Today we’d like to introduce you to Ilene Perlman.
Ilene, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My passion for photography began after taking an elective class in photojournalism while in college. I realized that I could enter all these different worlds and explore them both culturally and historically as I documented them visually. I was hooked on capturing life as it unfolded.
After college, I convinced a writer friend to join me in Ethiopia to document the Ethiopian Jewish community up in the north central highlands of the country. When we returned We packaged the words and images and sold them to the Christian Science Monitor and the Boston Phoenix. This began my freelance photography career. I began pitching story ideas both locally and abroad. I would pick a country that I wanted to explore and find clients to hire me to photograph there.
Some of my first clients were NGO’s, nonprofits and airline magazines. As I continued my photography career I started working consistently with travel organizations and magazines. I would divide my time between my international work and domestic magazines, newspapers, universities, and nonprofits.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Working as a sole proprietor is always a challenge. It’s a fine line balancing times of too much work with times of not enough. Since many of my clients might call with very little notice for jobs I never know if I will be available for some great jobs since I might have accepted other work.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ilene Perlman Photography – what should we know?
I am a photojournalist that specializes in events, portraiture, and editorial work for magazines, newspapers, universities, nonprofits, humanitarian organizations, and marketing and design firms.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mother always believed in my talents and abilities. She encouraged me early on to pursue my dreams in the arts and not worry about money. If you are passionate about what you do the money will come.
One of my first photo editors at the Christian Science Monitor Neal Menschel took an early chance on me and published some of my first work from Ethiopian and Sudan during the drought.
My writing partner Lark Gould was a constant inspiration and working with her over the years has been the inspiration for a forthcoming project on the Adventures of Lark and Ilene.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ileneperlman.com
- Phone: 617 308 7508
- Email: ilene@ileneperlman.com
- Instagram: eyedaperl
- Facebook: @ileneperlmanphoto
- Twitter: Boston Images
- Other: http://linkedin.com/in/ileneperlmanphotography
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