Today we’d like to introduce you to Charissa Bacon.
Charissa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m an 18-year-old business student at Nova Southeastern University. I was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in nearby Tacoma. I am also the owner of my personal photography business, Rissa B. Photography. I’ve been operating since the fall of 2017, and I’m currently based out of Fort Lauderdale. I love being in front of the camera and posing for the gram, and whenever I meet someone, I always get the question “are you into modeling?”
It’s so funny seeing the facial expressions when I tell them I’m actually a photographer, and I enjoy being behind the camera even more than I like being in front of it. The story of how I got to where I am today is pretty interesting. I hadn’t taken a single photography class in my life, but I was equipped with a camera, ambition, and an aesthetic eye. I had been modeling from the age of 15 at an agency in Seattle, and one day in August of 2017 I was shooting with a Tacoma-based photographer named Michael Landon.
He was experimenting with new equipment and different lighting, and I found myself asking him lots of questions about what he was doing behind the camera and why. I told him how this fascinated me, and I thought it would be cool to get into photography one day. His response is what stuck with me to this day. He asked, “Why can’t you do it now?” And when I went home I couldn’t stop thinking about that response—Why couldn’t I? What’s stopping me
Soon after I started experimenting with my dad’s old Canon Rebel t1i and watching YouTube videos, learning about the manual settings on a DSLR camera. It wasn’t long before I was taking portrait-style photos of just about anyone who would let me. Family, friends… I would bring that camera just about everywhere. After posting enough of my amateur work on Facebook, my friends from school started asking me to take their senior photos, and the family I nannied for asked me to take their family photos.
I hardly knew what I was doing, and in hindsight, those pictures were not the best. But with time and practice, my work improved with each shoot. As the months went on, I began booking multiple shoots a month and really falling in love with photography as I continued to learn more on YouTube and Skill Share. The entrepreneur who inspired me the most was Jessica Whitaker who is a photographer from Seattle who moved to NYC.
She is a YouTuber, famous for her videos catered to the portrait photography community. I really felt a strong connection to her because not only was her work as a portrait photographer awe-inspiring, but she is also from my city, she’s a successful female entrepreneur, and she’s a passionate follower of Christ. From here, not only did I learn many technical photography skills, but seeing someone so similar to myself accomplishing so much made me feel like I could do it too…
I had only thought of this endeavor a little side hustle for me to make some extra cash outside of nannying, but I eventually grew confident enough to recognize my talent and stop selling myself short. January of 2018 is when I started calling myself a freelance photographer, and Rissa B. Photography, my business. I paid for a logo and business cards, got my website up, and began a more professional approach to booking photoshoots.
I started networking every opportunity I got, handing out business cards, coming up with different pricing packages, and expanding my services. I’m so thankful for the support of my parents because they saw this was something I was truly passionate about, and they invested in a new Nikon for me before I left for college. That meant more to me then they’ll ever know because it showed me that they recognized all my hard work and they believed in my dreams enough to invest in it.
I crossed the country to attend Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale because I wanted to be in a city where I could have a market for photography. I also have beautiful scenery and nice weather all 12 months of the year, perfect for taking photos. I interviewed for and was admitted into an extremely selective program called Razor’s Edge Shark Cage, which is a scholarship program at my university for entrepreneurship.
This is what mainly attracted me here because I realized if I got into this program, they would give me the opportunity and the startup capital to start my own on-campus business. I am so excited to say that after months of planning, my new on-campus business, Rissa’s Premier Media (RPM) will be launching in August! Many experiences here have prepared me for this.
The very first day of orientation I saw people around campus with cameras and name tags, so I talked to every single one of them and asked about their position, what they do, and how they got the position. A few weeks later, I found myself accepting the position of Senior Student Photographer in Student Affairs Marketing. I would be the main photographer covering events on campus. This gave me the opportunity to get my name and face out there, begin networking and snatching every opportunity that came my way.
A few months later, I was presented with one of the best opportunities I could have imagined. The person in charge of NSU athletics department’s digital media and graphic design asked me to join his creative team as an intern. This opened the door into sports photography, and it has been such a fun experience. I have learned so much about digital media this year from my supervisor, Tony Price, and I couldn’t have asked for a better position on campus!
