From Small Town to Big City Lights
The Journey of a Lifetime
When I was a young girl, I dreamed of escaping small town Ohio to the bright lights of California or New York City. Night after night, I would fall asleep with visions of being one of the lucky ones acting my way through productions such as The Wonder Years, The Facts of Life, E.T., or The Goonies. To help my dreams become a reality, I participated in a lot of local pageants and wore a lot of crowns. I also acted in high school, earning the lead role in several of the plays at Teays Valley and I even landed a lead role in a play performed at the State Thespian Conference my Senior year, in which I ended up traveling to several high schools across Ohio performing. I went so far as to be signed on with a modeling agency for a year but sadly, I just did not have what it took to make it big. But what does this have to do with my photography business and the portraits of the sweet and sassy little girl featured in this blog? I am getting there, I promise.
Back in early September, 2022, Brooklynn's momma reached out to a local Facebook mom's group searching for a photographer for portraits of her daughter. After several recommendations from fellow mommas, she reached out to me and explained their situation. Brooklynn has been invited to attend a modeling/acting convention in California in early January, 2023 and she needed to create a photography portfolio in which to submit to the various management agencies that would be attending the convention searching for new talent. She wanted to know if that was something I could do. Even though I had never taken on a project this big or this important, I knew in my soul I could do it so I immediately agreed to take her on as a client based on my previous dreams of making it big and the creative avenue this opportunity provided. We agreed on a date and a fee for the session and then the real work began.
I had no idea how to build a portfolio for something this important so her momma sent me the requirements and I started researching. Brooklynn needed a general headshot, along with portraits for both fashion and commercial print. All images needed to be of various crops along with a variety of styles and backdrops. She was required to have both smiling and non-smiling images along with portraits that were fun, full of high energy, personality and bright colors. Can I just say how hard it was get images of her not smiling? We were having so much fun during her sessions that she was an absolute gigglebox and there were smiles galore!! At least she had the poses nailed down for the ones that were full of personality. Whew!! Haha! In the weeks leading up to her sessions, I ordered backdrops, did more research, and her momma and I planned her outfits around those backdrops.
Due to the numerous outfit and backdrop changes required to complete her first official photography portfolio, we ended up doing two separate sessions. The first was about two and a half hours long and the second was just over an hour. However, we got everything we needed and the hard part could begin. Which images to choose for California? If you peruse through the images below, you will find Brooklynn captured in California with her photography portfolio sheets, which were handed out to the various talent agencies. Brooklynn had the time of her life out west, strutting down the runway, performing various commercial clips, and chatting with numerous reps across the country. By the end of the convention, she had received ten callbacks in which she spent some one on one time with the various agencies. So what happened after they returned home from California????
I am BEYOND THRILLED to announce that Little Miss Brooklynn Rose was signed by a top management agency in New York City!!!! As part of her contract, Brooklynn will need updated portraits for her portfolio. The management agency typically requires that she fly to New York City every time she needs updated portraits. However, based on the portfolio I created for Brooklynn, the management agency agreed to continue to allow me to be her photographer for her portfolio since both Brooklynn and her momma knows and trusts me and the agency has seen the quality of my work. I will be working closely over the next several years with the management agency, Brooklynn, and her momma to create the images they require to send to various casting and creative directors. This is a huge leg up for my future modeling/acting portfolio clients because I will be able to offer them the absolute best portfolio and advice possible. Of course, along with her portrait portfolio, she also needs a solid resume. Since our sessions together, Brooklynn is getting ready to be published in her fourth magazine and I have a feeling this is just the beginning for her.
I absolutely adore each and every single one of my clients and based on my love of the industry from a very young age, you can rest assured that I will work just as hard for you and your kiddos as I am for Brooklynn in helping to make her dreams come true. Even though my dream has now shifted to being one of the top individual portrait photographers in Central Ohio, I am more than okay with that as I have a peaceful life right here in my hometown of Ashville, Ohio with my amazing family and friends by my side.
If you or someone you know has hopes and dreams of being on the big stage via either acting or modeling and needs a portrait portfolio, I would love to be the one behind the camera helping to launch their career. My investment fee for this type of work can be found via the Book Now link below and you can always email me at EdenPhotography333@gmail.com.
I look forward to capturing your beautiful life through photos!
💜Angie💜
Ashville Ohio Photographer, Circleville Ohio Photographer, Canal Winchester Ohio Photographer, Lithopolis Ohio Photographer, Lancaster Ohio Photographer, Grove City Ohio Photographer, Columbus Ohio Photographer, Chillicothe Ohio Photographer, Central Ohio Photographer
Senior Portrait Photographer. Portrait Photographer. Cake Smash Photographer. Family Photographer. Portfolio Building Photographer
