Today we’d like to introduce you to Charity Hope Williams-Ogunba.
Charity Hope, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I know that pictures not only bring people together but they have the power to keep people alive. After losing my father as an infant, photos were all I had left of him and they have meant the world to me. Growing up, I always knew the importance of savoring every moment and locking away the most brilliant seconds in my camera for safe-keeping; it was second nature for me. Creative arts have always been a part of my life since I was a little girl, from singing, dancing, musical theatre, drawing and painting, but as I went into adulthood, it was an aspect of my life that landed on the back burner. Fast-forward to the early years of my marriage when my husband bought me my first camera; shortly after that, I felt that this was something I could actually see myself doing as a part-time career. It’s a beautiful way to work: doing what I love as well as being able to still stay at home with my children.
My first taste of the industry was when my best friend’s mother asked me to photograph her wedding shortly after I got my camera. I was adamant to let them know that I was definitely not qualified to shoot their wedding, but they felt otherwise. I found some amazing education online that was slowly giving me more and more confidence. For my first “big gig,” I guess you could say they weren’t that bad, but as I look back on them, it reminds me of how far I have come! It is humbling, but also is a great reminder of my growth. That experience helped me realize my love for photography and love for being a part of people’s weddings. Session after session, wedding, after the wedding, I always learned from my mistakes and sought after new ways or techniques to improve my skills and my clients’ experience and discovered my niche. While I have photographed individuals, families and maternity sessions for years now, I have decided that due to my deep love and joy for photographing couples, I will only be photographing engagements, weddings, and anniversaries (starting in 2019!). Discovering what I love to photograph most is the best thing I could have done because it has helped me have a focus and a specific area of business that I am always committed to doing well. I found it is better to say no to inquiries that were not what I enjoyed shooting than trying to be all things for all people. Doing less, with more focus.
There have been so many ups and downs as a small business owner. I’ve been learning on the go while juggling very full home life with my three children, but I have been blessed with some amazing opportunities. As hard as it may be at the time, I’m happy I will be able to show my children what it looks like to hustle, work hard and pursue a life that you love. I am still in awe of the trust people have in me to capture such important moments in their lives. It means the world to me and helps boost my confidence in moments of insecurity.
So, with that being said, with time and through my genuine love for all people I have been able to authentically snatch up millions of beautiful moments and magnify the unique beauty that each person possesses when they are simply who they are.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a natural light portrait, wedding and anniversary photographer. My work is bright, airy and simple. I create timeless and genuine lifestyle imagery for my clients, believing in the motto ‘less is more’; this motto translates into all aspects of my business and personal life.
My initial inspiration was my love for art and photography, a creative impulse that’s been there all my life. But what has kept me inspired and pressing on in my business is my love for people. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing people’s confidence rise before my eyes. Being photographed can bring up a lot of insecurities for people, so I am honored to have the opportunity to curate the best version of my subjects for everyone to see. Most people I have photographed, especially my couples, have never really been in front of a camera before, so I do my best to prepare and educate them before their sessions to provide them with the best resources and tips to give them a great experience. This helps eliminate a lot of their anxiety, boost their confidence and give them much more relaxing and fun time with me. My commitment to my clients is evidenced in my very fast turnaround time on getting them their images, as well as my finer moments, like shooting weddings while 38 weeks pregnant, twice! My husband Jeremy will sometimes second-shoot for me, and our mutual commitment to diversity and justice also makes my art stand out. I love capturing people in all of their diversity and I am proud of my multiethnic portfolio; it can be hard to find a photographer who is experienced in beautifully shooting all shades of melanin. I’m invested in my clients’ overall experience, and I believe it is my personal approach and genuine love for people that give my brand such distinction. If I’m not already photographing a friend, we will have become friends by the end of our session.
As someone who still values the significance of long-term commitment and storytelling, I love to highlight all of my couples’ sessions on my blog for everyone to read and see. I believe this provides a deeper, inside look into each couple’s story and provides encouragement and wisdom for other people who may want that one day or who currently are in a relationship. Because no two couple’s journey is the same, it is a passion of mine to get to know them and create an experience that is unique to them.
Meeting fellow artists and creatives can be tough. Any advice?
This most certainly can be the case! I think a great way to connect with other artists is just honestly to reach out to them. If there is someone that you admire or would love to be friends with, send them a message either through email or dm. The point of social media is to connect with others, not just be there to stalk their pages (haha). So reach out to them! Even if they don’t respond, you are still in the same position, you have nothing to lose!
A big one for me is just talking to people and letting them know what I do. I made a great photographer friend this way while being at my child’s gymnastics class. You never know! I think just supporting one another’s businesses, attending networking events, and putting yourself out there is just a great way to not do this alone.
And if for some reason you can’t physically go to outside places, there are great online communities and private groups that are formed to encourage one another.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
You can find my work through my website, Business Facebook Page, and on Instagram, The blog (journal) on my website features all of my couple’s engagement and/or anniversary sessions and wedding days in a detailed overview.
People can support my work by following my accounts, sharing posts that they see, commenting how they feel on images they love, and, of course, referring me to people that they know would fit well with me!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charityhopephotography.com
- Email: charity@charityhopephotography.com
- Instagram: @charityhopephotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharityHopePage/
Image Credit:
Charity Hope Photography
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