I never could have guessed I’d be working in event or sports photography because I was only interested in portraits, but when these opportunities presented themselves, I knew I had to take them. I’ve met so many people here in the last several months who have mentored and inspired me along the way. Thanks to a gig I was shooting for a Greek organization, I met my mentor, Andre Jones. I’m so grateful to know such a talented and successful creative with experience in the industry because I have so much to learn, and he has so much knowledge to offer.
And I have to mention my best friend, Bri who has been such a blessing in my life and so instrumental in my journey as an entrepreneur. It is difficult entering a new market when you don’t know anyone, but she is not only an amazing friend, but she’s also an exceptionally talented entrepreneur herself. She is 19 with her own hair braiding business, and it has been so much fun going places with her, networking and meeting like-minded individuals who have been instrumental in our growth and success.
I think it is so important to wake up each morning knowing you have a purpose and knowing you can do just about anything God puts on your heart, no matter how big it might seem. So I move toward the manifestations of my goals and just keep making moves until I see the fruits of my labor no matter what others have to say.
Even though NSU was so far away from home, I knew this was where God wanted me to be, and ever since I decided to trust in His plan, He’s been faithfully blessing me. By working hard, trusting the process, and being patient, I’ve accomplished more than I ever thought I was capable of, and I wouldn’t be making any boss moves if God weren’t right by my side every step of the way.
I thank Him for making me into the person I am today because without Him I am nothing. I am far from perfect, but the love and grace of Jesus Christ covers me every single day, and I believe he will continue to open doors for me and close the ones that are not meant for me, and for that I give Him all the glory, honor, and praise.
Has it been a smooth road?
I remember being proud of the photos I took of a friend downtown, and I wanted to share them on Instagram. I was so anxious about starting an Instagram page to share my work because of what people from school might think, but I took a step outside my comfort zone, made the account, and named it Rissa B. Photography.
It was hard starting out as a self-taught photographer because half the time I had no idea what I was doing, and although I saw my work improving, I still worried about the opinions of others.
Many of my friends poked fun at me for sharing my work on social media and promoting myself as a photographer, and it was hard having my own friends doubt me saying things like “Everyone thinks they’re a photographer nowadays,” and “Just because you have a camera doesn’t make you a photographer”, but I didn’t listen because I knew they didn’t see all the work I was investing into my craft.
I knew that my hard work could take me far if I just kept working. To this day, I am so thankful for the genuine people who saw something in me from the very beginning and supported me. By the winter of 2017, it was my mom who initially made me start charging people for their pictures… which is something that made me uncomfortable because 1) I didn’t want to ask my friends for their money, and 2) I didn’t think I was good enough to start charging.
But my mom noticed how much time and energy I was investing in photography instead of school during my senior year. She encouraged me and told me my work was good enough, and people should be paying for my services if I’m going to be pouring so much time and effort into their product.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Rissa B. Photography story. Tell us more about the business.
My services include senior portraits, family photos, headshots, Greek organization photos, special occasion photoshoots, graduation photos, sports photography, and event photography.
What sets me apart is that I don’t only take portraits, I am continuing to learn and grow as a sports photographer through my internship in athletics, and this makes me diverse as a photographer.
At first, I thought I would only be a portrait photographer, but I decided to be open to new experiences, and I am most proud of my work in my new community at NSU. Forming relationships with people all over campus has been the best part of my photography career so far.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you were just starting out?
If I had to start over, I would have saved the money I was making from all my gigs senior year and put it toward investing in my business and getting better equipment instead of getting a check and spending it immediately.
I would also network with more established photographers, particularly wedding photographers so I could get started working as a second shooter at weddings and important events. That way, I’d already had that experience, and I’d be able to say I’ve experienced shooting weddings which is something I want to be doing.
Pricing:
- Portrait sessions range from $50-$150
- Event photography is $50 per hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://charissabacon.wixsite.com/mysite-1
- Phone: 2539857536
- Email: rissab.photo@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rissab.photography/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/nsu_rpm/
Image Credit:
Slobodan Blagojevic, Madi Hershman
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