Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ross Gordon. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ross , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
The confidence I have in my craft comes from a couple different places, the first being my father. Prior to my photography journey starting, I actually did not like it. I truly hated being in front of a camera or working with them. My father did photography as a hobby and would request that I help him test all his new toys and gadgets whenever he purchased a new one. One day he asked if I would accompany him to an event, he was shooting to help him out, and I agreed. At one point during the event, he had to step away and requested I take over shooting. I was hesitant but agreed. I continued to shoot, and it felt comfortable being behind the camera and capture the memories as a photographer. When he came back, he praised my work because it was similar to his. He noted that he had spent months reading and practicing, but i was able to do what he has been doing just using raw talent. That sparked a level of confidence in me that lead to me joining the yearbook club at my high school. At that point I had received my first camera, and that’s where i truly gained majority of my confidence. By putting in multiple hours on a daily basis I continued to grow in my craft. I took the words of Jay Rock the rapper “Kobe Bryant mindset, I’m shooting till I’m accurate” extremely seriously. From my sophomore year of high school till graduation I shot almost every event my school had to get the practice I needed. That practice helped me gain my footing in college whereas a freshman I was ahead of me of the other photographers on campus. The confidence boost knowing that the work I had put in in high school paid off made me grateful and confident in my work.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a very simple guy lol. I have been doing photographer since I was a sophomore in high school back in 2014. I am a two-time HBCU graduate, I did my undergraduate years at Morehouse College and graduated with my MSW from Howard University this past May. Social work and photography are my two true passions. I love helping people and my job at Howard University Hospital as the Medical ICU social worker always me to do that. As for photography I take all gigs that come my way. I will forever love being given the opportunity to capture memories and immortalized them.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first quality that is truly needed if you’re going to be a creative service provider is a listening ear. Not all clients are effective or good communicators. So, with that being said you have to know what to listen out for. Whether that be a red flag that lets you know this is not a client you should work with, or a green flag in just being able to read between the lines of what the client is saying and understanding what they actually want. The second quality is being able to creative problem solving. There are going to be many instances where there is not clear-cut answer or path to the finish line. You have to be able to think outside the box to hit deadlines or get the work done. The last is being a true student. Being able to take criticism and being ready to learn and move forward are huge. We live in a day and age where things change a mile a minute you have to be able to learn so that you can grow at the same pace.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for folks to collaborate with. Whether that be business’s or individual I am always looking for my next shoot. I truly attempt to work with everyone’s budget but at this point in my life I just want to get shots up lol. If you have any great ideas, or just need some headshots I am always willing to work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rgsparkphotography.com/
- Instagram: rgspark
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rossaverygordon/
- Twitter: rg_spark
Image Credits
Travis scott in image 4 Damage Goods (brand) image 2
