Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristy Ordner.
Hi Cristy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My father bought me a Canon DSLR when I was a kid. However, it wasn’t until my high school years, taking my first photography class, learning to shoot film and develop images in the dark room, that I really fell in love with this medium. I remember being mesmerized even then of how the camera could “freeze time.” And then later in life, when looking back at older images, how those images could bring you back in time to those exact moments and memories. What an incredible gift that is!!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, in short, it has not been a smooth road by any means. The peaks and valleys have been plentiful. There are so many challenges to running a small business, and especially a business that relies on your creativity in order to thrive. Marketing continues to be one of my biggest challenges and something that I feel is crucial to the growth of any business. I have the mindset that you can never stop growing and learning. It is definitely a journey, and each year brings new challenges and learning opportunities. In fact, they seem to go hand in hand. What always brings me back to the center of it all is my love for capturing moments in the most beautiful way in which I see them, in hopes that my clients will see the same beauty in themselves in those captured moments.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My ultimate goal in each session is to capture images that make you feel something when you look at them. Secondly, composition and light are very important to me. I specialize in portraits and capturing connection and love. Whether that be in an Editorial, Branding or Senior session or any of the following session types: Family, Couples, Maternity, Engagements and Weddings. In my opinion, what sets me apart is the courage I have to make art for me (through my eyes) while also creating artful memories for my clients. I am always waiting for the magic moments to unfold, to be ready for the “decisive moment” a term coined by a master street photographer, Henri Cartier- Bresson. The term “…implies that the photographer must be able to anticipate an important moment within the constant flow of life and capture it in a fraction of a second.” I am most proud of how far I have come and how much I have pushed myself beyond my own comfort zones to get to where I am today.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The best advice I can give for someone starting out is Don’t Give Up!!! I just kept plugging away at this dream that has slowly turned into reality. It has not been easy, and most days it’s still not easy – but as they say, Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life! A few lessons I’ve learned along the way that I’d like to pass on take chances, push your creativity, set up personal project/creative shoots to keep your creativity flowing and to make connections with vendors and other creatives. Don’t compare your work to others and own your style. You will slowly but surely start to attract your ideal clients.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/cristyordnerphotography
- Facebook: Cristy Ordner Photography
Image Credits
Cristy Ordner Photography
