Today we’d like to introduce you to Raiven Shynia.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Raiven. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My journey as photography began about two years ago the spring semester of my junior year of college. I was honestly just tired of being of being broke and decided I needed a side hustle in addition to the two jobs I was already working in college. I was partially influenced by someone who was a thriving photographer and I took that inspiration and did something about it. So, in true Raiven Shynia fashion, you know what I did? I invested $700 (obviously from my college refund check cause believe me I was broke back then) and bought my first camera, the Sony a6000. A few months I started to see that I was this could be more than just a side hustle. I decided to sale the Sony a6000 (it sold within 5 hours of listing it online!) and used the profit to buy my first full frame camera, the Sony a7ii. That camera really meant a lot to me and with it I took some of my best content.
No kidding, I researched camera options for at least two months because I know it would be expensive and I had no room for error. I could only afford to buy it second hand so once the money was spent it was gone there was no returning it to the store. I remember the jitters and butterflies I had after I watched the seller drive away after purchasing it- you would’ve thought I was delivered the worst news of my life. I literally felt nauseous but hey no risk no reward right? Fast forward a few months later and it was graduation season at my university, so I told a few of my friends if they took a chance on me and allowed me to shoot their session I would do it for free. I was a nervous wreck once again because I knew this was their special moment and I didn’t want to ruin it. Needless to say, they came out AMAZING! I posted them on my freshly created Instagram page and promoted that I was now taking senior portrait clients and the rest is history.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Honestly, I have not had many obstacles but the few I have had were detrimental, to say the least. One major obstacle I faced in September 2018 was actually being scammed out of my Sony a7ii when by someone I thought was a potential buyer. That was such a major L, I can’t even articulate where my mind was at this point in time. I was shocked, ashamed, confused but it honestly made me a stronger person. At the time, I was doing photography full time so it forced me to get a more traditional 9 to 5. When I look back at this period in my life, I am actually so proud of how I handled this situation because if there was ever a time for me to give in and just quit photography, that was no question the time. I literally had NOTHING, like are you even photographer if you don’t own a camera body? This struggle honestly brought me closer to my passion and made me realize that I am not only a photographer but so much more.
Please tell us about Shot by Rai Photography.
Shot by Rai Photography is a business that truly cares about bringing each client’s vision to life. Each of my sessions is a truly collaborative experience with the model always working towards bringing their vision to life. I am most proud of the relationships I am able to build with my clients even after the session. When I meet a client, it is my goal to make sure that they are safe, comfortable and clear on what will be transpiring during their session. I also feel like this relationship with my clients is what sets me apart.
I’ve been running my business two years as of May 2019 and I can confidently say I am most definitely known for either senior portraits or portraits of women in general. I truly love working with women and capturing the female experience in my work. It’s something about the energy bouncing back one another as we create art and share various life encounters and experiences. These are the moments I truly cherish as a photographer. However, graduation season is no doubt my most flush season of the year. Honestly, as I look back on how far I have come, I am just shocked by the progress I’ve made in such a short amount of time. Photography is honestly something that I leveled up pretty fast with honestly. I know I still have so much to learn which is so exciting in itself but my progress skill-wise is something I have always been proud of.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m thinking and one thing I would do differently is to shamelessly promote myself. I have such great content but so many people are not exposed to it because I am too embarrassed to promote myself. I’m not that person pushing my services onto everyone I meet but I honestly should be. My photography business would have progressed so much more than it has if I marketed myself more aggressively. This is a trait I am working now as I move forward with my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shotbyrai.com
- Phone: 832-766-9153
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shotbyrai_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shotbyrai/
Image Credit:
James DeRouen
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