Hey everyone, I'm Bear. I was a member on here from 2010 to 2012, took a break, got married, got my photography business up and running. I used to be under the username Alkalinesbff but since you can't change your username I decided to start fresh.
The last couple of years have been the best of my life, I married my bestfriend, I have a career that I absolutely love and I want to share my journey with anyone who cares to know it.
I got into photography when I was little, my father was a wedding photographer and owned his own studio here in Buffalo NY. I always felt more comfortable when I was behind a camera like I'm sure many of you do as well. Due to my depression and severe social anxiety I would mostly take trips and wander doing almost all nature and landscape photography. At one point I stopped picking up the camera entirely due to the depression, I had no motivation at all and looking back now I feel like I wasted an entire year of my life not getting help, letting the depression consume me and not behind the camera, my one true happy place.
Fast forward to when I met my wife. She was the spark under my ass that I needed. I found someone who was worth getting better for, someone who to me was important enough to face my demons so that I wouldn't end up losing her. Over the 4 years we've been together she's become my best friend and the core source of my motivation to get back behind the camera.
I started off doing landscapes again, my comfort zone. When I told my wife that I wanted to make a career out of it she said the thing I dreaded most. She said "you're going to have to start working with people then". Uhg, human interaction with strangers... Not my strong point. My Wife was having none of that shit, she pushed me and supported me in anyway She could through the whole thing so, I started booking clients for cosplay shoots. I figured if I had to interact with the general public it might as well be with my fellow nerds.
This was the best decision I've ever made. I've grown as a photographer and opened up a whole new world ever since so, I would like to periodically share that journey with you from my first cosplay photo shoot to where I'm at now.
I'll share with you now some shots from my first 2 Cosplay shoots. I hope you enjoy :)
More to come!
Bear.