Graduating with my MBA (2024)
Hi! I love photos and I love people and I love creating lasting art. It's ultimately what draws me to photography.
My journey unofficially starts with film cameras at a retro art camp. It was enough to get me hooked. In college, I saved up enough to buy into Sony's SLT lineup (a hybrid between DSLR and early stages of mirrorless) and this was the official beginning.
Through the years, I've honed my skills through countless personal projects and eventually began taking paid clients.
In 2021 I connected with Capture Your Events, LLC and became their go-to associate & 2nd shooter (which is where most of my wedding experience has come from).
Since 2021 - I've photographed a variety of clients in 3 different states. Weddings, Engagements, Corporate Headshots, Corporate Events, Marathons, and of course, Graduation Sessions at my alma mater - UCF.
Wedding Photography Experience:
10 Weddings as Lead or Solo Photographer
25-30 Total Weddings (including 2nd shooting)
HIATUS:
From 2022 - 2024 I went back to school and got a corporate job. This required me to take a step back from photography. So from 2023 - 2024, I slowed down photography operations... Until this month.
On Dec. 4th I resigned from my corporate job and am pursuing photography full-time. I'm excited and fully ready to leverage my people skills, adaptability, and strong photography experience.
I know y'all are looking for someone with 10 Weddings of Lead Photography experience and I believe in full transparency - two of my 10 Lead Photographer experiences come from a time well before I was ready to take on weddings. They were small backyard weddings that I covered as a favor to friends. I initially declined them but they were on very tight budgets. But hey - experience is experience! Regardless, I believe the rest of my experience can bridge that gap and that we can have a successful working relationship.
I'd love to chat further about how working with Orca Creative Team could be mutually beneficial for everyone!
- Richie Hartig