photography industry and had to educate myself on a lot of things from technique to the business aspects. At first my parents did not think it was a good career move and thought it was too big of a risk. I was willing to take a gamble though and put all my savings into equipment. The first 3 or 4 months were not very promising and it took a long time to get things started. I did not give up and spent all my time learning as much as I could about technique as well as business. Pretty soon, the opportunities started to come in and the business really started to take shape.
John Huang Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I specialize in event and portrait photography. I cover all types of events such as corporate events, conferences, birthday parties, weddings, etc. For portraits, I primarily do professional headshots, engagement sessions and family portraits.
What sets me apart from the competition is my focus on customer service. I strive to provide non-judgmental friendly service and create a comfortable environment for all my clients. I always make sure to come on time and provide good communication throughout the process.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career has to be when my parents asked me to take photos for our family. Mostly because they did not have any faith when I first started this business. Once they saw that I was actually making it work, they became very proud of what I achieved. So when they acknowledged that, it was a really special moment for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.johnhuangphotography.com
- Phone: 7139981581
- Email: john4huang@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/john4huang
- Facebook: facebook.com/johnhuangphotography
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